From the author "Most educators believe that the classroom is an important locus for student personal and academic growth, and that classrooms have distinct atmospheres or climates that mediate growth. Some recent developments have reinforced this notion, and have led to increased interest in the classroom as a unit of study. For example, investigators who have focused on schools and school systems have found only relatively small differences among schools in student achievement and other criteria. They have suggested that experiences within a school, such as contact with outstanding teachers and particular classes that create intensive individual interest, may have more influence than differences in overall school programs."

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