Predictors of Within-School Differences in Teachers' Sense of Community

Abstract Within-school differences in teachers' sense of community were explored to complement previous school-level research. Data from 3 large public high schools were used to examine 3 classes of predictors: time-related variables (employment tenure in a school and time spent in interaction with other staff members and students), work arrangement variables (participation in mentor programs and team-teaching arrangements), and school organization variables (perceived orderliness of student behavior and support for innovation). School organization variables and time-related variables emerged as the strongest predictors of teachers' sense of community. Results emphasize the importance of distinguishing teachers' referents for community (students, co-workers, school and site administrators) when exploring the dynamics of community in schools.

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