Pupil classroom behavior was observed in 14 activity-centered science classes in four urban junior high schools. Classroom behaviors of 26 white males and 26 black males were observed for ten 6-minute periods each over 3 months. Nineteen behavior categories were coded and later combined to form categories labeled learning, attending, and nonattending. Interpersonal interactions were coded as cross-race or within-race and on-task or off-task. Entering California Achievement Test mathematics and reading scores (CAT-M and CAT-R, respectively) and final grades were obtained from school records. No significant race differences were found in in-class behavior, very few hostile interactions were observed, there were more within-race than cross-race interactions, and cross-race interactions were more apt to occur during learning than during nonattending. Reading and math scores were correlated with final grade for both groups. Learning behavior accounted for significant variance in final grade, after removing effect of CAT-M and CAT-R, for black students but not for white students.
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