Historically, science was introduced into the school curriculum to enable students, who were entering university to study science related subjects, to gain some background knowledge before beginning studies at the university level (Fensham, 2008, p 14). Unfortunately this view is still very prevalent among policy-makers and teachers today. And…

The economic meltdown has hit U.S. college campuses, and higher education is on the chopping block in state budgets, with cuts totaling hundreds of millions of dollars already approved and hundreds of millions in more cuts on the way. As veteran legislators, the authors have seen this story play out before in previous recessions. The mindset on…

Describes the characteristics and benefits of a policy adopted by the school board of the Placer Union High School District in Auburn, California, requiring all teachers to provide written orientation materials covering class procedures to all students each year. (PGD)

A new Kentucky law requires school board members to undergo 15 hours of training annually, of which 10 are provided by the Kentucky School Boards Association without state funding. A new Georgia law provides funding for required orientation training and encourages further training. Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas also mandate training. (PGD)

Substitutes might never be as good as regular teachers, but they still can provide high-quality instruction. Suggestions include meeting with them as a group twice a year, principal and peer support, and development workshops specifically for substitutes. (TE)

This response to suggestions that the technical services librarian may be replaced by a combination of paraprofessional staff and automated processes discusses the catalog librarian's role in staff training, systems analysis, integrated systems design, technical services management, and original cataloging. (CLB)

This report provides the documentation for a proposed interactive videodisk to be produced for use in orienting freshman students to the Harvey A. Andruss Library of Bloomsburg University (Pennsylvania). A rationale for the project and a plan of action are followed by a production time line and tentative program outline. An outline of the library…

Four suggestions are offered for making teachers' first year on the job more than just a test of endurance: provide adequate supplies, make assignments carefully, do not overload them, and provide a support system. (TE)

Middle level schools have special needs because of the characteristics of the age group served. Staff development is crucial for middle schools. Its purposes and major planning components are presented in this paper. Most mid-level educators were prepared for elementary or high school teaching and have a limited knowledge of early adolescent…

That women hold less than 3 percent of secondary school principalships underscores society's contuinuing use of sexual stereotypes. Among the misguided assumptions hindering women's professional aspirations are beliefs about their lack of interest in promotions and their ineffectiveness as authority models. There is also the behavioral…

A study examined the factors that influence lower-income women's career decision making and planning. The 24 women interviewed included African American, white, and Hispanic American women ages 20-60 years or older. The women were employed in a variety of industries. All were college graduates, and none earned more than $24,000 annually. Most…