Productive strategies for evaluating outcomes are becoming increasingly important for the improvement, and even the survival, of teacher education. This article describes a set of research and assessment strategies used to evaluate program outcomes in the Stanford Teacher Education Program during a period of program redesign over the past 5 years.…

What constitutes good teaching is discussed in connection with the Holmes Group proposals for differentiated staffing. Professional development schools that support good teaching and good teacher education are recommended. (Author/MT)

Responds to an article that claims the National Commission on Teaching and America's future has misinterpreted research data and findings regarding reform of teacher preparation and licensing. The article responds to each charge, examines how the critique misinterprets research findings, and argues for professional teaching standards as a key…

Despite criticisms of teacher education, recent evidence indicates that teachers with the most preparation are the most confident and successful. Teacher education reforms creating more tightly integrated programs with extended clinical preparation interwoven with coursework on learning and teaching produce more effective, resilient teachers.…

This article explores the contributions of professionalism to school accountability in the context of a new phenomenon in American education: the professional development school. (IAH)

Until recently there has been little conversation about the most important contribution academe can make to supporting learning. If universities would commit their considerable resources to better preparing the individuals who become elementary and secondary school teachers, they could transform the nation's educational system and stimulate higher…

This newsletter's central item is an essay on teaching as a profession and its condition in the midst of current trends and historical movements. It discusses teacher education, recent reform efforts to incorporate new understandings of teaching and learning in programs for prospective teachers, establishment of professional development schools,…

Assesses the design and potential outcomes of alternate route teacher certification programs, noting their perspectives and assumptions about teaching knowledge, teacher preparation, and the relationship to student learning. Alternate routes will be considered successful to the extent that they improve teacher preparation while working in concert…

Discusses research used to support findings from the U.S. Secretary of Education's report, "Meeting the Highly Qualified Teacher Challenge," and suggests that different conclusions would derive from a well-grounded rendering of the evidence. Examines four propositions (among them, teachers who have completed teacher education programs…

Analyzes current teacher education practices in relation to the need for more highly prepared, credentialed teachers for California's schools, discussing: the importance of teaching and teacher education; what matters and works in teacher education; high quality teacher education programs in California; teacher supply and demand; issues facing…

This book presents case studies of three highly successful teacher education programs. It is part of a three-volume series that includes seven case studies. It documents the goals, strategies, content, and processes of teacher education programs that are exemplars for preparing prospective teachers to engage in skillful, learner-centered practice.…

This paper explores what, and how, student teachers may learn about theory and practice from writing cases, examining some of the features of the pedagogy that may contribute to these results. The paper draws upon data collected from a quarter-long teacher education course, "Principles of Learning for Teaching," that is offered in the Stanford…

This paper discusses how policymakers can support teaching to high standards. It explains that teacher education significantly influences teacher effectiveness. The United States offers fewer supports for teacher learning than do other industrialized countries, and many U.S. teachers are inadequately prepared for the classroom. The United States…

This book argues that the current process for teacher licensing does not always guarantee competence in the classroom, and it offers advice on how to prepare and evaluate aspiring teachers for the challenges of their profession. It places Minnesota's experience in the context of current reform efforts and suggests that developing and requiring a…

Surveyed beginning teachers regarding their views on their preparation for teaching, beliefs and practice, and plans to remain in teaching. Teachers prepared in teacher education programs felt significantly better prepared than those prepared through alternative programs or without preparation. Teachers' views of their preparation varied. The…