The purpose of this quantitative correlational research was to study the relationship between class size and students' academic achievement. Citywide language arts and math test scores for third and fifth grade students in four New York City public schools were examined using a variety of variables including (a) gender, (b) ethnicity, (c) grade…

This study examines the experiences of ten first-year English teachers in various school contexts in two Northeastern states. Through a phenomenological approach to in-depth interviewing, teachers were interviewed at the end of their first year of teaching. Commonalities in teachers' experiences include former teachers' influences on their teacher…

This article is about my experiences as a ninth grade history teacher trying to implement a "big idea" unit on ancient African history. My experiences as a first year teacher and also my experience in seeing this unit develop over three years are chronicled. I conclude that implementing a big idea strategy of instruction is possible in a…

Teachers in the second stages of their careers--those with 4-10 years of experience--are often eager to vary their responsibilities, work collaboratively with peers, and influence teaching beyond their own classrooms. With many veteran teachers retiring, principals are apt to recruit these second-stage teachers to fill teacher leadership…

The population of students attending Jewish day schools includes an increasing number of students with exceptional needs. How Jewish schools meet the needs of these students is an important question. Inclusive education is a service model predicated on legal and philosophical mores as well as pedagogical and psychological findings. The quality of…

This study investigates the current state of inclusion practices in general education classrooms via survey of 71 inclusion teachers currently serving as special educators across the state of New York. Specifically, small group instruction, co-teaching, one-to-one instruction, and planning support are explored in relationship to class size, number…

Ongoing educational reform initiatives have ushered in significant changes in teacher-certification regulations. Many states no longer offer permanent certification, but instead require teachers to participate in career-long professional development (PD). Accordingly, increasing attention is being paid to the effectiveness of PD initiatives,…

The Teaching Fellows program in New York City (NYC) is an alternative certification teaching program. This study investigates a sample (n = 68) of Queens College Teaching Fellows' perceptions about their teaching experience. Results indicate that 29% of TFs intend to leave their current teaching positions at the end of their contract. Pearson…

Under The No Child Left Behind act, beginning mathematics teachers in New York City find themselves at the crossroad of multi-level educational policies that span the different domains of the teaching profession, from the recruitment and support process to accountability, standards and assessment requirements, to pedagogical models and the…

An exploratory analysis of four large educational data sets found evidence of schools and districts that consistently produced outstanding students, even after socioeconomic factors were controlled for. Outstanding Michigan schools had smaller classes, better-paid teachers, and more teachers with greater than five years experience. (Author)

In this article, the author reflects on her teaching experience at the Onondaga County Justice Center, a maximum-security facility where she taught in the women's pod. She says that every day she encountered students who were eager to learn and glad for the simple materials she brought. She rediscovered pure, joyous teaching. In that stark…

Describes the education of Melvil Dewey, pioneer in library science, his early teaching experiences in rural New York, and the influence of these experiences on his final career choice. Discusses his concept of education for the masses through public libraries. (SV)

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EXPERIENCED COLLEGE TEACHER WAS EVALUATED AS HE LECTURED TO STUDENTS OVER TELEVISION. FOUR PAIRS OF EXPERIENCED AND INEXPERIENCED TEACHERS WERE SELECTED FOR FOUR EXPERIMENTAL LECTURES PRESENTED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF AN EXISTING LIBERAL ARTS COURSE. ELEMENTS WERE SO ROTATED THAT STUDENTS WERE EXPOSED TO BOTH THE…

THE BACKGROUND, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND COMPETENCE OF A SAMPLE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS WERE REPORTED IN A PILOT STUDY. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE COMPLETED BY 621 TEACHERS IN THE SURVEY SAMPLE. EIGHT TABLES WERE INCLUDED ON--TEACHING LOAD, ACADEMIC TRAINING, LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY, TEACHING EXPERIENCE, CERTIFICATION, CONTINUING PREPARATION, SOURCE SITE…

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandates a "highly qualified" teacher in every classroom. To meet the standard, teachers must have a bachelor's degree, be state-certified, and prove they know the subjects they teach, either by satisfying minimum course-taking requirements or passing a test in the subject they teach. But will compliance…