Since 1990 the New York-based Teach for America (TFA) program has placed more than 7,000 teachers in some of the nation's most challenging school districts. Most TFA recruits serve in schools that qualify for funding under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act due to their high concentrations of students living in poverty. These…

Although states have maintained a focus on recruiting and retaining teachers, many schools and districts still face daunting challenges in ensuring a qualified and competent teaching corps. It is particularly difficult for schools considered hard to staff-those with high concentrations of low-performing, low-income students; high teacher turnover;…

A survey of South Texas Special Education teachers was conducted to determine how they perceived their behavior management skills in the classroom and what effect, if any, this had on their job satisfaction. The majority of teachers were confident in their ability to accomplish the management demands of the classroom. The teachers who showed the…

This report describes a recommended high school program which requires that students take specific courses for graduation, including credits in the core subject areas, in foreign languages, and in other areas. One relevant issue of concern is the availability of certified teachers in specific subject areas. The report focuses on: current course…

Describes a successful mentoring program for beginning teachers developed at a Baptist (K-12) school with 700 students and 11 new faculty members. Program mentors were experienced, but not lead teachers. The most frequently discussed problems between mentor and protege were discipline, classroom management, and the frustration of never having…

This study was designed to clarify beginning teacher characteristics and training that are important for success in various types of school districts. Researchers administered a questionnaire to Texas and Tennessee school personnel. Respondents ranked items in terms of importance, focusing on four categories: personal characteristics, student…

Anyone who can access the Internet can be part of the knowledge-access, knowledge-building, information-exchanging culture, regardless of location. The research presented in this article is about blogs and their use in a new teacher professional development project. Weblogs were first named and described in 1997 by Jorn Barger (Blood, 2000) and…

This manual was designed to assist individuals and groups throughout Texas who are assisting teachers. The manual is composed of 8 sections which include: mentoring models, induction models, other models, adult development, mentoring, induction, instructional planning, and reference material. Also included are the mentoring and induction models…

In this article, the author discusses the advantages of using the interactive engagement instructional method. A model of interactive engagement (IE) instructional method involves questioning students by challenging them to think deeply about a problem or complex question. Essential to this process is frequent and thoughtful interaction with the…

This Texas edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) 2009 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the third annual look at state policies impacting the teaching profession. It is hoped that this report will help focus attention on areas where state policymakers can make changes that will have a positive impact on teacher…

This comparative study explores the relationship between teacher attrition and the preservice training programs in which the teachers were enrolled. A comparison is made between campus-based traditional teacher certification programs and field-based certification programs delivered through a professional development school (PDS) model. The results…

The purpose of this study is to describe the level of administrator support perceived by special education teachers in South Texas. The literature on teacher retention indicates that "lack of administrative support" as an important reason for leaving the profession. This study examined the factors related to administrator support…

The Science and Mathematics Alliance for Recruiting and Retaining Teachers (SMARRT) is a collaborative partnership pursuing aggressive strategies to recruit high quality minority teachers to teach in high-need schools in urban school districts. This partnership is dedicated to recruiting, preparing, and retaining high quality teachers with strong…

This qualitative study explores philosophies, life experiences, educational preparation, classroom techniques, and perceived limitations that enhance or prevent a feeling of successful teaching practice for six middle school science teachers who have at least one but no more than four years of science teaching experience. The study was conducted…

Describes the Houston Independent School District's support program involving pairs of beginning and mentor teachers and several professional development specialists who support and train the mentors and help the novice teachers on a personal basis. The specialists are an important factor in retention and development of first year teachers,…