Discusses the need of special education teachers for a mentor to help them through the critical first year of teaching students with special needs. The different reasons why special education teachers, in particular, need mentors are listed, along with the ways mentoring assistance could be provided. (Author/CR)

Discusses the content and processes for initial-year-of-teaching programs. Suggests and describes the study of teaching cases as an approach for such programs. (RJC)

In "The First Year of Teaching: Real World Stories from American Teachers," editor Pearl Rich Kane collects 25 stories probing male-female differences, moral classroom dilemmas, and teacher training deficiencies. In "A Lifetime of Teaching: Portraits of Five Veteran High School Teachers," Rosetta M. Cohen examines outstanding teachers' passionate…

This book is designed to help department chairs with three stages of junior faculty socialization: recruitment and hiring; the critical first year; and evaluating the performance of new faculty. The book is organized in three parts with 15 chapters. Chapters in Part 1, "Managing the Recruitment and Selection of New Faculty," include: (1)…

The successful orientation of new university professors has benefits for both the new professor and the university. For the faculty member, benefits of rapid orientation to the new position involve greater control of the factors that cause stress to professors, more rapid pursuit of the contributions that lead to future promotion and tenure, and…

This manual offers suggestions for the first year teacher with ideas and advice compiled from educational literature and questionnaires completed by other first year teachers, principals, and education professors. Topics include: (1) curricular preparation; (2) physical environment of neighborhood and school; (3) school rules and regulations; (4)…

This book presents an interactive, step-by-step method for implementing and evaluating mentor programs and relationships. The 11 chapters include: (1) "Mentoring: A Welcome Teaching Assistant" (e.g., benefits to mentors, proteges, and districts); (2) "Initial Program Development" (e.g., planning, implementation, and assessment); (3) "What is Our…

Outlines how the principal can help the beginning teacher in six areas: achieving status with peers, gaining the principal's attention, becoming oriented, making a unique contribution to the school, growing personally and professionally, and associating socially with peers. (Author/JM)

Suggests ways to enlist parents' support of language arts instruction, to provide parents with materials to develop their children's language skills, and to offer workshops for parents. (DD)

Little has been written to help new instructors face, and conquer, their natural insecurities. Ten recommendations to assist new teachers in their quest to become both professionally effective and personally self-confident are discussed and suggested readings are provided. (MLW)

Based on a review of studies on junior faculty development programs, this paper focuses specifically on development of research skills. It stresses the importance of administrative support, good management, orientation toward the future, collegiality, mentoring, group projects, research centers, travel money, time for research, financial support,…

This information kit describes the importance of having skilled and well-prepared teachers in all American classrooms. Section 1, "Why We Must Invest in Good Teaching," explains that "Good Teaching Makes a Difference." Section 2, "The Current State of Teaching in America: Five Barriers to Increasing Student…

This publication focuses on suggestions for interviewing new vocational teachers to select candidates who better match employment needs. It expands interview techniques to include an assessment of a candidate's ability to solve problems in the classroom, incorporate academic skills into their curriculum, and continue learning new teaching…

The roles of parents, teachers, school administrators, and members of the community in developing self-discipline in children are examined in this collection of articles. Chapter 1 describes how parents can promote the development of self-discipline in their children through such methods as setting limits and establishing a framework for…

Even though they may be unable to offer them top dollars, schools can successfully recruit new teachers by letting prospective teachers know what is so special about the school or school system; using the school staff to do part of the selling job; and providing an emotional enticement. (MLF)