Examines the following trends affecting the professional status of teachers: (1) practice boards; (2) teacher centers; (3) mediated entry; (4) staff development; (5) researcher-teacher collaboration; (6) merit pay; (7) master teachers; and (8) new alliances. (FMW)

Research on what is known about the use of collaborative performance appraisal to enhance the professional growth of teachers was reviewed, and a survey was conducted of the views of 152 administrators and teacher supervisors about collaborative performance assessment. Alternatives for policy and practice suggested by the findings are discussed.…

Discusses five variations of staff splitting, a psychological process that starts with seemingly innocent comments that fester in the subconscious of others, leading members of the staff to seek evidence of inconsistencies and individual differences. Provides explicit guidelines and insights about how to turn staff splitting into an opportunity…

This article identifies the social, political, and educational influences that have contributed to the popularity of formal teacher induction and mentor programs, noting advantages and disadvantages and offering support for an alternative approach to induction grounded in the conception of teaching as a moral, political, and intellectual…

Reviews 40 learning-to-teach naturalistic and qualitative studies between 1987 and 1991. Preservice and first-year teaching constitutes one developmental stage during which novices acquire student knowledge, modify/reconstruct their personal self-images as teachers, and develop standard procedural routines that integrate classroom management and…

Summarizes trends for teacher professional-development research and standards documents. Identifies several characteristics common to science-education professional-development development programs that can be used to increase the likelihood of program implementation and success. Contains 63 references. (WRM)

Research on the effectiveness of specific strategies for faculty and instructional development at the college level is reviewedd, focusing on five delivery strategies: (1) workshops; (2) instructional consultation; (3) grants for instructional improvement; (4) colleague collaboration; and (5) print resources. In each case, the strategy is…

This study, begun in October 1987, was conducted to explore the effect of particular contexts of schooling on educational outcomes and to provide a comprehensive look at what and how context conditions affect teaching and learning. The study design integrates 3 years of field research in 16 public and private high schools in 2 states and analyses…

This report describes major issues in teaching and current initiatives and proposals to strengthen teaching in New York State. An overview is presented of state action and local projects aimed at teacher improvement in the areas of: (1) recruitment and preservice teacher education; (2) teacher certification; (3) staff development and other…

An overview is presented of the California Mentor Teacher Program (signed into law in July, 1983) and the related issues of merit pay and master teachers. The operation of the Mentor Teacher Program, the first statewide program of its kind, is briefly described. The program is said to be an outgrowth of the merit pay and master teacher movements;…

This report contains reviews of relevant Australian literature and of inservice teacher education programs in Australia and in other countries. The first part of this report describes the origin and objectives of the Western Australian In-Service Teacher Education Project. In the report's second section, trends in the definition of inservice…

A review of literature indicates that schools with effective reading programs tend to have common characteristics, such as a strong commitment to improved reading; a competent teaching and administrative staff; clearly defined objectives; a structured, intensified program; adequate assessment techniques; a variety of materials; and parental…

Discusses renewed interest of instructional developers in public schools and reviews the literature of three major themes prevalent in inservice teacher education: clinical supervision, teaching effectiveness research, and reflective teaching. The application of adult learning theory is described, and involvement of instructional designers in…

School districts strongly influence the strategic choices that schools make to improve teaching and learning. Districts act as gatekeepers for federal and state policy by translating, interpreting, supporting, or blocking actions on their schools' behalf. The efforts of districts to build the capacity of students, teachers, and schools are often…

Two aspects of the teacher testing issue are discussed: (1) reasons for assuming that teachers should be tested; and (2) domains in which testing might occur. The effects of testing on teacher quality and public opinion are discussed. Ways that teacher educators can use their influence to improve teacher quality are suggested. (PP)