This paper analyzes the effects of British government directives on teacher education. A study of elementary and secondary teachers investigated perceived gaps in their initial teacher education (ITE). Two major gaps were handling behavior problems and dealing with parents, neither well-addressed by ITE. Most teachers believed they should not be…

Analyzed statewide elementary and secondary school data from the Kansas Writing Assessment to examine the effects on student writing performance of student choice of topic and teacher choice (related to extent of engagement and amount of time allowed for writing processes). Results find the effect of choice is negligible, though it promotes good…

Teacher networks used in California and Vermont are examined. Interviews, observations, and document analyses identified how teacher beliefs, teacher experience, social influences, and practical circumstances interacted with program goals and methods to shape teachers' experiences with networks, views of teaching and learning, and classroom…

Teachers' ideas for quick classroom activities include creating a garden-in-winter bulletin board, writing a science story, playing a Valentine's game, graphing vowels, averaging students' sizes, creating lifesize figures of historical people, making picture books, creating an idiom bulletin board, and sending school valentines to local hospitals.…

A second-grade teacher helped her students improve self-confidence and self-esteem by making them active in their assessment. Using cooperative learning, portfolio assessment, surveys, and interviews, she examined whether students could assess their own abilities and improve classwork. Students gained pride in their work and participated more…

Examines the evolution of teacher support and development in the Kamehameha Elementary Education Program (KEEP) and Rough Rock Community School collaboration. Ongoing teacher development featured regular classroom observation and feedback with mentors and peers and self-reflection through videotaping and journal writing. (two references) (MDM)

An empirical test of a method of teacher evaluation by predicting student performance and comparing it with actual outcomes is described. Results from 6,249 urban fifth graders in 103 schools suggest that teachers can be evaluated in this way and that the best and worst teachers can be identified. (SLD)

Maintains that an overhaul of the public educational system is necessary to meet the needs of all students, including poor and minority students. (BB)

Examines the political strategies used by 261 female and 105 male teachers from 99 urban, 144 rural, and 123 suburban areas when interacting with "closed"/"ineffective" principals. Teachers' reasons/purposes for using such strategies and teachers' opinions concerning the strategies' effectiveness were studied within the context…

A whole-class model providing for student diversity through remediation and enrichment in small groups was compared with a two-group model accommodating diversity through fixed within-class ability groups. Higher mathematics achievement was found for the whole-class model in a study of 1,736 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders. (SLD)

Explores the views and perspectives of seven African-American urban elementary and secondary school teachers on school restructuring efforts underway in their schools. Teachers exhibit patterns of involvement that characterize them as cynical dissenters, coincidental cooperators, or committed advocates. Experienced teachers are the most skeptical…

Identified kindergarten through third grade teachers' perceptions of factors related to success of inclusive classrooms. Found that teachers shared a strong belief in the fundamental value of inclusion. Themes affecting perceptions indicated a need for more adequate and focused training, better consideration of classroom load factors, more…

One hundred sixteen rural general educators participated in an innovative 10-week training to learn instructional and behavioral strategies for working with students with disabilities in inclusive settings. Pre/post self-assessments of teaching skills showed significant improvements after training; elementary educators self-rated their skills…

Most teacher educators would agree that one of the primary goals of a teacher preparation program is to teach individuals how to become good teachers. What is open to debate is exactly what characteristics define good teachers. Although there is a vast literature on good teaching, few studies have compared the beliefs of individuals at various…

The science achievement of 226 5th graders from districts that have a kit-based inquiry science curriculum supported by intensive professional development (PD) is compared with data from a group of 173 5th graders from other districts that use nonkit science materials and do not have systematic science PD for teachers. Within the kit-based…