Reports on a study of teacher burnout among 160 Swiss secondary teachers. Finds that teacher-student relationships are the most frequently mentioned reason for burnout, followed by feelings of being trapped in school routine and personal difficulties. Discusses the impact of burnout episodes on a teacher's career. (CFR)

Questionnaires completed by Australian preservice teachers before and after practical experiences in isolated rural settings revealed the value of these experiences in developing positive attitudes toward teaching in rural schools and in sensitizing teachers to the culture and conditions associated with teaching in rural areas. (LP)

Harold Stevenson, author of "The Learning Gap," describes differences between schools in the United States, which he feels are in crisis, and those in Asia. The article includes important differences in staff development and in the working conditions of teachers in those countries. (SM)

Measuring achievement is not the same as measuring the quality of teaching and learning conditions; the validity of the former is not related to the latter. As measures of school improvement, achievement test scores have not been validated. No accumulation of evidence shows assessment to be an indicator of good schooling. (MLH)

Introduces a theme issue on the Saber-Tooth Project, an ongoing reform effort involving a university and school district that collaborate to improve middle school physical education by improving teaching conditions and engaging teachers in professional development emphasizing curriculum improvement. The monograph explains the nature of…

Uses journal analysis techniques to examine how six female student teachers participating in secondary-school inclusion programs constructed their professional lives. Teachers believe their professional success is tightly aligned with their sense of empowerment and control over the educational environment. Confidence wanes at the prospect of…

A study of stress in 120 rural teachers in Whatcom County, Washington, revealed that time management issues were listed most frequently as the highest stress factor, followed by lack of administrative support, poor student motivation, and discipline. Salary levels and violence toward teachers were insignificant. Includes teachers' predictions of…

Examines material conditions and constraints embodied in educational structures that affect teachers' lives and practice, using nine feminist female high school teachers as informants to explore the power and powerlessness of teachers in classrooms. The paper details the constraints on teaching practice, noting how public schools and curriculum…

Draws on ethnographic observation to describe internal social structuring of Botswana primary schools; social hierarchy among teachers, staff, and students; and the cultural distance between schools and their communities. Argues that teacher training practices do not challenge trainees' previously internalized teaching concepts related to teacher…

Reviews educational issues arising in Scotland's first Parliament in 300 years. Discusses the debate on teachers' pay and teaching conditions, including proposals to change the management structure of schools, extend teachers' working hours, and increase class size. Describes the proposed Scottish University for Industry, which would be a gateway…

A survey of 1,576 Florida special-education teachers examined factors that contribute to their propensity to leave or stay in the special education classroom or transfer to a new school. Teachers left special education teaching primarily due to insufficient certification, perceptions of high stress, and perceptions of poor school climate.…

Examined the dynamics of organizational change in higher education institutions and whether chartering a higher education organization would lead to increased faculty responsiveness and involvement in reform efforts. Data from interviews with school faculty, administrators, and other involved parties indicated that faculty work changed, work…

Examined success in first-year teaching, using observations and interviews conducted over a school year, to describe a new physical education teacher's experiences. Results revealed several factors which impacted success, some related to preservice preparation, others to school context, and others to the new teacher taking an active role in the…

This article reflects on the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program, a program that provides first-year early childhood educators support and assistance from a team of resource teachers, principals, and teacher educators through a year-long supervised internship. It discusses teacher attrition and the need to address issues of teachers' pay and…

The focus of this study was on kindergarten children's reports of teacher-child relational conflict and the associations of the reported conflict with (a) child characteristics (gender, behavior problems, and academic achievement); (b) the quality of classroom practices (teacher instructional practices, transition-to-school activities, and…