This study examined the effects of a collaborative urban partnership on student literacy achievement. The participants were approximately 220 students in kindergarten through third grade and 10 teachers. Participants were from an urban, low-­income southeastern elementary school serving culturally diverse students. The school had been in its…

Offering new perspectives on community college faculty recruitment and training, and on the renewal of current faculty, this journal issue contains articles on preservice training, faculty development, and teacher improvement. The following 10 chapters are included: (1) "Quo Vadis: Staffing the People's College 2000," by Michael H. Parsons, which…

Teacher preparation programs are in danger of seriously under-preparing elementary teachers to teach mathematics for understanding if they wait to provide students with evidence of effective mathematics teaching methods in the mathematics methods courses. With strong traditional beliefs about how mathematics ought to be taught and their…

Analysis of teacher trainee performance ratings collected from special education teacher trainees (N=151), university supervisors (N=9), and cooperating teachers (N=44) revealed that all three groups perceived identical factors--instructional management, cognitive strategies instruction, and career/vocational education--as underlying the construct…

The Holmes Group report and the Carnegie Task Force report concur on the American problem of decreasing standards for entry into teaching during times of teacher shortage. This article compares and contrasts the two reports, refers to similar proposals, and raises issues not covered in either report. Four footnotes are appended. (IW)

Discusses the issue of the effectiveness of non-Indian preservice teachers in an Indian school. Recommends research to determine the changes in professional performance of reservation student teachers, and to study the frequency, duration, nature, and outcome of cultural immersion field experiences. (SB)

Examines a social studies methods course where preservice teachers explored ways to use a variety of materials and sources to engage middle and high school students in higher order thinking about social studies content, especially with regard to historical thinking. Discusses students' responses. (MJP)

Discusses the special challenges presented to classroom teachers in identifying low income, gifted students and describes an independent field study conducted by a preservice teacher in a school with an at-risk population. Concludes that improved teacher attitudes could be fostered by applying educational theory to classroom practice as a…

This paper provides strategies used by several teacher education programs to enable beginning and continuing teachers to celebrate diversity in curriculum, faculty, and student body. Explains that successful programs identify and overcome such barriers to diversity as geographic location, limited pool of faculty applicants, unspoken prejudices,…

Examines some activities that Miami University initiated to change its teacher training orientation to inclusive practices. The process included establishing a context for change (creating a reform agenda and offering administrative support) and establishing a need for change among constituents (documenting need, identifying inclusive teacher…

This study explored how preservice elementary teachers experienced coursework and field experiences that fostered commitment to socially and pedagogically progressive teaching, especially development of against-the-grain perspectives. Interviews and observations indicated that against-the-grain perspectives evolved from complex interactions of…

Explores the classroom curriculum and instructional strategies of a white, second career teacher who created a culturally relevant teaching practice. Longitudinal data chronicled the development of her beliefs, values, and dispositions for meeting diverse student needs. Important themes were acquiring cultural sensitivity, reshaping the classroom…

The College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin is collaborating with the Austin Independent School District to improve teacher education through restructuring of the preservice curriculum, infusion of technology into teacher preparation, a research-based internship program, new teacher mentoring, and administrator development. One…

This article describes how the Professional Development School without Walls, a partnership between the Departments of Special Education and Elementary Education at the University of South Florida and two large school districts, was developed; the challenges, needs, and contexts influencing the development and implementation process; and the…

Discusses the process of making change in teacher education, examining a second-language teacher education program and noting the importance of reflective thinking. The program encourages learners to explore alternatives in order to enrich teaching and learning and make teaching and learning an integrative process. The university-school…