A survey of prospective teachers preparing for elementary education careers investigated their perceptions of education reform as it relates to financial issues. Some of the following topics were addressed: (1) salary issues; (2) adjustments in the length of instructional time; (3) merit pay; and (4) pay for special assignments. Respondents were…

Describes a teacher education program designed to increase preservice teachers' confidence in their ability to instruct elementary children in hands-on science. (Author/MKR)

This article describes the People to People program initiated by the University of Nebraska at Kearney. The program requires students enrolled in introductory special education courses to spend a minimum of 10 hours working with children or families in 1 of 7 local programs. Guidelines for developing such a program are offered. (DB)

Outlines some of the challenges facing tertiary education courses in early childhood in Australia, including the competency movement, university and TAFE (technical and further education) restructuring, articulation between courses, and effective communication in a field which spans children from birth through age eight. Notes that outcomes of…

Reports of 156 preservice teachers concerning their own disciplinary experiences in their families of origin were used to predict subsequent selection of punitive or nonpunitive classroom management strategies. Results suggest that authoritarian upbringing is related to selection of punitive strategies. Implications for teacher training are…

The effects of 15 factors on 81 students' selection of concentration areas in special education were investigated. Six factors were consistently rated high regardless of year and concentration area: ages served, prior work and volunteer experience, curriculum content, site visits provided prior to concentration area selection, job availability,…

Describes the use of the reading reaction sheet as a strategy to help methods students construct meaning about science teaching and learning. This strategy illustrates the integration of reading, writing, and science education and its application to classroom practice. (PR)

Examines the effects of job and organization attributes, applicant characteristics, and recruiter characteristics on job applicant attraction to an elementary school teaching position. Forty-eight university education majors (24 with teaching experience and 24 without prior teaching experience) role played the part of job applicant for an…

Effects of 3 different types of instruction (use of manipulatives, use of diagrams, and use of symbols only) of rational number content and teaching techniques were compared for 75 preservice teachers in a course in elementary mathematics. Only the manipulatives group showed significant improvement pretest to posttest. Implications are discussed.…

A survey of 588 undergraduate special education majors explored attitudes regarding urban, suburban, and rural teaching environments. The majority (60%) desired suburban placements, 23% desired rural placements, and 17% preferred urban placements. Students who grew up in rural areas were more likely to favor teaching in rural areas. (KS)

A look inside a professional development school based in Fort Collins, Colorado, shows how an innovative, observation-and-feedback approach to teacher training is enhancing the teaching and learning experience of all participants--university faculty, high school faculty, and teacher candidates. Participants' strong commitment has arisen from the…

The purpose of this study was to determine how elementary pre-service teachers' perceptions of and attitudes toward the teaching portfolio process changed after participating in a university program-wide mentoring process. The research question for this study was: What is the impact of a university's program-wide mentoring process on elementary…

The recruitment and retention of minority students in teacher education programs has received the attention of schools of education. For those minority students who choose to pursue a career in teaching and decide to attend a predominantly white university, their experience must be appreciated for the challenges it presents. This study was…

Science Education traditionally has received insufficient attention. As a literature review shows, teacher preparation in science will be best served by improvements in pedagogy and in the content of required undergraduate science courses. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (1993, 1995) and the National Research Council (1993,…

Elementary teachers have been identified as the single most important influence on student's future attitudes and motivations toward science. Research indicates that K-8 science teachers emphasize memorization more than the exploration of questions or critical thought as a result of their college science experiences. The reasons students gradually…