Describes outdoor educators (whether labeled recreationists, naturalists, or teachers) as emphasizing the outdoors as a resource while utilizing all skills and resources used by an educator. Recommends incorporating the outdoors as a resource area into all teacher education programs. (AN)

Suggests some new admission criteria after arguing that present standards for admission to teacher education programs are generally inadequate to assure that even a high-quality program will produce successful teachers. (Author/IRT)

The shortage of African American teachers may reflect negative schooling experiences that discourage teaching careers. Parental involvement, career awareness, and role models are needed to increase the numbers of African Americans in the teaching profession. (SK)

Much of what teachers need to know to be successful is invisible to lay observers, leading to the view that teaching requires little formal study and to frequent disdain for teacher education programs. The weakness of traditional program models that are collections of largely unrelated courses reinforce this low regard. This article argues that we…

Elementary school children in the United States are not developing acceptable levels of mathematical proficiency (National Center for Education Statistics, 1999), and a major concern of teacher educators is that teachers lack the depth and flexibility of mathematical understanding and the corresponding beliefs they need to teach for proficiency…

Important issues related to the improvement of teacher education are discussed. Internal characteristics of current programs should be considered before reaching the conclusion that extended programs are necessary. (MT)

Questions the validity, relevance, and operational characteristics of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards. Urges critical analysis of the standards; political action to force NCATE to justify its standards; and a comprehensive review of the standards. (IRT)

The director of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) argues that NCATE is much further along in reviewing its standards and processes than its critics allege. (Author/IRT)

Presents biographical summary of Arthur Combs, well known for his perceptual point of view to earlier generation of humanistic educators, counselors, and psychologists. Discusses Combs's background, placing emphasis on academic career. Interview focuses on Combs's entry into humanistic education, his implementation of teacher education program…

President Bush's education act--No Child Left Behind (NCLB)--promises to close the achievement gap created by race, social class, disabilities, and English proficiency. Some scholars have argued that students achieve at higher rates when their teachers are culturally sensitive, utilize culturally relevant pedagogy, and can create a genuinely…

In this article, the author presents the story of Hope--an education student who, despite many successes, was consistently unable to pass the reading portion of a screening test (Praxis I) that is a prerequisite to student teaching in her home state of Georgia. Hope's only trouble was the fact that she was a slow reader due to attention deficit…

Discusses issues in science teacher education raised by falling test scores in the 70's including: the insufficiency of four year programs versus the cost of five year programs; admittance requirements; inappropriate evaluation standards; and the lack of knowledge of specific components of the teacher preparation program. (SD)

This article examines the plight of teacher educators and their lack of control over their profession. Discussed are by whom and how teacher educators are denied control. Six steps to provide recognition and involvement appropriate to a true profession of teacher educators are advocated. (MT)

Agrees with the preceding author's call for involvement of educational researchers in teacher education. Otherwise, disputes Joyce's claim to be calling for "radical" changes in teacher education, arguing that many of proposed changes have already been endorsed by national associations in the field of teacher education. (CMG)

A critique is given on Alan Tom's article, "An Alternative Set of NCATE Standards." This critique discusses implications of and possible reactions to Tom's article. (CJ)