The complexity of educational leadership belies simple models and must be examined holistically and historically. Leadership has a setting, a historical framework, a wholeness of meaning, and a diversity of influences. Effective leaders must both articulate the values of society and go beyond them. Most agree leadership: (1) is situational and…

This paper addresses the issue of student teacher dispositions, explaining that some colleges feel that it is important for student teachers to possess certain dispositions. The paper notes that a positive teacher disposition is necessary but not sufficient, proposing that colleges establish dispositions committees to broadly assess individual…

The author asserts that effective teachers are far more critical to school effectiveness than innovations in school organization, facilities, or curriculum. He reviews some studies on the characteristics of effective teachers to suggest criteria for identifying and evaluating effective teachers. He urges schools to invest in teacher proficiency.…

Describes features and benefits of the person-centered approach to studying personality, identifies unanswered questions, and suggests research directions. Benefits noted include focus on intraindividual structure, descriptive efficiency, use of types as moderator variables, predictive validity, and conceptual clarity and intuitive appeal.…

In this article, a mother of an adult son with autism discusses the neurology of autism that makes stress so difficult to handle, even when it is the excitement of something positive. The uniqueness of the disability is highlighted, including the need for routines and the lack of coping skills. (Contains three references.) (CR)

In this article the author postulates there are six key factors associated with changing preservice teachers' attitudes toward and beliefs about diversity-their dispositions, which include openness, self-awarenesss/self-reflectiveness, and commitment to social justice; and their experiences, which include intercultural, educational, and support…

This article deals with the problem between the teacher and parent of a child who will not participate in group activities. Here, the author features the teacher's story as well as the parent's story. Some children take a long time to warm up to group play. Often, these are imaginative youngsters who are quite content to amuse themselves. They may…

In this article I argue that both sociocultural theories and those that address academic literacies must be invoked to adequately understand language and literacy development in schools. Through exploring the histories, school lives, and viewpoints of two kindergarten students, I show how identity work negotiated in classroom interactions can…

Understanding the rich variety of personality differences can help teachers to avoid using new technology in ways that separate students from their best sources of strength. Twenty freshman students who were asked to react to 16 statements about writer's strengths and weaknesses not only answered very predictably according to their (Myers-Briggs)…

This paper, a resource for vocational and adult education teachers who teach entrepreneurship education, reviews selected literature on entrepreneurship published since 1970. It includes periodicals, monographs, books, and miscellaneous publications produced by the U.S. Small Business Administration and similar organizations. The literature…

An understanding of the writing problems and personalities of some of the technically oriented students at Michigan Technological University may help others who teach similar students. Although their scores on aptitude tests are high, these students have had very little experience in writing. In addition, the majority of the students have had very…

Focuses on three interrelated issues: (1) developmental theories of humor (2) variables that facilitate children's responses to amusing literature, and (3) strategies for the evaluation and more effective use of humorous children's books. Provides examples of books, an overview chart of the general chronology of children's humor development, and…

Emphasizes that college admissions criteria based on test scores that tend to be correlated with socioeconomic status are biased against racial/ethnic minorities. Suggests that alternative criteria might consider students' personality traits. (Author/MJL)

Highlights attitudes, skills, and information necessary for women who wish to succeed in management. Specifies career-orientation, realistic goals, communication and management skills, and self-confidence as important success factors. Stresses statistical standings of females in the labor force. Urges parents to change their expectations of women…

Presents a report from an oceanographer in New Zealand who analyzes the predominant moves of the citizens of New Zealand when it comes to rearing children and apportioning sex roles. She relates her own background and proposes measures for social reform. (Author/SA)