During a walk, an outdoor education teacher reflects on the status of outdoor education in Ottawa (Canada) and importance of maintaining a close relationship with nature. He looks for signs of an old log home site, observes a hawk's flight, discovers remains of a plastic bag in an owl pellet, and realizes that everyone is working on survival. (LP)

This paper reviews 12 studies of special education teacher attrition, concluding that research-based models for improving the retention of special education teachers do not exist. Guidelines for a research agenda to identify variables that influence the attrition of special education teachers are offered. (DB)

Describes a later-entry first grade teacher at a rural school in Indiana, who has continued to teach despite a number of hurdles that would impede many educators. Demonstrates her commitment to the profession and to her school, a commitment which has continued to grow through each career stage. (RS)

Beginning teachers are often given teaching assignments that would challenge even the most skillful veteran teachers. Such assignments can take several forms: teaching in a subject area for which the teacher is not certified; having too many class preparations; "floating" from classroom to classroom; working with low-ability, unmotivated, or…

In the flurry of activity surrounding the implementation of No Child Left Behind's (NCLB) student proficiency mandates, the federal requirement to have a "highly qualified" teacher in every classroom by 2005 seemed like an impossible goal. However, 2005 has come and gone and the highly qualified teacher crisis never happened. In this…

In 2007, the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF) completed an 18-month study of the costs of teacher turnover in five school districts. The selected districts varied in size, location, and demographics enabling exploration of how these variations affected costs. Costs of recruiting, hiring, processing, and training…

The professional and career development of teachers is central to many educational reform theories and propositions. Career ladder proposals are examined in detail. Teacher leadership and empowerment are discussed as routes to enhance status of the profession. (JL)

This article provides educational administrators with information on how to recognize teacher burnout, the organizational conditions related to it, personal characteristics which contribute to it, and recommendations for individuals and for organizations to prevent and avoid burnout. (JL)

Ten suggestions for keeping good teachers are provided by the governor of Tennessee. These cover the career ladder concept, awards, honorary degrees, summer work, secretarial help, professional standards, short term teaching, community leadership, recognition of distinction, and recognizing teachers as opinion leaders. (TE)

A discussion of the trend to employ students without pedagogical preparation in teaching positions for brief periods of time is offered in this article. Reasons for the short-term professional emphasis and weaknesses with this position are identified. Alternative directions for education are recommended. (DF)

This article focuses on some of the humiliating practices forced on secondary teachers--practices which discourage and drive away productive and talented individuals. Included are: presence of nonlearners in the classroom, lack of opportunity for teacher participation in decision making, and lack of esteem given teachers by the public. (KC)

Inflation affects students, school employees, and educational budgets. Need for higher income encourages students and teachers to leave school systems for temporary higher paying alternatives. This transfer out of the school hampers the potential quality of the educational foundation, making inflation a detrimental factor to the quality of future…

In this article, the author discusses some of the reasons behind the teacher retention crisis. Some of those reasons are salaries and influences closer to the classroom, which have the most profound impact on teachers' day-to-day work. School board policies, site-based management decisions and even a school's climate and culture can all affect…

A central goal of preservice teacher education programs should be to develop a commitment to the profession in future teachers. Teacher education programs in physical education need to graduate teachers who develop strong programs, take their work seriously and are committed. Suggestions for doing so are given. (JL)

Commenting on Donna Kerr's ideas for improving teaching (Teachers College Record, Spring 1983), Goodlad points to three factors that discourage able students from becoming teachers: (1) salary structure; (2) job dissatisfaction; and (3) lack of opportunities for promotion. Goodlad compares his own proposals for educational improvement with those…