This article presents an in-depth study supporting the Scientist in the Classroom Partnership (SCP) program as a model of effective professional development (PD) for K-12 teachers. The goal of this study was to determine the core and structural features of the SCP program necessary for effective teacher PD. The SCP partners a classroom teacher…

Changing demographics continue to challenge professional development programs to prepare school personnel to serve a rapidly expanding diverse student body. Popular diversity professional development models are on a continuum. They range from preparing teachers to design themes and activities that are culturally relevant all the way to enabling…

Presents report summaries of the regional convocations of the Physics Teaching Resource Agent Group. Includes notes from the Northeast, North Central, Mid-Atlantic, Northwest, South Central, Southeast, and Western regions. Provides an overview of common problems and concerns and highlights successes and suggestions. (ML)

Reviews the history of competency-based education for teachers of the visually impaired. Describes a University of Michigan project to develop a self-study manual for teachers and a list of validated competencies with suggested achievement indicators. (SK)

Introduces a theme issue on mentoring beginning teachers, emphasizing the importance of providing a meaningful approach to mentoring new teachers, noting problems associated with not being mentored, describing some aspects of new teachers' experiences in entering the profession, and presenting elements of a well-conceived induction program. (SM)

Questions and answers about staff development examine: what it is; why it is important; what teachers did not learn in college; collaboration; funding; connections between staff development and student learning; indicators of effective staff development; and improving staff development quality. Data come from six key national reports on…

Reviews books and articles to help the department chair enhance faculty teaching. Discusses sources on beginning a teaching-enhancement program, attitudes and teaching improvement, and resources for teaching improvement. (SR)

Contains eight articles on keeping up with new technologies in agricultural education. Articles discuss keeping perspective, staying current, nontraditional careers, examples, machinery technology, the need to keep up, and teaching technology. (CH)

Education requires continuing renewal of members to retain and increase its rigor and artistry. The article examines hallmarks that demonstrate that educators meet the criteria necessary and provide justification for ongoing professional development. Programs must focus on professional competence to guarantee students a safe, stimulating,…

Describes an alternative approach to teacher professional development that involves redesigning the school environment to enhance conditions that help teachers collaboratively reflect on, question, and change underlying beliefs and assumptions that guide their teaching practice. The paper examines teachers' learning needs, limitations of…

The authors are concerned that vocational teachers have not educated themselves and students for technological advancement. They discuss the problem and offer solutions in the form of (1) cooperating with the business community, (2) returning to the workplace, (3) participating in inservice workshops, and (4) planning course materials for skills…

The authors discuss recent reports concerning vocational education teachers and teacher quality in general, including "The Unfinished Agenda,""Tomorrow's Teachers,""A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century." Trends in vocational teacher education are discussed and solutions for reversing negative trends are…

A "dial a strategy" device for adding variety to classroom teaching is described. Four concentric, rotating disks of decreasing size offer 4,096 possible combinations of suggestions for student thinking skills, class activities, teaching strategies, and behavioral objectives. (MJL)

Discusses eight books which illustrate different approaches teachers are using to continue learning from their colleagues, from their teaching and their students, and from writing. (SR)

A plan for teacher education proposed by a special Massachusetts state panel is discussed. The report calls for: elimination of traditional undergraduate education major, a master's degree for all new teachers, a redesigned master's degree program that would emphasize classroom teaching, and designation of certain schools as teacher-development…