This study examined teachers' professional development experiences through the lenses of personal teaching efficacy and professional learning. Initially, 45 academic teachers from three public urban high schools were selected to participate based on their reputations as excellent teachers and their core academic content areas. These teachers were…

Two ever-present occupational hazards that persistently weaken educational efforts in schools are (1) organizational aspects of the institution that distract from the goal of helping young people become the best possible individuals they can, and (2) infatuation with the means of education to the extent that the ends of education are not central…

The concept of clinical supervision has for several years incorporated ideas about supervisory techniques that have recently received growing support from research on the implementation of innovations by teachers. Among these ideas are that supervision should be focused on teacher behaviors, that analysis of patterns of teacher behavior can help…

This paper examines beginning teacher induction programs in both the United States and Great Britain. Descriptions are given of the scope and activities in 11 selected programs in the United States: (1) the NASSP Project; (2) Washington State; (3) Oswego, New York; (4) Hawaii; (5) Wheeling, Illinois; (6) Wilmette, Illinois; (7) New York City; (8)…

This paper identifies and synthesizes findings from data-based research on teacher induction programs and practices. In order to be included in the synthesis the studies must have been: (1) data-based; (2) conducted on beginning teachers in an induction program; and (3) reported since 1977. A total of 17 studies were included in the synthesis.…

Research on elementary teaching practices has provided a list of effective teacher behaviors. This list can be used as a menu from which administrators and teachers can select objectives that will serve the teachers as goals for improvement and the administrators as criteria for teacher evaluation. The behaviors listed in this paper have been…

A detailed description is presented of four beginning teacher induction programs with focus on the areas of program intentions, critical program features, and implementation proceses. The four districts from which each program came are described but not identified. Checklists for the responsibilities of beginning teachers, teacher consultants,…

The nature of staff development in education and the role that the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) and its Georgia affiliate might play in promoting staff development efforts are discussed. The identification of individual and system needs, the coordination of these needs, and the evolution of programs meeting these needs are seen as the…

The various approaches to research on teaching extend into notions about teacher change. It is difficult to discern whether researchers select research approaches on the basis of their beliefs about teacher change, or vice-versa. Models of teacher change related to these various approaches to the study of teaching include: 1) changing teacher…

To provide diagnostic feedback for college faculty, a faculty evaluation rating scale was developed and used by college students. The instrument consisted of 2 global items--rate the instructor, rate the course; 5 questions on general teaching characteristic--presentation, enthusiasm, discussion, organization, and personal attention; and 42 low…

Without objective measures of occupational competence, it is not possible to ascertain whether the prospective teacher possesses the broadly-based level of competence essential for effective teaching. Each occupation contains elements which distinguish the competent tradesman (the author identifies seven). Assurance is required that the level and…

The etymology of the term "clinical supervision" is discussed. How clinical supervision can be used with teachers as an active force toward reform and change is then examined. Through clinical supervision teachers can assist each other to gain control over their own professional lives and destinies. (RM)

This study explores the nature of teacher learning within the broader context of increasing state-level accountability, applying Levi-Strauss' bricolage metaphor to teachers' workplace learning. Based on the assumption that "problems of practice" serve as catalysts for learning, it addresses how teachers define and solve problems in…

This study examined the types of support, resources, and professional development that teachers considered the most beneficial in implementing curriculum reform. Participants were 185 literacy teachers from urban, suburban, and rural middle schools in a northwestern state. The study used questionnaires to collect information about teachers'…

This study identified and described appropriate training activities to help educators develop the skills necessary to participate in a team setting. The qualitative research paradigm allowed researchers to collect data in the contextual setting. Researchers conducted interviews and reviewed documents related to team building activities, noting…