As the field of teacher education evolves to more clinically based educator preparation, understanding how to develop preservice teachers' professional vision and pedagogy through reflection in and on practice in the clinical context is essential. The purpose of this article is to outline a conceptual framework for clinical pedagogy, or the art…

Collaboration among educators is a vital component for teachers' success working with diverse students. Teacher preparation programs, however, have not sufficiently included experiences in which teacher candidates can learn about professional collaboration in preparation for clinical and professional experiences. In this article, the authors…

In this article, the author provides a conceptual framework to guide the design of coursework to prepare teacher educators. Given the absence of a stronger research base to inform the preparation of novice teacher educators, the author argues that theoretical perspectives focused on K-12 preservice teacher learning can be a useful heuristic for…

Instructional supervision is a highly complex endeavor as supervisors work to enhance teacher, teacher candidate, and school effectiveness. The process of learning to supervise well can be daunting and difficult. Recent research on teaching has focused on enhancing teachers' ability to notice or observe aspects of teaching and student learning.…

Although proponents support portfolios' value to enhance the reflective thinking of novice teachers and imply that such thinking improves teachers' practice, few studies have confirmed these assertions by directly measuring in-depth reflection or describing conditions that develop it. In this study, reflective thinking in preservice teachers'…

This article discusses the findings of a large scale mixed-methods study (2006-2010) conducted on a variety of early professional experiences of beginning primary teachers in the Republic of Ireland.

Understanding effective and appropriate techniques for assessing student learning has never been as critical and political as is it is today. Accurate assessment methodologies employed in public schools are vital to the interpretation of student achievement data through which school effectiveness is being measured. Although there is a need,…

Professional integrity and changing demographics in the public school system in the United States coupled with standards for teacher preparation require that preservice teachers possess knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to work with diverse populations. Using the Teacher Work Sample, a plan for instruction serving as a teacher…

Research and practice going back to the 1960s support the use of videotaping to facilitate preservice teachers' development of reflective teaching skills. Emerging research suggests that additional video-based activities, including editing video vignettes of teaching, can deepen preservice teachers' reflection. This action research study describes…

This study focuses on the Renaissance Teacher Work Sample's critical sections Assessment Plan and Analysis of Student Learning. Preliminary review of scoring data based on the sample revealed that preservice teachers at a large comprehensive institution teacher program appeared to be most challenged with designing assessments and analyzing student…

This article examines the effectiveness of a 1-year full-time credential program in recruiting, preparing, and retaining elementary, secondary, and special education teachers for urban schools. The program was designed to restructure teacher education as a shared school-university responsibility and to reflect best teacher preparation practices…

This article reports on a study of the needs of beginning teachers. The four categories of needs discussed are (1) learning to work with parents, aides, and administrators; (2) learning to work with colleagues; (3) developing a realistic view of teaching; and (4) learning the need for a theoretical framework. (MT)

Most school systems fail to provide appropriate conditions for training employees. Individualizing staff development is an effective approach, although it requires a strong commitment by both teachers and school districts. Options of a program, the time involved, and cost are discussed. (MT)

Notes the importance of selecting teachers based on professional attitudes and personal attributes, synopsizing four tools used to assess teachers and teacher candidates regarding knowledge, skills, and values (Teacher Perceiver Instrument, STAR Teacher Interview, Praxis III Teacher Performance Assessment, and National Board for Professional…

The effective elementary school teacher should be trained throughout the collegiate career with explicit reference to the elementary school curriculum; have achieved both breadth and depth in academic background from a combination of disciplines; and have been explicitly trained to integrate and use this knowledge in teaching. (CB)