The lack of instructional continuity in schools negates every effort of principals to provide an environment where all students would be successful. One solution could be to bridge the gap between the professional knowledge and skills of experienced teachers and the energy and fresh ideas of new recruits so that the latter are provided support…

Intrator and Kunzman argue that professional development for teachers follows an orientation similar to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs--and that this orientation needs to be reversed. Maslow posited that people must fulfill subsistence needs such as needs for food and safety before they can pursue higher needs like the need for…

Proposals to improve teacher quality often focus on hiring teachers with the right combination of personality, values, and knowledge and skills. The author suggests that although these elements of teacher quality are important, schools also need to pay attention to the conditions of classroom life that can determine teaching quality. She…

In the late 1970s, teachers were viewed either as weak links to be circumvented or as technicians to be programmed. Now educators recognize the significance of well-educated teachers being able to assume new powers and responsibilities to redesign schools. This article reviews recent teaching research and explores findings developed at the…

Mastery learning sounds promising but problems arise when its practical application is attempted in the classroom. (Author/JM)

In an interview, Bruce Joyce discusses the value of peer coaching and how it can be used effectively to train and develop teachers. (MD)

Outlines the content and training methods used in the Program for Effective Teaching (PET), the successful staff development program of Newport News (Virginia). PET promotes application of five instructional skills: selecting learning objectives, teaching to the objectives, establishing learner focus, monitoring learner progress, and enhancing…

Outlines popular cooperative learning models to acquaint administrators with their titles, developers, and major program characteristics. Provides guidelines for determining observational focus and feedback for teachers. By understanding differences between a teacher-directed and cooperative learning lesson, administrators recognize teacher…

A partnership between the University of North Carolina and Hunter Elementary School in Greensboro attempts to close the achievement gap for low-income students and simultaneously the gap between the skills teachers should possess and the quality of training they receive. The partnership follows the professional development school (PDS) model and…

Intensive Assistance is presented as a routine to be used in helping marginal teachers improve. It is a systems team approach and provides a vehicle for developing human resources. (MD)

Three features are the foundation of instruction in thinking skills: (1) the learning environment, (2) the instructional strategies and methods used, and (3) the coordination and structure of skill teaching throughout the entire curriculum. (MD)

Ascribes to the notion that a teacher should be superior in organizational ability, enthusiastic about teaching, a skilled analyst, and adept at interpersonal relations. (DS)

Student learning in elementary mathematics can be increased by some key teacher behaviors identified by research. (Author)

Subject-centered conventional education of teachers in the U.S. should be augmented by the growth open to teachers in the informal and innovative atmosphere of teacher centers that develop talents and confidence in the individual and emphasize the more child-centered view that is held in British schools. (JD)

Research has found that effective teachers teach concepts and skills using a systematic, step-by-step instructional process. The six teaching functions are: review, presentation, guided practice, corrections and feedback, independent practice, and weekly and monthly reviews. Includes two tables and extensive references. (MD)