This article offers description and interpretation for understanding the exercise of leadership in teacher collaboration. Data gathered in two urban high schools through observations and interviews were coded and categorized following Miles and Huberman's modified analytic induction technique. The analysis contributes to emerging theory on…

Weick's theory of sensemaking is used to analyze findings from a qualitative study of the implementation of a district-initiated adolescent intervention literacy course in two urban secondary schools. The authors concluded that implementation of the literacy course was hampered because district administrators, building leaders, teachers, and…

This study explores the nature of teacher-parent relations as perceived by principals at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Participants included 144 principals who completed a survey examining differences in parent and teacher involvement at each level, preparedness of first-year teachers to communicate with parents, and the types of…

Students were electronically polled about the influence of the Internet in their education and ways teachers could use this resource to motivate them and increase their learning. Responses from the 956 adolescents showed that the school quest to increase student engagement could more often be met through online assignments that facilitate…

School Family groups at Westmont High School, Westmont, Illinois, provide counselor-student relationships, teach life-related skills, and create closer student relationships. (Author/JM)

Describes a young, future-oriented high school in New Hampshire aiming to foster student thinking, honor teamwork, inspire teacher self-reflection and teaming, and provide a caring learning environment. Key personalization ingredients include appropriate mindset, consistent focus on mission, creation of a respectful and caring environment,…

Describes a successful teacher-advisor program that uses all professionals in the school building to improve the counselor-student ratio. (Author/IRT)

Developed by a faculty committee to replace an outmoded system at Antioch (Illinois) Community High School, this teacher evaluation procedure calls for teachers to prescribe methods for improving their own instructional processes. Procedures for problem evaluation, routine evaluation, and probationary evaluation are listed and an evaluation form…

To improve student's reading scores on the Test of Achievement and Proficiency, a rural Georgia high school initiated an improvement program based on Deming's continuous-improvement model in fall 1995. This model allows those closest to the problem to resolve it. By working continuously to improve students' testing environment, test-taking…

Describes three social studies projects tackled by students at the Bronx High School of Science: an extracredit activity on doing business in Manhattan, a citizen-participation project on fixing the United States, and a cooperative activity to identify problems common to Tokyo and New York City. Using the Internet to solve real-world problems…

Reform measures have had little effect on increasing high school students' academic performance. Instructional quality is largely determined by the attitude, competence, and talent of teachers and principals responsible for delivering classroom instruction. Contracts should be revised to increase teachers' starting salaries, enforce accountability…

Previews the findings of "A Study of High Schools," cosponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the Commission on Educational Issues. Offers overall impressions of field visits to high schools and suggests eight principles by which high schools should be restructured. (JW)

Problem-based learning is designed to maximize active student participation in the learning process, foster student problem-solving and self-education skills, enhance student self-assessment, increase student communication skills, and improve student abilities to access and use information resources. A Texas high school's innovative problem-based…

A Texas high school undertook measures to ensure that more students participate with increased confidence and success in advanced in advanced math classes. The challenge was to provide support so students remained in advanced classes--an effort requiring considerable counselor, teacher, and administrator teamwork and encouragement. The process was…

Teachers cannot be members of learning communities without time for regular reflection, research, collaboration, and innovation. A private academy developed a formalized learning process dividing faculty into three groups. Each undergoes an evaluation year, a learning development year (with reduced teaching load), and a consolidation/practice…