Explains how curriculum materials have played an uneven role in educational practice and proposes how the boundaries between teachers and materials in the construction of the curriculum can be redrawn. Discusses how curriculum materials act as agents of instructional improvement; examines the relations between textbooks, teachers, and teaching;…

Documented an elementary school that implemented student portfolios as port of a comprehensive school reform effort. Findings indicated that portfolios were an important mechanism through which teachers came to deeper understanding of their professional practices. Teachers began to recognize changes in classroom practice and school-wide…

Presents case studies of four exemplary Kentucky schools to illustrate characteristics of a statewide initiative designed to support standards based educational reform. The reform emphasized professional development, increased financial support for professional development, and used a decentralized model so that local needs influenced the types of…

Analyzes trends in educational reforms in the context of conflicting needs for both educational excellence and equal access to education. Discusses the difficulty of balancing these demands in the preparation of school personnel and in school reform through choice programs. (FMW)

Discusses the implications of five-year teacher preparation programs. Argues that different strategies and curricula should be tested and evaluated before mandating major system-wide changes in teacher certification requirements. (FMW)

The Polish education system has experienced significant change since 1989. Many of the developments have been influenced by patterns of education in Western Europe. The paper considers some of the difficulties facing inservice trainers in special education in Poland, using current practice in England to highlight potential future directions in…

British researchers asked elementary teachers how competent they felt to teach the National Curriculum with existing knowledge. Teachers considered themselves most competent in English and mathematics. Inservice priorities were for assessment, testing, science, and technology. Teachers did not oppose the national curriculum but were concerned…

Teacher empowerment should begin by preparing teachers to make wise decisions about educational experiences and control decisions about educational quality. If teacher educators feel their efforts are shaped by elements beyond their control in situations prizing faculty governance and autonomy, a compliance-oriented socialization process begins…

Reviews "The Tact of Teaching," Max van Manen; "Practice Makes Practice," Deborah Britzman; "Teacher Education and the Social Conditions of Schooling," Daniel Liston and Kenneth Zeichner; "The Teacher: Theory and Practice in Teacher Education," Allen Pearson. The books focus on social influences and context, cultural pedagogy, educational theory…

British Columbia's systemwide educational reform efforts enable teachers to engage in classroom-based research while building a learner-focused curriculum. This article describes the province's teacher research efforts, underlining important implications for educational policy. Teacher research permitted teachers to honor schools' educative…

Criticizes new mathematics teaching standards advocated by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Changes in emphasis are requested in mathematics teacher education; prospective teachers must examine the antecedents of formalism, its compatibility with proposed learning theories, its manner of occurring in instructional practice; and the…

Discusses the positive effects of the ATLAS (Authentic Teaching, Learning, and Assessment of all Students) seminars on helping partner organizations understand certain shared underpinnings in their work on curriculum, reviewing a series of articles on the subject and noting that the partners share the belief that democratic dialog fosters the…

The National Writing Project and the National Geographic Society's Geography Education Program are two highly acclaimed staff development networks that are models for other organizations. Both programs feature intensive summer workshops and numerous followups during the subsequent school year. This paper describes the networks and presents six…

Looks at teachers' beliefs and expertise as a framework for effective school reform. Outlines the development of expertise in pedagogy as a series of five stages. Discusses characteristics and teaching habits of teachers who became expert teachers by participating in a seven-year science teacher enhancement project in Iowa. (SR)

Examines some of the changes that are occurring in the nature of teaching, suggesting that institutions should respond strategically. The article outlines how staff can be educated, supported, and rewarded with respect to their teaching responsibilities, arguing that strategies employed should focus on reforming reward structures. The article…