This report considers a number of ways to improve or reform college instruction. The methods discussed vary from those that would attempt to change what the teacher does to those that would change primarily what the student does. Which particular way one chooses to improve instruction undoubtedly depends on one's underlying philosophy of…

After a brief review of the position of women in educational administration, the Commissioner examines the role of leadership in encouraging change and improvement. Administrators have a particularly sensitive and demanding role as working partners with teachers and the community. The Office of Education is moving to give school districts a major…

Considers how being a multicultural teacher demands facing a lengthy and complex set of issues, beginning with the understanding that good multicultural teaching has the bottom-line goal of helping every child be successful in the classroom. Presents 10 recommendations for reaching that goal. (SG)

In this article, the author, a superintendent of Adlai E. Stevenson High School District 125, discusses how they have addressed their school community's collective fear of failing to continue to grow. Staying focused on their individual and collective adult behaviors and respond to any manifestation or source of student failure, is the simplest…

The educational challenge of the 21st century is to achieve higher levels of learning for all children. This theme has become the overarching issue on the nation's domestic policy agenda as evidenced by the bi-partisan passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The policy levers engaged to address this challenge include increased…

Training managers are given guidelines to determine the training needs of their instructors in order to improve the selection and use of external courses. (Author/MF)

This case study of one middle school focuses on improving teachers' skills in data-driven decision making through analysis of student work and their own professional practice. The expectation that schools will make adequate yearly progress has pushed evaluation practice down to the teacher level, where teachers are asked to analyze and…

Discusses what vocational-technical educators are doing to overhaul outdated programs and to solve the skilled worker shortage. (JOW)

"Teachers are leaders when they function in professional communities to affect student learning; contribute to school improvement; inspire excellence in practice; and empower stakeholders to participate in educational improvement" (Childs-Bowen, Moller, & Scrivner, 2000, p. 28). Enhancing teacher leadership can help schools and districts reach the…

The purpose of this paper was to examine the cross-national performance of fourth- and eighth-grade students in mathematics on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003. The TIMSS assessment data were used to identify nations that have a competitive edge in the critical area of mathematics. The Trends in International…

This review paper, prepared for the forthcoming Russell Sage volume Changing Poverty, considers the ability of different education policies to improve the learning outcomes of low-income children in America. Disagreements on this question stem in part from different beliefs about the problems with our nation's public schools. In our view there…

This article examines the professional learning accruing from school-based initial teacher education (ITE) within the wider policy debate on school performance. It contrasts the very positive perceptions reported by teachers on the contribution of involvement in ITE to their professional learning with the less than fulsome attitude of school…

High school reform has now been on the national agenda long enough that people can begin reaching conclusions about the effectiveness of various approaches to it. This article discusses several strategies of high school reforms which includes: (1) improving school climate; (2) strengthening curriculum and instruction; (3) raising graduation…