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…

Describes a British course for final year prospective elementary teachers which integrates curriculum knowledge, learning process, teaching process, school development, and staff development. The course prepares teachers to be curriculum specialist coordinators using action research to improve practice. (SM)

Discusses the meaning of being a teacher-researcher, emphasizing the need to involve teachers in research to link theory and practice and noting how participant observation helps them inquire into practice. Practitioner-researcher examples from teachers involved in a graduate research course are presented. The cases support and explicate…

A California program makes science real for elementary teachers by linking them with retired scientists who share their experience and knowledge of science. Teaching Opportunities for Partners in Science (TOPS) recruits, trains, and supports the scientists, and the scientists plan and deliver lessons to students and staff. The paper notes six…

Describes how a bilingual school explores an innovative professional development approach that is shaped by teachers' needs and inquiries. Presents an account in process of one school's work with the National Council of Teachers of English Reading Initiative, that organization's first professional development program for elementary teachers. (SG)

Describes the role of the principal and assistant principal at Fairview Elementary School in creating a professional learning community. Notes parallels between the evolving cultures in the classrooms where literature circles are occurring and in the entire school becoming a learning community. Discusses the importance of literature, talk, choice,…

This study examined the effect of a self-evaluation intervention using audiotaped samples of 20 teachers' instructional behavior on the rates of praise in classrooms for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Results indicated the intervention had positive short-term effects on teacher praise and correct academic responses by students.…

Indonesian primary school children are taught to memorize science facts and learn only routine skills. School science lessons focus on low-order thinking as required on the frequent district formative tests and a national year six examination. Because of this emphasis on testing, students show little interest in asking questions about everyday…

This paper presents a transformational philosophy of educational leadership, with a focus on the practice of supervision. The paper defines and outlines the purposes of both leadership and supervision. It discusses multilevel social forces that affect leadership for K-8 schools and examines four dimensions of leadership--knowing oneself, the…

This document presents findings of an evaluation of two projects of the Aga Khan Foundation's School Improvement Programme located in Kisumu, Kenya, and Bombay, India. The program is based on the assumption that effective change consists of a focus on the individual school, clinical methods of teacher development, and improved school management.…

A study examined the influence of participation in the Accelerated Schools Project on teachers' instructional behaviors, with a focus on teachers' instructional decision-making and their implementation of inquiry processes. The Accelerated Schools Project was designed to integrate high-risk students into the educational mainstream by the end of…

Collecting time-on-task data is necessary in order to research methods for increasing student time-on-task and to provide feedback to teachers on what teaching behaviors produce high levels of on-task behaviors in students. A student and a teacher behavior data collection instrument developed for research in the area of academic learning time is…

Teachers in inner city schools today are usually unprepared for dealing effectively with a mobile, rapidly changing, culturally varied population. A program to provide such training, based upon the concept of staff self help through collegial supervision, was implemented in the Francis M. Leahy Elementary School in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Over a…

This study contends that there is a need for improvement of science education in the United States. It argues that although once a national priority, elementary science instruction now receives little emphasis in many schools. Consequently, many elementary students are deprived of an opportunity to build a sound science background for subsequent…

This study was designed to determine whether a summer institute for elementary teachers could reduce or eliminate obstacles to teaching science. During summer, 1986, 10 primary teachers (K-3) participated in a month-long training session designed to help them improve their background knowledge of light and shadows and develop, teach, and revise a…