One elementary school's ongoing process in developing an appropriate action research requirement for teacher candidates during their student teaching experience (internship) is described. The assignment has evolved from a pilot project with one intern and mentor teacher to a requirement for all interns at the school. Several issues that emerged…

Self-assessment is a powerful technique for improving achievement. In this article we outline a theory of teacher change that links self-assessment by teachers to their professional growth. This theory provides avenues for peers and change agents to influence teacher practice. We apply the theory to change in mathematics teaching and report an…

This book is designed to offer practical advice to beginning, as well as experienced, teachers of college courses on navigating many of the common challenges faced both in and outside the classroom. Chapters include "Getting Ready," which covers three discrete components of course design: deciding what you want students to learn, choosing…

Describes a one-week experiment with a teacher exchange program involving the foreign language departments of two colleges, as a means to encourage faculty growth and development of new attitudes. Relates the details of the arrangements made, comments on teachers' reactions and students' evaluation of the exchange. (MES)

Explored the potential of the case method in teacher professional development. Experienced Israeli teachers were exposed to a case, and researchers characterized the resulting dialog. Teacher interviews indicated that teachers found the language of the case communicative. Teachers viewed this method as respectable and credible, though most did not…

It is generally accepted that to live and work in the remote regions of Australia requires specific skills and expertise to accommodate the shifting demands of outback life. For professionals assigned to such areas by employing bodies, this is particularly the case, and teachers are no exception. In addition to such personal attributes,…

Mentoring has been used in many professional-development settings to support individuals new to a profession. In particular, mentors are used in education and nursing to support new professionals who must meet the demands of a new position while managing the stresses of a new environment. When a mentor is asked to support a new professional, the…

Across the country, new and experienced teachers find themselves losing the confidence and energy it takes to challenge an unacceptable status quo. Too often, dynamic educators disappear within systems that are antithetical to what they envisioned when they entered the profession or they leave the profession altogether. This article describes the…

Effective professional learning requires that staff developers thoughtfully plan to meet varying teacher needs and be responsive to differences--that they model the differentiation teachers will practice in the classroom. Staff developers must be mindful of participants' current learning needs and plan according to their readiness, interest, and…

Consistent with educational reform efforts and the premise of teacher involvement, a collaborative state-wide effort was initiated by the New Hampshire State Department of Education to provide opportunities for skilled, experienced teachers to mentor new teachers during a 1-year induction period. This paper details the Mascoma Valley Regional…

This study investigates beginning teacher induction programs; what is known about experienced teachers acting as mentors; what mentors do and how they think about their work; and what novices learn from their interactions with them. This case study describes how one support teacher, Pete Frazer, a 30-year veteran, defines and enacts his role with…

This program combines five distinct parts of the teacher training program into a unified experience for undergraduate social studies students. It offers some unique opportunities for ongoing involvement of university students in the improvement of their own instruction. Three academic courses in conjunction with an optional reading methods course…

Describes a study of faculty participation in professional development activities using self-reports of 187 full-time arts/sciences and vocational/technical faculty at 15 Iowa community colleges. Analyzes differences based on type of activity and teachers' educational attainment, years of experience, teaching field, and means of financing the…

Investigated middle school mathematics teachers' reports of the effectiveness of various professional development activities influencing their attention to students' thinking. Teacher surveys indicated that teachers' years of experience, views of learning, and mathematics background correlated with their ratings of various activities. (SM)

This study examined teachers' concerns related to the integration of technology into teaching practices and compares these concerns with professional and ancillary demographic variables. Discusses a correlation among attendance of faculty development activities, integration level, and higher-order concerns; and correlations among gender, age, and…