Reflective practice is an essential component in helping pre-service teachers to learn from their experiences and grow as teachers. The purpose of the study was to identify both the levels of reflection and the themes that emanate from the reflective practices of pre-service health education teachers as they reviewed lessons that they taught in…

In examining their elementary teacher education program at James Madison University, from their mission to the curriculum and program delivery, the authors used the opportunity to focus explicitly on peace education. The mission and content of teacher education programs are determined largely by the faculty of the institutions of higher education…

Defines a pedagogical strategy that provides opportunities for prospective teachers to critically take up and reflect on the role of the teacher, a strategy called "situated performance." Describes situated performances in detail to illustrate their potential for educative experience. Shows how situated performances can complement current…

Examines the interplay of two added components to a reading/language arts methods course: professional readings informed by diverse viewpoints; and participation in a multicultural literature discussion group. Explores how this methods course extended students' understanding and beliefs about teaching the history and lives of the varied groups of…

Presents a qualitative study that problematizes the authors' classroom authority as they sought to enact critical inquiries with preservice teachers. Contends that preservice teachers must face the reality of having to function as authority figures while still maintaining a classroom conducive to meaning making. Provides three lenses through which…

Examines the role of the college reading professor in terms of applying pure research to the realities of classroom instruction. (RB)

Argues that how teachers feel about themselves professionally stems from the education profession itself--from the way it recognizes high achievement, the way it prepares teachers for their profession, what it expects from teachers in schools, and the role of teachers in educational research and development. (Author)

Much of the variation in achievement in college classrooms can be eliminated through the use of cooperative learning groups similar to those that have been used successfully in the elementary school setting. The group succeeds when every member succeeds--success meaning mastery of the concept or problem being posed. Its use in reading methods…

Describes the process and product of a revision of the author's literacy methods course, a revision that grew from a student's comment questioning the student's "right" to evaluate another student's work. Theorizes the role of authority in the course and explains how contours of power and freedom create spaces in which prospective…

Considers the pedagogy of teaching theater to college students who will be secondary school drama teachers, including available instructional materials and lack of methods courses. Calls for creation of a complete pedagogy for secondary school theater. (PA)

This study examined 65 preservice teachers' metaphors for describing roles of the mathematics teacher. Previous research suggested that metaphors for teaching typically ascribe three distinct roles of the teacher: teaching, assessing, and classroom management. The findings of this study reveal that student metaphors were not systematic across the…

A study examined students' reactions to the Student-Directed Discussion technique (an attempt to develop a class "text" from the students' joint construction of meaning) as used in a methods course on language development. The students (25 of 27 were present the day of the survey) responded anonymously concerning whether they thought the…

This paper describes efforts to develop a social studies methods course based on a foundation of critical theory in education. The literature concerning critical theory is discussed. Critical theory focuses on three areas of educational thought: (1) the relationship of school to society; (2) conceptions of knowledge and curriculum; and (3) the…

Youngstown State University offers a "Principles of High School Teaching" course to present prospective secondary school teachers with knowledge and opportunity to examine critically various facets of high school teaching in order to reconceptualize both schooling and teacher's role, focusing on developing understanding of intellectual…

A study examined the interaction of teacher and student in a methods preparation course for undergraduate special education majors. The course was structured around several projects, two types of writing logs, and readings. Fieldnotes from an observer participant, records of a debriefing meeting, students' weekly entries on content learning logs…