This publication presents essays by members of Restructuring for Urban Student Success (RUSS) and other faculty, administrators, staff, and graduate students on participating campuses. The essays describe the work of RUSS and document curricular restructuring and reform efforts occurring at RUSS partner institutions. Part 1 includes essays by RUSS…

This book describes results of the work by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Section 1, "Introduction," introduces the work of the National Board and discusses educational change and teacher improvement in general. Section 2, "Standard Setting in Teaching," explains that in order to appreciate the effects…

Teachers' subject matter knowledge is a particularly important issue in science education in that it influences instructional practices across subject areas and at different grade levels. This paper provides an overview of efforts to develop a unique elementary science methods course and related field experience through a partnership between…

The Learning Exchange for Teachers and Students through the Internet (LETSNet) is a World Wide Web site that informs teachers about potential classroom uses of the Internet. This article discusses the Internet's applications in K-12 classrooms, describes LETSNet's uses in teacher professional development and preservice education, and explains…

The Standards for Teachers of Science address the preparation, provisional practice, continued practice, and support that teachers will need to ensure that students are prepared for life and to be lifelong learners. The background of educational reform, vision behind the Standards, goals for science teachers, and suggestions for sustaining…

Two teacher educators utilized professional standards to inform their teaching. They used reflective dialog, action research, and critical inquiry in a standards-based language arts curriculum to support revisions and improvements in classroom practices and curriculum development. This led to new ideas about collaborative structures and stimulated…

Presents survey results that reveal that most political science departments have clearly defined systems of summative teaching evaluation. These systems, however, lack diversity. Most rely solely on student assessment and use this primarily to identify potential problems. Recommends adopting more flexible and constructive approaches. (MJP)

Using data from surveys of and interviews with teachers and principals, this study explored the impact of involvement in Professional Development Schools (PDS) on teacher professional growth and school change at seven elementary and secondary PDS sites. Results highlighted the importance of a range of context variables to program success. (SM)

Describes how one school-university partnership openly discussed the basic tensions between theory and practice. The result was a collaboratively delivered methods course that became the foundation for a complex school-university relationship. The partnership changed the elementary school, provided meaningful inservice for practicing teachers, and…

Discusses results obtained through interviews with university science teachers with regard to their philosophies and practices in college science classrooms. Data revealed that teachers are not satisfied with all aspects of their teaching; however, they are not sure how to make changes that would maximize student learning. (ZWH)

Discusses in-service teacher training in England, proposing alternative models of professional knowledge which could change and improve teachers and teaching. The article considers alternative models derived from work with teachers and students in England and explains how such models can help in establishing intercultural education courses for…

Reports on the evaluation of the Model Clinical Teaching Program, a year-long program for preservice teachers which emphasized the realities of teaching, enriched the work of veteran teachers, and improved classroom learning via university-school system teaming. Opinions of both interns and clinical instructors are reported. (SM)

Describes a new role within the University of Southern Maine's Extended Teacher Education Program: the school/university site coordinator, which spans boundaries between the university and participating school districts. Surveys of site coordinators found that they worked closely with interns and cooperating teachers, emphasizing improvement of…

Describes the Teaching and Learning Collaborative (TLC) in Technology, which prepared preservice teachers to incorporate technology into lesson plans and supported inservice teachers' professional development with technology, offering a professional-development course, seminar sessions, and e-mail communication. Evaluation indicated that…

Examines survey responses from 218 U.S. and Canadian sociology departments on the nature of teacher training for graduate students. Reveals that teacher training is consistently subordinated to research skills instruction. Posits a concurring devaluation of teaching among sociologists. Includes survey instrument, schools queried, and statistical…