A graduate student at a large research university (later a teacher at a small state college in Arkansas) succumbed to, rebelled against, jumped into, and refrained from many varieties of mentoring and being mentored. Mentoring is like institutionalized parenting, containing exchanges analogous to the range of exchanges that happen between parent…

This monograph describes a program for development of professional competence in junior lecturers in teacher education at Linkopings University, Sweden. Seventy junior lecturers participated in the program from 1991 through 1996. The program involved a combination of courses especially designed for the project and individually chosen courses from…

Reports the findings of a questionnaire which asked young West Berlin teachers to evaluate their teacher training. The most common suggestion was to provide more practical experience beginning early in teacher education. Results are discussed in relation to problems of present teacher training. (Author/GEA)

The author creates a scenario descibing what could result as part of the state-mandated efforts to assure effective teachers. Three fundamental problems confronting teacher preparation program planners are outlined. (Author/CB)

This paper describes a collaborative action research study involving a university professor/researcher and novice teachers (final sample of seven) in classroom-based inquiry to enhance personal practice that would impact on student outcomes. As the teachers were coached and mentored through the various stages of the action research process to…

Author reviews the nature of concepts for those about to enter the teaching profession. (HS)

Telephone interviews with 1977-79 graduates in elementary education from the State University of New York at Cortland revealed that between 32 and 42 percent of the graduates in each year had obtained full-time teaching positions. (Author/WD)

Interviews with 20 British agricultural educators with less than 5, 5-15, or more than 15 years of teaching experience identified the main influences on their development of expertise to be colleagues and administrators. Primary inhibiting factors were policy, rules, terminology, and timetables. Those who used reflection actively advanced most…

Recounts experiences of the first year of teaching in a rural public university, after graduate study in Philadelphia. States that course loads are heavy because departments are small, and the English department teaches literature but also service courses. Finds the greatest difficulty to be in teaching students who just do not read. (PA)

Draws from teacher surveys and interviews to advance three dimensions for characterizing teachers' vision (focus, range, and distance). The visions of two novice teachers demonstrate the range of visions and different roles visions play in teachers' lives. The article explores how the concept of vision might offer novice teachers a tool for…

New Mexico agriculture teacher education graduates currently teaching secondary agriculture (n=25) rated their at-graduation competencies as satisfactory. Their biggest improvement since graduation was in keeping students on task. Enthusiasm for all facets of the education program remained high. Work experience had the most influence on growth of…

The Lily Endowment Teaching Fellows Program supports the professional development of junior faculty through regular group meetings, individual projects, release time from teaching responsibilities, senior faculty mentors, and retreats and conferences. Positive impact is reported for teaching skills and attitudes, collegial contacts, perceived…

Results of the Self-Efficacy toward Teaching Inventory completed by 346 new nursing faculty indicated that most had strong confidence in their teaching skills. Formal education and prior teaching experience influenced their self-efficacy. (SK)

Interviews with 24 new entrants to the academic profession at 10 Canadian and English universities were analyzed and compared with previous studies. Analysis of the process of socialization into academic life found that activity system theory and the idea of communities of practice seemed most appropriate. Implications for professional practice…

Findings from a study of seven novice teachers who graduated from Elmhurst College (Illinois) indicate that the preservice clinical experiences received by these teachers during their participation in the Satellite Program contributed to successful first-year teaching experiences. This follow-up study examines Satellite Program graduates who…