Development of precollegiate teachers of less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) differs from that of teachers of commonly taught languages. The article examines characteristics that LCTL preservice teachers bring to teacher preparation and outlines aspects of preservice and inservice development that help teachers effectively make LCTLs more…

Examined changes in teachers' beliefs and practices after using video to enhance self-evaluation and guided reflection within a field-based course. Data from a teaching-belief survey, videotapes of teaching episodes, videotapes of post-teaching episodes, and a videotaped portfolio presentation indicated that participants came to view teaching as a…

Describes one university's experiment with joining elementary students and preservice teachers in intergenerational literature discussion circles to enhance preservice teachers' learning about reading and the teaching of reading. Both groups enjoyed the literature circles. Resulting themes provided insights about the reading process, the nature of…

Examined the preparation of student teachers at four Professional Development Schools (PDSs) longitudinally, comparing their experiences with those of traditional student teachers. Data from meetings with administrators; site visits; document analysis; graduation and professional status information; student teacher surveys; and graduate surveys…

The article is a report on a development project arising from collaboration between the Department of Education in the University of Oulu, the university training school in Oulu, and some secondary schools in Northern Finland. The key aims of the project have been to promote the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teacher…

The College of Education of Ohio University has developed a number of partnerships with public schools in southeastern Ohio. The partnerships described share at least six common threads: (1) a beginning in informal conversation; (2) a shared set of goals; (3) an early focus on preservice teacher preparation; (4) a gradual expansion towards…

During the 1994-95 academic year, faculty and administrators in the College of Education at Illinois State University (ISU) (Normal, Illinois) along with teachers and administrators from the Community Consolidated School District 21 (Wheeling, Illinois) began discussions to establish a Professional Development School (PDS). In August 1995, 32 ISU…

Early field experiences for preservice teachers can serve as a catalyst for the development of new insights and instructional techniques, particularly if they are in diverse settings. This study provided one preservice teacher with two 30-hour field experience components at two diverse sites. The project involved a comparative analysis of two…

Research suggests that preservice training has at best only a modest impact on a teacher's later teaching. The fundamental behaviors of a beginning teacher apparently originate from sources other than the training program. A study sought to identify the origins of first-year and student teacher behaviors and to define these behaviors more directly…

Fifteen University of Oregon undergraduate education majors participated in a successful 3-day program of total immersion in rural community living and teaching in Condon, Oregon. The field experience model had unique elements: (1) the course was offered as an alternative to a required course in teaching strategies and student teachers were…

This study examined influences that preservice literacy teacher education courses and sustained relationships with literacy researchers had on the literacy practices of three preservice teachers during student teaching and their subsequent self-efficacy and performance as literacy teachers during their first teaching years. Data collected during…

This qualitative study explores the perceptions of a group of White and Hispanic preservice teachers toward the English language learners they tutored over the course of a semester. Nine White participants and five Hispanic participants were interviewed. Comparisons of interview data reveal that White participants and Hispanic participants chose…

This book presents case studies of two highly successful teacher education programs. It is part of a three-volume series that includes seven case studies. It documents the goals, strategies, content, and processes of teacher education programs that are widely acknowledged as exemplars for preparing prospective teachers to engage in skillful,…

This collection of papers includes excerpts from books, essays, and articles that explore the heart of the teaching experience. Nineteen chapters explore the challenges and joys of teaching, focusing on the meaning and experience of teaching and the art of teaching skills. They include: (1) "The Heart of a Teacher: Identity and Integrity in…

This study examined the impact of the Value Clarification Action Plan on the quality of values education for secondary school students. The study identified values to be modeled through teacher behavior, created an action plan for preservice teachers through the values clarification process, trained students in values personalization, helped…