In this research we examined associations among teacher-articulated beliefs and practices about families, teacher background characteristics, and observed teaching practices in programs that served low-income children and families of color. One hundred and fifty four children (50% girls) and their primary teachers from 12 programs in Los Angeles…

Teacher education in California is currently under attack. Politicians and the general public have lost confidence in the entire educational system. While some critics argue that too many credential courses are required, the majority seem to criticize Colleges of Education for simply failing to produce quality teachers. One question asked by both…

A conceptual framework was developed to provide proactive relationship building strategies for professionals in special education and the African American families they serve. Cultural clashes have occurred between the respective groups because of the dissimilar cultural and personal experiences that shape one group's perceptions of the other.…

This book is written to help teachers incorporate a more realistic view of the world, respect for diversity, and a sense of shared humanity into all areas of their work with children aged 3 to 8 years. It focuses on young children's understanding of differences, their interpersonal and intergroup relationships, and related teaching practices,…

Teachers rely on mental planning throughout the design, implementation, and evaluation phases of instruction. This paper focuses on the elementary school teacher's use of instructional design (ID) skills in the planning and delivery of instruction, emphasizing the relative and "real" use of ID practices in both mental and written…

A study examined whether a field placement in a preschool program enhanced preservice teachers' understanding of the emerging literacy process. The study was conducted in two preschool classrooms in an urban school district in central New Jersey during the spring semester of 1996. Subjects were 26 graduate and undergraduate preservice teachers who…

Establishing and maintaining effective partnerships with families and members of the community are among the most challenging tasks facing educators today. This book explores why these partnerships are difficult to create and how they can be established. The book attempts to help educators understand that they have little control over changing the…

In October 1990, the Virginia Council of Higher Education and the State Board for Community Colleges established a 10-member Joint Committee on Transfer Students (JCTS) to develop transfer agreements between the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and four-year institutions in the state, and to report on the progress and performance of…

Findings of a study that examined teachers' perceptions of and experiences in shared-governance schools are presented in this paper. Data were collected from interviews with over 21 teachers and students in 4 schools that are members of the Georgia-based League of Professional Schools, the impetus of which was the Program for School Improvement,…

Collaboration between schools and institutions of higher education (IHE) is usually effective only when values are shared and mutual dependencies are recognized. These conditions are uncommon. The foundation upon which such collaboration could be developed requires several building blocks: (1) developing shared goals regarding teacher learning;…

Using a case history approach, one teacher's attempt to integrate theory and practice in an elementary English-as-a-Second-Language classroom is described. Paulo Freire's problem-posing educational model is examined in terms of its capacity to incorporate effectively the following theoretical premises: (1) language and culture form an inseparable…

Following mention of the literature and pioneers in the field of at-risk family involvement in education, this document discusses the history of the term "at risk" and its use, identification of children at risk, and the two major risk factors: poverty and minority status. The important connections and assets missing from the at-risk child's world…

Based primarily on data collected on a sample of nearly 700 public school teachers, a study critically examined several key issues in the field of teacher burnout, coming to the conclusions that: (1) Teacher stress and teacher burnout are distinct and separate concepts; (2) The problem of teacher burnout has reached serious proportions; (3)…

This report contains the testimony of administrators, faculty, representatives of different sectors of higher education in California, and other interested individuals as presented to the Ad Hoc Committee on Community College Transfer of the California Postsecondary Education Commission. First, prefatory material provides information on the…

This study assessed the effect of group size and presentation mode on acquisition of the process skill of forming and testing hypotheses and selected attitudes. Preservice elementary teachers (N=87) in five intact classes received two 1-hour sessions presented by microcomputer, 1 week apart. Half of the subjects were assigned to three-member…