This is one of a series of reports on the National Longitudinal Study of Mathematical Abilities (NLSMA). Further, it is of the subseries that reports the data analyses for the possible correlates of mathematics achievement; this particular report contains the data on correlates classified as teacher background and opinion variables for grades 4…

This study was initiated to investigate criteria which might serve as predictors of success in the teaching of vocational agriculture in Iowa schools and to identify factors contributing to teacher success or lack of success. The sample comprised 128 Iowa State University graduates who qualified to teach vocational agriculture during the period of…

Taken together, recent national education reports imply that public resources should be refocused toward students with acceptable in-school skills, technological head starts, and higher than average incomes. Implementation of such policies will result in further educational inequities, disenfranchisement, and discontent among disadvantaged groups.…

This study assessed demographic information on early childhood programs and teachers of 3- and 4-year-olds. Questionnaires were sent to a random sample of early childhood programs across the United States. Data were collected on teacher characteristics and structural features (enrollment, class size, hours of operation, and ratio of teachers to…

This literature review outlines five measurable, policy-relevant teacher characteristics that reflect teacher quality: teacher experience, teacher preparation programs and degrees, type of teacher certification, specific coursework taken in preparation for the profession, and teachers' own test scores. It reviews a wide range of empirical studies…

This book synthesizes research to identify specific teacher behaviors that contribute to student achievement, focusing on what teachers can control (preparation, personality, and practices). Part 1 examines teacher effectiveness. Chapter 1 investigates prerequisites of effective teaching, particularly the influence of background and professional…

Describes results of a survey that was conducted to determine qualifications and roles of computer lab specialists in elementary schools. Integration of computer lab use and classroom instruction is discussed, the effect of microcomputers on student outcomes is examined, and the answers of the specialists are compared with those of classroom…

This paper examines approaches used to define essential knowledge and skills for teachers entering special education practice. The paper proposes alternative models for conceptualizing essential knowledge and skills in special education, focusing on meaningfulness of teachers' knowledge, sources of knowledge, and acquisition of knowledge.…

Reports on a study of state requirements for initial licensing of elementary and secondary social studies teachers. Finds that most states are reluctant to follow educational reform reports to increase general education requirements and decrease emphasis on professional education. Also finds declines in mandated multicultural/human relations…

This report summarizes Austin Independent School District's prekindergarten program for the 2007-2008 school year.

This report presents findings about teacher quality from two longitudinal studies, the National Longitudinal Study of "No Child Left Behind" (NLS-"NCLB"), and the Study of State Implementation of Accountability and Teacher Quality Under "No Child Left Behind" (SSI-"NCLB"). The research teams for these two…

The purpose of this longitudinal investigation was to assess the nature, development, and changes in preservice secondary science teachers' (n=12) conceptions/knowledge structures of subject matter and pedagogy as they proceeded through a fifth-year Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. Open ended written questionnaires were used in Phase I of…

This paper examines issues in the education of students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD), especially those issues that impinge upon teachers or which teachers directly affect. The paper cites many findings from a report by Jane Knitzer and others titled "At the Schoolhouse Door," which is critical of much educational practice…

Education in Czechoslovakia is compulsory for all children from the ages of six to sixteen and is founded on Marxist-Leninist principles. Teachers are required to exhibit undivided ideological and political influence, guide the young toward moral standards advocated by the communist government, and be fully prepared to teach in a specialized…

AN INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED OF THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AS CONTRASTED WITH THEIR PEERS IN A BUSINESS ORGANIZATION. THE EFFECT OF THIS DISTINCTIVENESS ON THE PERSONAL NATURE OF TENSIONS AND CONFLICTS ASSOCIATED WITH JOB PERFORMANCE, CAREER GOALS, AND CAREER PATTERNS WAS ALSO STUDIED. ITS GENERAL OBJECTIVE WAS TO…