For well over a decade, teachers have been recognized as the single most important school-level factor influencing student achievement (Darling-Hammond, 2000; McCaffrey, Lockwood, Koretz, & Hamilton, 2003; Rivkin, Hanushek, & Kain, 2000; Rowan, Correnti & Miller, 2002; Wright, Horn, & Sanders, 1997). Tremendous public resources…

In the report "From Good to Great: Exemplary Teachers Share Perspectives on Increasing Teacher Effectiveness across the Career Continuum," (See full report in ERIC at ED555657) National and State Teachers of the Year shared their views on what helped them become great teachers. This accompanying "Discussion Starter Tool" builds…

The common theme uniting this collection of six essays is the deceiving simplicity of teaching. Their underlying purpose is to uncover the complexity of the craft as embodied in the two dominant outlooks on educational thought and practice: the "mimetic" and the "transformative." Discussions are presented on five crucial issues: (1) on knowing how…

The renowned educational reformer talks about how memorable, "extreme" learning experiences have shaped his views on education; how to create collegial support; the things that have given him satisfaction; his father's influence on him; the irrepressible optimism of teenagers; taking advantage of serendipitous events; and how questioning…

This series of case studies profiles six teachers thought by colleagues, students, and the rural Alaska communities they serve to be good teachers. The case studies reported here describe the techniques that make these teachers responsive and perceptive in their interactions with Alaska Native students. The names of the teachers and the villages…

This paper inquires into the relationship between the criterion variable of teacher effectiveness and the independent variables of the score on the teacher evaluation procedure and the teacher demographic variables of race, sex, level of teacher certification, area of teacher certification, and years of teaching experience. The ultimate goal of…

New mothers and beginning teachers face many of the same types of feelings and experiences as they learn to cope with their new roles. Implications for changing the conditions of support for new teachers and suggestions for involving more individuals in teaching are offered. (DF)

An inductive analysis of studies on discipline reveal four characteristics of effective classroom management. Preservice teachers should be able to: (1) develop a workable set of rules; (2) respond consistently to inappropriate behavior; (3) structure activities to minimize disruption; and (4) respond to, but not denigrate, the disruptive student.…

Essential ingredients of supervising teachers include: (1) going beyond teacher report to direct observation, (2) timely identification of problems, (3) careful analysis of programs for design adequacy, (4) provision for extensive teacher practice in structured settings, (5) provision for additional supervised classroom practice, and (6) a well…

This publication looks at approaches and strategies available to beginning and experienced teachers to increase their effectiveness in the classroom setting. The book highlights ways in which a classroom may be organized and curriculum decisions made to encourage students to achieve their academic potential. Chapters cover the following topics:…

Hands-on instruction and guidance is provided in this book designed to assist college teachers in handling the new array of difficulties found in today's classrooms. Illustrations are given of how to evaluate and resolve common problems. Chapter 1 emphasizes the chaotic unpredictability of teaching and the ways in which this activity is viscerally…

In this collection, eight master teachers with extensive experience in small, rural Alaska schools describe some of the ways they have adapted instruction to rural Alaskan circumstances. These papers discuss: (1) the characteristics of effective rural teachers; (2) adapting the "Coping!" curriculum for affective education to the cultural…

Results of a study relating student teacher success to the effectiveness of the cooperating teacher, to grade level placement, to race of the student teacher, and to previous teaching experience are presented. Perceptions of outstanding student teachers as to what classroom management practices were effective for them are also examined. (JMF)

Two feature articles on the development of expertise in teaching physical education and in coaching are introduced by Paul Schempp. The first article (Steven Tan) describes eight critical characteristics of expertise. The second article (Martie Bell) focuses on acquiring and developing expertise, explaining the characteristics of each stage of…

Classroom management and effective discipline are skills that all beginning teachers must learn. Classroom management refers to those procedures or routines a teacher uses to maintain a smoothly running classroom; discipline refers to those techniques or strategies a teacher uses to respond to specific acts of student misbehavior. This booklet,…