How can the "revolving door" at the nation's high-poverty schools be slowed down? How can diversity be taught in teacher preparation that relates to teaching and learning? How can teachers learn to use the diverse urban classroom as a rich asset? By focusing on reconceptualizing general education studies, addressing key urban understanding and…

Many schools across the country face persistent teacher working condition challenges that are closely related to high teacher turnover rates and chronic difficulties in recruiting and retaining teachers. Center for Teaching Quality (CTQ) research examining working conditions survey results in both North Carolina and South Carolina demonstrates…

This study, begun in October 1987, was conducted to explore the effect of particular contexts of schooling on educational outcomes and to provide a comprehensive look at what and how context conditions affect teaching and learning. The study design integrates 3 years of field research in 16 public and private high schools in 2 states and analyses…

This paper suggests the importance of considering factors outside of the classroom in accounting for the presence of inquiry, and identifies some of these factors. The conclusions are based upon a study of staff developers and teachers who took part in the Bank Street College Mathematics, Science and Technology Teacher Education project.…

Meaningful and useful evaluations of teaching and teachers must not only identify and define all the mitigating contexts, but must also account for their influences, both constructive and negative. Among the contextual factors that need to be considered in planning teacher evaluations are: student characteristics; goals, objectives and curriculum…

Supporters of the "back to basics" movement have suggested that educators are spending more time on "nonessential" subjects and less time on the basic subjects of reading, writing, and mathematics. To test the validity of this belief, a study was conducted to determine the actual amount of time teachers were giving to each of…

This report identifies the school variables (facilities, materials, equipment, class size, time, and scheduling) and teacher competencies that contribute to achievement in the basic skills. Gleaned from a literature review, the opinions of experts, research data, and identified student outcomes, the materials that accomplish the two goals are…

Contained in this document are the results of nine studies in which various aspects of two-year college faculty were investigated. Data used in the studies were obtained from a 1975 nationwide study of 1,998 two-year college faculty, of whom 1,493 were humanities instructors and 505 were non-humanities faculty members. The areas investigated…

Discusses the meaning of teacher excellence and offers some reasons why excellent teachers are in short supply. Suggests steps to improve teacher quality and performance. (RBW)

This study examined Georgia middle school teachers' perceptions of their work environment, their perceived efficacy, and organizational commitment. The study included 400 full-time, certified teachers from 40 rural and metropolitan middle schools. Teachers completed a mailed survey that asked about demographics, organizational commitment,…

Successful democracies and economies demand that all students acquire analytical thinking, adept communication, and complex problem-solving skills. This kind of authentic learning requires highly skilled, accomplished teachers working within a school climate that promotes powerful learning experiences. Recent research shows that the design,…

Describes, interprets, and evaluates one secondary social-studies teacher's efforts to engage students in learning about self, others, and the world. Identifies several schooling regularities (classroom environment, student expectations, teaching load, and professional isolation) complicating teachers' efforts. Illustrates how innovative…

Reconstructs the main sources of teachers' sense of vulnerability through an analysis of primary school teachers professional biographies. Finds these sources of vulnerability: administrative or policy measures; professional relationships in the school; and limits to teachers' efficacy. Suggests autobiographical reflection and story-telling as…

Workplace factors that affect teacher commitment include teacher autonomy and efficacy, participation, feedback, collaboration, learning opportunities, and resources. The paper details five strategies to help teachers enhance their personal level of commitment (being responsive, getting involved, seeking feedback, developing a plan to maximize…

To solicit students' views on teaching and learning in large classes, surveys were distributed to 143 students enrolled in an upper division general education and major course in communication theory in the fall of 1993. The survey consisted of 17 questions, 10 of which were closed-ended questions concerning demographics. The remaining seven were…