This bulletin discusses certain supervisory services for improvement of the professional equipment of teachers; instances of adaptations of supervision by which the results of research are utilized and teachers are interested in experimentation; illustrations of specific improvements in the approach made by supervisors toward the solution of…

Alternative assessments, grounded in reflective practice, can enliven instruction and improve students' knowledge, reasoning, and communication skills. When teachers share a rubric with students, everyone knows the standards for success. Sense of community and small class sizes in rural schools provide an ideal environment for teacher-student…

Examines how a national model for integrating microcomputers into science teaching was implemented in rural school districts. Reports that the implementation of the model for rural school districts required several adaptations. Discusses the organizational, procedural, community, and personal factors that led to those adaptations and influenced…

Describes a one-year project to bring computer skills and strategies to rural middle school teachers. Briefly describes individual teacher projects. Student interviews revealed that more participating students than nonparticipating students will probably use computers in the future and want to know more about them. (KS)

Elementary and middle school teachers surveyed in rural South Dakota indicated that a combination of phonics, skills, and holistic instruction occurred most often in their reading programs. This suggests that most school districts take an eclectic approach to reading instruction and use the best components from various approaches. (LP)

This research analyses possible advantages of using schematic drawings with dyslexic readers in a transparent orthography (i.e. Spanish language). To assess the usefulness of such drawings, the procedure consisted of comparing latency times (LT) for familiar words and pseudo words in a naming task. The experimental group was formed by dyslexic…

Middle level teachers and administrators working in small or rural schools often face unique obstacles in implementing recommended middle level practices. From sharing staff and schedules with other school sites, to inappropriate instructional techniques, to a general lack of understanding of the middle level philosophy, these obstacles can be a…

In this article, the authors report on a state project designed to explore numeracy outcomes of Indigenous students. The "Supporting Indigenous students achievement in numeracy" project (2003-2004), commissioned by Education authorities in the Northern Territory, was aimed at researching the impact of the development and implementation…

Any effort to reform science education in the schools must include input from the nation's science teachers concerning what they need to do in order to improve instruction and student performance. Science teachers in rural schools have many needs that differ from those in more urbanized areas. A survey of science teachers in Arkansas, Illinois,…

This paper describes cost models designed to aid schools in effective cost planning through analysis of the relative costs and benefits of individualized, computer-based instruction. The models are then applied to the Individualized Study by Technology (IST) program of the Alaska Department of Education (DOE) using data obtained in a pilot study…

This paper reports a study of curriculum and teaching methods in 10 Old Order Mennonite one-room schools in Pennsylvania. It provides a review of the historical background and cultural characteristics of the Old Order Mennonites. The one-room schools examined in the study are similar in structure and instruction to U.S. public one-room schools of…

This report explores the status of the teaching of psychology as a separate course on the pre-college level and examines the nature of the differences between urban-suburban and rural teachers, their courses, and their classes. One hundred sixty-two urban-suburban and 166 rural school teachers in Illinois were surveyed via questionnaires. Students…

This paper analyzes key elements of reform strategies for two programs--the Federal Experimental Schools (E-S) and California's Early Childhood Program (ECE). The paper begins with implications derived from five case studies of rural experimental schools projects. The references to specific cases provide empirical support for the assertions. The…

This paper is the personal journey of one teacher from a rural childhood, through a small university, to a rural school, and eventually to the city. It contrasts the intense challenges that rural teachers and students face with the unique opportunities afforded them by virtue of being rural. It includes an attempt to piece together the factors…

This theme issue on networked teaching and learning contains 11 articles written by teachers of English and language arts in Bread Loaf's primarily rural, teacher networks. Most of these narratives describe how teachers have taught writing and literature using online exchanges or teleconferencing involving students in different locations and grade…