Science education and the preparation of science teachers have been of great concern over the past two decades. This research investigated the influence of an extended elementary science teaching practicum upon preservice elementary teachers' (N=19) science self-efficacy. It explored both quantitatively and qualitatively the progression of teacher…

This study investigated professional development as provided through the Teacher Leadership Academy (TLA) model used in rural Illinois area school districts and district consortia. Surveys were distributed to TLA participants that sought their perceptions of the desirability, involvement, and feasibility of school reform in general and the…

Work redesign to facilitate teacher empowerment was studied in a year-long comparative case study in two junior-high schools implementing a career-ladder program. Journals of 6 teacher leaders (TLs), 23 teachers, and 3 teacher-specialists; TLs' and novice teachers' midyear surveys; and 61 classroom observations by TLs and principals were analyzed.…

Analyzes the relationship between educational development and Malaysia's sociopolitical and economic context. Under the Vision 2020 rubric, liberalized educational policies are leading to a more democratic, privatized, and decentralized educational system. Curricular revisions stressing basic skills, moral values, and individual development are…

A high-school department chair and English teacher switched jobs with a university-based teacher educator. In this paper, they define their shared vision of student-centered learning, describe how to create a student-centered environment, explain how to implement student-centered activities, provide an example involving the colonial period in…

A staff development program in two western states helps professionals in rural school systems provide comprehensive transition services to students with disabilities. The program was designed to be relevant to rural constituents and to overcome the lack of understanding of local needs by university personnel. A vision statement relating to desired…

This study documents the struggles and successes of three Mexican American teachers over a 40-year period in the Alice Independent School District, Texas. In order to focus on the construction of the subjects' identity as Mexican American teachers, the interviews were transcribed and categorized into themes: parental influence, school experiences,…

Standards-based education is likely to remain prevalent in education far into the future. Effective leaders must protect and support teachers, who are the heart of every school. Chapter 1, "The First Key: Understanding Motivation," explores the importance of motivation in promoting change in schools. Teachers and staff can choose to…

By analyzing contemporary literature, this paper posits a federal role in what is seen as a trend toward "normalizing" college faculty positions and shifting control away from state and local jurisdictions. Three factors are seen as contributing to this shift. The first is the government's role in funding the hard sciences which has, in…

This book is about educational reform, focusing on the role of teachers. Chapter 1 explores the reasons behind the chronic shortage of good teachers. Chapter 2 presents a brief history of teaching in America to explain the structure and organization of schools, the feminization of teaching, the qualifications of those who choose to go into…

This paper reviews several articles with language-based teacher empowerment themes, discussing empowerment in relation to secondary school language teaching (particularly less commonly taught language teaching) and teacher development. The paper extrapolates from the ideas proposed that second language teachers can be empowered, or at least set on…

This book is about the work of teachers in American secondary schools. It addresses the character of teaching as a job, teachers as workers, and schools as workplaces. The book's objective is to reexamine the character of schools as organizations and the implications for those working within these organizations. It draws on research from the field…

This booklet contains a summary of a study of private schools. The study examined private schools, how they differ by type (Catholic, other religious, and nonsectarian), and how they differ from public schools. Data were collected in 1999 and 2000 from an integrated set of survey instruments that collected information on a wide range of topics…

The principles and practices of multicultural education became the heart of one middle school teacher education program. The five principles included fostering inter/intragroup harmony through learning communities, targeting social justice and affirmation of diversity, empowering students and teachers, seeing things from multiple perspectives, and…

Discusses the benefits and effects of music teacher empowerment. Concludes that additional skills, knowledge, and professionalism will be necessary to successfully teach music in an empowered setting without losing sight of the students' larger interests. Urges that music education programs for training teachers be expanded to include critical…