In June of 1971 there were many fragmented efforts attempting to deal with the problems of ecology and ekistics and the kinds of material which should be included in the curricula of the public schools and in the training and retraining of public school teachers. The purposes of this study were to: (a) design a system which would encourage…

This book presents an argument for, and invites, critical examination of teacher preparation and assessment practices--in light of both the complexity and demands of urban settings and the theories of learning and learning to teach that guide teacher education practices. This dynamic approach distinguishes the authors' stance on urban teacher…

Presents the results of a survey concerning parents' satisfaction with their schools and specific areas that needed improvement. Responses among inner-city blacks and whites were very similar with both groups giving priority to better teachers, more security, and better buildings. Includes statistical and tabular data analyzing the responses (MJP)

How one sample of teachers who were uncommonly successful with at-risk students achieved their results was studied. Six minority (African American and Asian American) and six nonminority successful teachers in a large urban school district were interviewed about their practices. Implications of the variety of strategies used are discussed. (SLD)

Three Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) universities and the Pittsburgh school district collaborated in the preparation of urban secondary teachers. A study of exemplary teachers' characteristics regarding successful lessons indicated that these teachers planned thoroughly and were concerned about making lessons relevant but not influenced by social and…

Interviews with urban teachers examined factors they considered fundamental for successful teaching, comparing them with factors identified by student teachers and teacher educators. Experienced teachers indicated that contextual, personal, and pedagogical factors directly affected successful teaching. Across the groups, factors were ranked…

Due to the dearth of qualified professional teachers, policymakers and professional development programs need to focus on improving the quality of high school mathematics teaching in order to diffuse this crisis. In the middle of this crisis, the demand for new teachers is predicted to rise significantly in the next ten years. Based on the…

This essay describes the broad consideration of educational standards that occurred with a cohort of masters' licensure students in public, urban university and high school contexts. This deliberation over standards was rooted in the model of standards development presented by these future teachers' licensure program and called upon this next…

The purpose of this case study was to document the journey of three novice career change science inductees as they became middle-level science teachers in urban low socioeconomic status (SES) schools and included post-internship employment status data on all nine science teachers who completed the alternative certification program, up to the time…

This second volume, the follow-on to "Teaching Music in the Urban Classroom, Volume 1: A Guide to Survival, Success, and Reform," extends the conversation to include educational leadership, teacher education, partnerships, and school reform. As with Volume 1, classroom music teachers, inner city arts administrators, well-known academics,…

This article discusses the use of Esmeralda Santiago's autobiography "When I Was Puerto Rican" (1994b) as the foundation for an experiential learning project that brought two language communities: suburban college students studying intermediate Spanish and urban Puerto Rican students in an English-as-a-second-language (ESL) class. The…

This paper provides a sketch of a preservice teacher education field experience in schools serving ethnically and racially diverse populations. Since the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is situated in a rural setting with a predominantly white population, accessing schools serving ethnically and racially diverse populations poses significant…

This paper presents the findings of a literature review undertaken to identify behaviors and practices demonstrated by successful urban teachers in their preparation for teaching and interacting with students. The literature search focused on competencies for urban teaching and on urban education. The search yielded two broad areas of competence:…

This report presents the results of a survey of the 45 member districts of the Council of the Great City Schools on the following: (1) data, studies, or projections on teacher and administrator needs; and (2) descriptions of successful programs, projects, and activities aimed at attracting, keeping, and training teachers and administrators. A…

Designed for instruction of emotionally handicapped children and youth, this resource guide presents science activities and concepts relative to rural and urban outdoor education. Included are 25 different articles, varying from broadly generalized to highly specific concept/activity suggestions which include film and book bibliographies and…