Using music, story, and prayer, this conference presentation describes the African American spiritual experience with curriculum, explaining what African American spirituality is, who African Americans are, why spirituality is critical to African Americans, and where this spirituality is found, then linking it to education. (SM)

Provides examples of schools and districts nationwide that use data-based decision making effectively to enhance beginning teacher induction, multi-age reading classes, literacy education, tracking of student achievement, ongoing staff development, and school discipline efforts. The programs share a commitment to putting data at the center of…

This report summarizes the results of a project to develop a professional competence description for teachers in technical and further education (TAFE) in New South Wales to inform the initial and continuing educational needs of the profession. Chapter 1 discusses the conception of competence that underpins professional practice and includes a…

This paper synthesizes the results of three case studies that focus on urban and suburban elementary teachers who are engaged in new roles: as learners, as clinical educators, and as leaders. Results of the studies suggest that epistemological issues; workplace contexts; and an ethic of care, which is especially noticeable in collegial…

The press for the professionalization of teachers is based on the assertion that a strengthened profession will more effectively meet students' needs and improve the overall quality of education. This volume, the third in a series of three, explains the research and design of a study that examined the design, implementation, and impact of systemic…

This volume is the third in a series of self-portraits of projects that receive funding from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). The 31 essays in this volume are grouped around seven main themes: (1) school-to-college transition and retention; (2) rewarding effective teaching; (3) improving teaching and learning; (4)…

This paper reports research from four studies of how teachers come to learn professional knowledge based on theoretical frameworks of the developmental theories of Piaget (cognitive development), Kohlberg (moral development), Loevinger (ego development), and Hunt (conceptual development). Studies proceed on the assumption that a perspective of…

This practical guide for new teachers is written by teachers and offers strategies for the early years of teaching that cover classroom practice and professional development. Seven chapters address teaching practice and cover the following topics: getting to know students at the beginning of the year; strategic planning for the whole year;…

This paper reports the results of a 2-year longitudinal study of the development of primary teachers' understanding of science concepts (specifically, "force" and "energy") following inservice education, and the extent to which movement towards the scientific view was achieved and maintained. The approach to inservice education…

The overall goal of the Working Together towards Excellence in Teacher Education (WTTETE) program is to improve the quality of field-based experiences of teacher education students by improving the supervisory skills of the college and school professionals who supervise and coordinate those experiences. The program is a joint project of the Hawaii…

This collection of articles describes the evaluation activities of the inservice education and training (INSET) programs of the Shell Mathematics and Science Centre. The activities occurred during the first half of 1990 and concentrated specifically on physical science, biology, and mathematics. Twenty articles are presented in the following six…

This study examined ways in which teachers use their own experiences and those of their colleagues to become better teachers, based on case studies of a group of eight physics teachers engaged in collaborative action research. Two perspectives on teaching that have framed other inquiries are first discussed: the teacher knowledge perspective,…

In June 1991, the Teacher Education Council, Ontario (TECO), Canada, proposed the development of a collaborative program for more effectively preparing teachers of 2.5 to 7 year old children through an emphasis on the integrated nature of care and education in child care and school settings. The program was also intended to serve as a model for…

To assess the impact of the North Carolina Career Development Plan (CDP) on student achievement, results of the California Achievement Tests, administered annually in North Carolina public schools, were analyzed. The focus was on the performance of children in grades 3, 6, and 8 in the school years from 1985-86 through 1988-89 in 16 CDP units.…

Progress made by southern states in meeting the need for quality in education is described, and priorities for further actions are identified. In 1981 the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) offered 25 recommendations to move the South beyond minimum levels toward quality education. Major progress was made with regard to the following:…