A classroom research project investigated whether having students tell their own stories about learning might provide a mode and a context for self-assessment of their formal work in relation to their experience and growth as learners. Two courses involving sustained reading of major segments of the Hebrew Bible/Christian Old Testament taught at…

This volume represents a variety of current efforts to incorporate thought-provoking methods into teaching. There are three sections. "Curriculum Developments" defines key curricular terms and offers a framework and general examples of teaching tactics. In this section, Barbara Presseisen distinguishes thinking from other cognitive…

By exploring the question of whether teaching begins and ends in contemplative thought, this essay suggests that conceptions of teacher thinking must be expanded beyond planning and decision making. People's ordinary conception of thinking includes imagining, remembering, interpreting, and caring. In order to understand the full scope and meaning…

These papers provide summaries of the most important discussions, conclusions, and issues from papers presented at a conference on reflective inquiry in teacher education. The following areas are covered: (1) new images for reflecting about teacher education; (2) reflecting on reflection in teacher education; (3) research on reflection in teacher…

The recent interest in reflective teaching has resulted in a number of studies in which reflective teaching is proposed as an important aim to be achieved through teacher education programs. Programs for the development of reflective teaching have been proposed, however, attempts at clarifying the meaning of reflective teaching have been scarce.…

A discussion is presented of the philosophy undergirding the 5-year teacher education program at the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia. In this program, students can earn a baccalaureate degree from the university and a Master of Teaching degree from the Curry School. The program seeks to produce teachers who are effective…

A description is given of the development and evaluation of a staff development model that was used by District of Columbia teachers. The model was based on the belief that teachers learn best through an analysis of their own behavior and thoughtful application of ideas to their own contexts. The first phase of the study defined over 50…

Research on professional development has focused on elementary school teachers. This study is part of a larger study that investigates professional development strategies that support the growth of secondary teachers. Findings indicate that secondary teachers may need experiences that challenge them to re-examine their knowledge and identity…

This research examined the effects of a process of digital video editing used to create multimedia portfolio has on the quality of teacher candidates' critical reflections. The target population was Northwestern Oklahoma State University teacher candidates. Subjects were 22 student teachers in the fall 2001. Subjects were randomly assigned to one…

Accountability. The very mention of the word strikes fear in the hearts of many teachers and school leaders, leading to confusion and panic rather than improved student achievement. Author Douglas B. Reeves explains how to transform accountability from destructive and demoralizing accounting drills into a constructive decision-making process that…

This article discusses two early childhood professors' experience of teaching a week-long collaborative course on Reggio Emilia, the Project Approach, and documentation. Principles of adult learning were used as a foundation to structure and organize the course, in which the early childhood education students applied their knowledge and skills to…

This newsletter highlights the development of reflection and teaching skills in preservice teachers via peer coaching. Peer coaching in preservice programs can serve as an induction program, while with experienced teachers it can serve as professional development. Research suggests that peer coaching contributes to the development of effective…

A collaborative research project between the Educational Research Department of the University of Liege (Belgium) and a pedagogical high school (primary pre-service teachers) was aimed at the literacy development of the future teachers before they are able to teach reading and writing in first, second, and third grade classrooms. In Belgium future…

The document provides information about Courage to Teach (CTT) quarterly retreats for the personal and professional renewal of teachers, administrators, and counselors in the public schools. CTT retreats focus on renewing the inner lives of professionals in education. Information on what to expect, eligibility, schedule, venue, costs, and…

To examine the utility of the "Systematic Self-Reflection" (SSR) process, a study investigated the effects of three levels of self-reflection--systematic, focused, and random--on problem solving and efficacy in 62 elementary school teachers. The study examined the application of four components of a problem-solving model (problem…