The purpose of this paper was to examine the cross-national performance of fourth- and eighth-grade students in mathematics on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003. The TIMSS assessment data were used to identify nations that have a competitive edge in the critical area of mathematics. The Trends in International…

This monograph focuses upon how teacher induction programs affect the professional maturation of the beginning teacher. In a discussion on the elements that make a good induction program, a checklist of eight program characteristics is presented. Four of these show the influence of other professions, and the remaining four apply directly to the…

The Kansas Internship Plan (KIP) allows beginning teachers opportunities to share plans and experiences with other interns, an element essentially intrinsic to support groups. Also, they have an opportunity to solve classroom problems while continuing to have the guidance and support of senior teachers and teacher education faculty. The program…

Findings from Project CREDIT (Certification Renewal Experiences Designed to Improve Teaching) indicate that a multiple support system combining mentors, peers, and university personnel can reduce some complications of first-year teachers. This intern program for 20 first-year Indiana teachers extends teacher education into the first year of…

The Digest of Helping Programs presented in this volume describes exemplary support programs for beginning teachers in the United States. Twenty-four programs are included, of which four are described in considerable detail. Comprehensive descriptions are given of the following programs: (1) The Stanford University Intern Program; (2) The Resident…

Explains how an understanding of the developmental stages of teachers can help in designing collaborative induction-year internship programs for orienting beginning teachers to classroom realities, and describes developmental sequences (microphases) that occurred while observing beginning teachers in a year-long collaborative university-school…

The central feature of the New York State Mentor Teacher-Internship Program is the establishment of a relationship between an experienced, highly regarded teacher and one who is just beginning the work of teaching or is beginning to teach in a different area of certification. Building on the results of the first year's statewide evaluation, the…

The Kansas Internship Plan provides that beginning July 1, 1989, all teachers in Kansas with zero years of teaching experience will be required to successfully complete an internship year prior to their receiving five-year certification. Each intern will be assigned to an assistance committee of professional educators consisting of at least one…

A description is given of the Mentor Teacher-Internship Program, which is funded by New York State and operates under state guidance. The focus of the program is on building a mutually rewarding relationship between the mentor and novice teacher. Steps through which mentor-intern dyads can progress on their way toward an effective, optimal…

Two combined preparation and induction programs for teacher candidates at Memphis State University (Tennessee), the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program and the Lyndhurst program, utilize a mentoring approach to professional development for program interns and beginning teachers. Each candidate has two mentors: a pedagogical mentor from the…

This summary report on the Study of Induction Programs for Beginning Teachers offers insights on the findings of the study. Two kinds of programs were studied: preservice internship programs, and induction programs. A discussion is given on what the study revealed about the experiences of beginning teachers in the transition period from students…

A description is given of the Cooperative Professional Education Program (CPEP) that was developed and implemented by a teacher education institution and two public school districts. CPEP differs from traditional programs in the concurrent offering of coursework and clinical experience in an integrated year-long internship. The major components of…

This summary of the development and implementation of the Study of Induction Programs for Beginning Teachers includes descriptions of the methods used to obtain data as well as recommendations and conclusions drawn from the study. Critical questions in the investigation were: (1) What are the problems of beginning teachers? (2) What kinds of…

A proposal is made for a program focusing on the transition period between preservice and inservice teacher education. The first phase of the program would be attainment of a strong liberal arts background, culminating in a B. A. degree, containing little or no pedagogical theory or practice. The second, or training phase, would consist of an…

Position papers presented at a conference of state directors of teacher education and certification focused on the quality of educational personnel. The first paper details the need for new talent in teaching in spite of a decline in job opportunities that adversely affects the quality of the applicant pool prepared to enter the teaching…