In the face of yet another crisis in teaching, it's time for a bold and comprehensive plan to revitalize and better support the profession. Education expert Linda Darling-Hammond explains how the current shortage of teachers is not entirely new, but the result of decades of cutting programs, lack of respect for the profession and poor working…

"Advocates of bureaucratic and professional teacher accountability have been battling each other for decades in a war that has barely been acknowledged," write Arthur E. Wise and Michael D. Usdan. Teachers' organizations and others who favor advancing the teaching profession have promoted professional accountability mechanisms, such…

A former Teach for America recruit who completed her training in a university-based program compares the two approaches to teacher preparation. In Teach for America, she learned how to design units and prepare lesson plans; in her university-based program, she had the time to learn from master teachers and build valuable skills, then practice…

The assumption behind movements to get alternatively certified teachers quickly into classrooms as full-time teachers is that high-performing college graduates with content knowledge can become good teachers through a summer of training and full-time, evening, teacher training courses. But when the authors asked new, precertified teachers who were…

Too often, early elementary teachers enter the classroom unprepared for the particular challenges of teaching children in grades 3 and under. Many were trained in programs that focused on older elementary grades, even though their license qualifies them to teach children as young as kindergarten. Teachers who obtained their certification through a…

In too many schools, science and mathematics are taught separately with little or no attention to technology and engineering. Also, science and mathematics tend to function in isolation from other core subjects. In California, Linked Learning: Pathways to College and Career Success connects core academics to challenging professional and technical…

Discusses two separate studies showing that New Jersey's alternative route to teacher certification taxes schools' resources while failing to provide adequate teacher training. Although Texas schools have acknowledged that their program drains their resources and have cut back on the number of teachers trained in alternative routes, New Jersey…

Argues that conventional approaches to teacher training and certification deter interested and talented people from entering the teaching profession. Suggests combination of alternative certification programs and school-level accountability may help to increase the supply of quality teachers. (PKP)

Responding to Joe Smith's unfavorable comments concerning Texas' alternative certification program in the November 1991 issue of "Educational Leadership," this article claims the Texas program is highly successful, thanks to school-university cooperation and closely supervised teacher interns. New Jersey's failures cannot be likened to…

Argues that many alternative teacher-preparation and -certification programs do not produce effective classroom teachers. Dispels four myths about these alternative programs: They emphasize content knowledge, attract better candidates, produce more effective teachers, and have no effect on teacher retention. Describes characteristics of…

Describes Newcomers Entering Teaching, a program designed by the Portland (Maine) Public Schools to prepare recent immigrants and refugees to enter local university's 9-month teacher-certification program. (PKP)

Colorado now requires applicants for teaching certificates to pass a basic skills test in spelling, English language usage, and mathematics and to demonstrate acceptable speaking ability. Student teachers must also complete this screening. Applicants have four chances to complete the test. (MLF)

Describes an innovative way for school districts to develop their own source of effective teachers to replace those who retire or leave. Norwalk-La Mirada School District (California) created a staff development plan using an exceptional principal, five "group leader" teachers, and a coordinator to train and certify excellent teachers…

The National Teacher Evaluation Program has developed a competency test for teachers that is the result of extensive consultation with the profession, pretesting, and review. Plans for the future of the test are detailed. (MLF)

All beginning teachers in Georgia receive a three-year nonrenewable certificate. During the term of the certificate they must satisfactorily demonstrate 14 performance competencies in two consecutive assessments. (Author/MLF)