This paper presents an argument for the development of an Irish Chartered Teacher initiative which would acknowledge and accredit the professionalism of experienced and accomplished teachers. It begins by examining the current position of teaching as a profession based on findings from Irish and international research studies. Issues surrounding…

Both contemporary popular and scholarly discourse on teacher development and evaluation assumes the truth of a certain view of normative human behavior, one that holds that skill in a given domain is predicated upon the application of maxims, rules, or principles in a given situation. Such a view would allow one to isolate behaviors associated…

This article is both reflective and critical as the author seeks to engage in a dialogue that strategizes how the needs of diverse teachers are met without essentializing their identities and experiences. Within the tendency of equating teaching with Whiteness is the assumption that Black teachers intrinsically know how to teach Black students and…

In this response to Kevin St. Jarre's article "Reinventing Social Studies", the author agrees with St. Jarre that the social studies curriculum needs to change. However, he stresses that the improvement process will not be easy. Creating university social science and social studies courses that would prepare secondary teachers with the knowledge…

"Training" certainly fit the factory model of education. To others, the word conjured images of what one does to animals, getting them to sit, roll over, and play dead. Few educators now describe their learning experiences as training. The word "development" may be an improvement, but just a small one. It evokes images of what someone does to…

Few medical faculty members are adequately prepared for their instructional responsibilities. Our educational traditions were established before we had research-based understandings of the teaching-learning process and before brain research began informing our understandings of how humans achieve lasting learning. Yet, there are several advantages…

The specification of various categories of knowledge that teachers should possess has been a historically consistent feature of moves to professionalize school teaching and to argue for individual teachers' professional autonomy. In this article, I suggest that the ways in which subject knowledge has been treated in research-based recipes for…

In this article, the author discusses some of the most serious challenges--intellectual, institutional, and political--that he sees for the future of professional learning in education. He states that one common solution to these challenges would be for educators to begin to act more like professionals. One thing is clear about the early stages of…

Discusses the triangular relationship between the teacher (I), student (Thou), and subject matter (It), highlighting David Hawkins' essay, "I, Thou, and It" (1974). Notes that while each element of the triangle is essential, subject matter is the central concern of Hawkins' latest essays. Discusses implications for teaching, learning,…

Interviews Regie Routman, well-known advocate of whole-language instruction, about her new book, "Literacy at the Crossroads," in which she presents a clear response to critics of whole language and of education in general. Urges teachers to participate in professional development and communicate their professional knowledge about good teaching…

Asa Hilliard describes how model teaching programs (like Project SEED), mentoring, and improved teacher recruitment can inspire new teachers to realize how good teaching can be. It is crucial for teachers to develop a deep knowledge about the subjects they love, because they will be eager to share what they have learned with students. (MLH)

Presents the position statement of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science (AETS) on knowledge standards for science teacher educators. Defines who should be considered as science teacher educators and lists a set of six guidelines related to knowledge standards. (DDR)

Discusses the value of institutional reading groups as vehicles for engaging faculty in the body of higher education literature and encouraging the use of research in decision making. Suggests these groups are an effective and efficient strategy for assimilating large amounts of complex information, fostering new knowledge, and sparking campus-…

The Center for Learning Technologies in Urban Schools (LeTUS) is implementing a professional development program for science teachers to enact science curricula in a systemic reform initiative. This paper proposes a design approach for professional development in science education as a valuable way to re-conceptualize the process of fostering…

A literature-based survey gathered 331 final-year preservice teachers' perceptions of their mentoring in primary science education from nine Australian universities. Data were analysed within five factors proposed for mentoring (i.e., Personal Attributes, System Requirements, Pedagogical Knowledge, Modelling, and Feedback). Results indicated that…