Mentoring programs that pair experienced and first-time teachers are gaining prominence in supporting, developing, and retaining new teachers. The successful Beginning Teacher Assistance program at University of Wisconsin-River Falls was designed to give new K-12 teachers the opportunity for yearlong, structured support from mentor teachers. (MLH)

A program in rural Alberta (Canada) used retired teachers to mentor beginning teachers. Surveys and interviews with 24 proteges and 21 mentors indicated that the recruitment of experienced mentors, the provision of money, the establishment of a sense of community, and the provision of time for reflection all contributed to the program's success.…

During the mid- to late-1990s, the declining economy in Nova Scotia led to a reduction in the number of school boards and the closure or amalgamation of smaller schools. This paper presents findings from the first phase of a longitudinal case study that explored the amalgamation of five elementary schools in Gold Cove, Nova Scotia. The study uses…

Discusses principals' inaccurate perceptions of school library media programs and teacher-librarians. Topics include the invisibility of media specialists; isolation and scheduling; a low profile in professional literature read by principals; occupational socialization; principals' experiences as K-12 students; teacher training; administrator…

Survey of reservation and nonreservation mental health professionals in south-central South Dakota found that for both groups, the greatest source of job dissatisfaction was lack of continuing education opportunities. Strategies to reduce dissatisfaction include reservation-university collaborations, increased training opportunities, recruitment…

Examines alienation as a factor in special-education teachers' relatively high attrition rate. Comparisons of alienation levels among 180 special-education teachers and 395 general-education teachers suggest that special-education teachers experience significantly more alienation (isolation, normlessness, and powerlessness) than…

Common factors contributing to teachers' resistance include risk aversion, craft expertise, and autonomy and isolation. Leaders' problem is to create ownership, not buy-in. Principals cannot make change alone or by edict, but must nurture engagement and commitment and motivate groups to learn and solve problems cooperatively. (MLH)

Discusses hurdles to new principals' success. Principals must respect school culture, including ghosts and heroes; realize that working relationships will change; and anticipate isolation and overwork. Meeting individual teachers, locating the power, keeping central administrators informed, listening and learning, finding mentors, and picking…

Teaching in a remote town has its drawbacks with regard to Professional Development (PD), which becomes extremely costly, so each staff member is probably limited to one decent PD once a year. This means choosing PD extremely carefully to ensure "value for money" and hopefully that it will provide the teacher concerned with…

This article discusses employment of part-time faculty at the community college level, including historical reasons for their current status, alternatives to this status, and specific steps to change it.

The rapport among teachers can be a significant determinant of educational quality and workplace atmosphere. A practicum project sought to improve professional communication among staff at an urban, public elementary school where teachers did not have opportunities to meaningfully interact with one another. The staff in this school consisted of a…

Alcoholism, a major health problem currently being addressed by other professions, has unique features, manifestations, and ramifications for psychologists. Salient aspects of alcoholism in psychology include etiological and motivational factors, characteristic behaviors, and specific risk factors in the work environment of psychologists.…

A team of graduate students and educational administration professors, as part of a field-based doctoral program, discovered the "split and fit" culture during an evaluation of the school's Continuous Progress Primary Program (CPPP). According to Pascale (1990), "split and fit" can work to an organization's benefit. Fit…

Describes a study that examined the professional information needs of rural secondary school teachers in New South Wales (Australia). Concludes that teacher librarians have a pivotal role in meeting information needs, and that computer networks provide a means of overcoming the teachers' professional and geographical isolation. (LRW)

Principals play a key role in developing teacher leadership. To identify, develop, and support teacher leaders in their schools, principals should define teacher leadership, be comfortable with teacher leaders, encourage teachers to become leaders, help teachers develop leadership skills, and provide positive and limited constructive feedback.…