This article highlights the importance of nurturing preservice teachers as they develop the dispositions essential to establish empowering relationships with children's families. The authors identify and describe several key dispositions necessary for working with families and offer suggestions for ways that these elements might be integrated into…

In 2000 ACEI began an exploration of the potential role that a code of professional ethics might have in the Association. The Public Affairs Committee recommended that the Executive Board appoint an ad hoc Ethics Committee. That committee, under the leadership of Nita Barbour, accepted its charge to provide guidance to colleagues who struggle to…

This paper describes an approach for preparing teacher education students to teach culturally different students in a creative and effective mode. The approach consists of four components: knowledge, values, practicum, and seminar. The knowledge component recommends that teacher education students learn about cultural styles, specific learning…

A persistent problem confronting the teacher of the culturally different child is the need for finding learning materials that the child can relate to and utilize in his learning situation. The increasing availability of mass-produced learning materials for these children, although helpful, has not solved the problem of providing socioeconomically…

Information on aspects of social studies teachers' racial attitudes, knowledges, and skill in implementing relevant ethnic-racial activities in the classroom are presented. Major research studies that have examined teacher attitudes toward black and other minority group children are discussed along with information on programs that have attempted…

A model training program for improving racial attitudes and behaviors of future teachers is presented in this paper. The long range program goal is to help preservice students become knowledgeable, humane, and capable teachers and human beings. Although the research basis for this paper, described in document SO 005 383, indicated that racial…

Suggests that the changing nature of education requires that professional preparation programs provide more extensive parent involvement experiences. Discusses four thematic areas: (1) ways that families can contribute; (2) recognition of the expertise that families provide; (3) exploration of strategies that offer families meaningful involvement;…

Argues that teachers in preservice courses need to examine their affective readiness for classroom learning. (RB)

Examines how service learning in teacher education can help build a community of learners, strengthen the capacity of teachers to enhance the community, and foster increased teacher involvement in the community development process. (RS)

Discusses how the dimensions of the inquiry process--and applying this process to early-childhood teacher education--shape the challenge for early-childhood teacher educators to create a meaningful context for promoting inquiry as a lifelong endeavor for their students. Reviews several strategies to promote an inquiring and caring teacher/learning…

Reviews the literature on teacher clarity and communication skills, then describes a study showing that teachers must be trained in ways to reduce vagueness terms, mazes, multiple utterance questions, and overall frequency of questions posed to students. (FL)

Attempts, through conducting an internal and external assessment of a specific pre-service education program, to generate some concrete criteria that other university teacher education institutions might utilize in formulating a coherent and logical educational sequence. Results of the study indicate the need for a more field based teacher…

The results of this study point to the need for a reevaluation of the content and methodology of the traditional methods course in elementary teacher training. (Author)

This study surveyed existing preschool education programs and practices in the State Offices of Education in the 50 states. A survey instrument (Information Form on Preschool Education), mailed to 50 chief state school officers, contained questions in three areas of preschool education: (1) general information (2) personnel commitment and (3)…

Discusses the role of computers with young children and suggests that effective use should be based on an understanding of how children learn. Topics discussed include curriculum goals; criteria to consider when buying computers; teacher training; software selection; environmental considerations; and criteria for integrating computers into early…