For well over a decade, teachers have been recognized as the single most important school-level factor influencing student achievement (Darling-Hammond, 2000; McCaffrey, Lockwood, Koretz, & Hamilton, 2003; Rivkin, Hanushek, & Kain, 2000; Rowan, Correnti & Miller, 2002; Wright, Horn, & Sanders, 1997). Tremendous public resources…

In the report "From Good to Great: Exemplary Teachers Share Perspectives on Increasing Teacher Effectiveness across the Career Continuum," (See full report in ERIC at ED555657) National and State Teachers of the Year shared their views on what helped them become great teachers. This accompanying "Discussion Starter Tool" builds…

When it comes to teacher preparation, the support provided to new teachers, and ongoing professional development for working teachers, Grades K-12 and the field of early care and education (ECE) are two very different worlds. While both worlds assume that teachers' classroom skills and behavior can be influenced at multiple points in time (through…

Job related stress and fitness have an effect on the professional lives of teachers. Many corporations have established physical fitness programs to increase employee job effectiveness and satisfaction. Research shows that such programs would improve teacher performance and combat stress. (MD)

Calls for the crucial need to incorporate alternative approaches into everything teachers do and the mistakes teachers make in the classroom. Discusses three specific instructional trouble areas of every teacher's reality and common mistakes. (ASK)

In this important new book, Sharon Lynn Kagan and her colleagues focus on the nearly 5 million individuals who have the responsibility of caring for and educating nearly two thirds of the American children under age 5 who spend time in nonparental care. Providing the most thorough synthesis of current research on the early care and education…

Since the "National Science Education Standards" were published in 1996, it has become apparent that the standards did not provide sufficient guidance on the key topics needed for implementation. Assessment was identified as a topic requiring more detail and guidance, as well as scientific inquiry, technology in the science curriculum,…

This report deals with teachers' professional development on the job within the context of teaching in schools. It links the quality of learning--and the opportunity to learn--to the quality of a teacher's capacity to know what to teach, how to teach, and to whom. Comments are made on the academic preparation of new teachers and the ways teachers…

This article, intended for Reading Recovery teacher leaders, site coordinators, and trainers, discusses the issue of field visits by teacher leaders to teachers. The article argues that it is helpful, in considering field visits to teachers, to understand the various means of assisting performance described by Tharp and Gallimore in 1988. The…

When a practicing school business official teaches a college course, students can learn much about the real world of schools. Part-time or adjunct teaching at a college or university provides the official with a chance to refresh and extend his or her knowledge in the field. Offers suggestions for getting started, what to expect, and tips for…

The Teacher Quality Assurance Program, an integral part of the Houston, Texas, Plan for Excellence, addresses renewal and professional growth opportunities for current staff. The program is administered by a bi- or tri-dimensional assessment team that may consist of the principal, an instructional supervisor, and the associate and/or deputy…

This essay discusses inservice professional development and suggests that any improvement in mathematics education must begin with teachers already in the classroom. It includes three examples of mathematical presentations in professional development made in Californian schools relating to discrete mathematics, connections, and technology. (MM)

A series of five modules is designed to provide content and structure for staff development in classroom management techniques. Each module contains preview questions, module objectives, a number of instructional activities keyed to stated objectives, and a number of follow-up/review questions and activities. The five module topics are: teacher…

Focuses on the professional role of the teacher in the classroom in relation to the students being taught and the subject matter being learned. Defines and gives examples of three dimensions of the professional act of teaching: conceptual knowledge, general knowledge, and interpersonal communication and social skills. (JHZ)

Intended for use by teams of educators to spark discussion about current practices and how well their own approaches match identified best practices, this poster suggests nine effective literacy practices associated with improved student performance in the early grades. The nine practices are from a study of elementary schools with higher than…