Studies have found that many teachers are not successful with African American students. This study grew out of the need to explore and learn from insights and knowledge of effective Title I White Reading teachers and their personal experiences, beliefs, and instructional practices. These experiences have helped the teachers bridge cultural…

This study focused on the extent to which nontraditional instructional strategies targeted by a high school in its Title I schoolwide plan were observable in classrooms. The study was conducted in an inner-city high school where 76% of the students are classified as economically deprived. Data were collected through classroom observations in 18 of…

Organizational theory suggests great pessimism about the potential of school districts for supporting educational improvement. The traditional view is that educational organizations--and school districts, in particular--are loosely coupled organizations where the main resources for central leadership are insufficient to penetrate the isolation of…

Quality teachers are the single greatest determinant of student achievement. Teacher education, ability, and experience account for more variation in student achievement than all other factors. Studies have found that 40 to 90 percent of the difference in student test scores can be attributed to teacher quality. Knowing the subject matter,…

Observes a student teacher in action and reflects on the personal and professional characteristics that make a teacher outstanding. (Editor/SB)

Provides an overview of the ENVISION program for enhancing middle school science teachers' understanding of environmental science and inquiry. Focuses on the component of the project that engages teachers in conducting their own environmental research. Describes the theoretical basis for the professional development model, linking the model to the…

Explains San Diego County Office of Education's "Reading in Secondary Education" (RISE), an online series of nine professional development modules for secondary teachers and administrators, intended for use in staff development groups or by individual educators. Notes that the program combines video, Web information, lesson plans, and Internet…

In response to an article that proposes principles for teaching extensive reading, this article suggests that those principles rely heavily on learners being responsible for their own learning, a concept that is put forth in U.S. educational contexts. Discusses why these principles would need to be altered for use in an Asian context. (Author/VWL)

The literature on novice-expert shifts in teacher knowledge is examined from the perspective of constructivist learning theory with a view to identifying lessons for teacher educators. Limitations in teacher knowledge are explored, and three requirements are outlined for a research agenda on teacher's learning. (SLD)

Illustrates how tasks can be used systematically as context for developing learners' knowledge about language, skill in using language, and teachers' ability to teach. Outlines role for tasks in language learning, identifies limitation in previous studies of tasks to promote learning, and suggests need for tasks to lead learners to integrate…

Although counseling and counseling psychology have experienced a rapid growth of professional preparation courses and have seen a proliferation of literature on multicultural counseling, few changes have been reported on how to teach from a multicultural perspective. Provides personal account of how one professor structures a multicultural…

Reports the findings of a study investigating the learning preferences of two cohorts: the Baby Boomers and the Generation Xers. Finds that the differences in learning between the two groups profoundly impact the tasks of educators, and asserts that teachers need to be trained regarding the different learning styles and teaching strategies. (NB)

Used the experiences of three preservice teachers and the experiences of the researchers to characterize the gap between theory and prescriptions for teaching and every day practice. Illustrates how P. Bourdieu's notion of "habitus," a set of dispositions, accounts for appropriate actions in situations where there is no time for…

Reports on major trends in studies investigating the tutor during the past 10 years. Describes three major trends: studies on the differential influence of content expert and non-content expert tutors on student achievement, studies on process variables, and studies on the relationship between tutor characteristics and differential contextual…

During recent years, the U.S. Department of Education has funded several projects designed to develop and implement personnel preparation for special educators. Unfortunately, few special educators enter administrative positions. This article highlights the opportunities given to educators, the majority from minority backgrounds, to provide…