The Colorado State University Professional Development School Partnership involves more than preparing preservice teachers to enter classrooms. The partnership aims to engage all teachers in inquiry into educational practices, professional- development activities, and exemplary instructional practices. Preservice, novice, and veteran teachers…

Preservice teachers must learn to work cooperatively with other adults. In practica, teacher educators can successful negotiate conflicts with team members and build on similarities by listening carefully to students' concerns, modeling respect and appreciation for challenges experienced by school staff, exploring the strengths of students'…

Presents a systematic process for completing a language-based curriculum analysis to address curriculum expectations that may challenge students with communication impairments. Analysis of vocabulary and the demands for comprehension, oral, and written expression within specific content areas provides a framework for collaboration between teachers…

Describes 20 suggestions for cooperating teachers working with student teachers including (1) stop problems before they start; (2) provide specific feedback; (3) meet frequently; (4) allow the student to make mistakes; (5) support, encourage, and reward progress; (6) accept differences in the student teacher's approach; and (7) evaluate yourself,…

Discusses current issues and concerns in grading students with disabilities in inclusive settings and presents a four-step decision model which results in teachers cooperatively determining grading practices for individual students within the context of district policies and guidelines. (DB)

Constructing standards for performance-based classrooms requires a more student-centered curriculum and a changing teacher role. This article presents a standards-based design strategy based on selecting a unit topic, choosing authentic culminating activities, choosing related curriculum goals, creating unit goals, developing unit assessments,…

In Boston schools, change coaches and content coaches are offering principals and teachers the kind of professional development that research deems most effective: ongoing, in school, high-quality, and focused on instruction and teacher cooperation. To succeed, coaches must be (unrecognized) leaders who unobtrusively foster teacher leadership.…

The benefits of using storytelling to encourage literacy in children with diverse learning needs are discussed, including providing a social context for literacy, helping children develop interesting ideas, encouraging role-taking and inferential comprehension, developing literary themes, and tapping children's prior knowledge. Tips for the…

Wraparound team members (n=20) identified as teaming experts rated 109 items that support team effectiveness across six categories: team goals, member roles and membership, communication, cohesion, logistics, and outcomes. Items in the team outcomes, goals, and cohesion categories were ranked most critical to team effectiveness. (Contains…

A survey of 500 preschool teachers found a majority view individualized intervention on specific goals to be important for all children, they would like to receive all of the listed forms of assistance from special educators, and they want special educators to be involved in collaborative roles in their classrooms. (Contains references.)…

This article describes the challenges faced by a first-year special educator of children with emotional disturbances. In addition to academic diversity and behavioral challenges, there were also issues related to working with a team of special educators and being the newcomer. These issues included instructional time, behavioral management, and…

This article explains how elementary teachers can link performance-based assessments and student self-assessments to the curriculum for improved learning. It provides graphic organizers, rubrics, and examples of student writings, and discusses ways to connect assessment and instruction, benefits for students (feedback and instruction), and…

Recognizing staff development's importance, the Austin (Texas) Independent School District implemented an ambitious districtwide program that provides all K-8 teachers with training to implement mathematics standards. An evaluation found that improved math instruction was influenced by school culture, principal support, and teacher collaboration.…

Argues for the need to put into practice policies of multicultural education using case studies of three individuals from three different cultural backgrounds. These individuals used their own cultural diversity as a model of successful intercultural teamwork in planning and implementing a multicultural education course for undergraduate teacher…

Designs for Learning is a California-based professional-development program organized around 10 design elements central to teachers' teaching and learning process: student data, planning, release time, leadership development, content and pedagogy, inquiry, collaboration, adult learning, administrative and community support, and accountability.…