During the 1988-89 school year, the Portland, Oregon, Board of Education adopted an approach based on developmentally appropriate practices for improving early childhood education in public schools. Part of the plan for implementing the approach focused on a teachers' self-study process. The goals of the self-study project, in which three…

Recognizing the principal's role as the single most important factor in determining school effectiveness in the crucial early years of children's education, this document discusses four prerequisites for success as a school leader and thoroughly outlines elements of proficiency in the principalship. Specific leadership capabilities and…

The state of Indiana mandated a Beginning Teacher Assistantship and Professional Development Plan. Training for 63 mentor teacher educators was conducted at 4 locations in 4 days in August 1989. A 2-hour videotape was produced using the original training sessions for training or reinforcement of training. The advisory committee developed a…

This article demonstrates how the Leadership and Professional Development course at Morehouse College, an all-male historically Black college in Atlanta, Georgia, goes beyond teaching traditional leadership and professional development skills and exposes students to the impact of being a "professional of color" in corporate America. This…

The evaluation of teacher inservice education programs is discussed. Evaluation of an inservice program is aimed at answering questions about the program's effectiveness and providing a description of the impact the experience has on the participants. Curriculum evaluation should be concerned with four kinds of decisions: (1) planning; (2)…

Data were collected on guidance and counseling programs and guidance personnel in Nevada schools. Questionnaires were mailed to all 309 practicing school counselors in Nevada; the response rate was 72%. Guidance counselors in Nevada were primarily female, Caucasian, and middle-aged. Mean number of years as a counselor was 9 years, and most…

The Great Starts Mathematics Approach, the early childhood component of the Staff Development Program in Mathematics, Science, and Computer Science, is a collaborative 3-year staff development project. The project's goal is to develop a model for improving mathematics instruction in kindergarten through second grade. This is the evaluation report…

Strategies for improving the recruitment and selection of educational administrators are presented in this report. A recommendation is made for the development of administrator preparation programs based on collaboration between local education agencies, higher education institutions, the individual, and the educational administration (EA)…

Three issues on teacher quality are addressed: (1) How can teachers more representative of the student population be recruited? (2) How can the intellectual calibre of prospective teachers be assured? and (3) How can teachers' actual classroom practice be improved? In discussion on the first issue, it is pointed out that with the influx of…

This paper reports on some speculations arising from a long-term research project which utilizes data from teachers' autobiographies in understanding the nature of teachers' knowledge and development. The work is part of an increasing body of research which uses biographical methods to aid in understanding teachers' lives, careers, cultures, and…

There is a consensus among professionals about the content of programs that prepare educators for the early childhood level, and particularly about a core knowledge base. However, there is little consensus on the minimum levels of hours and credits needed to adequately prepare early childhood educators, and on the professional roles and…

This report is based on research comprising: (1) an examination of the paper trace of Atlantic Science Curriculum Project's (ASCP) history, including correspondence, records of meetings and conversations, contracts and curriculum documents, designs and materials; (2) a review of research and theoretical literature on the relationships between…

It is a common public perception that schools are failing to perform their fundamental mission; in the public eye, the responsibility for this failure lies with the administrators leading the schools. Consequently, there has been a litany of criticisms of the programs that prepare administrators, particularly programs located in major research…

This directory profiles numerous organizational support services for family day care providers in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The first chapter, on operating a family day care home, concerns licensing and registration, the processes of starting and marketing a day care business, zoning and municipal regulation, and substitute providers. The…

The articles in this journal address aspects of the general theme, "Development of the Teaching Profession," and report on research in brain dominance and certification practices. The following articles are in the theme features section: (1) "Collecting Garbage, Driving Trucks, and Waiting Tables: The Economic Reality of…