Addressing the problem of the current and future shortage of teachers, this paper lists concrete suggestions on recruiting and retaining teachers. Fifteen suggestions are made which may serve as a foundation for a state-wide teacher recruitment plan. The recruitment plan at the state level should lead to plans at the university level to further…

Veteran teachers are often discontent because of the repetitive nature of teaching. New experiences, not repetition, are necessary for growth. Previous theories of adult development include deterministic models (such as those of Freud, trait and factor psychology, and behaviorism) and the developmental theory, which reveals no evidence of adult…

This paper presents a qualitative case study of three interns who completed the 5-year teacher education program at the University of Tennessee and, following their intern year, were hired as teachers in the high school where they had served as interns. The program at the university prepared teachers in two phases: the undergraduate years, devoted…

In making a case for the liberal arts in teacher education, the point is made that the liberal arts contribute to the professional qualifications of teaching. If teachers are to be more than mere technicians, the professional skills of problem solving, analysis, and critical thought are needed. A discussion is presented of the specific need for…

Brigham Young University (Utah) is developing a program to improve reflective thinking skills in preservice students. The beginning professional course includes the following reflective teaching components: (1) instruction on the theory and process of reflection; (2) participation in selected microteaching episodes; (3) reflecting on the classroom…

This case study identifies valid indicators of teacher education program quality selected from: (1) 15 interviews of purposefully sampled faculty members and all administrators of a teacher education program at an urban university, obtained with a 12-page interview guide and 5 written prompts; and (2) an analysis of scales of self-efficacy,…

A model for evaluating agricultural teacher education programs was developed and tested. The quality of the program was indicated by members of the profession, who were asked to list, in rank order, the top 10 college programs and to give reasons for their rankings. Program rankings were also compared with the faculty rank of the respondents,…

Effective school board leadership based on involvement and example can effectively enhance teacher performance. The first of five strategies presented to encourage maximum performance is the "Science of Teaching Program," allowing staff members, in a six-day seminar format, the opportunity to be exposed to a framework for making wise professional…

This paper examines the Competency Based Teacher Education (CBTE) program at the University of Toledo, Ohio. A description is given of the development of the program and its implementation in 1971. The reasons for changes in the CBTE program are discussed and teacher surplus, enrollment changes, and the fact that the program was expensive are…

Documenting the history of the Reading Program offered by the Department of Education at Washburn University, Kansas from its inception in 1937 to 1987, this document contains information related to the undergraduate reading requirements for the completion of the Elementary and Secondary Education Degrees and the graduate requirements for the…

Teacher education programs at Auburn University at Montgomery (Alabama) provide courses on multicultural education and personal relationship skills to develop in their students an understanding and sensitivity to ethnic bias and stereotyping in dealing with a culturally diverse classroom. The undergraduate component of the course acquaints…

Three broad areas of recommendations in the teacher education reform agenda are addressed in this paper. These areas are preparation and continuing education of teachers, the conditions of teaching in the schools, and the requirements of teacher certification and licensure. The reform recommendations are aimed at: (1) the professional status of…

Studies are reviewed of issues that potentially inform policies and practices in initial and continuing education, including teacher educators, prospective and practicing teachers as learners, the teacher education curriculum, and the milieu in which teacher education takes place. Across these four areas, mutually reinforcing factors explain why…

During the past 14 years, the elementary rural teacher training program at Brigham Young University (BYU), Utah, has successfully provided an 8-week student teaching experience which has assisted more than 250 prospective teachers in comparing their lifestyle and interests with those of rural America. Student participants are required to live with…

Energy issues have been the focus of scientists, science educators, politicians, historians, sociologists, and economists since the increase in fuel costs, passing of federal regulations on oil prices, changes in automobile standards, and increase in conservation measures. Many feel that educators have the responsibility of designing energy…