A survey of 21 special education administrators in Ohio revealed that they perceived that special education teachers should be involved in multicultural educational training programs with special emphasis on African-American students and their families. Results also revealed that personnel responsible for conducting such in-service programs may…

Through an exchange of letters, a veteran public school teacher advises a doubting beginning teacher (her former student) to remain in the classroom. The letters reveal both women's innermost thoughts about the difficult, demanding, and rewarding profession of teaching. (SM)

This study of the experiences of four beginning teachers of learning-disabled students examines teachers' pedagogical concerns (such as discipline and locating materials); concerns about special education (mainstreaming and consultation with classroom teachers); concerns about organization and time; amount and type of assistance received; and…

A study of 78 graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) found that those with exposure to prior training and higher amounts of teaching experience demonstrated higher self-efficacy than those with less training and experience. It is suggested that these factors may increase teaching assistant effectiveness and that both formal and on-the-job training of…

The subject of this study was a successful elementary physical education teacher, and its purpose was to investigate the pedagogical uses of the teacher's skill in observation. The inquiry was organized around three themes: the constitutive nature of observing, images for observational comparison, and the subjective experience of observation. (IAH)

Differences between Teachers of the Year and inservice teachers and the effect of teachers' gender, years of teaching, grade level taught, and highest degree earned were evaluated using the Teacher Belief Questionnaire. Results indicated that Teachers of the Year were significantly more humanistic in their student control beliefs than were matched…

Discusses the lack of teacher training provided for teaching assistants in history departments. Argues that emphasis on research and publication is misplaced because most new Ph.D.s will be teaching rather than publishing. Urges teacher training to prepare graduate students for their chosen profession and to improve undergraduate education. (DK)

A teacher describes a Foxfire project in which learning-disabled seven year olds made and sold Christmas cards to help the homeless. Outcomes included improved writing skills, understanding of money and math applications for the elementary students, and positive teaching experiences for high school computer students who assisted. (SV)

Stories about teaching practice, as used in professional teacher education, are a valuable source of information about teaching and a worthwhile reflective exercise. As experienced teachers and preservice students shared and collaborated on writing stories in courses at a university in Australia, students gained a better understanding of…

A study examined how a student teaching program that emphasized the need for gradual transition into teaching, guidance, and support to student teachers affected individuals' experiences and performance. Daily logs, weekly logs, grade point averages, and student evaluations indicated significant diversity in student teaching experiences for…

Discusses research on teacher thinking, noting the types of information available from a simple procedure for collecting pupil responses to lessons taught by student teachers. Pupil response patterns shift as student and cooperating teachers alternate instructional processes. Pupil responses to lessons allow prospective teachers to learn to think…

University of Alberta faculty and Edmonton teachers cooperated to place 68 third-year education majors into classroom experiences. Analysis of student journals and interviews with participants examined the collaborative nature of the experience, participant relationships, student socialization into the teacher role, and student reflection on…

Responds to Floden and Klinzing's article, "What Can Research on Teacher Thinking Contribute to Teacher Preparation? A Second Opinion." Agrees with it, but discusses questions raised but not answered. Questions what expertise in teaching is, how this expertise is communicated, and who these experts are. (JS)

To study the knowledge that teachers use to understand and interpret teaching and learning, 28 respondents from 4 levels of teaching experience were asked to explain their understanding of videotaped classroom scenes. The increasing complexity of understanding with teacher experience is supported by the findings. (SLD)

Examines four categories from a longitudinal study of change in teachers' practice: conceptions of practice, tensions in practice, articulation, and local and professional language. Researchers investigated how foreign language teachers integrated inservice information into classroom thinking and activity, noting how teachers used professional…