Explores professionalism, the ideal of service, the professional community, and the epistemology of practice as key dimensions of teacher professionalism. Urges practitioners to consider teaching as an aspiration. Calls for the creation of a community of intellectuals and practitioners in order to develop a basis for practice. (KO)

This article reports on a study of a large-scale Belgian innovation project. From interview data four types of local innovation policy (LIP) were identified. LIP's reflected the organizational reactions of schools and appeared to be determined primarily by principals interventions. LIP's were characterized by planning, interaction, risk avoidance…

Describes reading center activities designed to make reading fit into the real world and the real world fit into reading. Uses a whole language approach both to promote ideas that are novel to students and to promote excellent children's literature. (RS)

Synthesizes current knowledge about teacher effects at the elementary school level and examines the findings in terms of their implications for early education. Emphasizes distinctive characteristics of early education and the need for the development of an early education research agenda. (PCB)

Although future directions in human intelligence research are difficult to predict, it seems probable that future research will: (1) use larger numbers of subjects; (2) increase attention to and reporting of reliability; (3) become more theoretically based; and (4) use models more grounded in biology. (SLD)

Discusses the relationship between visual electronic media (e.g. television, film, and computers) and cognitive ability. Notes that language is now inseparable from its electronic media context, and that classroom activities should focus on active interaction with this media to encourage critical thinking. (MM)

This paper examines the gap between research and practice as it impacts on identification of disadvantaged gifted students, outlines identification principles, and reviews types of disadvantages. Promising identification practices are described, including: appropriate use of test data; nominations, observation scales, and checklists; information…

Whereas the writing process is recursive, Instructional Theory into Practice (ITIP) is a linear, sequential series of instructional decisions. By understanding the relationship between these two models, staff development and curriculum specialists can assist teachers by coordinating support group sessions and followup training using a common…

An observation technique is presented that is designed to give teachers and future teachers a means of furthering their own training in teaching second languages. This technique is based on an approach that links theory and practice with an emancipatory process and complements already available observation schemes. (67 references) (Author/MSE)

Reports on student evaluation practices among 36 teachers in an Ontario (Canada) high school. Suggests that teachers may avoid ready-made evaluation instruments because of the multiple foci of their evaluations: student achievement, feedback to teachers on their own performance, and school policy about consistency in grading. (SV)

True educational reform will come about only when we replace the reigning psychometric educational psychology with a developmentally appropriate one. The developmental approach is superior regarding its conception of the learner, the learning process, the information to be acquired, and educational goals. Includes 14 references. (MLH)

Invites the American Mental Health Counselors Association to engage more fully in the science as well as the practice of mental health counseling. Reviews current status of research in psychotherapy with emphasis on a persistent divergence between those who identify themselves as researchers versus clinicians. Challenges that premise by examining…

Reading improvement in school-age children is the focus of the 10 articles within this supplement. Topics include recent research findings, classroom activities, teaching methods, computer-based instruction, literature-based programs, home-based activities, stages of reading development, and reading resource materials. (IAH)

Proposes a model for building the self-concept or self-esteem of students through carefully designed writing assignments that emphasize persona. Includes four writing assignments. (RAE)

This essay explores the relationship between curriculum theory and classroom practice in order to show why a theory-practice gap exists. The idiosyncratic nature of organizations and individuals alike is cited as the weak link in control-oriented curriculum theory, while emancipation-oriented theory underestimates the need for order and control.…