The authors question whether elementary students will have access to effective science and mathematics instruction within the current structure of elementary schools, in which each classroom teachers is expected to possess the expertise to teach all subjects well. They review research showing that good teachers are the key to student achievement…

Echoing the current emphasis on examining changes in teacher beliefs, combined with the central role of inquiry in reform, this article argues that science "education" research experiences should hold promise in shaping preservice teachers' beliefs about the role of inquiry in understanding classroom science teaching. The aim of this…

This book is intended to transcend the gap between parents and teachers so that they may work together to benefit the youngsters they share. The intent, focus, and direction of the book are all highly connected and recursive. The intent of the book is to diminish the differences between the roles of parent and teacher so that they may become…

This practicum was designed to help five bright but underachieving fourth grade students in four classes regain their enthusiasm for learning through a multi-pronged approach with parents, students, classroom teachers, and specialists. Two workshops on learning styles and differentiated instruction were held for classroom teachers. Communication…

This packet includes reprints of journal articles and other resources pertaining to cooperative learning strategies in small, rural schools. The four sections of the packet cover introduction to cooperative learning, examples of how team strategies and cooperative learning can be used, issues such as program evaluation and public relations, and…

This study examined whether preservice teachers' understanding of collaborative consultation improves significantly during undergraduate training and whether they receive experiences working with other school professionals. The study compared the perceptions of 128 college freshmen with 130 college seniors at a mid-sized, midwestern university.…

This study identified the content and educational methods of family-centered training programs designed to prepare professionals for interprofessional, interagency, and family-professional collaboration. Although the main focus was on training to improve services to families whose children have serious emotional disorders, the programs identified…

Schools across the United States are creating teacher teams in ever-greater numbers. "Teaming" refers to assembling a group of teachers from different disciplines and/or grade levels who work together as a "core group" responsible for teaching a subset of the school's population. This brief examines some of the potential conflicts between teacher…

A qualitative study was undertaken to examine similarities and differences in the leadership styles of two successful private liberal arts college presidents and two successful public two-year college presidents. During site visits, a series of semi-structured, open-ended interviews were conducted with the president, senior staff and faculty,…

This practicum was designed to improve communication and collaboration between health care providers and early childhood intervention educators who provide services to children (ages 7 months to 4 years) who are medically fragile or have other special needs and their families. The lack of communication or collaboration is documented, and a…

To develop a college-wide resolution process for dealing with student concerns, Burlington County College, in New Jersey, undertook a planning effort involving the faculty, student, staff, and administrator senates in the college's governance system. Rather than appoint an administrator to lead the project, a member of the staff senate was…

This paper presents principles for inclusion of students with disabilities in regular education classrooms, organized around the following aspects: inclusion versus mainstreaming, service delivery, planning and curriculum development, best practices, and training. Among the principles discussed are: students are members of age-appropriate general…

The typical undergraduate program in computer science includes an introduction to hardware and operating systems, file processing and database organization, data communication and networking, and programming. However, many graduates may lack the ability to integrate the concepts "learned" into a skill set and pattern of approaching problems that…

This newsletter theme issue describes a state-local team partnership model for interagency transition efforts for young adults with deaf-blindness. Excepts from a presentation by Jane M. Everson identify key aspects and characteristics of effective state and local interagency partnerships. These include: (1) strategies for initiating and…

This document establishes a set of performance expectations based on current practices in administrative support occupations. It is designed to assist individuals, training providers, employers, management personnel, and professional organizations in matching knowledge, abilities, and interests to knowledge and skills required for success in…