Findings from a study that sought to determine the degree to which teachers used an inservice program for the implementation of a primary language and literacy program are presented in this paper. To measure teachers' level of use of the whole language philosophy of learning, the Language and Literacy Questionnaire was administered to 112 primary…

Outcomes of a teacher empowerment project implemented at a middle school are described in this paper, with a focus on the perspectives of a school administrator, a middle schools specialist, and a university faculty evaluator. The purpose of the project was to improve student achievement through establishing a school improvement team. From the…

This paper summarizes findings of the National Education Commission on Time and Learning (NECT&L), which conducted a comprehensive review of the relationship between time and learning in elementary-secondary education. The first section highlights salient research findings. The following sections provide information on these topics: general…

A study determined whether former participants in the Winthrop Writing Institutes (annual summer institutes based on the National Writing Project model) had improved classroom instruction in writing by using strategies taught in the institutes and whether they had continued to grow professionally. Surveys were returned by 49 of the 89 (1981 to…

This book digs into the tensions, contradictions, and uncertainties of teaching. The book explores how to "read" teaching, which involves the application to practice and research of "simple if neglected things" like noticing, wondering, reflecting, and holding an impression in the grip of an idea. The first chapter discusses the productive…

A discussion of the role of the Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT) on its 25th anniversary addresses the following issues: (1) whether the organization has carried out its primary objective of advancing the learning and teaching of languages at all instructional levels; (2) whether SCOLT has worked to its fullest in fostering close…

This guide provides staff development leaders in schools and school districts with practical information about professional development systems. It is organized in eight chapters, each dealing with a phase of an effective professional development program. The essential components of the program constitute a framework for staff development. The…

American River College's (ARC) Human Resources Development (HRD) plan for 1991-92 marks the third year of implementation of HRD funding at the college. Funds for HRD were received as part of Assembly Bill (AB) 1725 and activities have included computer training, multicultural awareness, shared governance, and "flexible calender" (paid non-teaching…

In May 1991, a professional development conference was held for coordinators of services for learning disabled (LD) students in New York State two-year colleges. The purpose of the session was to provide an opportunity for information and dialogue targeted at the exchange of ideas and perspectives and the consideration of regional and local…

This paper describes conditions that enhance planned change efforts in rural secondary schools. The following six conditions are vital to school improvement efforts: (1) teacher commitment; (2) a common understanding of research on best practices; (3) collaborative planning; (4) an egalitarian approach; (5) peer leadership; and (6) support from…

The Getty Center for Education in the Arts has worked with teacher education institutions to develop ways of improving professional preparation to teach art at the elementary and secondary grade levels. Individual campus projects carried out at 10 preservice teaching institutions are summarized: Brigham Young University, California State…

The rate of the change now occurring outside of community colleges has made long-range planning an especially difficult task. Futures research, which attempts to forecast future scenarios by studying societal, economic, and demographic trends, can be used effectively to facilitate the institutional planning process by anticipating both internal…

The experiences of recent women appointees to educational administration are compared to those of earlier female appointees. Indepth personal interviews were conducted with 17 female elementary school principals in British Columbia (Canada), 9 of whom were appointed after September 1987 and 8 of whom were appointed prior to September 1982. Results…

The final report of a five-year federally-funded bilingual education program in four schools of the the Sunnyside School District in Tucson, Arizona, is presented. The following areas are addressed: (1) student enrollment patterns, (2) the instructional program for kindergarten through fifth grade and its development, (3) staff development efforts…

Teachers can engage in practical reflection through collaboration that enriches their sense of what is feasible and possible, and they can transform their understanding of those realities. Critical reflection, however, requires various forms of assistance. The use of "clinical supervision" over 6 months in 1982 with 14 teachers in 4…