The urban school districts of California have a well-publicized shortage of teachers. But nontraditional candidates--namely recent college graduates and career changers who have not attended a standard teacher-preparation program--often encounter serious roadblocks, even with the state's full endorsement of alternative certification programs that…

Historically, it has been tough to get teachers for urban districts, but this is not the case in Baltimore, Maryland, anymore. Since 2002, the New Teacher Project has been finding at least 10 applicants for each teaching job it fills for the once hard-to-staff Baltimore district. Armed with unorthodox recruitment strategies, the group targets…

In 2003, the University of Central Florida began a Transition to Mathematics and Science Teaching (T-MAST) program, a one-year, fast-track program that prepares and certifies bachelor's degree holders who will work as teachers in a job-sharing paid internship, while completing a Master of Arts degree in middle grades (5-9) mathematics education or…

This article describes how a top physicist took charge of reforming undergraduate science education at the University of British Columbia. Carl E. Wieman, the 2001 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, gave up his research career to devote himself to improving the way college science is taught. Wieman is heading up a $10.2 million science education…

Alternative routes to teacher preparation are clearly here to stay. A growing research literature on non-traditional pathways suggests the complexity of the task ahead. This report offers new teachers the opportunity to tell their own stories in their own words. In "Alternative Certification and Alternative Pathways: A Personal Take on a Core…

The percentage of urban teachers who leave the profession within the first 5 years is more than 50%; inadequate preparation is often cited as a cause of urban teacher attrition. This article explores a qualitative study regarding teachers' perceptions of their experience of and preparation for teaching in urban schools. Data from teachers in urban…

As many organizations restructure, the role of support staff is also changing. Secretaries are under increased workloads and are assuming duties previously performed by management, such as budgeting, project coordination, and public relations. According to Professional Secretaries International, only 31% of its members bore the title "secretary"…

Because of the economic and cultural changes that are currently taking place in society and the workplace, many adults who had their career and personal lives planned to retirement are finding those plans no longer viable and are recognizing the need to readjust their career expectations. Many adults who had always viewed life as a linear,…

Library environments and the methods of providing services to library patrons are drastically changing with the availability of new technologies. Online public access catalogs are replacing card catalogs, CD-ROM databases have encroached upon the domain of their paper counterparts, and newspapers, encyclopedias, and dictionaries are also available…

Occupational experiences of former elementary-secondary school administrators as educational administration faculty are summarized in this report. Methodology involved a survey of 37 members of the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration and 123 educational administrative departments. Faculty respondents expressed an…

This model framework consists of client-centered strategies that can help the mid-career changer explore options. The framework presented in this document integrates theoretical and practical applications and can be adapted for use by a variety of campuses to meet the needs of the campus' adult population through individual or group counseling.…

The report is based on data taken from a project which focused on several problems and patterns of post-athletic career adjustment of retired major league baseball players. The relationships among several sets of variables are explored; the results seriously compromise the myth of occupational mobility for the sports hero. (Author/AJ)

A study of vocational and personal adjustment measures of client change was conducted. Results showed vocational success and self-reported psychological adjustment are independent dimensions of client change. (Author/EK)

Two surveys were conducted regarding the career and life transition needs of National Hockey League (NHL) players and their spouses. The Professional Athletes' Career Transition Inventory was distributed to player representatives and members of eight NHL teams. Results revealed that 85 percent of players believed it important that help be provided…

First-year experiences in administration can color one's perceptions of the job, the career, and life goals. Ineffective socialization and assimilation during this period can also have serious consequences for staff, students, and community. This paper attempts to identify the significant issues, conflicts, and experiences occurring during the…