Universities have historically encouraged individual academics with research expertise in a discrete area of study to undertake research and teaching in their discipline. In this process academics have had full autonomy, from the discovery of knowledge, the method used to integrate and interpret it, and the means used to convey it to students and…

This paper discusses the range, frequency, structure, and content of teachers' professional and interpersonal relationships in their schools, describing data from a study of teacher cultures and collegiality. The study, which involved two Portuguese secondary schools, examined the informal networks of collegial and interpersonal communication ties…

This 19-minute VHS videotape introduces the structured reflection protocol, a tool designed to help teachers learn by working together and by using student work as a beginning point for their learning together. The videotape shows scenes of the structured reflection protocol being used in diverse school settings (elementary, secondary, rural,…

This book presents an interactive, step-by-step method for implementing and evaluating mentor programs and relationships. The 11 chapters include: (1) "Mentoring: A Welcome Teaching Assistant" (e.g., benefits to mentors, proteges, and districts); (2) "Initial Program Development" (e.g., planning, implementation, and assessment); (3) "What is Our…

This article presents a methodological comparison of beliefs and practices with regard to teaching a third-year introduction to reading and literature course. It reviews the different educational backgrounds of the teachers--one in foreign language acquisition and the other in literary study--and describes their different approaches to teaching…

This study investigated the perceptions of teachers regarding their own professional development along five distinct constructs (teaming, time, organizational support, communication, and professional responsibility). It also compared the perceptions of teachers utilizing a team-based approach to professional development with the perceptions of…

This study explored elementary school teachers' perspectives on their evolving understanding of themselves and children as learners while they were co-researchers in inquiry about children's thinking. Through collaborative inquiry, professional reading, classroom experimentation, shared stories, and personal reflection, participants created a…

This collection of papers presents the reflections of five beginning public school teachers from the greater Boston area on their first years in teaching. They share lessons garnered from teaching, writing, and reflecting together on their introductory experiences. As their first months in teaching passed, they found themselves working in some…

This publication presents a collection of tools that promote instructional coherence. It focuses on the importance of teachers collaborating to develop a deeper understanding of how children learn and exploring relationships between teaching and learning. Coherence leads to improved educational experiences for learners as teachers make their…

A limited approach to team teaching at the college level is described and assessed. Two instructors with solo assignments collaborated to teach a single instructional unit across separate sections of an interdisciplinary course. The experience demonstrated that small-scale joint teaching can have significant advantages while avoiding the practical…

To tackle low achievement and a 22% freshmen student withdrawal rate, a Seattle, Washington, high school gradually restructured its vision, policies, and curriculum. A committee fashioned the Bridge project, providing all freshmen with access to opportunities promoting academic achievement, responsibility, school spirit, fellowship, acceptance,…

This group of classroom tips discusses the benefits of peer coaching, peer group conversation about teachers' classroom experiences, using visual displays for collegial sharing, using cultural brokers in educational settings, and the role of picture books in developing literacy skills in diverse students with disabilities. (Author/CK)

Relates curriculum change theory to changes in vocational education and training. Defines dissemination as a central strategy in the change process. Examines the role of top-down educational management and bottom-up teacher collaboration in the change process. (Author/SK)

Discusses current middle school reform efforts and the need to change significantly the structure and practice of middle school education. Examines three practices that hold great promise for meeting the increasingly diverse needs of middle school students (and that boost each others' effectiveness): teacher collaboration, block scheduling, and…

Examines the evolution of a cooperative teaching effort between a general and a special education teacher who team taught kindergarten students with disabilities in a general education classroom. The obstacles they faced and their successes are recounted through excerpts from an open-ended, non-directed journal each kept, accompanied by interviews…