To produce self-reliant teaching professionals, the Ferrum College teacher education program requires portfolio presentations, extensive field experience, and "clinical cycles," a process whereby a team of peers and professors observes particular aspects of a student teacher's work. The student teacher assembles the team, sets time and…

Rather than workplace wellness and stress management programs, the most important factors affecting job stress are personal power/control of job factors, reduced work load, and work teams. (SK)

Fifteen guidelines are proposed for families and school personnel placing a child who is medically fragile or technology dependent into the school environment. Guidelines address differing priorities of parents and teachers, the role of health care professionals, the transition from home or hospital to the classroom, communication between school…

Many schools and other organizations use the quiz show format to showcase their students' academic talents. Except for national championships, most school-level competitions are held in classrooms. "It's Academic," a Washington, D.C., quiz show with 81 competing schools, allows bright kids to be on television--something athletes might…

Describes the needs of minority children with disabilities and two peer-tutoring programs, Classwide Peer Tutoring and Classwide Student Tutoring Teams, that have been used effectively to promote the academic and social integration of minority children with disabilities into general-education settings. (Author/CR)

Describes how extraordinary collaborations between agencies, educators, architects, and others created special places to learn within the New York City school system. Discusses this group approach in fostering commitment and achieving success in creating innovative educational facility designs. (GR)

Presents a "Decision Tree" process for structuring team decision making and problem solving about specific student behavioral goals. The Decision Tree involves a sequence of questions/decisions that can be answered in "yes/no" terms. Questions address reasonableness of the goal, time factors, importance of the goal, responsibilities, safety,…

A study investigated effects of training related to using the Sequenced Transition to Education in the Public Schools model (STEPS) on the development of community-wide transition systems. Seven teams composed of public schools, Head Start, and early intervention representatives were trained. Change occurred as a result of the training. (Author/CR)

Although multidisciplinary research teams are well-equipped to attack complex problems, actually succeeding in such endeavors is not easy. This paper explores problems that may arise in multidisciplinary research teams, develops a grounded theory, and offers suggestions to help teams reach their goals. It also offers advice to administrators for…

This study examined changes in the beliefs and practices of three special-education teachers over the course of their participation in a three-year collaborative literacy project. Results suggest that teacher change is a long-term process, evolving from an early focus on enacting activities to an increasing emphasis on changing the broader…

This study examined the effectiveness of activities associated with transdisciplinary teaming and integrated therapy on targeted motor responses of three elementary age students with multiple disabilities during the general education classroom routine. All three students immediately increased and maintained their target motor responses under the…

A computer simulation used in teams by 151 business students tested their ability to translate strategy into decisions. Over eight weeks, the experiential learning activity encouraged strategic decision making and group behavior consistent with long-term strategy. (SK)

Describes three games for all ages, used in adventure- and experiential-education settings. Includes target group, group size, time and space requirements, activity level, props, instructions, and tips for post-activity group reflection and processing where appropriate. The games demonstrate the tenets of adventure programming, involve group…

Describes the author's experiences incorporating cooperative learning strategies into a chemistry course. Includes information on organizing student working groups, preparing for and implementing cooperative activities, and helping students evaluate the effectiveness of their groups. (WRM)

Discusses advantages to the whole-faculty study-group process, which involves small groups that meet regularly to focus on some area of educational improvement. The paper presents 15 whole-faculty study-group process guidelines, and it concludes that study groups can help teachers accomplish together what they are already expected to do. (SM)