Art-oriented students evidenced significantly more unique responses than science-oriented students on a divergent thinking test. (Author)

The second of six volumes in the "Elementary Principal Series," this booklet presents a framework to help beginning principals learn about their schools and the communities they serve. Principals should begin by reviewing key school documents, meeting with office staff, touring the physical plant, and getting to know the teaching staff…

Formal mentorships should help new and aspiring administrators, yet there is little evidence about what works and what does not work in such programs. The study summarized in this paper explores demographic, relational, and operational characteristics of mentor dyads in both formal programs and informal pairings of aspiring and practicing…

An overview is presented of the beginning teacher program in the Frederick County (Maryland) schools. The focus of the program is on three concerns: (1) the problems of beginning teachers as perceived by themselves and others; (2) the kinds of support efforts that presently exist; and (3) implications for the future development of support programs…

The Research and Development Center for Teacher Education at the University of Texas at Austin during the 1984-85 school year developed and field tested a Model Teacher Induction Project (MTIP) to contribute to the knowledge base of teacher induction. In addition, a satellite project aimed at building a network of institutions and individuals…

In November 1984 and April 1985, two national conferences devoted to the topic of teacher induction were hosted in Austin, Texas, by the Research and Development Center for Teacher Education at the University of Texas, Austin. These conferences were a part of the center's ongoing research in teacher induction, the most recent effort of which was…

Previous research has concluded that no reliable individual differences have been demonstrated in goal-setting studies, probably because the goals were assigned rather than set by the individuals. This study examined individual's self-set goals, certainty, and task performance of two work periods in a group setting as a function of Type A behavior…

Long-term observational research was conducted in the classrooms of two inductee teachers to examine their formal policy documents, curriculum planning, and curriculum enactment. The purpose was to examine the gap between the policy and planning materials and the enacted curriculum to determine what really counted as curriculum in the classrooms.…

A pilot study for a large scale survey and case study to be conducted in the Chicago, Illinois area asked experienced teachers their perceptions of the process of teacher induction in their districts and ways to improve it. Twenty-six New Jersey elementary school teachers responded to an open-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interviews.…

The Missouri Excellence in Education Act (1985) requires the establishment of professional development programs for beginning teachers. By offering collegial support and practical assistance, these programs should help beginning teachers polish their skills, improve their chances for success, and encourage them to stay in the profession. As…

Most research on teacher education has taken a functionist approach to socialization, emphasizing the importance of moulding individuals to the norms of the profession. Weaknesses have been noted in this approach, and recommendations have been made which call for a theoretical and empirical reorientation to the study of teacher socialization which…

The induction of teachers into the organization is a much discussed, but often neglected process. This presentation discusses the reform movement in teacher education and its effect on recruitment of students into the teaching profession; the "common sense" fallacies that guide the beginning teacher and how to cope with those fallacies;…

An illustrated guide to aspects of life in the United States is presented in Khmer for recent arrivals from Cambodia. The guidelines address such topics as resettlement agencies, community relations and national customs, the U.S. government, local and long distance transport, mail and telephone communication systems, employment practices, the…

An illustrated guide to aspects of life in the United States is presented in Lao for recent Laotian arrivals. The guidelines address such topics as resettlement agencies, community relations and national customs, the U.S. government, local and long distance transport, mail and telephone communication systems, employment practices, the educational…

This handbook provides basic information about working with Indochinese refugees - who they are, how they come to the United States, and how they can best be assisted in starting their new life in the United States. The first part of the book describes what it means to be a refugee. The second part contains an English version of "Your New Life in…