This paper presents the thoughts of a retired teacher about experiences in education--both as student and as teacher. Following descriptions and reactions, it is concluded that the problems of education are most manifest in the public funding of education--especially federal funding--since the institution and continuation of programs is not based…

This study gathered information from 94 first-year teachers (graduates of Memorial University, Newfoundland, Canada) regarding their attitudes towards teaching, methodological and technical competencies, and the adequacy of their teacher preparation. The teachers were asked to give background information that included degree received, type of…

An intensive case study of two student teachers focused on how their beliefs and practices developed during the student teaching experience. Ethnographic methods used included participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and analysis of journals kept by the student teachers. The Kelly Repertory Grid Technique was used to examine the…

Faculty and administrators in nine Consortium schools in the Springdale and Fayetteville school districts in Arkansas were polled to determine their opinions on various topics concerning teacher education. The return rate was approximately 42 percent, comprising 1,172 teachers and administrators. The specific purpose of the poll was to obtain…

This tenth annual School Staff Report presents information on the certified professional staff in the 165 public school districts in Connecticut. Certified professional staff includes teachers, support staff (counselors, psychological examiners, school psychologists, social workers and reading consultants) and administrators. Descriptive…

This study examined the attitudes, beliefs, and concerns of second-year students in the University of Virginia teacher education program. One of the purposes of the second year course is to guide students in the process of making a career choice. "Teaching as a Profession" is the first professional course in the program. Students are involved in…

An educational psychology curriculum for preservice teachers that attempts to overcome some of the shortcomings of most such curricula while providing clinical experience is described. The curriculum is based on three major propositions: (1) preservice teachers must acquire psychologically informed inquiry skills and a general understanding of…

This study, the second in a series entitled "Competency across the Campus," was conducted in order to develop accurate data on the job responsibilities of teachers in a university child care center and the competencies these teachers need. The first part of the study used techniques for functional job analysis and content validation to develop…

An introductory teacher preparation course based on Adler's Paideia concepts was examined for documentation of course content, purposes, and student reactions. Data were collected through ethnographic observations of course classes, interviews with students and professors, and examination of readings for the course. The course, "Analysis and…

The process of teachers' gaining a professional identity may be impeded by teachers' autonomy and by their relative isolation within individual classrooms. As a result, teachers and school administrators tend to operate under a logic of confidence--a good faith assumption that teachers will perform their jobs in an acceptable manner without the…

Miami University's (Ohio) two-course educational psychology sequence for prospective teachers has been redesigned to incorporate early field experiences. Concerns about the congruence of field tasks with course content, as well as about limiting situational constraints, were addressed by a committee on teacher preparation. Currently, each semester…

Critics have suggested that research on practice professions, such as teaching, and on their associated institutions could be strengthened by involving practitioners as research collaborators. As part of a larger investigation of a community-based teacher center, a study was undertaken to identify: (1) special issues inherent in a research design…

This handbook was developed as a guide for student teachers, supervising teachers, and cooperating teachers participating in the student teaching program at Incarnate Word College (San Antonio, Texas). Section 1, the introduction, lists the six objectives of the student teaching program. Section 2 delineates program guidelines and policy. The…

In order to assess the degree to which teachers' expectations are related to children's social class characteristics, 96 elementary school teachers of lower and middle-upper class children were asked to judge performance potential and related characteristics, including SES background, from a set of photographs of black and white children.…