In the wake of the Chicago (Illinois) School Reform Act, Tilden High School (Chicago) hired a new principal and began self-evaluation in preparation for an accreditation association visitation. These events brought about curriculum development, staff development initiatives, changes in budget management, and, ultimately, an increase in student…

The effect of inservice teacher training on student perceptions of classroom environment was investigated. Teachers received training on lesson format, classroom management, and instruction in either September or January. Their students completed the Classroom Environment Scale. Student groups differed in perception of student affiliation but not…

Discusses the difficulty of reflection in teaching given the norms of the profession and the context of the work. The article describes research on ways teachers adapt and tailor lessons to changing circumstances and class populations, and reports on teachers' reflective practices. (GLR)

The University of Rochester has developed a third-year medical school clerkship in which students spend the second half of the clerkship in the offices of practicing internists. Participating faculty are carefully chosen and trained. Experience indicates the approach is feasible, academically effective, and acceptable to students and faculty.…

Reports on a collaboration between an economist and a writing instructor in using a writing-to-learn approach in a higher education history of economic thought course. Describes the course content, provides examples of writing assignments, and student evaluation sheets. (CFR)

Autobiographical reports were collected of workplace collegiality from elementary teachers who had successfully made fundamental changes from more traditional and routine to nontraditional, less routine reading and writing instructional practices. Results found collegial talk was an important component in the gradual process of making a…

Undergraduate students and recent graduates of an urban teacher education program met regularly to discuss becoming reflective, effective teachers. Qualitative analysis of conversations highlighted the complex learning involved in teaching and factors in teacher education and schools that supported and hindered new teachers' work. The study…

Describes the exchange program between the Virginia Council for International Education (VaCIE) and Cheshire Education Management Programme (CEMP). The program pairs teaching and professional faculty and administrators within the Virginia Community College System with their counterparts in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland for two-week study…

Presents a framework for interpreting educational reforms, situating existing reform efforts in physical education within that framework. The role of professional development in these reforms and implications for physical education are discussed. The paper also reviews workplace conditions in physical education and draws conclusions for reform in…

Describes changing workplace conditions encountered by middle school physical education teachers and administrators engaged in the Saber-Tooth Project, sharing data from interviews about their perspectives of this project. Findings are organized around the themes of collegiality, planning and assessment, and professionalism, all of which empowered…

Improving teacher preparation has become a focus of educational reform efforts. Discusses professional development strategies that help teachers grow, barriers to growth, the importance of making a career of learning, elements of effective professional development programs, effective alternatives to one-shot workshops, standards for good teaching,…

Investigated the benefits of Professional Development School (PDS) endeavors as perceived by university faculty participating in the Holmes Group. Data from open-ended surveys identified four themes related to PDS benefits: (1) improved teaching/learning environments; (2) improved collegiality in professional relationships; (3) personal and…

Describes one approach to teacher leadership that views teaching, learning, and leading as synonymous, supporting this view with data from a Florida school improvement project. The Lockheed Martin/University of Central Florida Academy for Mathematics and Science is a school-university-business partnership which creates a network of school-based…

A pull-out folder presents the latest information and resources about teaching reading. After offering statistics about reading and reading instruction, the folder examines National Council of Teachers of English and English/International Reading Association standards, explains how to nurture a love of reading in students, and offers resources for…

Describes the Massachusetts School of Law's efforts to reshape its curriculum and programs to prepare graduates better for the practice of law in the contemporary professional setting, including professional development and mentoring for young faculty; a curriculum that includes heavy emphasis on writing, speaking, and other practice skills;…