This article illustrates how to integrate mathematics with social issues. Social issues discussed in the newspaper provide a rich context for connecting mathematical activities to the real world. The sample activities focus on measurement concepts. (Contains 2 figures.)

The authors examine how a public school culture that has resisted a number of promising reform initiatives could be transformed by a Millennium School model based on four basic principles: a multi-tiered career path for teachers; teaching in teams; performance-based accountability; and ongoing professional development.

The internationalization of higher education has led to changing roles for academics, including opportunities to participate in international projects. The extent to which academics feel prepared to enter this arena has received little attention. This study examines women academics' perceptions of barriers to, facilitators of, and career benefits…

Background/Context: A review of the literature demonstrates that schools are frequently called upon to improve by developing high levels of teacher collaboration. At the same time, there is a paucity of research investigating the extent to which teachers' collaborative school improvement practices are related to student achievement.…

Critical dialogue skills are a beneficial tool for reflective educational practice. Pre-service teachers can learn to examine underlying biases and assumptions that influence many important aspects of educational practice. Critical dialogue skills are thus of particular importance for work with diverse students and their families. This paper…

As P-12 education changes to meet the needs of children and federal and state regulations, teacher education must change to prepare candidates with knowledge and skills expected of today's educators. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and No Child Left Behind Act increased opportunities for students with disabilities to be educated…

The mathematical performance of Chinese students, from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, is widely acclaimed in international comparisons of mathematics achievement. However, in the eyes of the Western educators, the environments established in Chinese schools are deemed relatively unfavourable for mathematics learning. This paper reports on a…

Professional Development teams including in-service and preservice teachers offer a bridge across the continuum of mathematics teacher education. This manuscript documents the experience of one such team and reflections on the learning experience through the eyes of a member of the team at the preservice stage of her career as a teacher of…

Each edition of the IDRA Newsletter strives to provide many different perspectives on the issues in education topics discussed and to define its significance in the state and national dialogue. This issue focuses on Curriculum Quality and includes: (1) Suggestions for Conducting Effective Teaching Demonstrations in Classrooms with Diverse Learners…

The purpose of this paper is to provide brief descriptions and links to a number of reputed websites on various topics and issues of special education. The web sites are organized in the following categories: (1) Teaching in Inclusive Classroom, (2) Policies, Procedures, & Process of Special education, (3) Students with High Incidence…

This book serves as a reference to help prepare and support effective math content coaches. It provides insight into the leadership skills necessary to mentor other teachers, establish collaborative teacher teams, influence school culture positively, and improve student achievement. Contents include: (1) Examining the Role of a Math Content Coach;…

In Fall 2007, AISD conducted a survey of four general topics: attachment to teaching, compensation, mentoring for new teachers, and professional development. Results are presented regarding the importance of these factors to teacher retention. [For report II, see ED628048.]

This paper questions whether relationships between teachers and researchers can in fact be called collaborative. It is asserted that they are collaborative in only the generic sense of the term and do not meet the specifications denoted in the paper for equitable collaborations. Examples of innovative types of relationships in which university…

This paper tries to present a careful analysis of current trends and challenges to importing Japanese model of teachers' professional development. The objective is to examine what "we" can learn from Japanese approach to improving instruction, especially "Jugyou Kenkyu" (Lesson Study) as a collaborative research on the…

An effective teacher must continue to learn, problem-solve, and respond to the evolving needs of his or her students. Ideally a culture of inquiry, reflection, and self-evaluation should develop. Voluntary inquiry-based reflection identifies problems and issues within a school and allows teachers and administrators to develop professional study…