This action research study describes the perceptions of third through fifth grade classroom teachers and special services teachers who provided services to students needing special modifications in their instruction or interventions in order to succeed in regular classrooms. Participants indicated their level of agreement with 14 questions on a…

This paper describes several continuing and emerging issues identified in a 4-year study of a teacher induction program in New Brunswick, Canada. The program was designed to link beginning teachers with exemplary experienced teachers so that the transition from student to teacher would be a more positive experience than is often the case. Data…

Many researchers recommend building community to promote K-12 school improvement, noting the importance of teachers experiencing community in teacher education. This paper examines the concept of a learning community in the context of teacher education. It describes a 2-year qualitative study of community in a master's degree program. The program…

This book presents data from Recruiting New Teachers, Inc.'s national study that focused on urban teacher induction programs and practices in the United States. The book's seven parts are as follows: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "Induction's Recent History"; (3) "Major Findings of the Program Survey and Site Visits"; (4) "State-Initiated Induction…

This book is about teachers' professional communities in U.S. high schools at the end of the 20th century and the significant differences in their response to the challenges of teaching. It describes how the work of teaching differed across three distinct types of communities found and high schools and subject departments studied in the early…

This publication provides findings from two related areas of research for people who work outside the classroom in supporting roles (e.g., principals, service providers, policymakers, and change agents): human motivation in general and teacher motivation to change practice. After discussing the creation of conditions which will motivate growth,…

Teacher mentoring programs have increased dramatically since the early 1980s as a vehicle to support and retain novice teachers. However, researchers and facilitators of mentoring programs are recognizing that mentors also derive substantial benefits from the mentoring experience. This digest examines research on how mentoring contributes to the…

A followup study of 10 prereferral teams within a rural, northwestern state investigated common causes for prereferral teams to be discontinued within schools and examined effective methods being used to maintain the prereferral teams. Prereferral teams assist general educators with academic and behavioral concerns they encounter with their…

This study investigated gender differences in beginning high school English teachers' views of mentors' roles and positive mentor-mentee interactions. Using phenomenological analysis, the researcher interviewed male and female beginning teachers in public and private schools. Respondents identified good and bad mentors. Their significant…

This report highlights the experiences of the Lighthouse Project, which successfully included students with disabilities in elementary, middle, and high school general education classes in a school district in southwest Tennessee. Drawing on findings from the Lighthouse Project, the report describes the following seven steps that must be present…

This study investigated 30 preservice teachers' journals for examples of the knowledge base for teaching, expectations for professional collaboration, and depth of reflectivity when discussing these issues. Content analysis was conducted on six journal questions intended to generate thought patterns in relation to professionalism in teaching.…

A study examined a group of Israeli teacher educators who met to develop a new integrative curriculum, investigating characteristics of the curriculum development process and of the planning group as a professional discourse community. Data sources included transcripts of 26 conferences throughout the year, participant interviews, and participant…

In this chapter, I describe my use of cooperative learning in the mid-1990s when I was teaching English to students in their final year at a secondary school in Singapore. I will first discuss how I came to learn about cooperative learning. Then, I will illustrate how I set up the classroom for cooperative learning and how I used it in the…

Provides 15 key questions that educators should consider in developing collaborative and inclusive schools. The questions are organized into three categories: general and philosophical questions pertaining to inclusion, questions about the basic mechanics of developing inclusion programs, and questions about the practical implementation of…

Discusses the collaborative efforts of a team of elementary school and university educators working within the context of a professional development school (PDS) to foster culturally responsible pedagogy, inspire reflective practice, and enhance student performance. Concludes that the PDS experience increases teacher effectiveness and…