Offers an account of what makes a good acting teacher, based on the author's own observations and experiences as a student, actor, and teacher. Discusses knowledge, training, and experience; the importance of understanding and teaching craft; and of having a game plan for instruction. Offers a profile of the qualities, motivations, and activities…

Describes early childhood education research done in Poland as part of the IEA Pre-primary Quality of Life project. Observations discussed include: the children's activities, teacher behavior, management of children's time in kindergarten, the relationship between these variables, and their connection with the development of 4- to 7-year-old…

Examined students' perceptions of teacher characteristics that support or inhibit help seeking, using the critical incident technique, and explored the feelings students experience in seeking help from teachers. Found that interactions evoked strong feelings in students related to how comfortable they were in seeking teacher help. (Author/SD)

A study investigated whether 18 teachers of students with visual impairments were incorporating the expanded core curriculum into the direct services provided to students. Teachers spent the majority of their instructional time on academics, teaching communication skills, and tutoring, with the bulk of instructional time dedicated to academic…

This article discusses survey results indicating teachers are not reading books for pleasure. The benefits of having teachers who know a vast repertoire of literature are discussed, along with strategies for encouraging reading in teacher education programs, including mentioning authors in class discussions and asking students about their favorite…

Examined the perceptions of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students in the American University classroom. The purpose of the study was to look for patterns in student responses to a questionnaire about classroom behavior of both teachers and fellow students. Findings draw attention to the need for heightened sensitivity in multicultural…

A study examined the effect of an observation-feedback intervention on the rate of a teacher's behavior-specific praise of nine elementary students with emotional and behavioral disorders and the effect of increased rates of behavior-specific praise on students' on-task behavior, which increased when behavior-specific praise increased and…

A veteran teacher discusses the seven qualities of successful teachers: (1) subject competence and creativity; (2) respect for the learner; (3) caring, warmth, love, and a sense of humor; (4) flexibility; (5) pride in the profession and a willingness to go the extra mile; (6) skill in the science and art of motivation through positive…

Describes how the introduction of information books into a first grade classroom led a "traditional" teacher to provide students with a wider variety of literary experiences and allow students the opportunity for more active involvement in books. Notes that the classroom evolved into a child-centered environment where each child reads and writes…

Following systematic training as peer coaches, six preservice general educators increased the frequency with which they engaged in relevant coaching interactions and improved the accuracy with which they implemented an innovative instructional strategy (Peabody Peer Assisted Learning Strategy) with three children with learning disabilities (ages…

Argues that violence occurs each day in front of teachers, and examines how teachers explicitly and implicitly sanction verbal and nonverbal aggressive behavior in the schools. Asserts that educators must take the lead in finding constructive ways to respond to children and help them respond to one another. (SD)

Explores the experiential subtleties of the moral vocabulary of case in terms of responsibilities to children as parents and educators. Finds that for many parents and teachers caring means worrying. Relates these "moral sensibilities" to the sense of pedagogical responsibility. (CMK)

Reviews research on characteristics of quality teachers, methods for improving teacher quality, and student and teacher behaviors that are indicators of teacher quality. Draws implications for principal hiring and mentoring practices. (Contains 30 references.) (PKP)

Describes teacher communication activities that students in two graduate preprofessional classrooms identified as face-relevant, relying on an interdisciplinary link between identity management and student motivation research. Demonstrates the positive motivational consequences of instructor face-support during these face-relevant interactions.…

Based on prior research and theory, we propose a conceptual definition of instructional communication that is holistic, transactional, expansive, and assessable. Second, we extend instructional communication research to test this definition by engaging students with learning disabilities (SWLDs) in interviews and focus groups, employing a…