Need in Deed (NID) is a non-profit organization which has been serving Philadelphia schools since 1987. The organization aims to promote youth engagement in their schools and communities by working with teachers to develop and implement service learning projects in which students can apply academics to real life problems. Until recently, NID staff…

This research investigated the use of electronic journaling to promote collaboration between special education and general education preservice teachers. During the field experience component of their methods courses, the participants responded to weekly prompts, shared experiences with each other, and frequently offered advice about events their…

Background/Context: In an era of high stakes accountability, public school districts struggle to improve teaching and learning for all students. As a result, effective professional development approaches for teachers are a high priority. Recently, teachers' learning communities (LCs) have been recommended because successful LCs foster teacher…

This collection of papers describes the interagency collaboration of Georgia agencies that serve students with emotional and behavior disorders (EBD). The first paper, "Overview and State Perspective" (P. Paulette Bragg and Phillip H. Pickens), describes the problems facing Georgia by placing students with EBD in state hospitals, private…

This joint publication of the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities and the National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education discusses the characteristics and roles of special education teachers. Topics include: why people become special educators; characteristics of special education teachers, including…

The Internet creates a unique opportunity for building virtual professional communities. The Lamda Community Project was created to use the Internet to support science and technology education as part of the Israeli national program to advance science and technology education in Israel. A virtual community was created as a meeting place and…

This book describes approaches to professional development for cooperative learning and how the use of cooperative learning for teacher learning is leading to new insights into professional growth in schools. Part 1, "Begin with the Teacher: Focusing Professional Development for Cooperative Learning," offers "Introduction:…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of Project REALIGN, a three-year model inservice training project to expand the capacity of early childhood staff, administrators and families to work together toward improved education for all young children and maximizing the inclusion of young children with disabilities in the school…

This paper reports the results of a national survey that investigated the scope and nature of professional development practices in gifted education used in 1,231 school districts across the country. Professional development was defined on the survey as a planned program of learning opportunities to improve the performance of the administrative…

Mentoring programs have consistently demonstrated their value in assisting new and early faculty members to make successful adjustments and productive contributions to the academy. Yet, mentoring programs have failed to be consistently implemented despite their efficacy and increasing levels of job dissatisfaction reported by new and early faculty…

In this paper are discussed recent efforts to provide preservice mathematics teachers with opportunities to connect elementary teaching methods and content with the content and methods of secondary school mathematics. Through an in-depth exploration of the game, Shut the Box, preservice elementary and secondary mathematics teachers thoughtfully…

These articles and essays offer viewpoints from practitioners and researchers who are doing and using research for the advancement of education. Articles include: (1) The Promise of Scientific Evidence in Education (Steven Nelson); (2) A New Day for Mathematics Education? (Denise Jarrett Weeks); (3) A Tale of Two Schools: Reading Instruction in…

One out of every two new teachers will quit teaching within five years; however, studies show that comprehensive induction programs can slash attrition rates in half and dramatically accelerate the professional development of new teachers. This book combines an overview of the current state of induction and mentoring with cutting-edge strategies…

Educators often overlook the largest body of evidence of student performance: student work. With careful and deliberate examination of various sources of student work, teachers can gather a wealth of information about student achievement and about their own instructional practices. Examining student work is not about grading or scoring papers. It…

A qualitative study was conducted interviewing eleven teachers and artists about their classroom experiences during artist residencies in participating schools. A conversation, from the vantage point of the teacher and artist, was created in both a narrative and a video product revealing the confines and collaborations present during artist…