The study explored competencies for occupational home economics teachers. Results of a factor analysis of data from 567 teachers produced 17 factors ranked by priority. Content analyses of responses to four open-ended questions indicated that occupational home economics teachers have used a broad range of experiences to benefit their teaching.…

Describes a study conducted at the University of Illinois (Chicago) to determine what factors affected the degree to which teachers effectively implemented Integrated Learning Systems (ILS). Four variables were examined: socioeconomic status of the school; teacher background; teacher training; and school climate. (LRW)

Medical school faculty members' broad understanding of their domains has atrophied as specialization has increased. Medical students need teachers who can integrate the specific areas of a subject with overarching themes. Expanding the values of the university to once again include the scholarship of integration and teaching would provide the best…

Discusses what "loving children" and "loving to teach" mean in terms of reasons why applicants want to work in a childcare center. Describes the ideal "child caregiver" personality as that of an adult learner who cares deeply about children. (DR)

Survey responses from 1,024 (of 1,458) secondary teachers in England and Wales showed that the subject of cancer was most often addressed in science or personal and social education. Significant associations appeared between teacher knowledge and involvement in cancer awareness. Lack of knowledge and poor educational resources were primary factors…

Australian researchers surveyed the practical knowledge of student teachers, focusing on the construct of images of teaching to identify ways in which two student teachers thought about themselves as teachers and how that related to their teaching practice. The paper proposes images as a means of understanding student teacher knowledge. (SM)

Carolina Gomez del Valle has been involved in training other Montessorians in Mexico, Chile, Nicaragua, Peru, and Taiwan. This interview explores her experiences with Montessori education and describes how she has woven her religious training and Montessori philosophy together. (PAM)

A teacher educator has found that liberatory, multicultural approaches are threatening to her White students' self-concepts and identities. She recommends that all prospective teachers reconstruct their social knowledge and self-identities and be made aware of oppression. (DM)

To understand teachers' professional development, career stories were collected from 10 experienced Flemish elementary teachers using semistructured biographical interviews. There were two recurring themes (striving for job stability and feelings of vulnerability). Results indicated the narrative-biographical approach is a feasible perspective for…

Assesses the activities of educators in a Cooperative Extension Service including preparation to infuse environmental education (EE) concepts into the programming, attitudes towards and perceived competencies in EE issues, and the extent to which EE concepts were infused into the programming. Findings indicate that EE has not achieved a prominent…

Compares responses of newly qualified primary teachers to a questionnaire designed to elicit their perceptions regarding the degree and frequency of stress they experienced during the first year. Finds differences in stress levels based on the type of training teachers receive, and identifies job aspects that are particularly stressful. (DSK)

Investigates whether goodness of fit between teachers' and students' backgrounds is associated with subjective grading and objective achievement at school. One hundred one seventh graders and twenty of their teachers completed the Self-Report Family Inventory. Similarity between teachers' and students' work-culture variables was associated with…

Introduces a collection of papers that discuss using personal histories to better understand teacher preparation and development. The article explains what personal histories are, why it is important to write about and research them, and how to understand the power of personal histories in the work and lives of teachers. (SM)

Study of teachers' professional knowledge and development examined seven new instructors at a Canadian community college. The paper discusses a range of levels at which teachers' professional knowledge can be discerned, emphasizing the importance of listening to teachers' voices without limiting that listening to personal, practical, or…

A two-year study of teachers' attitudes about professional voice involved discussions among groups of colleagues about professional issues, addressing three areas of concern about dialogue: teacher interest, administrative support from the teacher's perspective, and constraints. The paper examines the importance of personal narratives to encourage…