Provides a brief overview of certain events that have led to an increase of inclusionary practices for students with disabilities. Addresses successful collaboration and quality inclusion, physical management of the inclusive setting, inclusive learning in the community, professional competencies for the inclusive setting, and technology…

Describes the competence approach to qualifying teachers in England, including its limitations and the need to build a hierarchy of competence. Concludes that, used mechanically and inflexibly, competence standards impede creative teaching, but they can be used as a basis for reflection and informed discussion. (SK)

In 1995, the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) reported that substantial numbers of teachers report little or no use of computers for instruction. This paper discusses technology education for preservice teachers at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, examining changes the school has made in technology training for…

Reports on a pilot investigation into the perceptions of graduate teachers (n=9) of their science teaching during their first 18 months as educators. Emergent themes relate to the teachers' perceived self-confidence in teaching science, and to school influences such as collegial support, resources, and the perceived importance of science in the…

Describes the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium's (INTASC) efforts to design a performance-based assessment for beginning mathematics teachers. Describes the contents of a mathematics-teaching portfolio, the framework for evaluating the portfolio, a sample of evaluative statements, and a description of levels of performance…

Presents the third replication of a causal-comparative study of expert and novice instrumental music teachers seeking to determine characteristics that may define successful, outstanding band directors. Reports findings about both novice and expert instructors' behavior, and relates them to those of the previous two studies. (DSK)

Describes three separate efforts by Australian federal and state governments to improve teaching and the teaching profession. Provides an overview of the Strategic Partnership with Industry Research and Training (SPIRT) as it strives to bring the three reform agendas together. (NH)

Two position papers by the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) present (1) the core competencies needed by regular and special education teachers who work with children with learning disabilities, and (2) recommendations for operationalizing the five constructs underlying the NJCLD definition of learning disabilities for…

Discusses the professional standards established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Explains the necessity of periodic revision of the guidelines and the benefits of doing so. Outlines the essential elements of NAEYC guidelines: child development and learning; curriculum development and implementation;…

Used interviews and qualitative methods to examine the rhetorical difficulties that four teachers experienced in applying for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification. Results found that the teachers had difficulty representing their knowledge about practice in writing. The most successful candidates were able to…

Lawrence Hardy's lead article details a year of diminished expectations, highlighting teacher shortages, failing teacher competency scores, 12th graders' dismal TIMSS scores, affirmative-action setbacks, and Milwaukee voucher triumphs. Kevin Bushweller probes school violence issues. Others discuss leadership trends, school-success indicators, and…

Seventy-four special educators who were involved in transition-related activities rated the importance of 30 transition-related teacher competencies. All competencies were identified by the majority of respondents as important. Competencies related to teaching money management skills and involving parents received the highest ratings. (Contains…

Discusses problems related to the separation of subject matter and method in the education of social studies teachers, examining the rethinking of subject matter and methods education and explaining that in order to have effective social studies instruction, there is no alternative to the thorough education of teachers in the subject matters of…

This article reviews the history of the Role Definition Project which developed the Competency Based Curriculum Framework (1985) providing standards for health educators. It discusses origins of the project in a 1977 report, a 1978 workshop, the Project's activities in role specification and verification, a national conference, curriculum…

Explores whether there are problems with A-level biology that are broadly shared by teachers. Addresses five major areas of concerns: (1) teaching and learning, (2) practical work, (3) subject content, (4) assessment, and (5) initial teacher training. (DDR)