An ethnographic study of two urban junior high schools in the beginning stages of school restructuring describes three culturally relevant teachers who create empowering educational experiences for low-achieving African American students. The restructuring process was not taking the wisdom of practice of these teachers sufficiently into account.…

This article discusses the growing population of students from diverse language backgrounds and the challenges the nation faces in attaining educational equity through the preparation of professionals to meet the educational needs of English-language learners with communication disorders. Skills and competencies needed by educators and…

Highlights some of the major efforts the American Federation of Teachers has undertaken to ensure that a qualified teacher is in every classroom throughout the nation, focusing on: preservice teacher education; licensure standards; recruitment and hiring practices; induction and mentoring practices; professional development; teacher evaluation;…

Analyzes current teacher education practices in relation to the need for more highly prepared, credentialed teachers for California's schools, discussing: the importance of teaching and teacher education; what matters and works in teacher education; high quality teacher education programs in California; teacher supply and demand; issues facing…

In July 1998, Pennsylvania State University, Mont Alto, began its version of the "TICKET" (Technology Integration Certification for K-12 Educators and Teachers) program that provides classroom teachers in remote regional school districts with access to educational opportunities to develop technology competencies that can enhance their instruction.…

Presents the community teachers conceptual framework to preparing multiculturally proficient teachers, which involves university, community, and school partners in joint accountability for and commitment to increasing the number of community teachers. Examines data from a case narrative of this approach in one urban preservice program,…

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education developed draft standards for Professional Development Schools (PDSs). This article discusses the PDS concept and origins, examines why PDSs are important, and argues for standards as a means of supporting the PDS work and holding PDSs accountable for multiple results. The draft standards…

Offers a framework for identifying areas of agreement and disagreement across recent teacher education reform proposals. Reform documents were analyzed in relation to National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF) recommendations. Researchers developed a rubric to assess whether and how proposals expressed agreement or disagreement…

The California framework for science instruction has inspired models across the nation. However, religious and political conservatives, under the guise of increased academic rigor, are challenging the California science framework. These individuals want more rote facts, less scientific inquiry, and less hands-on activities, plus a new set of…

The purpose of this review is to present factors that impede and promote successful transition to kindergarten, with a focus on the specific needs of students with problem behavior. The review addresses competencies that teachers report are critical for success in kindergarten, traditional transition practices, and challenges in implementing…

Beginning teachers do not enter the classroom as finished products. Many school administrators say that new teachers are often exuberant and optimistic but ill-equipped for the classroom. There are some administrators who are openly exasperated with the low quality of teacher applicants who are available. A personnel director, after interviewing…

The purpose of this study was to identify practicing physical education teacher's perspectives regarding the adapted physical education curriculum of their respective Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) programs, and to explore how their preparation programs have affected their feelings of competence and confidence when teaching students…

Effective teaching is not intuitive. Whether new teachers come to the classroom as a second career or directly from a teacher education program, they all share the need for support and belonging. Establishing a learning community that values the ideas and experiences of all its members will sustain new teachers through their early years. Without a…

Teacher educators like talking about the pre-service--in-service continuum as a way of expressing their views, that inevitably, they are expected to play a multifaceted role in and outside of the classroom. In this respect, what is of greater concern is that many teachers are inadequately prepared to teach ethnically diverse students. Malaysia is…

The purpose of this article is to report on a collaborative project among members of colleges of education, colleges of arts and sciences, and high school foreign language departments. The project involved conducting an online survey of 341 current foreign language teachers in Georgia in order to determine how these K?12 teachers perceived and…