This practicum report describes an intervention to improve children's experiences of transitions to and from a day care center and from one activity to another throughout the day. Training workshops for parents and staff were held for 32 weeks. The purpose of the training, which included lectures for large groups and meetings for small groups, was…

A study explored the changing role of the elementary teacher within the context of book discussions as teachers move from basal instruction to literature-based reading instruction. As part of an earlier study, two upper-grade teachers consistently expressed concern during interviews and group discussions with their colleagues about how to foster…

The student teaching field experience has proven to be one of the most critical components of teacher preparation programs, and yet little is known about how pedagogical skills develop during this period. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine student teachers' classroom interactions over the course of a 10-week student teaching…

In spite of the many teacher evaluation models available and the extensive research on performance appraisal, few community colleges have effectively come to terms with this difficult task. Many administrators prefer to avoid the interpersonal conflict and the possible legal ramifications of performance appraisal. However, in times of limited…

P.L. 94-142 mandated that handicapped children be provided a free appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. This study was conducted to determine: (1) perceptions of high school teachers with respect to reasonableness of accomodative strategies for teaching mainstreamed learning disabled (LD) students; (2) teachers' use of…

There is psychological evidence to support the theory that many abused children become abusers themselves. This study investigates the probabilities of classroom abuse by teachers in relation to their past abuse experiences. A second purpose of the study is to create a self-help handbook for teachers from dysfunctional families who are in need of…

A study examined the positive effects that being a parent may have on communication teachers. Three major advantages that parenthood gives teachers (self-disclosure, use of humor, and the incorporation of games and activities) were considered. Several informal interviews with communication instructors who raise children were conducted. One hundred…

A study assessed the strengths, weaknesses, and degree of implementation of the reading dimension in the English Language Arts curriculum in grades 4, 8, and 11 of English language schools in Manitoba (Canada). At each grade, the student test assessed five major areas of reading performance. Assessment materials consisted of a student test, a…

Professional development schools (PDSs) are usually viewed as school-university partnerships aimed at regeneration of teacher education and/or the reform of public schools in general. This paper examines the gap between creating a PDS structure and achieving these goals, suggesting that bridging the gap may require destabilization of both faculty…

In this study, a questionnaire was designed to assess Montessori teachers' reported likelihood of intervention in some 25 common situations in Montessori classrooms for 3-6 year olds, as well as to obtain limited background information on the teachers. Subjects were 422 Montessori teachers including 30 from Trinidad (where the questionnaire was…

A study examined the influence of behavioral activities such as teaching, research, and service on faculty career satisfaction using Astin's theory of involvement. The research tested Astin's theory in predicting variations in career satisfaction by disciplinary category, and the contention that disciplinary differences are critical for…

Exploring what happened in the classroom as a teacher used a whole language approach with her culturally varied, urban fourth-grade students, this report tells the story of a unit on personal, narrative writing which occurred from April to June. The report describes how the teacher established routines to make the unit work, and how the teacher…

Studies have shown that preservice teachers do modify their knowledge and value dispositions for teaching culturally diverse student populations. Continuing this line of research, this study focuses on pedagogical and methodological conditions in the education of preservice teachers. A class of preservice teachers was assigned to various public…

A 3-year action research study was conducted by the Spirit River School Division in northwestern Alberta to develop and validate a set of indicators to assess teacher effectiveness in a formative process. Focusing on professional development and staff inservice, the Educational Quality Indicators Project (EQI) sought to determine if the 26…

This study investigated whether the criterion-related validity coefficient of the Instructional Strategy Usage (ISU) instrument was statistically significant, and investigated factors related to general education teachers' use of instructional strategies that facilitate inclusion of students with moderate and severe impairments in general…