Describes the experience of three teacher leaders who attempt to lead from within their classrooms. Interview and biographical data indicate that these teacher leaders navigate the structure of schools, nurture relationships, model professional growth, help others with change, and challenge the status quo by raising children's voices. However,…

Educational reform literature is filled with criticism of the omniscient tone that teachers and textbooks assume in history classrooms. Such widely acknowledged criticism often accompanies calls for more ambitious pedagogy. The focus on teachers and texts essentially ignores the ritualized and traditional deference that students afford to the…

Examined two beginning high school teachers, one credentialed in English and one in science, as they taught English, suggesting that out-of-field teaching is very complex, identifying factors contributing to the complexity, and proposing conceptualizing out-of-field teaching as a matter of goodness of fit to take into account the relationship…

This article explores one teacher education program's experiment in "turning the souls" of its students to help them understand and care deeply about issues of race and social justice, including issues of environmental sustainability. The Putney Graduate School of Teacher Education (1950-1964), a small "reconstructionist"…

Brown University's Coalition of Essential Schools offers alternatives to traditional routines and practices. The article observes three Essential Schools teachers who have begun changing their classroom practices. Information is presented from an ongoing, three-year study of teacher change sponsored by the coalition. (SM)

This case study examines the experiences of a young African American English teacher over 3 years as she tried to teach multicultural literature. The study began in her senior year of college when she was enrolled in a progressive undergraduate preservice program in English education and continued through her first 2 years as a high school English…

The change process surrounding the introduction of an all-day kindergarten program in a small suburban school district is examined in this case study. Implications for adoption and implementation of early childhood programs in other school systems are discussed. (IAH)

Examines several education-reform programs supported by the International Business Machines corporation in Charlotte, North Carolina, discussing a typology of corporate involvement, the complexities of corporate involvement, and the benefits and dangers of corporate involvement. Explains that most corporate involvement is very helpful, though some…

Describes an experienced first grade teacher's efforts to create her place in what was defined by others as the change process. Researchers observed in her classroom and conducted interviews over one school year. She viewed herself not as changing, but rather as part of a slow, continuous process. (SM)

Considers the relationship between teacher development and the workplace, examining the effect of individual characteristics and significant others. Researchers interviewed beginning teachers about workplace relationships, teaching situations, high/low points, critical incidents, obstacles, and opportunities. The article looks at rethinking…

Describes a first-year teacher's efforts to become a teacher and her experiences of the complex relationships among control, subject matter, and teaching. The article stresses the importance of the institutional context within which the beginner works, noting her relationship with her department head and mentor. (SM)

Presents case studies of six teachers who completed year-long research projects on motivation for literacy learning in collaboration with high school students, considering their views on the nature of knowledge, the purposes of schooling, approaches to teaching and learning, perspectives on motivation, and roles and relationships with the school…

Case study of an Iowa junior high school describes how the school and community identified their resources and used them to create successful arts education programs from ordinary resources. The article examines four types of commitment that shaped school practice, noting effective teaching practices and administrative policy. (SM)