This book is a guide to understanding and implementing portfolio assessment in schools and contains checklists, forms, sample letters, rubrics, and inventories. The chapters are: (1) "Defining a Portfolio"; (2) "Evolving Nature of Portfolios"; (3) "Getting Started"; (4) "Clarifying the Role of Self-Assessment"; (5) "Choosing from Multiple Sources…

A project was conducted in Pennsylvania to conduct a statewide staff development project on adults with learning differences using the following delivery systems: initial training sessions; advanced training sessions; videotapes of training sessions; the "Learning disAbilities Newsletter"; printed material from the Center for Alternative…

The School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 puts in place a framework to help state and local partnerships in their efforts to build systems that help young people make the transition from school to careers and lifelong learning. School-to-work does not establish new programs; instead, it synthesizes existing models and programs to make systemic…

These two newsletters on gifted education from spring and fall of 2000 include the following articles: (1) "NRC/GT: Developing Expertise Using the 'Big Red Notebook'" (E. Jean Gubbins), which discusses the creation of a professional development module as an intervention tool to foster expertise in using the pedagogy of gifted education in general…

This document contains 43 papers presented at a conference on research in teaching adults at the University of Exeter, England, in 1998. Among the papers are the following: "Reconstructing Academic Practice: Research and Teaching in a University School of Adult Education" (David Boud); "Re-searching Adult Education Practice:…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) School-Based Coaching: A Revolution in Professional Development--or Just the Latest Fad? (Alexander Russo); (2) Fluency Tests Help Identify Struggling…

Summarizes a survey of over 500 teachers throughout four regions of Russia. Discovers that most teachers feel their skills and development are lacking, particularly in the areas of innovative teaching methods. Outlines a system of steps and goals to be implemented throughout teacher education to rectify this deficiency. (MJP)

This article argues that the Internet and electronic mail offer enormous potential for enhancing the communicative approach to language teaching adopted by the Queensland High School (Australia) French program. (22 references) (Author/CK)

Defines the role of the music specialist in designing and implementing a discipline-based music education program. Discusses team teaching and other collaborative efforts between the specialist and the classroom teacher. Includes a discipline-based teaching checklist and selected readings for thematic teaching. (MJP)

Examines specific approaches and strategies for teaching discipline-based music education (DBME). DBME incorporates history, aesthetics, and criticism into traditional music education. Discusses creating a DBME unit, what questions to ask, and what resources to use. Includes a sample approach. (MJP)

Examines how general education interns and mentors can use collaborative teaching in professional development school settings. Focusing on special education literature on collaboration, the paper discusses the use of complementary, parallel, station, alternative, and team teaching. Examples of how these models work in elementary and secondary…

Examines the perspectives of bilingual teachers, teacher assistants, school administrators, and an outside researcher on the 10-year development of a Navajo-English bilingual/bicultural program at Rough Rock Elementary School in Arizona. The transformation in curriculum and pedagogy, as well as the social and political processes by which…

Preservice teachers' written case analyses were examined to determine how students reasoned about four dilemmas. Examination of the analyses suggested that the developmental nature of learning to teach was reflected in students' analyses of events embedded in cases. The case method provided opportunities to further encourage development of…

Discusses problem of socialization to school environment. Explains that the process can have a negative impact on teachers' attitudes toward social studies teaching and can result in noncreative teaching. Recommends methods for retaining the ideals learned in education courses. Suggests doing things in manageable steps, reserving time for…

Describes the first year of an ongoing professional development school project designed to integrate computer technology into elementary school lessons, while simultaneously providing educational technology experiences for preservice teachers and student teachers, as well as their cooperating teachers and college supervisors. College students…