Offers twelve suggestions for music teachers to assist them in their careers, such as know your school and community, find a mentor, be a good listener, analyze your teaching, and create balance in your life. Lists reasons why music teachers should participate in professional development. (CMK)

Focuses on how conductors can gain leadership skills. Discusses the process of becoming a leader, beginning with developing a personal philosophy. Describes the differences between leadership and management, a specific approach to leadership called the servant-leader, and the characteristics of a servant-leader. Includes a bibliography of…

A review of the literature on best practices, both instructional and curricular, that may lead to increased achievement among gifted students, found that flexible ability grouping, combined with appropriate curricular revision or differentiation, may result in substantial achievement gains both for average and high ability learners. (Contains…

Discusses the use of a new technique, video-stimulated reflective dialogue, in which practitioners reveal their in-depth knowledge of their pedagogical practices when stimulated by a videotape of an episode of effective teaching. Details the challenge experienced by preschool teachers in articulating tacit/intuitive knowledge of their own…

This qualitative evaluation study explored the active classroom practices that early years teachers adopt when they introduce kindergartners to science in Greece. Findings indicated a considerable gap between the proposed and implemented curriculum. Findings also identified a number of factors that were not optimal and confirmed that early years…

Discusses what students can learn and accomplish in the art classroom at the elementary level. Focuses on topics that include language and student vocabulary, how students can build their confidence, and how they can learn about art history and movements. (CMK)

Describes what artistic play is and how it can be integrated into classroom activities. Gives an example with preschool children creating artistic solutions to a role playing situation given to them by their teacher. States that artistic play is facilitated by the proper environment and by teachers. (DAJ)

Uses classroom vignettes to examine reasons why schools in the United Kingdom are not yet generally successful in including students with disabilities and suggests simple ways that ordinary teachers can implement inclusive practices. These include the importance of teamwork, a school climate which encourages inclusive practices, and teacher…

Argues that funding for education has increased in California since 1989 and that the reason for continued large class sizes is increased enrollment. Compounding the problem is the fact that 7 out of 10 new students had limited English proficiency. (DDR)

Discusses how a fundamental disagreement between the values of distance education and traditional academics could be bridged by a mutual commitment to education driven by quality, access, integrity, responsiveness, and a central role for faculty. Notes adoption of distance education could be enhanced by integrating theories of organizational…

Describes the educational system of the former Soviet Union and its role during the break-up of the Union. Details characteristics of current efforts to reform the educational system and contrasts them with reform movements in the United States. Cites lessons learned from Soviet and post-Soviet educational experiences. (32 citations) (AJL)

Views of 30 Finnish and 76 U.S. teachers, 15 Finnish and 7 American administrators, and 22 Finnish and 40 American parents about appropriate educational practices for children aged 3 to 5 years were studied. Finnish parents were more supportive of developmentally appropriate practices, and were in better agreement with educators. (SLD)

A recent survey questions whether mathematics teachers in Arizona view math content as dynamic or process-oriented. Less than half used state curriculum guidelines, and few reported knowledge of National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' emphases on mathematical processes related to problem solving or reasoning. Teachers seem unaware of their…

Examined processes implemented within an early childhood teacher education program at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand, that aimed to recognize the Treaty of Waitangi obligation to protect the Maori people. Describes key features of the bicultural development restorative process related to lecturers' aspirations, pedagogical…

Compares the national policy developments in two countries, Australia and South Africa, and investigates the emerging tensions in quality policy processes in these countries. Reports that a number of similarities and differences were evident. States that notions of quality and quality policies are dependent on localized contexts. Includes…