This article describes the experiences of a woman who is working as a teacher of mathematics in a New York City public junior high school through the Teach for America (TFA) program. The author relates the joys and frustrations of teaching and a sidebar describes the TFA program. (LZ)

Argues that the solution to many of the problems in education may be simple: provide teachers more time for their work by lengthening their contract and allowing them to do their planning and training during the work day (like most professional workers). (SR)

Discusses the relationship between industry-related training assignments and faculty job satisfaction, presenting findings from a study of faculty in 37 Texas community colleges. Highlights demographic and work environment variables. Reports general faculty satisfaction with the work but dissatisfaction with working conditions. Presents teachers'…

Ten tips are provided to help teachers of gifted students cope with the unique stressors that they face. Tips include making parents allies, putting grades in perspective, and setting realistic goals. Activities are presented for use as introductory "ice-breakers" or concluding activities for workshops for teachers and parents of gifted students.…

Tennessee vocational teachers in community colleges (n=65), technical institutes (n=61), and colleges/universities (n=133) responded to a survey indicating overall satisfaction, but some dissatisfaction with salary, conditions, and policies. Technical institute faculty were most dissatisfied with number of classes and working hours, facilities and…

Research on reduced class size and student achievement does not indicate substantial benefits from smaller classes. Some studies show actual problems from class size reduction. Research suggests what happens in the classroom regarding achievement more directly relates to other factors. Quality of instruction may be more important than class size.…

Reports a survey of Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication member schools. Indicates high, low, and mean salaries for journalism school administrators, professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and instructors. Compares salaries by highest degree earned, rank, and experience. Breaks down pay differences by…

Compares elementary mathematics instruction in Taiwan, Japan, Chicago, and Minneapolis. Finds that American teachers are overworked and devote less time to conducting lessons than Asian teachers, who employ proven inductive methods within the framework of standardized curricula. (DM)

Reports survey findings from 325 Israeli secondary teachers on job satisfaction, work centrality, and occupational stress, and their relationships to teacher background variables, teaching conditions, teacher roles, teacher student relationships, and classroom practices. Compares teacher perceptions of ideal and actual teaching conditions and…

Reviews current issues that affect the education of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Discusses best-practice methods by educators; student placement, including increased reliance on alternative schools and other nontraditional settings; and job expectations and working conditions of teachers who work with troubled students.…

A veteran newspaper editor speaks unashamedly in support of public schools, dispelling myths about teacher workload, student performance, vouchers and charter schools as reform models, outdated school boards, and overpaid administrators. Schools should revamp their public relations by publishing positive items in newsletters and creating speaker's…

Investigated whether university teaching assistant (TA) training programs utilized transfer of training principles, examining facilitating and inhibiting factors within the work environment of TAs in training, supervisor and peer support, and differences in perceptions of these factors according to TA characteristics. Certain transfer of training…

Examines and illustrates how classroom-based factors can shape students' engagement with mathematical tasks that encourage high-level mathematical thinking and reasoning. Among the factors influencing students are classroom norms, task conditions, teachers' instructional dispositions, and students' learning dispositions. (AIM)

Summarizes research examining how senior management teams affected teacher morale and job satisfaction in an English primary school. Findings reveal the nature and quality of school management as the most influential factor determining the quality of teachers' working lives. School management teams cannot handle the pressures of contemporary…

Describes tensions within Australian universities, which must be responsive to various stakeholders, examining the perspectives of new associate professors and professors and their university managers. Observation and interview data indicated that educators were not allowed to participate enough in decision making, policies were imposed without…