Urban public schools and their teachers are under siege. From increased standardization, privatization and testing to a growing number of students whose needs are not being met by schools, urban public school teachers face a daunting task. Without a space in which to critically examine their daily experiences within schools, many well-intentioned…

Showcasing the "Downey Walk-Through"--a method developed over a 40-year period, tested and refined in real-world schools and classrooms, and described in the pioneering book, "The Three-Minute Classroom Walk-Through," this innovative multimedia presentation provides trainers and staff developers with a complete resource answering the questions…

This paper examines the potential for teacher education institutions to implement a "reflection in and on action" strategy in their training programs. A central argument is that the academic context of teacher education and the "reflection" approach can support a professionalism of teachers. However, a necessary precondition is…

This proceedings reports on a 2-day conference which was the culminating event of a study on ways in which to better integrate the liberal arts with teacher preparation. The papers in this volume represent a cross-section of the growing body of knowledge surrounding portfolios and teacher education. The strongest conclusions drawn from the…

This study focused on the student teacher's process of becoming a teacher with emphasis on reflective development during training; the kind of development that occurred in student teachers when the reflection ability was consciously promoted; the existence of any differences in reflective ability between the different year courses (1-3) and…

This two-volume set offers 16 narrative case studies and a facilitator's guide. Cases were written by teachers about their personal experiences with teaching and groupwork, especially the problematic situations and dilemmas they faced. Groupwork is a well-documented and highly recommended strategy for enhancing students' academic, cognitive,…

This study examined the nature of teaching expertise at the postsecondary level. Using the prototype view of teaching expertise set forth by Sternberg and Horvath (1995), which focuses on domain knowledge, efficiency, and insight, the teaching portfolios of 16 award-winning teacher educators from one of the largest colleges of education in the…

This book asks teachers to examine their beliefs about language, the beliefs of other educators, and the implications of those beliefs for English classes, where the primary goal is to foster language development through reading, writing, listening, and speaking. It is offered as a catalyst to the ongoing process of research and reflection that is…

By intertwining narratives, journals, interviews, and traditional analysis and argument, this book offers an ethnographic account of a diverse group of community college faculty working together to revise their writing center's tutor protocols and expectations for student writing. In doing so, it takes postsecondary writing teachers to the place…

The stories and studies that make up this book pursue two intertwining paths of inquiry: (1) how highly engaged adolescent readers produce meaning; and (2) what can be done in the classroom to help reluctant readers perceive reading as a creative and personally meaningful pursuit. Chapter 1 looks at approaches to teaching reading and discusses an…

The papers in these proceedings focus on the critical elements of values and ethics, critical inquiry, and reflection. The following papers are included: (1) "The Moral Imperative of Ethnic Studies in Urban Teacher Education Programs" (C. Ellwood); (2) "Teachers, Values, and the Culture of Education" (M. Kurimay, S.J.); (3)…

This book guides teachers on using portfolios and authentic assessment to create reflective students and teachers through specific instruction, examples, and descriptions of many actual elementary school classrooms, teachers, and students who use this approach. Authentic assessment allows students to participate actively in their own learning.…

This paper uses Renato Rosaldo's metaphor of a "cultural borderland" to analyze the nature of the "bridge" formed in a case study of school-college partnerships. It examines how collaborative teacher preparation programs can bridge the two worlds of theoretical, normatively based canons of practice and inductively derived…

An expatriate second language teacher working in Japan describes and discusses his use of a reflective dialogue journal, written with a colleague using electronic mail (e-mail) and using a collaborative approach to professional development. Four topic areas discussed in the collaborative journal are examined: features of doing cooperative…

This paper introduces a Chinese teacher induction program. In China it is believed that formal teacher education constitutes only half of teacher preparation; the other half has to be accomplished on the job with the active support and involvement of the teaching community. The voice of teachers is introduced to the field of educational research…