This publication is an outcome of a conference sponsored by Emory University's Center for Urban Learning/Teaching and Urban Research in Education and Schools. The essays included in the volume address how to build schools and educate youth in ways which honor, build on, and involve all students and citizens, and the importance of preparing…

This report summarizes a study of Americans' attitudes toward teaching, educational opportunity, and school reform. Surveys of 2,501 adults nationwide indicate that Americans unequivocally support the guarantee of free public education and consider improvement in fundamental areas of student behavior and academic performance essential. Greater…

This fastback explains that better teaching is the key to higher student achievement, and improving the quality of both teachers and their teaching is an important challenge for departments of education and schools nationwide. The fastback focuses on: "Enhancing Teacher Quality" (content knowledge, licensure and certification, and…

This paper describes efforts to promote professional development among Brazilian elementary teachers via a 6-year public school-university partnership, presenting theoretical and methodological frameworks, general research characteristics, and results. Researchers investigated how a constructive-collaborative intervention that examined reflection…

This study examined the teaching practices of Maria, a special educator who worked with students who had multiple disabilities, were nonverbal, and used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). It highlighted the complex, interdependent, and dynamic nature of teacher knowledge, beliefs, and practices and evaluated what Maria knew and…

The interpretation of data and construction and interpretation of graphs are central practices in science which, according to recent reform documents, science and mathematics teachers are expected to foster in their classrooms. However, are (preservice) science teachers prepared to teach inquiry with the purpose of transforming and analyzing data,…

Advances in information technology have introduced fundamental changes in business structures and work processes. These changes demand the development of new educational approaches that integrate the thinking of business and teacher education as a foundation for building teachers' skills to prepare their students for life and work in these…

The preparation of preservice teachers plays a major role in closing the achievement gap in the education of urban children. Urban teachers often do not understand how their low expectations and deficit assumptions influence their instructional practices and contribute to a widening achievement gap between urban and non-urban students. Many…

An Australian study explored what teachers thought about working with students with disabilities and what kind of factors affected their practices. Twelve teachers from Box Hill Institute in Melbourne were interviewed using questions grouped into these four categories: background and experience, attitude, professional issues, and recommendations.…

This text, one of two on the instruction of students with visual impairments, focuses on instructional strategies. The following 21 chapters are included: (1) "Creating and Nurturing Effective Educational Teams" (Irene Topor and others); (2) "Comprehensive Assessment" (Toni Heinze); (3) "Ongoing Assessments: Informal Techniques" (Carol Layton);…

This manual is intended for use as part of a 3-day orientation training for new faculty at the U.S. Army War College (USAWC) in Pennsylvania, a facility which trains tactical and operational leaders for policy and strategy roles in the military and related agencies. The orientation focuses on five factors which determine the value of an…

Recommends using a number of qualitative research techniques, specifically for research regarding art education teaching techniques and teachers. Argues that the process of teaching and the subject of art are so subjective that researchers should embrace unabashedly qualitative approaches to research. Briefly describes these approaches. (MJP)

A study examined the perceptions and knowledge of preservice general educators (n=293) and 131 inservice teachers toward early literacy instruction for students at risk for reading failure. Results found many general education teachers, at both preservice and inservice levels, are not prepared adequately for this challenging task. (Contains…

The field of special education has been consistently plagued with serious personnel shortages, high rates of teacher attrition, criticisms of inadequate teacher preparation, and questionable student outcomes. The recent focus on increased standards and improved student outcomes adds complexity to this situation. Of paramount concern are the need…

Drawing inspiration from Shulman's (1986) construct of pedagogical content knowledge, we propose that leadership content knowledge is a missing paradigm in the analysis of school and district leadership. After defining leadership content knowledge as that knowledge of academic subjects that is used by administrators when they function as…