This publication provides practical, step-by-step guidance for teachers on becoming more effective in classroom management by using a positive and constructive, rather than negative and punitive, approach to foster prosocial student behavior. The publication is divided into an introduction and three parts. The Introduction examines why effective…

Beginning teachers' experiences in university-based teacher preparation are rapidly replaced by the norms and expectations of the school setting and teachers with whom they work. To interrupt this pattern by which new teachers are pulled from the practices they have learned at the university, teachers must be encouraged to reflect about their…

This paper describes part of a study (Kraus 1996) involving 25 school administrators who attended one of five administrator preparation programs at four New England universities. The study addressed research questions regarding perceptions of administrators' job preparedness and how components of formal training programs (i.e., internships,…

This study analyzed personal and collaborative reflective activities and their effect on the development of a graduate student as both a learner and a teacher. As a learner, the graduate student kept a reflective journal for 5 consecutive quarters (15 months). Collaboration with colleagues took place in both formal and informal settings and…

This paper discusses the results of three pilot projects in which portfolios developed by beginning teachers were used as the basis for the decision to award or deny a continuing teaching license. Highlights are outlined from each project: Project ACT, an alternative certification program through East Carolina University; Project TEACH!, a 3-year…

This paper invites science teachers to reflect on their own stories of teaching and learning, to build meaning from their personal stories, and to apply their fresh insights to better understand themselves and their teaching. The significance of the research lies in its ability to share authentic stories that represent the experiences of a…

Because change in mathematics teachers' instructional practices is fundamental to the vision of school mathematics education embodied in the NCTM Standards documents, it is critical that mathematics teacher educators develop a thorough understanding of the process of change in teaching practice. To date, the process of change has remained somewhat…

This paper focuses on Steve, a high school science teacher, and his philosophy, including his beliefs and practices, over a 1.5-year period in an attempt to understand his change process--how his beliefs changed as a result of his dissatisfaction with his teaching practices. The paper shares this teacher's struggle with change and his transition…

A study examined the interaction of teacher and student in a methods preparation course for undergraduate special education majors. The course was structured around several projects, two types of writing logs, and readings. Fieldnotes from an observer participant, records of a debriefing meeting, students' weekly entries on content learning logs…

The objective of this study was to determine the difference in teaching effectiveness between experimental and control teachers as a result of a coordinated inservice program. Subjects were 83 high school teachers of vocational agricultural and other vocational subjects. Results indicate that inservice programs with a substantial theoretical base…

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between the nature of the structured reflective experience provided in preservice teacher education and the content of preservice teachers' reflection. The study investigated whether the amount of reflection varied based on the instructional domain of a reflective teaching lesson (RTL) or…

Twenty-five teachers enrolled in a 5-week summer practicum course on reading assessment. Every day the teachers attended class and worked one-on-one with a child having learning difficulties. Teachers maintained extensive records of their instruction and also corresponded with the professor via dialogue journals. A study examined these…

This paper examines the notion of teacher beliefs as complex ideological systems which have a bearing on actions. The focus is on the beliefs that students bring into their formal teacher education program, which are based on their predominantly authoritarian and didactic schooling experience. These students enter teacher education with…

As teacher educators have worked to encourage teachers to become more reflective, they have noted the important role school context plays in supporting or constraining reflection in action. This study describes one kindergarten teacher's experiences in two contrasting school contexts. The study documents the characteristics of leadership style and…

This study, part of a larger research effort, focuses attention on the relationship between school context and the process of learning to teach reflectively. It is noted that it requires leadership within the schools to nurture reflection and to encourage the development of more sophisticated forms of reflection as teachers acquire knowledge.…