Helping teachers move toward more developmentally appropriate practice in classrooms for young children is a major goal of the early childhood educational profession. However, little is known about factors likely to result in more developmentally appropriate practice (DAP). This study examined the relationship between preschool teachers'…

Preservice teachers' constructions of meaning within a multicultural education course are explored in this study. The study considers whether prior expectations have an impact on service learning, what meanings preservice teachers make from service learning, and whether reflection has an influence on meaning making. This interpretive case study…

This paper focuses on the utilization of reflective teaching and thinking as a tool to engage teachers in the process of observing, examining, analyzing, and evaluating their philosophy of teaching and learning and their effectiveness as teachers. Research has indicated that reflection encourages teachers to assess critically "What am I…

Describes a case study with four teachers from a secondary agricultural school using an action research model to examine their teaching practice and materials with the intent of developing an environmental dimension to their teaching. Presents the research and development process, the main outcomes, and implications for environmental education.…

Suggests that it is important for writing teachers to focus on specific students within specific contexts and to try to reclaim the term "student centered." Proposes a new formulation of critical pedagogy that calls for an examination and location of the teachers' positions. Reflects on teaching the course "Writing and Reading about…

States that, for one instructor, professional inquiry in a graduate education program has led to a critical examination of day-to-day practice in the classroom, especially regarding the writing process in the grade 7-9 writing workshop he formerly taught. (PA)

This study investigated elementary and secondary physical educators' reflection within the teaching and learning environment and the role of reflection in their professional development. Data from observations, interviews, vignettes, and journals indicated that teaching context and concrete experiences were most often responsible for stimulating…

Presents a polylogue that represents the dilemmas, practicalities, tensions, and rewards encountered by four graduate students and two faculty members through participation in a seminar in qualitative methods and practice, a course that involved student-researchers in reading, reflection, and five weeks of fieldwork. Includes "prologues" for each…

Presents a reflection on the processes that led to the writing and reading one of the poems from a work-in-progress, "Crossing the Border." Connects the author's writing experience to his teaching practice, supposedly with an underlying belief that there must be a nexus. Concludes that above all, he seeks to stimulate, even provoke, students into…

Presents correspondences between the two authors discussing the role of love in the writing classroom. Concludes that "Love" plays a very important role in many aspects of writing and instruction. (SG)

Proposes a discourse-based approach to analysis of coherence in the teaching philosophies of language instructors. Background is provided by the reflective practice model, which highlights social ontology and personal appropriation of foreign language teaching expertise. An exploratory study confirms the utility of examining conceptual metaphors…

Explores the practical view of reflective teaching as it was revealed in the activities and thinking processes of an expert middle school science teacher. Discusses differences between types of reflection, importance of self-analysis by teachers, effect of social context on reflection, and having the opportunity to reflect. (RS)

A recent study examined the complex interplay between the evolution of a dialogic community and four elementary teachers' changing beliefs and classroom practices. Teachers' dialog changed from information-sharing and description early in the year to questioning and critique as their involvement in the dialogic community progressed. Reflective…

Examines processes and models of professional development that effect change in teachers' practices. Describes the study group process, the role of reflection, goal setting research, and collaborative writing workshop project results. Presents findings that support the research relative to the critical need for collegial collaboration. (SG)

Considers how the Meadow Brook Writing Project's summer institute provides a fertile field for reflection because it involves experienced and successful teachers in a process of critical review of what works and what does not, and how to bring about change. Discusses the power of personal writing. Considers teachers of old and young, and teachers…