This report discusses the outcomes of a study that drew upon the reflections and self-assessment of seven preservice teachers who served as assistants in a university-based summer program for gifted students. Of the preservice teachers, four were elementary education majors, two were early childhood majors, and one was a special education major.…

Twenty-one elementary school teachers from Taiwan and 53 elementary school teachers from the New York metropolitan area were interviewed to compare the structure of talented and gifted programs (TAG), their strengths and weaknesses, and provisions for program evaluation. Results indicated few differences between the gifted students, their work…

This handbook discusses performance-based licensure for North Carolina's public school teachers. New teachers are responsible for demonstrating that they have the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes to achieve licensure. They must demonstrate essential teaching competence using standards developed by the Interstate New Teacher Assessment…

Who or what is to blame for the inadequate quality of English-language learner (ELL) teachers? The general shortcomings in teacher education (both preservice and inservice) with regard to students outside the "mainstream" could be a possibility. The continued low achievement among ELLs and the prospect for continued ELL population growth in U.S.…

Youth, its objectives, readiness for life, education are the future of Lithuania. One of the major solutions of a young person is related to the choice of a future profession, and this solution is influenced by many factors: certain demands, calls and interests, capabilities and intellect, character and temperament, goals and values. The results…

This paper reviews the research on mathematics teacher education and mathematics education reform to provide a possible foundation for educating mathematics teachers in rural Appalachia. The paper takes the position that teacher change has certain characteristics and impediments that are not limited to any particular circumstance. Research on…

The School of Physical Education at Chichester Institute (England) has developed an outdoor and adventurous activities (OAA) program that trains teachers to optimize the full potential of the outdoors as classroom. The philosophy underpinning the OAA program challenges the traditional view that exposure to adventure necessarily results in…

The aims of this project were to explore the challenges faced by Scottish primary teachers in implementing the science and technology aspects of the Environmental Studies guidelines, to illuminate the extent to which any problems might be related to their own understanding of those ideas they were expected to teach, and to assess the extent to…

This pilot study examines the influence of a diagnostic and post-test format as a continuous diagnostic tool to help one cohort of elementary preservice teachers address their mathematics content area deficiencies in a proactive way. Fifty-four percent of the preservice teachers in the cohort were persons of color, and 96 percent were female. The…

The mathematical growth of a pre-service elementary teacher over the period of a semester is detailed. This student had an unusual combination of very poor basic computational skills and a capacity for higher level problem solving involving algebraic notation. The extent to which one or two semesters of mathematics content, however…

This document contains the spring and fall 2001 newsletters of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT). The spring 2001 issue contains the following featured articles: (1) "Using Gifted Education Strategies with All Students" (E. Jean Gubbins and NRC/GT Research Team); (2) "New Center for the Pyschology of…

This qualitative study explores philosophies, life experiences, educational preparation, classroom techniques, and perceived limitations that enhance or prevent a feeling of successful teaching practice for six middle school science teachers who have at least one but no more than four years of science teaching experience. The study was conducted…

Four variables have been identified by research as having a powerful influence on teachers' teaching practices and student learning. These are: (1) content coverage; (2) content exposure; (3) content emphasis; and (4) quality of instructional delivery. These four variables are important to the investigation of students' opportunity to learn…

The promise of education reform is that all children will receive a quality education. However, there are enormous challenges to reform, including resource inequities, an aging teaching force, and public doubts about school effectiveness. Moreover, school reform policies place enormous strain on teachers and students. Teachers need to implement…

This report presents the results of a mail survey conducted to ascertain Texas elementary teachers' opinions of their level of preparedness to implement the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) science curriculum. Most of the teachers (89%) had read the TEKS science curriculum requirements, and many (55.9%) did not think the requirements…