Under the No Child Left Behind Act, paraprofessionals must be certified as highly qualified. To meet the standard, they need a high school diploma as well as a two-year associate's degree, or two years of college credit, or a passing score on a state or local assessment that demonstrates knowledge of and ability to assist in teaching reading,…

Students' conceptual understanding of Newton's third law has been the subject of numerous studies. These studies have often pointed out the importance of addressing the concept of interaction in teaching Newtonian mechanics. In this study, teachers were interviewed in order to examine how they understand interaction and use it in their…

In our early childhood teacher education program the young child is positioned as a competent and resourceful participant in his/her own learning. Reflection on this image led me to recognise that some aspects of tertiary institutions mean students themselves can be positioned as less empowered learners. As a result of this recognition, new…

A job analysis was conducted to define the content domain in which newly licensed (certified) special education teachers must be knowledgeable to perform their jobs in a competent manner. The results of the job analysis will be used to develop test specifications for the Subject Assessment in Special Education of the Praxis Series: Professional…

A preliminary study was conducted of the University of Southern California Metropolitan Teacher Education Program, a 5-year program designed to ensure a "tight connection" with the metropolitan schools in the area, with emphasis on the development of professional collegial "teams" of master teachers in inner city schools,…

One method for assessing teacher performance is the teacher portfolio. This is a collection of work produced by a teacher to highlight and demonstrate his or her knowledge and skills in teaching. A portfolio also provides a means for reflection and an opportunity to critique one's own work and evaluate one's own effectiveness as a teacher. Rather…

This monograph is a rich resource of information designed to strengthen science and basic skills teaching, and improve learning for limited English proficient (LEP) minority student populations. It proposes the use of hands-on science investigations as the driving force for mathematics and English language development. The materials included in…

This study revealed some of the factors that influence preservice elementary teachers' instructional planning in word problem solving by examining preservice teachers' conceptions of how to teach word problem solving. Twenty-one interviews of preservice teachers were conducted before and after the mathematics methods course and the protocols were…

The state of Maryland views learning to teach as a developmental process in which there is continuous engagement with research, best practice, and expert opinion. This publication identifies 10 performance-based standards for the career-long development of teachers and teacher candidates. Learning to teach is viewed as a continuous learning cycle…

This collection of conference papers addresses such issues as: the changes in policy, practice, and research necessary to ensure that teachers meet the needs of all students; and the partnerships and strategies needed to acquire and use the resources that will effect these changes. The ten chapters of the book are: (1) "The Courage to…

This document presents revised comprehensive standards and guidelines for the preparation and certification of special educators and for practice as special educators, developed by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Part 1 provides the CEC's Code of Ethics for Professional Practice for Educators of Persons with Exceptionalities and CEC's…

This paper examines the theoretical assumptions behind an integrative curriculum model intended to enhance preservice teachers' pedagogical competence for accommodating diversity among school populations. The first section reviews the relevant literature and describes the integrative multicultural model for preservice teachers. The next two…

This paper examines the development of science content knowledge of elementary teachers (N=25) as a result of participating in a summer science Institute funded by the Massachusetts Department of Education and the National Science Foundation. The institute was designed to integrate the physical, life, and earth sciences by addressing the National…

This report describes a proposal for a preservice teacher education program to prepare agricultural education teachers for the 21st century. The paper identifies and defines the critical roles agricultural education teachers must perform in the 21st century and recommends specific preservice teacher education practices. After an introduction, the…

Model-Based Instruction (MBI) plays a significant role in the undergraduate teacher education program at South Dakota State University. Integrated into the program 8 years ago, the understandings and applications of MBI have evolved into a powerful and comprehensive framework that leads to rich and varied instruction with students directly in the…