Trade and industrial (T&I) teachers enter the classroom as content level experts who may have acquired their content expertise through a combination of formal industry training and informal on-the-job experiences. When they make the career transition from industry to teaching, they must acquire professional teaching competencies. Like the content…

This book is an autobiographical effort to understand life as a person and as a high school English teacher, and how those two lives have intertwined. The text examines how the author, trained in certain ways, thinks of herself as a professional person. In addition to the subject of the teaching of reading and writing, the author explores how her…

This booklet summarizes the science chapter from the "Handbook of Research on Improving Student Achievement," a report sponsored by the Alliance for Curriculum Reform and also published by the Educational Research Service. The handbook is based on the idea that efforts to improve instruction must focus on the existing knowledge base on…

The focus of this paper is to further understanding of the distribution and the effects of an expanded conception of opportunity to learn on student mathematics achievement. In addition to descriptive statistics, a set of two-level hierarchical linear models was employed to analyze a subset of the restricted-use National Education Longitudinal…

This paper describes the development of a course that would improve instruction for preservice teachers and for elementary school students through "real world" integration of reading and the related processes of listening, speaking, and writing. "Integrated Language Arts Instruction in the Elementary School" is presented as a model for field-based…

Intended as a resource for both trainers and trainees in early childhood development and education, and based on the principles of active learning and participatory training, this five-part training pack encourages the incorporation of active learning materials in training and invites cooperation in adapting participatory training materials to…

After a brief review of recent research concerning teacher testing, this paper presents concrete examples of multiple-choice test items that assess more than teachers' minimal, basic knowledge. Specifically, multiple-choice test items used for the assessment of pedagogical content knowledge (C-P items) are contrasted with items used for the…

Drawing on work in general education, second/foreign language teacher education has begun to recognize that within its knowledge base, teachers, apart from the methods and materials they may use, are central to improving English language teaching. To understand the professional development of teachers in the English as a foreign language context,…

Pre-service programs for secondary teachers have traditionally involved method subjects, where participants are inducted into the curriculum practices of two disciplinary or subject areas. In 2003, Victoria University of Technology, Melbourne, enrolled a small group of fourteen pre-service teachers into an innovative Graduate Diploma of Secondary…

Presently, there are two components to preschool teacher education in New Jersey: (1) Teacher preparation, which includes a course of study leading to a formal degree or certificate. Teacher preparation is provided through the state's 2- and 4-year institutions of higher education; and (2) Professional development, which supports individuals…

This brochure highlights key concepts of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) "Thinking Mathematics" courses. Citing adherence to No Child left Behind Act (NCLB) mandates, these courses are: (1) based on scientific research about how children learn mathematics; (2) designed to increase teacher mathematical knowledge; (3) provide a…

The demographic changes in Australia's labor market present challenges for technical and further education (TAFE) institutes. Within TAFE institutes, in which the teaching workforce is older than the overall national labor force, the imminent departure of many teachers endangers its prime asset - its skill and knowledge base. This report examines…

This book explores alternative strategies in teaching and learning, offering an expose of how to interpret curriculum, prepare lessons, construct lesson plans, present lessons effectively, develop teacher-student relationships, and appraise lessons constructively before and after presentation. The book highlights the importance of pedagogical…

This report, in a booklet format, presents seven recommendations for increasing the numbers of highly qualified teachers for the middle grades. The recommendations focus on content mastery and professional support for both preservice and inservice teachers. The report also addresses the following topics: (1) what it means to be a highly qualified…

This monograph identifies key policy areas that support the concept of teaching for understanding. Part 1, "Teaching for Understanding," explores the mission and practices associated with teaching for understanding, presenting this practice from the viewpoint of the student, teacher, and school system. Part 2, "Policy Areas,"…