Demonstrates a process for creating a preservice teacher evaluation instrument utilizing the expertise of teacher educators who conduct the evaluations. Highlights how one college developed such an instrument using the Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS). Preservice teacher supervisors participated at all stages of development of the rating…

Describes six rubrics for appraising the assessments teacher interns create and use in student teaching. The rubrics help teacher educators make judgements about student teachers' knowledge and skill in developing assessments. The six criteria are: alignment with learning outcomes, clarity/understanding of assessment, reliability, feasibility,…

Teacher educators can help prepare future educators to teach homosexual students by creating safe environments for homosexual students, providing positive role models, selecting relevant curriculum and activities, providing information and training for faculty, securing relevant library holdings, and conducting research on homosexual students.…

Examined the effectiveness of the Pedagogical Heuristic Device (PHD) in encouraging preservice teachers to use a wide variety of cognitive processes and critically apply what they learned in courses on decision making in the classroom. Results support the use of the PHD to help preservice teachers learn to reason about pedagogy. (SM)

Strengthening relationships between public schools and higher education through school/university partnerships is one strategy to improve education. This paper describes Auburn University's work with Professional Development Schools, focusing on how they formed the learning coalition, initiated the process of collaboration, and created structural…

Surveys of faculty members in 13 Colorado schools, colleges, and departments of education investigated their attitudes, perceptions, and experiences regarding faculty-to-faculty mentoring. Results indicated no significant differences in attitudes or mentoring behaviors by gender or faculty rank and few differences by type of institution.…

Teacher educators can exploit a variety of types of teacher narratives to help develop new and veteran teachers. This paper explains the significance of the second self and details five narrative forms (the narratives of social criticism, apprenticeship, reflective practice, journey, and hope). A final section describes how to use narratives of…

A cultural-immersion project helped preservice teachers at the University of Nevada gain knowledge about other cultures and insight into how it feels to be part of a minority culture. Data from students' writeups of the projects indicate that students gained much from the experience (e.g., new information about specific cultures, challenged…

Examines the effectiveness of adding a literature-study-group component to an undergraduate reading diagnosis and remediation course for preservice teachers. Group members read nonfiction works related to literacy, periodically meet to discuss the book and their responses, and share with their classmates. The paper explains how to conduct such…

Examines one professor's beginning as a reflective practitioner who practiced critical reflection in teaching and learning, highlighting research on students' beliefs about good teacher characteristics. Interviews with and observations of elementary students examined their beliefs about what characteristics made a good teacher. Results indicated…

Describes two teacher-preparation programs at California State University, San Marcos, that integrate action research. The paper highlights models for implementing action research and presents four examples of action research through the voices of preservice teachers. Preliminary findings suggest that both preservice teachers and supervisors…

Compared traditional teacher certification program graduates with those completing an alternative certification program, examining behavioral and teaching practice differences, the effects on their students' achievement, and their perceptions of their own teaching abilities. Data from observations, interviews, and students' achievement scores…

Investigated the major characteristics of the professional development of traditional and nontraditional adult student teachers. Data collection over one academic year included observations, interviews, and autobiographical, critically reflective student teacher journals. Results indicated that the student teaching experiences were markedly…

Examines the characteristics and needs of older student teachers, reviewing research on nontraditional students and prospective teachers; discussing the unique strengths and challenges of nontraditional students; presenting teacher education's responses to this growing population; showing how teacher educators deal programmatically with older…

Examined the development of two teacher education programs designed to increase the number of quality minority teachers in Latino neighborhood schools and on the Navajo reservation. Review of teacher education literature and analysis of interviews with program staff, archival records, and program documentation indicated that these two…