During field experiences, preservice teachers are typically required to observe mentor teachers in schools, but what exactly are they seeing? This research examined the patterns and variations that existed with regard to preservice teachers' classroom observations during recent field experiences. Data were collected from 24 preservice teachers…

Elementary education faculty at this university embedded a Teacher Work Sample (TWS) performance-based assessment into the student teaching experience to assess candidates' ability to impact student learning as required by recent accreditation reforms. The authors conducted an internal evaluation of the TWS for the purposes of strengthening not…

The Fall 2006 conference provided an opportunity to explore service to MWERA. In this article Merz and Batagiannis reflect on and extend how reviewers can serve the "Mid-Western Educational Research Journal".

This paper describes a study of mentoring programs for beginning principals in two different urban school districts. In both settings, the goal of mentoring was said to be support for instructional leadership behaviors by novice principals. This represents an alternative to traditional mentoring schemes designed solely to ensure that first year…

Predominately White institutions of higher education have focused a considerable amount of attention on the underrepresentation of African American and other ethnically diverse students in colleges and universities. To address this problem, colleges and universities have focused not just on recruitment but also on the retention of African American…

Teacher attrition is a serious issue in the field of special education (Boe, Cook, Bobbitt, & Terbanian, 1998). Teachers leave the field in record numbers due to inadequate support in a variety of areas (Shoho, Katims, & Meza, 1998). However, the first few years of a special education teacher's career have been shown to be crucial for teacher…

One of the most frustrating teaching dilemmas in post-secondary education is helping students who claim to have mastered the course content but are unable to demonstrate their understanding. These students are often convinced they have a command of the material and may even be able to persuade their instructor that their failure is due to the…

This study examines the role of lesson plan design in helping teacher candidates to meet diverse learning needs. The authors studied student teachers who had been taught to use a differential lesson plan to see if they were differentiating in their planning, assessment, and instruction. They concluded that, indeed, lesson plan design does…

Volume 12 of the Mid-Western Educational Researcher contains four issues. The first issue includes kick-off, keynote, luncheon, and presidential addresses from the annual meeting of the Mid-Western Educational Research Association (MWERA), held in Chicago, Illinois, in October 1998. Issue 3 is the program for MWERA's annual meeting in Chicago,…

Discusses three aspects of mentoring practices revealed by research on how teachers work together in naturalistic elementary school settings: (1) mentoring is just one of several types of supportive behaviors needed and practiced by teachers; (2) support networks differ between male and female teachers; and (3) informal mentoring occurs in schools…

Explores the various responses of four first-year English teachers to a state-mandated mentor program in New Jersey and implications for Wisconsin's proposal for a distinct mentor-supported license stage for beginning teachers. Suggests that mentors must appreciate their responsibilities and that school administrators must support the…

As states begin mandating induction-year programs as part of teacher preparation and certification, three issues have surfaced: the lack of consistency in definitions of mentoring among stakeholders, both between and within states; the need for the development of appropriate and effective models of mentoring; and the need for adequate funding to…

Outlines aspects of effective mentoring and teacher induction programs. Lists typical goals of effective mentoring programs and specific skills and competencies of trained mentors. Discusses frameworks for evaluating the impact of mentoring programs on beginning teachers, and suggests that the developing teacher moves through three stages:…

Outlines the principal's key role in mentor programs for beginning teacher induction: initiating the program, defining the needs of beginning teachers, selecting mentors, defining mentors' roles, providing training for mentors, staying personally involved with both mentors and beginning teachers, and evaluating the program. (SV)

During a meeting of the Ohio Education Association, teachers raised concerns about a pending state mandate requiring school districts to provide mentoring programs for beginning teachers. Concerns relevant to teacher unions/organizations included funding for adequate teacher release time, the mentor role, mentor selection, training, scheduling of…