Introduces a theme issue on the publish or perish issue in teacher education institutions. The collection of articles includes teacher educators' autobiographical accounts and personal narratives about the complexities, difficulties, challenges, prospects, and promises of researching within the academy as well as more distanced analyses of these…

Discusses preservice and inservice beginning-teacher preparation, identifying areas of teaching that challenge the cultural deficit model by examining the role of teaching standards in addressing second-language learners' needs. Describes demographic changes within the classroom; reviews literature on effective teaching practices; and identifies a…

Transescent (preadolescent and early-adolescent) students are at high risk for negative social and psychological consequences, and their unique nature concerns educators. The emergence of junior high and middle schools illustrates educational attempts to address transescents' needs and reduce risk. Middle schools, with their current philosophical,…

Introduces an issue devoted to teaching portfolios in teacher education. The articles present initial research and reflections on the use of portfolios and share lessons learned through practice. They address such issues as the purposes of portfolios in teacher education; portfolio organization, management, and evaluation; and strengths and…

Presents an overview of teaching portfolios in teacher education, defining and describing the strengths and limitations of three portfolio models (the learning portfolio, the assessment portfolio, and the employment portfolio). The article emphasizes that portfolios can serve a variety of purposes and take many forms and notes the relationship…

Summarizes two trends in teacher education: using performance-based portfolios for assessment, instruction, and professional development and transforming computers from complicated instruments to universally available tools that facilitate tasks involving knowledge access and processing. The article explores connections between the two trends and…

Information regarding tests and requirements at entrance into teacher education programs, at initial certification, and as a teacher are presented on a state-by-state basis. (Author/MT)

The director of the Center for the Study of the Teaching Profession at The Rand Corporation discusses the impact of testing on teacher education, teacher practices, teacher candidates in historically black colleges, teacher supply and demand, testing instruments, and the future of teaching. (Author/MT)

A microcomputer-based instruction delivery system for elementary schools is recommended as a way to reduce class size at little increased cost, to increase contact time with students, to reduce idle time, and to develop information on individual student progress and problems. (Author/MT)

This article, comprised of two excerpts from the New York Times, illustrates the reemergence of university/school partnerships by describing a meeting of major university presidents and a project of cooperation between Stanford University and local public schools. (Author/MT)

What should be done to improve the critical thinking skills of preservice and inservice teachers is outlined. (MT)

Many students with behavior disorders have difficulty functioning in regular classrooms and pose persistent problems for classroom teachers. Classroom teachers are often reluctant or unable to deal with disruptive behavior. Research highlights the importance of considering classroom variables such as teacher attitudes and classroom environment in…

An educator reflects on preservice teachers in his class who were concerned with issues of interpersonal relations and classroom dynamics but not with socioeconomic, intercultural, and political contexts of education. Nevertheless, there were some faculty and students involved in urban schools bringing reconstructionist ideas of education for…

Proposes a framework for the practice of democratic decision making by teachers with their students, a framework developed through practice in educational institutions at all levels as well as in the community. The paper presents steps to take in moving toward the democratic ideal in a teacher-with-student class. (SM)

The article summarizes recent reports on the numbers of limited English proficient (LEP) students nationwide and the current supply and future demand for adequately prepared teachers. Recommendations for teacher preparation programs, institutions of higher education, school districts, local education agencies, state certification agencies, and the…