We draw on the philosophical works of Aristotle, Gadamer, Arendt, and Sockett to argue for a return to the rough ground of reason and deliberation in teaching. We offer a conceptualization of teaching and teacher development within a framework that honors the technical and practical nature of knowledge, experience, and practice. Through examples…

The preparedness of grade-level classroom teachers to mutually accommodate the differential needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students is becoming increasingly essential. Levels of this preparedness are captured by the accommodation readiness spiral, a framework for understanding teacher education and professional development for…

This article explores the 1st-year teaching experience of five Latino paraeducators. Through interviews, they discussed their challenges and successes, how their experience as paraeducators influenced their teaching experience, and what suggestions they have for schools and colleges to help ease new teachers into the profession. The study suggests…

Alternative certification programs were designed to recruit individuals with work experiences into the teaching profession. This article synthesizes two studies of teachers and teacher candidates who circumvented the alternative certification process. The teachers who participated in the quantitative portion of the study were neither mature in…

In the year 2000, the Texas Education Agency and the Texas A&M University System teamed up to create an initiative called the University Faculty Fellows Program. Spearheaded by Texas A&M International University in Laredo, the program paired up faculty from the university with area Advanced Placement (AP) teachers in a variety of disciplines.…

The National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983) published "A Nation at Risk", declaring the mediocrity of American educational performances. Twenty-five years later, our nation still remains at risk even though the federal government, through the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, has attempted to create a structure that…

This study examines narrative inquiry as a vehicle of empowerment for teacher-researchers living in a multicultural society. The study focuses on the personal, academic, and professional impact of narrative inquiry. In this qualitative study, which constitutes research on research, the participants were graduate students, all experienced teachers,…

The price of teacher attrition is high, not only financially, but also in terms of human and institutional costs. The inability to retain beginning teachers contributes significantly to teacher shortages. This study investigates the effect of the preparation program on teacher attrition. Attrition rates of elementary teacher graduates from two…

This article describes a project to teach consultation and collaboration to high school teacher interns and school psychology students at the university level. For 4 years, students participated in a performance-based project as part of a class. Surveys were mailed to graduates to determine the impact of the experience and their current…

This study examines the engagement of local teachers and parents in a low-income urban elementary school. Based on participant observation and interviews with 10 teachers who have residential histories in their school's neighborhood, this phenomenological study examines the ways in which the presence of teachers in the neighborhood and their…

In 1933, Dewey presented a speech in which he linked democracy, social class, and teacher activism as integral factors when addressing educational issues. This article argues that those issues include social issues as well. It examines democracy, social class, and present problems in the preparation of teachers, organized around the 1933 questions…

This literature review of teacher qualification standards consolidates information from various national groups and takes a historical approach to the development of current trends in such standards. We differentiate between teacher "qualifications" (the legal requirements for a credential) and teacher "quality" and summarize the stipulations of…