Within any higher education institution, there are great teachers who recognize the challenges to sustaining a commitment to highly effective teaching. The current paper explores the beliefs and practices of 10 faculty members who won an undergraduate teacher of the year award at a research-intensive institution. The paper explores the challenges…

The literature related to warm demanding describes teachers who balance care and authority to create a learning environment that supports a culture of achievement for African American students. Embedded in this stance is sociopolitical consciousness that explicitly links teachers' care and authority with a larger social justice agenda. Drawing on…

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has called for changes in mathematics teaching from a procedural to conceptual focus since 1980, yet the way mathematics is taught in many classrooms continues to contradict the recommended practices. The pervasiveness of this challenge has led some educators to suggest changes in university…

To establish job-embedded, ongoing professional development recent policies and initiatives required that districts appoint school-based coaches. The Reading First Initiative, for example, created an immediate need for coaches without a clear definition of coaches' responsibilities. Therefore, the purpose of this case study was to investigate how…

This study examined the impact of a Family Math Night on preservice teachers' perceptions of low-income parents and their engagement in their children's education. Participants were enrolled in an elementary mathematics methods course; one section served as the treatment group. Participants were required to aid in the planning and implementation…

This article presents findings from a study about the perceived impact of a job-embedded graduate program designed to prepare teacher leaders within the context of university-district-school partnerships. Study participants completed a 30-item survey about impact of the program on instructional practices, collaboration with peers, participation in…

This qualitative study was designed to examine teachers' and principals' perceptions of the impact of a graduate program designed to prepare teacher leaders. Impact was investigated through interviews with 20 graduates and 6 principals. Using Mezirow's concept of transformational learning, the study documents perceived transformation of teachers'…

Fifteen teachers who have conducted group or individual action research projects were interviewed to identify factors which promote and, at times, limit teachers' efforts to conduct action research studies. Interviews which ranged from 45 to 90 minutes focused on teachers' definitions of research, their involvement in research projects, support…

This study investigates the relationship between teachers' beliefs and practices in three kindergarten classrooms and identifies four factors which seem to influence that relationship. Information about the classrooms was collected using the classroom disclosure approach, a form of educational criticism which combines and adapts methods from…

The efforts of a teacher educator to introduce teacher effectiveness research to preservice teachers in ways that support development of critical reflection are described and evaluated. Results of an analysis of 242 theory-to-practice papers done by the preservice teachers, designed to indicate the level of student reflection, are presented. (IAH)

Creating safe and productive environments with a diverse student population requires more than the strategies recommended in the original classroom-management literature. Drawing from the literature on culturally responsive classroom management, psychologically supportive classroom environments, and building resilience, the authors describe the…

Examined how fifth-year teachers from an innovative preservice program resolved significant issues during their first teaching year. Interviews in their first and fifth years produced case studies that described teachers, contexts, interactions between teachers and contexts, and teacher beliefs and practices, providing important information for…

Analysis of 73 University of Florida faculty portfolios, prepared as part of an instructional improvement program, revealed great variability in quantity, quality, and coherence of evidence presented to support claims of excellence in teaching. Seven guidelines for portfolio preparation, appropriate for different colleges and teaching assignments,…

Contends that teachers have an obligation to select classroom management strategies that help students develop skills for responsible citizenship. Asserts that involving students in participative decision making is essential to this process. Provides four guidelines and 17 subguidelines derived from classroom management research. (CFR)

Case studies of six preservice teachers assessed their emerging perspectives about problems confronting diverse students, commitment to teaching diverse students, and beliefs about causes of failure for diverse learners. The paper describes students' perceptions of influences on their perspectives including coursework, background experiences,…