This article examines the effectiveness of a 1-year full-time credential program in recruiting, preparing, and retaining elementary, secondary, and special education teachers for urban schools. The program was designed to restructure teacher education as a shared school-university responsibility and to reflect best teacher preparation practices…

Documentation is sparse regarding outcomes associated with teacher education portfolios and the quality of the reflections contained within the portfolios. This collective case study of six teacher candidates enrolled in an elementary teacher education program at a large midwestern university explores the outcomes of developing a portfolio based…

This research examined the nature of classroom decision making among three elementary teachers (the first in her 8th year, the second in her 3rd year, and the third in her 1st year). We were interested in understanding how teachers experience the complexity of classroom decision making and how they manage the cognitive load while teaching. The…

This survey research on National Writing Project (NWP) teachers and comparison teachers (N=35) in a southeastern state found that the NWP teachers wrote more than the comparison teachers did and that the participating teachers' writing was associated with students' achievement in writing. The pattern of the impact of writing life on achievement…

The coupling of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act has placed a large number of students with disabilities into general education settings. The continued trend toward educating students with disabilities in inclusive settings mandates that teachers be prepared to work with all learners. General…

The purpose of this study was to examine the sources of efficacy of experienced teachers who are making the transition to reform-based mathematics teaching, by examining the criteria that they use to evaluate their teaching effectiveness. The quantity and quality of 10 elementary teachers' verbal reflections on the success of their lessons were…

One elementary school's ongoing process in developing an appropriate action research requirement for teacher candidates during their student teaching experience (internship) is described. The assignment has evolved from a pilot project with one intern and mentor teacher to a requirement for all interns at the school. Several issues that emerged…

The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze transition into elementary classrooms of students in a master of arts in teaching (MAT) program. Data sources included feedback, written observations and internship evaluations of students, informal conversations with mentoring teachers, and formal interviews with two mentors. One mentor worked…

This case study describes the impact of high-stakes testing on a first-year teacher's literacy instruction. Results indicated that content from literacy methods courses was often abandoned in favor of compliance to a test preparatory program. As an intervention, I began teaching in the third-grade classroom while the beginning teacher observed.…

In this article, we examine the evolving influences and literacy beliefs of two elementary teachers during their second year of professional teaching. Interview and observational data indicated that teaching context and personal dispositions most influenced the participant?s literacy beliefs during this time. In particular, instructional decisions…

In this article, we examine the evolving influences and literacy beliefs of two elementary teachers during their second year of professional teaching. Interview and observational data indicated that teaching context and personal dispositions most influenced the participant's literacy beliefs during this time. In particular, instructional decisions…

This study was designed to develop more effective ways to address culture and cultural differences in the preparation of preservice teachers. Its purpose was to provide a more adequate preparation for working in high-need schools by assisting educators in the development of "habits of mind" that incorporate an understanding and valuing of…

This investigation offers a programmatic perspective into how a certain group of elementary preservice teachers experienced and evaluated their teacher education program by periodically assessing progress with regard to needs being met. A Likert-scale survey including open-ended responses was administered to 123 elementary preservice teachers at…

This case study investigates the effectiveness of online peer dialogue journaling. The authors developed this learning strategy for elementary preservice teachers to reflect on their tutoring experiences and to provide support to their journal partners using an Internet discussion forum. The participants were asked to fill in two questionnaires,…

The effective elementary school teacher should be trained throughout the collegiate career with explicit reference to the elementary school curriculum; have achieved both breadth and depth in academic background from a combination of disciplines; and have been explicitly trained to integrate and use this knowledge in teaching. (CB)