Preparing future teachers for diversity

This program for teacher education is built on the assumption that the effectiveness of public schooling will improve in relation to the diversity of ideas and experiences of teachers. The program speaks to the linkage between better teacher preparation, improved schooling for students of color, and the recruitment of teachers of color. The program has three main components: (1) early involvement in teacher education programs with ongoing internships in schools and the community; (2) active participation by arts and science faculty, including ethnic studies; and (3) seminars in the teacher education program which connect theory with practice.     

Lessons learned in an urban school: Preparing teachers for the educational village

Abstract

The disparities between the education of the rich and poor of this nation will continue to grow until educators are more willing and better prepared to work effectively in a variety of schools operating within a variety of models. Teacher education must prepare new teachers with open minds, willing hearts, and myriad strategies to address the realities, strengths, and critical needs of poor, culturally diverse urban schoolchildren and their families. This article describes an initiative that engages one teacher education program with an innovative urban “full‐service” elementary school in a joint effort to serve children and families and to provide a deeper and broader experience for preservice teachers. Education students complete traditional and nontraditional field work in a full‐service school with an “educational village” mission that extends from preschool to adult education.     

Education in Post-apartheid South Africa: Some lessons from Zimbabwe

The racial inequalities of the Rhodesian education system are outlined. The paper then assesses the conservativereforms of the transitional governmentof 'Zimbabwe-Rhodesia' (1978-80), and the more radical approach pursued since independence. A case study is made of nine secondary schools in Harare. The policies pursued are compared with the interim measures of the South African government since 1990, and lessons derived from the Zimbabwean experience are applied to the situation which will be inherited by the first post-apartheid government in South Africa. A new education strategy must seek to avoid the replacement of racial divisions with class divisions. It will need to re-think what the State can provide, and formulate strategies for funding what the State cannot provide, in order to minimise inequalities of opportunity.     

Recruiting and retaining secondary mathematics teachers: lessons learned from an innovative four-year undergraduate program

In response to the critical shortage of qualified mathematics teachers in the U.S., the TIME 2000 Program was created with funds from the National Science Foundation, at Queens College of the City University of New York. Now institutionalized, the program is designed to support the recruitment, preparation, and retention of prospective teachers through a close-knit learning community in which participants experience an innovative and multifaceted program for their four years of undergraduate study. This article describes the innovative aspects of the program that show promise of preparing highly competent teachers whose careers span a lifetime. Short- and long-term strategies for recruiting students from high school are described as well as the program components that are designed to increase retention of candidates in the program and in teaching.

Real lessons from imaginary teachers

The piece that follows had its first hearing as part of a symposium at the 1990 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association in Boston. Sigrun Gudmundsdottir and Grace Grant were at the podium, presenting their two narrative accounts of one schoolteacher’s practice. The schoolteacher was present as well, through the medium of a 10‐minute video presentation of her perspective as a research participant. My task as discussant was to bring the three different accounts of one teacher’s practice together, partially reconcile their differences, and thereby teach us all something about the possibilities and limitations of qualitative research on teaching.

At this early point in her academic career, Sigrun Gudmundsdottir showed a good deal of professional courage. She invited us to re‐examine critically her doctoral research project, something that few of her peers would have agreed to do. Her stance, it seemed to me, was ‘Let’s see what more we can learn about good teaching through a critical, public examination of this work’. Sigrun’s stance remains a worthy model for all of us today.     

Preparing gender inclusive science teachers: Suggestions from the literature

Conclusions It is imperative that the education given to United States children include adequate science taught in a way that will encourage the retention of all students; however, as half the population is female and females are underrepresented in the fields of mathematics and science, it is especially important that females be encouraged in these areas. Teacher education has been challenged to develop programs that produce teachers who understand the need for equitable science classrooms and who have the skills necessary to produce them. Several suggestions have been given for teacher education programs in science. First, college professors must examine their courses for gender bias. They must model equitable classroom strategies by planning activities that encourage the females to become active participants in the learning process and by using language that is gender inclusive. Second, definite instruction should be given to help the preservice and inservice teachers address their own attitudes toward science and children. Third, specific attention must be paid to assessing teachers in the following areas: (a) developing active, inquiry-based instruction; (b) developing classrooms in which constructive talking is the norm; (c) using cooperative groups correctly; (d) decreasing stereotyping of males, females, and scientists; and (e) using language that is gender inclusive.     

Developing different identity trajectories: lessons from the Chinese teachers

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate how three Chinese teachers developed their teacher identities in a reform context. Drawing upon data from a larger social historical study, the work-life narratives of the three teachers at different stages of their careers were used as case studies to showcase three types of teacher identity development trajectories, namely, learning to be both professional educator and subject teaching expert，learning to be subject teaching expert, and navigating to balance between educator and subject teacher. This study also investigated the factors that influence identity development trajectories of teachers and develops a conceptual framework for understanding teacher identity development in China. The framework shows that Chinese teachers’ exertion of their individual agency is embedded in the institutional context. Meanwhile, interpersonal relationships can work as a buffer to alleviate the tension between the institution and individual teachers. The study also shows the ways in which Chinese teachers’ exert their agency when developing their identities. The findings have significant implications for teacher education in terms of how to develop positive teacher identity over the course of a teacher’s career.     

Preparing teachers for multicultural classrooms

This article examines issues involved in teaching culturally diverse students and questions current practice in multicultural teacher education. An alternative approach to preparing teachers for multicultural classrooms, illustrated by the Teachers for Alaska program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, focuses prospective teachers on (a) attending to multicultural classroom and community contexts, (b) designing instruction to make connections between academic subject matter and diverse students' backgrounds, and (c) learning how to learn from students, communities, and practical experience. The authors argue that radical departures from traditional teacher education are possible and that breaks from standard practice are both desirable and effective in preparing teachers for multicultural classrooms.     

Preparing teachers for inclusive classrooms

Effective teaching skills consist of high levels of student engagement based on good classroom and time management skills; the ability to scaffold learning that is adapted to students' current levels of understanding; cognitively engaging students in higher-order thinking; and encouraging and supporting success. The research reported here suggests that in elementary classrooms, effective teaching skills are effective for all students, both with and without special education needs.     

Racial integration in the USA and South Africa: lessons in a comparative perspective

The year 2004 marked the 50th anniversary of the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education case that put an official end to segregated schooling in the USA. Desegregation has received little attention as of late, yet a number of scholars argue that the work of desegregation is far from being complete in the USA. The aim of this paper is to refocus attention on desegregation through a detailed comparison with a more recent case: the racial integration of schools in post‐Apartheid South Africa. While South Africa is not held up as the perfect example of integration, it illuminates concepts and ideas that may explain shortcomings of the US process and present new alternatives to revitalize the process. Likewise, it is hoped that the historical example of the USA is instructive to those involved in the integration effort in South Africa.     

Lesson Study with preservice teachers: Lessons from lessons

This article examines a 2-year process of integrating Lesson Study—a form of teacher-led professional development—into an introductory course on the principles of teaching for students majoring in early childhood education. The course is taught in conjunction with beginning practicum work in area schools. We describe obstacles, modifications, and outcomes as we adapted the Lesson-Study process to help preservice teachers pay closer attention to instructional strategies (such as questioning techniques, anticipating student responses, and how lesson flow affects student understanding), and become more comfortable with constructive criticism by focusing on the lesson plan rather than the teacher.     

Grant writing for childbirth educators: lessons learned from the resource center for young parents-to-be

Obtaining funding to support community-based childbirth education programs can be a challenge for childbirth educators who may have little grant-writing experience. This article was written by two nurse educators/nurse-midwives who have been involved for over 10 years with a grant-funded parenting and childbirth education program for pregnant teens. It reviews the background of the Resource Center for Young Parents-To-Be, suggests grant-funding sources, and explains the building of partnerships in the community. The basic steps involved in the grant-writing process are presented as well as the importance of follow-up evaluations and reports. Grant-writing skills and the ability to forge partnerships with other community organizations can be important tools for childbirth educators and health-care professionals.     

Leaving lessons: learning from the exit decisions of experienced teachers

For most teachers in the United States, teaching is no longer a career-long occupation. This article examines the narratives of a particular group of leavers, former teachers who made significant investments in their teacher training and who taught for at least three years before making the decision to exit. The accounts of these invested leavers are used to look at workplace change as a motivating factor for teacher exit, particularly changes in classroom authority that occur after teachers have begun to feel competent.     

Preparing teachers of the gifted

There is widespread agreement that gifted children are best served by specially qualified teachers. In addition to special knowledge and skills, such teachers need special personal qualities, which means that it may not be possible for all teachers to be equally effective with gifted youngsters. In the case of teacher training, this raises the question of whether there may not be personal characteristics whose presence prior to commencement of training is necessary for, or at least helpful in, the development of appropriate professional characteristics during the course of training. Other important issues in the training of teachers of the gifted are those of whether it should be delivered at undergraduate or postgraduate level, whether or not all teachers should receive certain basic training, and what role is to be played by in-service training.

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Zusammenfassung Es herrscht weitgehend Übereinstimmung darüber, daß begabte Kinder am besten von besonders ausgebildeten Lehrern betreut werden. Außer speziellen Kenntnissen und Fähigkeiten brauchen solche Lehrer besondere persönliche Qualitäten, d.h. es ist vielleicht nicht allen Lehrern möglich, bei begabten Kindern gleich effektiv zu sein. Was die Lehrerbildung angeht, wirft dies die Frage auf, ob nicht gewisse persönliche Eigenschaften vor Ausbildungsbeginn vorhanden sein müssten, die für die Entwicklung angemessener professioneller Eigenschaften während der Ausbildung unabdingbar oder zumindest förderlich sind. Andere wichtige Fragen zielen darauf ab, ob die Weiterbildung der Lehrer für Begabte bereits bei Nichtgraduierten oder erst während des Aufbaustudiums stattfinden sollte, ob nicht alle Lehrer eine gewisse Grundausbildung erhalten sollten und welche Rolle die Weiterbildung während der Berufsausübung spielen sollte.

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Résumé Il est largement reconnu que les enfants surdoués bénéficient davantage d'un enseignement délivré par des spécialistes qualifiés. En outre des connaissances et capacités spécifiques, les enseignants doivent aussi posséder certaines qualités personnelles, ce qui signifie qu'il se peut qu'ils ne soient pas tous d'égale efficacité auprès des jeunes surdoués. Dans le cas d'une formation à l'enseignement, la question soulevée est de savoir si des caractéristiques personnelles sont nécessaires avant d'entamer la formation ou si celles-ci sont un atout susceptible de promouvoir le développement des caractéristiques professionnelles appropriées dans le cours de la formation. D'autres questions d'importance pour la formation des enseignants pour élèves surdoués se posent, à savoir si cette formation est à dispenser au niveau du premier cycle ou du second cycle, si, ou non, les enseignants doivent tous recevoir une formation de base, et enfin, quel rôle cette formation doit jouer dans le cadre de la formation continue.

     

浅谈体育教学中的备课

备课是教学过程中不可缺少的一个环节。在实施体育课教学过程中,一方面要反复研究教材,吃透教材的内容,找出重点、难点,另一方面又要恰如其分地组织和安排课程的密度及运动量,调查掌握学生的基本情况,做好上课的准备工作。     

Preparing teachers for realistic mathematics education

A shift in mathematics education in the Netherlands towards the so-called realistic approach made it necessary to prepare prospective teachers for a type of curriculum different from what they experienced as pupils. This article describes the characteristics of a preservice programme aiming at this goal and presents an analysis of the development of the student teachers' views of mathematics and mathematics education during the programme as well as their classroom behaviour. This analysis is based on two research studies. The first was a longitudinal study in which the student teachers were followed during years by means of questionnaires and interviews. The second was a study in which graduates from this programme were compared with graduates from a more traditional preparation programme by means of two teacher questionnaires and a pupil questionnaire, the latter measuring the pupils' perceptions of the actual teaching behaviour of the graduates. The teacher education programme appeared to be successful in changing the student teachers' views of mathematics education, especially in the direction of a more inquiry oriented approach, and in promoting effective teacher behaviour in the classroom. As far as their facilitating role as a teacher is concerned, the student teachers seemed to go through a two-stage learning process. Most of them reached the first stage, in which they realize that pupils have different preferences for learning and that a variety of possible explanations for problems should be offered. However, only a small number of student teachers seem to reach the second stage, in which they recognize the principle of building on pupils' own constructions, an important feature of realistic mathematics education. Possible explanations for the low impact of the programme, as well as solutions are discussed.     

Preparing secondary school teachers for 1980

Evolution, not revolution, indicated for teacher education. Within functional limits diversity breeds innovation.