This exploratory study proposes to help new bilingual classroom teachers and administrators of new teachers to overcome problems related to discipline in the bilingual classroom. In this study, the respondents are experienced elementary teachers with two or more years in the targeted district's schools. The researcher was unable to locate any studies dealing directly with bilingual classrooms and student discipline. The literature review looks at the related issues of dropouts, absenteeism, rules, beyond rules, teacher burnout, parent involvement, the role of the administrator, the role of culture, cultural differences, bicognition, and teaching practices. All of the above mentioned are germane to the issue of student discipline, directly or indirectly, in American schools in urban settings. A 28-item bilingual (English/Spanish) questionnaire was responded to by 48 of 50 experienced bilingual elementary teachers solicited in this urban school district in Western Massachusetts. Each year, this district experiences a bilingual elementary teacher turnover of about 20% to 25%. The experienced bilingual elementary teachers in this study reflected on their first two years of teaching and described their attitudes and positive strategies for success. Their responses emerged to the researcher as a framework to develop a college course on creating a positive classroom ambience and/or teacher training workshops on classroom discipline and/or training, for the more effective involvement of school administrators. Chapter II should be given to teachers (bilingual or non-bilingual) as a handbook for guidance.

In the last decade there has been a surge of interest in preservice teachers' thinking. By and large, research studies have focused on the final student teaching period of preservice teacher education. However, little is known about future teachers' perspectives on teaching and the self prior to student teaching. This study--based on social constructivism and dialectical approach to teacher socialization--examined the biographies, notions of identity, epistemological perspectives, and current views about teaching of 15 entering preservice teachers at a large state university, using qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews. Interview questions focused on participants' interpretation of their educational experiences, their perspectives of themselves as learners, and their ideas about teaching. The results are presented in relation to the three themes: images of the self, images of teachers and teaching, and towards the image of self as a teacher. Participants' perspectives of themselves as knowers as well as their social group memberships significantly affected their notions of themselves as teachers, their perceptions of their future students, and their priorities in teaching. The results indicate the importance of opportunities to experience mastery in the domains preservice teachers would teach like math, science, or writing, and the need for inquiry into metaphors describing teachers and images of teaching during teacher education. The case is made for including epistemology in the content of teacher education curricula.

The purpose of this study was to (1) investigate teachers' perceptions of their own ability to embrace diversity, and (2) to explore how their personal, professional and academic preparation influenced their perceptions. Three research questions guided this study: (1) What type of personal and professional experiences affect the perceptions and behaviors of practicing teachers toward embracing diversity? (2) How do practicing teachers perceive that their teacher preparation program has prepared them to teach from a multicultural perspective? (3) What recommendations do practicing teachers have for enhancing the preparation of teachers to educate a diverse population? This study consists of four components: (1) a pilot study of three in-depth phenomenological interviews each with two participants that served as a basis for the current study. (2) one additional study of a novice teacher, using three classrooms observations and three in-depth phenomenological interviews. (3) a qualitative questionnaire, used with practicing teachers who had recently graduated from a teacher preparation program, designed to determine if there was a need for investigation into the research questions. (4) a quantitative questionnaire, used with beginning teachers, which examined how they felt they were prepared to teach a diverse student body. The findings reveal that graduates from one teacher preparation program feel that they were exposed to little or no multicultural education in their course work, and had been inadequately prepared to teach a diverse population. Many of the graduates are employed in school districts which incorporate superficial approaches to multicultural education. Teachers expressed a desire to become a part of a network where they could learn how to incorporate multicultural education into the curriculum. It seemed that what prepared teachers best to work with diverse populations was actually living in the community among diverse people; it was there that people started to understand issues, events and people from a variety of perspectives.* ftn*Originally published in DAI Vol. 58, No. 9. Reprinted here with corrected title.

The responsibilities of contemporary principals have increased dramatically and principals continue to be held accountable for school improvement efforts. Leading the school improvement process is a daunting task for principals. In this study, elementary school principals across Massachusetts reported that they consider helping teachers increase student learning to be a high leadership priority for school improvement. Further, the review of the research and literature undertaken for this study argues that principals should place helping teachers increase student learning at the heart of all school improvement efforts and that elementary school principals should make the facilitation of teaching and learning a leadership priority. However, data gathered in this research indicate that elementary school principals spend the greater percentage of their time on management/administrative responsibilities rather than on leadership aspects of their job that help teachers improve student performance. The review of the research and literature undertaken for this study examines the numerous and diverse responsibilities of the principalship, and the contexts in which principals work. The literature review also examines the various ways principals help teachers improve teaching and learning. In spite of the mismatch between what elementary school principals in this study consider to be important and their actual practice, they were able to provide examples of the various ways they are currently helping teachers increase student learning. This study also describes the work conditions elementary school principals across Massachusetts perceive they need in order to improve teaching and learning. The major implications of this study are that elementary school principals need to: (a) find a balance between their management and leadership responsibilities; (b) utilize their discretionary time to help teachers improve teaching and learning; and (c) seek professional experiences to help them reflect on how they can improve their practice. Finally, this study proposes a number of recommendations that may be useful to elementary school principals, organizations that provide preservice and inservice opportunities, educational policy makers, and other parties interested in assisting elementary school principals help teachers increase student learning.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the use of a video camera and video printer compared to a 35-mm camera on learning by student teachers of the documentation panel-making and revisiting processes as methods of enhancing student teachers' teaching skills, and to determine which medium better assisted pre-service teachers in expanding their understanding of the role of the teacher. This study consisted of two major parts: The first studied documentation panel-making processes, and the second part studied revisiting processes. Eight hypotheses were raised in this study. It is assumed that the quality of documentation panel and revisiting would be constrained or enhanced by the medium of documentation. The participants were 12 undergraduate education majors who were in the process of completing the final preschool practicum. The participants were equally divided in two groups, the video and video printer users, and the videotaped episode and 35-mm camera users. Six student teachers used a 35-mm camera and videotaped episodes and the other six teachers used a video camera and video printer to create documentation panels and to revisit. Student teachers created two documentation panels and had two revisiting experiences. The data for this study were derived from 24 documentation panels, 24 interview tapes, and 24 revisiting tapes. Two-way analysis of variance showed that there were no statistically significant differences found in all seven dependent variables by treatment and practice conditions and their interactions. This might be because of the small number of subjects studied. As regards revisiting, the video printer group showed higher scores for both revisiting I and revisiting II than the 35-mm camera group on the quality of revisiting skills and the degree of temporality on revisiting. The results of analysis of interview responses showed that the unique aspects of each technology affected student teachers' learning in different ways in the documentation panel-making and revisiting processes. The groups using a video camera and video printer displayed a process orientation of children's learning compared to the use of a 35-mm camera and videotaped episode group. Also, the video printer group demonstrated better revisiting skills than the 35-mm camera group when they used their photographs to facilitate children's construction of knowledge and interpretation of learning processes. Overall, the video printer group demonstrated a better quality of panels and revisiting skills than the 35-mm camera group.

Educational researchers concur that meaningful teacher development is an essential ingredient for educational reform. One professional development model, the Learning Network, provides in-depth, job-embedded mentoring support for teachers by trained teacher leaders. The program developers maintain that teachers who are exposed to a reflective, constructivist learning process centered around literacy will eventually generalize the understandings and practices to other content areas. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine whether the theories and practices of learner-centered teaching in literacy (i.e., the Learning Network) transfer to mathematics during the implementation of a new constructivist math curriculum (Investigations). Two second grade teachers from a suburban school district, one at an early career stage, the other in a late stage, participated in the study. Data were collected from six sources: initial personal data surveys, stimulated recall interviews centered around videotaped mathematics lessons, semi-structured interviews, classroom observations from two different researchers, self-reported classroom practices, and formal classroom documents. Analysis of the data was triangulated across data sources and among an external researcher, the research participants, and this researcher who independently coded the transcribed stimulated recall interviews. The theoretical underpinnings of the Learning Network model (Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development, Brian Cambourne's Conditions of Learning, and the Teaching and Learning Cycle) provided the framework for the study. Results indicated that each teacher had transferred aspects of the Learning Network model into her practices, although the depth of transfer differed. The early career stage teacher referred to the theoretical basis of her actions in vague terms. Much of her self-reported transfer centered around methodology, efficiency, and organizational issues. The veteran teacher expressed specific references to the theoretical basis for most of her actions. Her mathematics practices reflected transfer of most of the Learning Network components. Results of this study suggest that teachers need and desire continued, long-term, individualized support to transfer constructivist theories and practices from one content area to another. The frequency of mentoring support is not as critical as the skillfulness of the mentor. Finally, implementation support meetings need to be regularly scheduled to provide teachers continued development through collegial discussions.

This paper asks: Are there characteristics of child care directors that are shared among those operating high quality programs? The researcher examines quality child care and the role of directors in the delivery of quality care. Child care directors occupy a pivotal position to influence the quality of child care through their training, their experience and their roles within the center. The literature suggests a link between child care directors and program quality and this study attempts to explore that link. The researcher has conducted a comparative study of the characteristics of 282 child care administrators in accredited and nonaccredited programs within Massachusetts. A profile of directors of quality programs was developed by surveying licensed and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredited child care centers in Massachusetts (n = 159). The data was then screened through seven quality criteria derived from the literature in order to arrive at a 'filtered' profile of quality administrators. These profiles were matched against the directors of the nonaccredited child care programs (n = 123). A random sample of 31 directors and their centers from both groups (22 accredited, 9 nonaccredited) was examined to establish what level of quality was actually occurring. The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (Harms & Clifford, 1980) and the Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scale (Harms, Cryer, & Clifford, 1990) was used to score overall center quality, and additionally data were collected while on-site. The study was able to establish that directors of the high quality early care and education programs had statistically distinct characteristics, but failed to predict quality by themselves. Additional comparisons created a revised grouping which was of similar quality to both of the NAEYC accredited groups. Additionally, NAEYC accredited child care centers were operating at a significantly higher quality than the nonaccredited programs in Massachusetts, with 92% of the classrooms (n = 75) operating at a developmentally appropriate level. The study found that 72% of the nonaccredited classrooms (n = 32) were developmentally appropriate. Overall quality was demonstrated at higher than expected levels. While the study was able to make definitive statements about the quality of child care in Massachusetts, it failed to make a conclusion about the directors and quality.

This dissertation includes (a) Chapter 1, background and purpose—the importance and significance of the study; (b) Chapter 2, a review of the literature; (c) Chapter 3, methodology (research design, data collection and modes of analysis); (d) Chapter 4, presentation of the data; and (e) Chapter 5, conclusions and recommendations. Appendices include participant information, forms, tables and a bibliography. Teacher educators in public colleges and universities perform important work in an environment largely legislated by forces external to education. In the current environment of educational reform, the work of the education professoriate is influenced by the expectations and attributes of legislative mandates for standardization in curricular content and delivery, higher admission standards for prospective teachers, competency testing for certification candidates, and ongoing professional development for all certified teachers. Concurrently, changes in Massachusetts regulations for the certification of educational personnel affect teacher education programs from design to outcome-based assessment. What aspects of the Education Reform Act most strongly influence the public secondary teacher educator? What are the responses of the secondary teacher education community to this attempt at systemic reform? How does implementation of the Education Reform Act affect the work of secondary teacher educators? How has the legislation affected secondary teacher education programs in the Commonwealth? Structured interviews with secondary teacher educators focused on participants' views of and responses to the Education Reform Act of 1993 provide data from the cohort of professionals most immediately engaged in the implementation of the tenets of the Massachusetts legislation. Current Massachusetts legislation updates and interim implementation reports provide a context for participant responses. Analysis and discussion of participant responses in light of the current literature on reform and change in teacher education form the basis for the analytical sections of the qualitative study. This study elicited participants' views of the Commonwealth's legislative initiatives affecting teacher preparation, certification, and the work of the secondary teacher educator in the context of educational reform. Themes of communication, collaboration, accountability and status and relationships which emerged from interview data are discussed within the context of implementing the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993.

The purpose of this action research study was to investigate pre-service physical education teachers' and their teacher educator's perceptions regarding the implementation of a tactical approach in an 8-week tennis class. Participants were 13 pre-service teachers and the teacher educator, as researcher, in a tennis activity course. Data collection techniques included teacher educator's self-reflective journal, participants' reflections, videotaped class observations, structured interviews, pre- and post knowledge test and a demographic questionnaire. Game play was videotaped for analysis before and after instruction and the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI) was used to code the data. Reflections and field notes from videotaped class observations, and interviews were analyzed through constant comparison. Demographic questionnaire was analyzed using descriptive statistics while pre- and post knowledge and game performance were analyzed using ANOVAs. Based on results from the questionnaire (years and type of playing experience, self-rating) pre-service teachers were grouped as either inexperienced or experienced. Results from the ANOVA, with the exception of Base Index, yielded a non-significant interaction effect. The inexperienced group's Base Index was significantly higher at post-test (M = 4.32) than at pre-test (M = 1.13), p < .05. Knowledge test results indicated that at the pretest the experienced group scored significantly higher (M = 13.33) than the inexperienced group (M = 10.57), p < .05. Both groups significantly improved from pre to posttest. Teaching using a tactical approach resulted in an increased content knowledge for the teacher educator as well as a shift in overall beliefs about games teaching. For example, learning to use the question/answer (Q&A) segment of lessons occurred in a three-step learning continuum: imitation, rephrase, and dual-directional conversation that shifted the role of teacher from information giver to facilitator. Pre-service teachers indicated that the Q&A segments made them adjust their tactical thinking and as such provided an important source of feedback during game play. Pre-service teachers indicated that learning via a tactical approach was a meaningful experience for the following reasons: (a) the combined learning of tactical and skill execution elements, (b) the skills were immediately applied in game situations, (c) the class was enjoyable (interesting, challenging), and (d) students learned a new assessment instrument.

What are characteristics of exceptional teaching in terms of academic, social and emotional growth as determined by middle school teachers and students? An effective middle grades teacher transmits a core of common knowledge to his or her students. An effective middle grade teacher makes his or her students feel they are a part of a community, and provides a meaningful and challenging educational experience. The effective middle grades teacher takes the time to talk with his or her students about academic matters and personal problems, and makes the student see that he or she has value and is a success, with a promising future. (Turning Points, 1989). Are pre-service teachers prepared to teach at the middle level? The purpose of this study was to determine if effective middle school teachers share certain characteristics, and if so, how could they become integrated into a teacher education program. Teachers of middle school students, pre-service teachers, middle school students, and middle school administrators participated in this study about effective middle school teachers. Surveys, interviews, and questionnaires were administered to participants in order to determine what is exceptional about them. The data was then used to identify characteristics or methods which effective middle level teachers have in common. The results were grounded in adolescent development theory. The research may help determine teacher characteristics or methods that are most suited in terms of academic, social, and emotional growth for a middle level student.