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Bourdieu argued that class-based inequalities influenced educational outcomes and this paper illustrates the relevance of Bourdieu's concepts in understanding one specific community. A wider study by the authors used the concept of habitus to identify factors which impacted on the participants--predominantly white working-class mothers'--perceptions of their engagement with schools. This paper provides two selected case study examples from the wider study which describes the ways these mothers interpret different habitus in relation to education and discusses how habitus can inform understandings of different parental perceptions towards education and how this affects engagement. Schools can use this insight to ensure that parents from such backgrounds feel better able to engage with their children's education. Schools use this insight to inform to ensure that parents from such backgrounds feel able to engage with their children's education, both at home and in school.

Conducting research with under-represented, overlooked and service resistant groups poses challenges but can lead to valuable discoveries that inform the development of policy or practice. In this paper, a reflective account of a community-based methodology will be provided which targeted families in poverty who did not engage with the school system. The research discussed provides a phenomenological understanding of how these parents perceived their role in their child's education, and what challenges they felt they faced, both at home and in school. This community-based methodology proved effective in recruiting and obtaining data from five focus groups (n = 27) and a series of in-depth interviews (n = 50). The perceived positionality of the gatekeeper is discussed, explained using Tajfel and Turner's social identity theory [(1979). An Integrative Theory of Intergroup Conflict.' In "The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations," edited by W. G. Austin, and S. Worchel, 33-37. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole], with particular focus on in-group/out-group identity perceptions. The efficacy of the strategies used are discussed and recommendations for a community-based methodology for educational research is provided.

This study employed ethnographic methods to describe and explain changes to beginning science teachers' (n = 6) practices and beliefs during a year long internship. Teaching practices were strongly influenced by the cooperating teachers. Initially, all six interns attempted to re-enact lessons they witnessed their cooperating teachers teach, including following lesson structures and borrowing representations, anecdotes, and jokes. Later, they independently implemented instruction that emphasized similar strategies as their mentors, regardless of whether or not they were experiencing success. Interns who were successful also shifted their beliefs to match their mentors. (Contains 4 tables.)

Research on teacher quality is not definitive. But, we know that developing high-quality teachers requires a multipronged approach: We need to recruit promising teachers. We need to retain and reward effective early career teachers. We need mechanisms to dismiss those who don't improve. We need to focus teacher preparation on the foundations of skilled beginning practice, and we need to invest in systems of professional development that effectively improve the practice of experienced teachers. We also need to invest in working conditions, which are fundamentally tied to school climate and resources.

Teacher quality is at the center of today's ardent discussions about the educational system, with calls for the reform and critical review of teacher development programs. There is no lack of activity in response to these calls. There are thousands of teacher education, induction, and professional programs in the U.S. which offer teachers a veritable carnival of options. But these options exist in a (non)system with little coherence or control. In this article, the authors outline the dimensions of the variability of teacher learning opportunities currently available, the unintended consequences of that variability, and the challenges faced by educators as we attempt to reform the system, respond to our critics, and offer teachers coherent learning experiences that lead to high quality teaching. (Contains 3 notes.)

This study examines the impact of a nationally disseminated professional development program, Developing Mathematical Ideas (DMI), on teachers' specialized knowledge for teaching mathematics and illustrates how such research could be conducted. Participants completing 2 DMI modules were compared with similar colleagues who had not taken DMI. Teacher knowledge was measured with multiple-choice items developed by the Learning Mathematics for Teaching project and open-ended items based on problems initially developed by DMI experts. After controlling for pretest scores, a hierarchical linear model identified statistically significant differences: The DMI group outperformed the comparison group on both assessments. Gains in teachers' scores on the more closely aligned measure were related to the degree of facilitator experience with DMI. This study adds to our understanding of the ways in which professional development program features, facilitators, and issues of scale interact in the development of teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching. Study limitations and challenges are discussed. (Contains 12 footnotes, 6 tables, and 1 figure.)

In this article, the author explores seven "unanswered questions" concerning the preparation of future teacher educator-researchers. She considers five questions concerning the substance of doctoral preparation: what the new generation of teacher-researchers would need to know about teacher education, relevant disciplines, research methodologies, teaching in universities, and K-12 schooling. She then briefly discusses the need to theorize about how doctoral students learn to teach and conduct research. In essence, the author proposes a curriculum for her own learning as a mentor and advisor in a doctoral program for future teacher educator-researchers. (Contains 7 notes.)

In this article, the author discusses her varied reactions to Larry Cuban's most recent book, "How Scholars Trumped Teachers," which discusses 100 years of discussions resulting from the tension between research and teaching responsibilities of scholars at Stanford University. The article begins with a brief description of Cuban's analysis, which is followed by a description of the author's own experience trying to straddle the line between teaching and research. Finally, in the spirit of Cuban's analysis, she offers one incremental step toward re-balancing teaching and scholarship in the university.

Describes an introduction-to-teaching course that helps students question ingrained beliefs and assumptions about teaching. Students envision teaching knowledge as lists of methods for discipline, management, evaluation, and instruction that, once memorized, will ensure their success. The characteristics making knowledge worth knowing often get lost. Includes nine references. (MLH)

The Teacher Assessment Project at Stanford University has undertaken a series of "wisdom of practice" studies with 11 experienced high school history teachers. This article describes two teachers who achieve optimal results using contrasting teaching styles and classroom organization systems. Both are thoroughly knowledgeable in history and alternative pedagogies. Includes 18 references. (MLH)