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Beginning in middle school, there is an increasing gap between school and the home. In linguistically and ethnically diverse communities, there is often an even greater separation between children's school lives and the home. This toolkit provides teachers, particularly new teachers and those in high-poverty urban and rural communities, with information and strategies about how to successfully work with parents to help all children succeed. Five chapters focus on (1) "Introduction: Linking Family Involvement and Student Success"; (2) "Improving Home-School Communications" (e.g., sample welcoming letter, how to avoid an impasse with a parent, and what to include in a newsletter, flyer, or Web site for parents); (3) "Helping Parents Support Schoolwork at Home" (e.g., 11 reasons parents and students need to do schoolwork together, what to expect in the classroom, and a homework assignment to involve parents); (4) "Coming Together To Guide Student Success" (e.g., steps to college and how to be school savvy); and (5) "Sparking Whole School Change" (e.g., sample parent involvement survey, what to include in a family center, and sample letter of inquiry). Each chapter presents key issues, information on what one teacher can do, and tools for success. (SM)

There is an urgent need not only to attract more people into the teaching profession but also to build a more diverse, highly qualified, and culturally sensitive teaching force that can meet the needs of a rapidly changing school-age population. This Toolkit takes best practices from high school teacher academies around the United States and organizes them into the steps needed to design and implement programs. The purpose of the Toolkit is to help school districts plan and institutionalize high school teaching academies in order to nurture and "grow" prospective teachers committed to serving their schools and communities. Research done by the Urban Teacher Academy Project suggests that there are approximately 50 teacher academy programs in the country. These high school teacher academies are teaching-focused, comprehensive academic programs within larger schools, most of which offer electives related to teaching, learning, and children, with precollege internships in schools and partnerships with colleges and universities that provide a pathway into college and teacher education. The guide's first chapter gives strategies for putting the elements of a successful teaching career academy into place. The second chapter explains the important elements of effective programs and gives a look at how these elements have been implemented in other teaching academies. The third chapter provides advice on how to document and assess a program. An appendix provides useful information about other national precollegiate teacher recruitment programs to supplement or support teaching career academy activities. A planner's checklist is included to outline steps in designing a teaching career academy. An appendix contains descriptions of three teaching career academy programs, and a list of useful resources for establishing a teaching career academy is included. (SLD)

This handbook is designed to help beginning evaluators of teacher recruitment programs. It addresses the information and assessment needs of teacher recruitment programs. It takes a hands-on approach and includes worksheets and instructions for using them. After presenting tips for getting started, the handbook offers eight steps to successful program evaluation, which include: (1) understanding the purpose of program evaluation; (2) identifying audiences for the evaluation; (3) planning for evaluation resources and costs; (4) identifying evaluation questions; (5) selecting methods for data collection/sample surveys; (6) analyzing and interpreting the data; (7) drawing conclusions and making recommendations; and (8) reporting the evaluation results. The handbook also includes mini-case studies of program evaluation. Four appendixes offer: more tips from practitioners, a glossary of terms, resources for program evaluation, and a reader response form. (SM)

This digest provides a summary at-a-glance of critical legislative activity and related reports that have addressed many facets of California's teacher recruitment and development challenges over the decade. The nine chapters focus on: "Teacher Recruitment,""University-Based Teacher Preparation,""Teacher Credentialing,""Alternative Certification/Preparation,""Paraeducator-to-Teacher Preparation,""Bilingual Teacher Preparation,""Special Educator Preparation,""Pre-Collegiate Teacher Recruitment," and "Teacher Induction." (Contains 74 references.) (SM)

This book is designed to provide parents and other adult companions with activities to do with children on outdoor walks. The activities offer adults and children a shared learning experience and have been adapted from the children's education program at Habitat Institute for the Environment (Massachusetts). The activities are arranged seasonally, based on natural history events that can be observed during those particular seasons. Eight distinctly different seasons can be observed: late winter's quiet giants (trees in February and early March), subtle signs of early spring (late March and April), spring's dramatic changes (May and June), long days and warm nights of summer (July and August), summer's grand finale (September), forests in autumn (October), late autumn preparing for winter (November and early December), and snow (mid-December and January). Each seasonal section includes nature study activities that have a reasonably good chance of being done with success in that season. Within the seasonal sections, the activities are presented in random order. (JRH)

This report summarizes a study of Americans' attitudes toward teaching, educational opportunity, and school reform. Surveys of 2,501 adults nationwide indicate that Americans unequivocally support the guarantee of free public education and consider improvement in fundamental areas of student behavior and academic performance essential. Greater percentages of the public in this survey believe that all students are capable of learning demanding academic material and that hard work pays off in higher achievement. A declining percentage of Americans believe that educational opportunities are shared equally by minorities and the poor. Americans consider ensuring a well-qualified teacher in every public school classroom, along with safe schools and parent involvement, the most important element in lifting student achievement. Most Americans agree on what qualified teachers mean to them, with the most important elements being classroom management skills, deep subject matter knowledge, and understanding of how to teach that subject and how children learn. The public believes that pairing new teachers with proven veterans is a good solution to teacher recruitment and quality challenges. They support government action to ensure a larger pool of qualified teachers, particularly for disadvantaged students. The teacher survey is appended. (SM)

This publication is the introductory guide to the Recruiting New Teachers, Inc.'s Toolkit, which is designed to help states and school districts meet their teacher recruitment and retention challenges. The guide provides information on: today's national teacher shortage crisis; how to make a case for stepping up recruitment efforts for diverse teachers (noting the importance of teacher diversity); strategies for selling a district to prospective teachers and coping with the competition; and the use of the Internet in teacher recruitment. The guide concludes by offering five steps for improving teacher recruitment and retention efforts (building a recruitment team, identifying needs, examining available pools of prospective teachers, developing a focus and setting goals, and evaluating readiness to significantly improve teacher recruitment and retention efforts). An annotated list of resources for finding information about teacher recruitment, development, and diversity is included. (SM)

This guide is part of a toolkit designed to help states and school districts meet teacher recruitment and retention challenges. Information comes primarily from a 1996 report, Breaking the Class Ceiling: Paraeducator Pathways to Teaching, which examines how paraeducator-to-teacher programs nationwide work to create a more qualified and diverse teaching force for U.S. schools. This guide helps people understand the value of paraeducator-to-teacher programs; obstacles paraeducators face in becoming teachers; important elements of effective programs; what is involved in staffing and recruiting participants; and building support for programs. It explains who paraeducators are and why they should be recruited to be teachers. It also presents profiles of paraeducators and discusses the design of paraeducator-to-teacher recruitment programs. Potential barriers for participants are noted (e.g., financial problems, basic skills testing, family responsibilities, language skills, and time commitment). The guide explains how to develop effective programs, discussing program design, staffing considerations, participant recruitment, and follow-up support for graduates. It also discusses how to build support for a program, highlighting collaboration and funding. It concludes with an in-depth look at successful programs, a checklist for program development, and a list of resources. (SM)

This guide to becoming a teacher includes six sections: (1) "A Snapshot of the Profession" (e.g, reasons to teach, the need to improve schools, working conditions for teachers, areas of high teacher demand, and how to find out more); (2) "Preparing to be a Teacher" (e.g., a primer on teacher education programs, three pathways to the classroom, online learning, mid-career changing, and finding financial aid); (3) "Teacher Licensure and Certification Today" (assuring teacher quality, moving across state lines, and standardized licensure tests); (4) "Opportunities for Persons of Color" (the need for teachers of color); (5) "Finding a Job in Teaching" (e.g., where the jobs are, teacher salaries, finding a job online, and teaching in nonpublic schools); and (6) "Making the Most of a Career in Teaching" (e.g., teaching and professional satisfaction and strategies for success). The guide also includes five papers: "Why I Teach" (Irasema Ortega-Crawford); "From the Bar to the Blackboard" (Dean Spencer); "Why I Became a Teacher" (Otis Young); "Giving Hope" (Jackie Stanley); "What I Found" (Susan Leeds); and "One for All" (Susan Coldwater Lloyd). (SM)

This guide is intended to help the reader understand: the value of teacher induction programs designed to orient, support, train, and assess novice teachers; what makes induction programs work; the essential ingredients of an effective induction program; and how to get started improving efforts to support and assess novice teachers. Six sections present: "Introduction" (e.g., what teacher induction is, why induction programs are needed, why new teacher leave the profession, common barriers for new teachers, and the future of induction programs); "Guidelines for Success" (e.g., view induction as a multiyear, developmental process; provide a first-class mentoring program; invest in technology; and evaluate program effectiveness); "How to Develop an Effective Teacher Induction Program" (getting started and program components); "A Program That Works: An In-Depth Look" (California's Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment projects); "Checklist for Developing an Induction Program" (e.g., understand the value of developing an induction program, put together a planning team, collaborate with partner organizations, provide quality mentoring, and link inductee evaluation to district and state level standards); and "Resources." (SM)

Designed to prepare students in grades 10-12 for immediate employment in a hospitality and recreation industry, this curriculum guide also provides a foundation for continuing education in the field. Four distinct components are included, each organized by units, which in turn are divided into activities. Each unit begins with an overview followed by descriptions of objectives, rationale, and concept. The components are Lodging Services (Front Office Procedures, Reservations, Convention Planning, Bed and Board: "Back of the House" Operations, and Lodging Service Resource Information); (2) Travel Services (Use of the Official Airline Guide, Use of Manuals, Making Reservations, Interviewing the Client, and Travel Services Resource Information); (3) Recreation, (Leading Groups, Planning and Organizing Programs, Designing a Playground, Individualized Skill Preparation, and Recreation Resource Information); and (4) Sports, Entertainment, and Cultural Services (Ticketing Systems, Communication Skills, Money Management, Individualized Skill Preparation, and Resource Information on Sports, Entertainment, and Cultural Services). Each of the four components consists of two major parts--resource information with suggested student activities and occupational preparation content. The resource information section provides information about the general characteristics of the hospitality and recreation industry. The occupational preparation section, divided into a teacher's guide and accompanying student materials, addresses the specific skills required for entry-level employment. (HD)

This curriculum guide is designed to help students develop career decisionmaking skills which they may use throughout their lives and examine and explore hospitality and recreation occupations. Nine units are included, with each consisting of a teacher's guide and student materials. The teacher's guide includes an overview, objectives, rationale, concepts, and activity. The student materials are organized by activity and include an overview and activity explanation. Beginning units focus on the development of career decisionmaking skills in the context of hospitality and recreation occupations and later units emphasize the hospitality and recreation concepts and skills within the framework of career decisionmaking. The units are titled (1) What is A Career? (Career Decisionmaking, and The Future), (2) How Does One Plan For A Career? (Hobbies, Occupational Analysis, and Career Paths), (3) Fun In The Sun, (4) Leisure Then and Now (What was Leisure Like Then?, The Year 2000, Community Interviews, and Planning a Leisure Facility), (5) What Do You Need To Know? (Communicating: Welcome to the Camp, The Diagram Game, What Should I Say Now?, Managing Money, and Keeping Records), (6) Working in Hospitality and Recreation (Rock Concert, Bouncing Ball, Crystal Lake Day Camp, Zoos and So Forth, and Independent Study), (7) What Are Some Hospitality and Recreation Jobs Like? (A Look at Hospitality and Recreation Occupations, and Interviewing an Employee--for Practice and for Real), (8) What Are You Interested In? (A Self-Profile and People/Things/Ideas), and (9) What's Next (Lifestyle, Job Match--Whom to Hire? Is Everybody Happy?, and How About This Career?). (HD)

This Matrix for Planning presents an organized format for systematically recording information relevant to the formulation of long-range planning policies and decisions for the Massachusetts Community Colleges. The matrix organizes existing data into a four-fold conceptual structure: people, programs, facilities, and funding. The first category (people) includes enrollment figures, faculty and staff headcounts, a demographic profile of students, a description of faculty activities, and an assessment of the community colleges' share of Massachusetts higher education enrollment. The second category (programs) identifies current programs, and programs planned for the future. The overall effectiveness of the system is assessed by presenting figures on degrees and certificates awarded, and data reflecting the community colleges' accessibility to students from varying income groups. The third category (facilities) assesses the system's current land and building holdings, space utilization, and current space rental. Finally, the fourth category (funding) reports on expenditures in the last fiscal year, and on costs per student per college and per program. Significant features and leading questions pertaining to the information displayed are identified, as are the additional information, procedures, and policy decisions that would be required for a continuous planning process. (NHM)

The mini-problems presented in this volume are provided to augment the introductory course, "Minding Your Own Small Business," and the advanced course, "Something Ventured, Something Gained," in small business ownership and management. They can also be used in conjunction with other instructional materials in small business courses. Mini-problems are of six types: women and minority entrepreneurs; ethics, communication skills, recordkeeping; and self-assessment. All the problems address common business situations and skills needed by entrepreneurs. Most have direct business content; a few are presented as "games" designed to promote skill development. The mini-problems are flexible; each can be completed in 10 minutes or a full class period, according to the preference of the teacher and the class, and the time available. The educational format of each mini-problem is identified (e.g., small group discussion, role play, brainstorming exercise, written exercise, pencil-and-paper problem, verbal pantomime, individual exercise, etc.), although formats can be changed as desired. Both teacher materials and student materials for the mini-problems are included in the document. (KC)

Location Decisions is a simulation game in which students obtain and evaluate information about several potential business locations in light of location requirements specific to their game businesses. In Location Decisions, the specific content area taught to students is the process for choosing a location for a small business; the basic skills practiced are problem solving by analysis and logic, decision making, and constructive group interaction to achieve a common goal. It simulates the research, analysis, and decision making a person must do to select an appropriate business location. As game administrator, the teacher prepares the materials, introduces the simulation, monitors the use of time and materials, directs the scoring, and guides the discussion after the simulation. All the materials needed to play the game are included in the guide. Following an overview of Location Decisions, the guide is divided into two parts. The first part contains detailed teacher's instructions for preparing for and managing the game, including pre-game necessities and instructions for each of the four to six periods required for the simulation. The second part of the guide contains the game materials, including student introduction, instructions for information gathering, scoresheet, administrator's tally sheet, and cost cards. (KC)

Intended for use by State vocational education directors and curriculum planners, this guide documents the results of a project which developed and applied a process for identifying new and emerging occupations for skilled and technical areas, part of a larger effort to assist the alignment of vocational and technical program offerings with new employment opportunities. The guide is divided into two parts. The first describes the process of identifying new and emerging occupations that was developed during this project and suggests how that process applies to program planning at the State, regional, and local levels. The second part (the major portion of the guide) presents the framework for the occupational guidelines and contains the guidelines for each of the new and emerging occupations identified through this study: Child Advocate, Energy Efficiency Technician, Halfway House Resident Manager, Horticultural Therapy Aide, Industrial Hygiene Technician, Nuclear Quality Assurance Inspector, Physical Security Technician, Podiatric Assistant, Crystal Manufacturing, Housing Rehabilitation Specialist, and Public Safety Communications Operator. Guidelines for each are presented under the following headings: Job Description, Summary Assessment, Employers and Occupational Setting, Student Considerations, Curriculum Guidelines, Information for Program Planning, and Conclusion. A listing of information sources for each occupation and a glossary of terms are appended. (HD)

This is one in a series of publications designed for parents and teachers to help children acquire developmentally appropriate basic educational skills at home and in school. Topics included are: (1) "What is math?" explaining mathematical concepts such as number, measurement, space, and time; (2) "How do children learn about math?"; (3) "Why is an understanding of math important?"; (4) "How you can help your children learn math?"; and (5) "Points to keep in mind." (YP)

This is one in a series of publications designed for parents and teachers to help children acquire developmentally appropriate basic educational skills at home and in school. Topics included are: (1) "What is science?"; (2) "Why is science important?"; (3) "How children develop science skills?"; (4) "You can help your children learn science" listing many suggestions for indoor, outdoor, or everyday trips; and (5) "Points to keep in mind." (YP)

This report summarizes findings from a study of Americans' attitudes toward teaching, educational opportunity, and school reform, examining: what Americans feel must be done to ensure that all schools become what they should be, teachers' roles in fulfilling the quest for higher student achievement, and how well current and proposed reform efforts measure up to the public's expectations for its schools. Surveys of 2,525 adults nationwide indicate that most Americans believe that once the issue of school safety is addressed, providing a qualified teacher in every classroom is the most important way to improve education and lift student achievement. They feel that doing what it takes to put a fully qualified teacher in every classroom is more important than offering educational vouchers or having for-profit companies run public schools. Respondents agree that most students are capable of learning, and demanding that all students meet the same academic standards is important. They believe that negative student behaviors are the main problem in public schools. They strongly favor more time for teacher development and planning. Respondents perceive that teachers are not well paid, but they consider teaching the profession that most benefits society. The teacher survey is appended. (SM)

This booklet is intended to aid curriculum developers in designing and conducting pilot or field tests that yield useful information and sound evidence about the effectiveness of new curricula. Although it was prepared specifically for use by projects funded by the Curriculum Development Branch of the federal Bureau of Occupational and Adult Education, most of its content is equally applicable to field tests of other curriculum development projects as well. This publication was not developed as a handbook on evaluation, and it does not offer a precise formula for field-test design. Rather, it delineates basic principles and procedures for field testing curriculum products, presents alternative field-testing strategies, and discusses practical considerations and strategies for working with school personnel during a field test. Included in the discussion are potentially usable samples of planning and monitoring tools for pilot and field testing. (Author/JG)

The junior high school curriculum was designed to serve the dual purposes of career development and occupational exploration in marketing and distribution. The guide contains: a field-test summary, detailed introduction to the teacher (including purposes, outcomes and goals, instructional strategies, structure of the curriculum, the conceptual framework, implementation, content overview, teacher qualifications, and student evaluation), suggestions for introducing the curriculum to students, and a 76-term glossary. The total curriculum consists of 16 units, each with several activities which will take from one to five class periods to complete. The units cover career planning topics and exploratory experiences in areas of marketing and distribution. Each unit consists of a Teacher's Guide and Student Materials. The Teacher's Guides are organized as follows: an overview, objectives, rationale, and concepts are presented followed by activity descriptions which include sections on introducing the activity, guiding the activity, learning more from the activity, and points to stress. Performance criteria and resources and references are also presented for the units. The Student Materials, corresponding to the activities for each unit, contain an overview and the necessary materials for each activity such as instructions, forms, brief readings, and matching exercises. (Author/MS)

Written for parents, teachers and preschool personnel involved with visually handicapped children, the book provides an overview of mainstreaming procedures and implications. The first chapter provides a definition of mainstreaming and considers benefits' professional involvement, and resources available for parents and teachers. Diagnostic considerations and educational consequences of visual impairment are reviewed in a second chapter. Discussed in the third chapter are the effects of visual handicaps on preschoolers' self concepts, motor skills, self help skills, intellectual skills, speech and language development, and social competence. General teaching guidelines (including setting limits and pacinq class activities) as well as specific teaching techniques and activities (such as training blind children to recognize the direction and distance of sounds) for mainstreaming the visually impaired are provided. In the final three chapters, the roles of parents and teachers are examined and ways of locating resource help (including specialists and parent organizations) are suggested. (CL)

Ten units on the basic knowledge and skills needed to manage a small business are provided in this curriculum guide designed for use with secondary and postsecondary students. Unit topics include forms of businesses, marketing, location, systems and records, promotion, pricing, human relations, financing a business, and effects of business decisions. At the beginning of each unit is a summary page containing a synopsis of the unit's content, student learning objectives, teaching strategies, teacher preparation required, mini-problems, and references. Following the summary page of each unit are teacher and student materials. The teacher materials provide guidelines for presentation of instructional materials and include lecture and discussion notes, suggestions for conducting class activities, and recommended questions to be asked by the teacher to confirm students' understanding. The student materials are in the form of information sheets, worksheets, case study materials, interview forms, and project instructions. A glossary of financial terms concludes the guide. (JH)

Nine units on small business management are provided in this curriculum guide designed for use in an advanced course for secondary and postsecondary students who are interested in beginning a small business venture, have some prior business knowledge, and have a specific business in mind. Unit topics include marketing, location, systems and records, promotion, pricing, business policies and relationships, organizational structure, and financing a business. At the beginning of each unit is a summary page containing a synopsis of the unit's content, student learning objectives, student project work, teaching strategies, teacher preparation required, mini-problems, and references. Following the summary page of each unit are teacher and student materials. The teacher materials provide guidelines for presentation of instructional materials, including lecture and discussion notes, suggestions for conducting class activities, recommended questions to be asked by the teacher to confirm students' understanding, and student project instructions. The student materials are in the form of information sheets, worksheets, case study materials, interview forms, and project instructions. A glossary of financial terms concludes the guide. (JH)