Special education personnel preparation programs are increasingly placing more emphasis on providing preservice and inservice teachers with competencies needed to help students make successful life transitions. The development, implementation, and evaluation of effective teacher training programs is vital to accomplish effective transition. This research describes a program aimed at increasing teacher competency in secondary transitional programming. Descriptive data including interviews, observation, document analysis, and survey methods were used to provide a view of teachers' efforts to implement the curriculum over a 3-year period. Analysis of the data provided detailed information about the extent of program implementation and 6 factors affecting teachers' local efforts. Most teachers reported change in knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and motivational levels; however, implementation was in an initial or trial stage. Effective teacher training programs must include not only technical knowledge, but also practical skills to help classroom teachers face the challenge of day-to-day realities of schooling.
The advantages and disadvantages of two cur-available into perspective. In the alternative rently popular models for the assessment of model, less efficient assessment methods which children are discussed, concluding that ability require the collection of formative data are assessment is largely an experimental model, used only for those attributes and broad skills \\bile the task analysis model can most effec-previously shown to be in crucial need of imtively be used during the final phases of assess-provement by more efficient assessment ment. An alternative approach attempts to methods. place the variety o f assessment methods now By now, those of us who work with exceptional children should know that individual tests traditionally used to measure gross traits, aptitudes, and a b'l' 1 itiesare a generally not sensitive enough, reliable enough, nor valid enough to be used in isolation when making important, often irreversible, decisions regarding the lives of the examinees (Bersoff
The authors provide an overview of this special issue on preparing administrators and teachers to handle violence and problematic behaviors in schools This issue of Intervention in School and Clinic focuses on the topic of violence in the classroom. In addition to acquainting our readers with this area, the various articles also present curriculum and teaching models that can be used in integrated settings. I am pleased that Professors William N. Bender and Phillip J. McLaughlin, who have assembled an outstanding blend of both authors and topics, agreed to serve as guest editors of this issue. We are honored that Intervention is able to showcase the outstanding work of so many talented individuals. We hope you enjoy reading the articles, and we welcome your comments.—GW
Random shootings in our schools have reached an all time high, raising many questions for teachers, administrators, parents, and teens. This article compares possible causes of the school shootings in Colorado and Georgia with a prior analysis of possible causes of school shootings prepared in 1999 by Shubert, Bressette, Deeken, and Bender. Characteristics of these violent perpetrators are discussed as a possible guide to help identify these seemingly "invisible kids." Identification options include warning lists/profiles, peer screening, and comprehensive teacher/peer screening tools.
The purpose of this article is to describe the distance learning staff development opportunities developed through an initial project on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) at the University of Georgia, the effects of the technology involved, and the opportunities that have evolved from programs created. Selection of distance learning technology and other instructional decisions are framed in light of the need to address the complex issues surrounding AD/HD and to demonstrate to teachers and parents how to manage students with AD/HD in the classroom and at home.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.