Teachers' Personal Learning Theories: Seven Stories of Teachers Engaged in a Science Reform

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1997

Abstract

This paper focuses on a middle school in a reform process which includes a curriculum developed jointly by teachers and university personnel. Descriptions of the funding sources, history of the reform project's development and implementation, and the philosophy supporting the reform at various levels are provided. Profiles of the teachers and their perspectives on reform at the classroom level are used to argue for systemic and institutional support for school reform. A number of recommendations are made and include increases in teacher planning time, technology development, better student assessment techniques, more provisions to ensure continuity of the program, and better strategies for bringing new teachers into the reform process. The author concludes that reform is difficult and always subject to constraints from a variety of levels.

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