Teachers who have no formal arts background and yet integrate the arts consistently may provide essential understanding on how to render to all students a well-rounded education that encompasses the arts. Education that embraces the arts helps students to develop essential thinking skills, expand their creativity and ways of expressing, and…

In the midst of current environmental and social crises we--educators and educational scholars--have been called to prepare our youth with the skills, attitudes, and knowledge needed to face and solve such crises. While mastery of academic content and relevant skills remain key educational goals, teachers need to be prepared and equipped to…

Purpose: Having a clear understanding of the types and amounts of classroom literacy learning opportunities is important for contextualizing children's early literacy performance. In this study, we examine the content, context, and management of literacy learning opportunities in a large, geographically diverse sample in the United States. We also…

This case study focuses on the implementation and analysis of critical algorithmic literacy (CAL) lessons in two grade 3/4 combination classes. The study involves one elementary school teacher and 36 students from a K-6 school in Southern California. By analyzing various data sources, I identified trends that could be helpful for future…

Promoting Adolescents' Comprehension of Text (PACT) is a text- and discourse-based set of instructional practices that engage students with disciplinary texts as a means of building content knowledge and improving reading comprehension. PACT)s "efficacy" has been the subject of extensive previous trials. The purpose of this study was to…

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine elementary general music teachers' familiarity with, agreement with, and perceptions of restorative justice practices. Participants (N = 49) included practicing elementary general music teachers who were members of the "California Music Educators Association," the "Florida Music…

This study examines opportunities for teacher professional growth and innovation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey data, including responses to both closed and open-ended questions, were collected from 276 elementary-school teachers who taught online in two school districts in California. Quantitative and qualitative analyses document the…

For the last several years, teacher-researchers Jessica Jasper, Laura Dvorak, Steven Athanases, and Sergio Sanchez have partnered with a program called Globe Education, Shakespeare's Globe London. Practitioners in the program use teaching practices that engage learners with Shakespeare's works and other complex texts through drama practices. Jess…

Elementary teachers in California were tasked to use cognitively guided instruction (CGI) strategies in mathematics classrooms, but it was uncertain if they had the self-efficacy, confidence, resources, and support to do so consistently. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate K-5 teachers' perceptions about their…

This paper is part of the special issue on Teacher Learning and Practice within Organizational Contexts. Shifting instructional practices in elementary schools to include more equitable, reform-based pedagogies is imperative for supporting students' development as science learners. Teachers need high quality professional development (PD) to learn…

Providing students with the appropriate math support can ensure they develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed. This Spotlight explores effective strategies for providing targeted math support, addressing math anxiety, and promoting student success. From combating math anxiety to leveraging in-school tutoring, these articles offer…

Education by Experience (Educación por la Experiencia, E × E) is a programme that offers an innovative model of teaching values to children, youth, and adults. Its materials include different grade-level student textbooks as well as educator and parent guidebooks. Since its establishment in 2010, the programme has achieved broad dissemination and…

This study tested a novel approach to capitalizing on the benefits of play for informal math learning. Two experiments evaluated a platform called "Fraction Ball," that provides an embodied, playful, and physically active learning experience by modifying the lines on a basketball court to support rational number learning. In the Pilot…

This exploratory case study examined how elementary teachers engage in culturally responsive pedagogy when discussing their text selection practices in an inquiry based professional development course. Through semi-structured interviews and group meetings with four teachers in a suburban, public school district in Northern California, information…

Students across the nation struggle with learning mathematics for a variety of reasons such as the abstract nature, there is only one correct answer and how math is foundational. With the recent increase in the use of digital programs, school districts across the nation have turned to digital math programs for math intervention and learning.…