It has been observed that nature and science school programs have become popular in the educational environment in Turkey, and these programs are seen as a way to improve students' attitudes towards science. The general aim of these programs is to demonstrate how scientific facts and concepts in various fields are related to daily life and to make…

Drawing on an asset-based approach to adolescents and their literacy practices, this book is a powerful resource for secondary teachers across all content areas. The authors encourage a "widened lens" approach that considers varied perspectives and research findings when engaging in multiple and often competing initiatives, issues, and…

Compassion and dignity provide an essential framework for building caring and inclusive schools. Many books focus on what teachers can do as individuals; "Creating Compassionate Change in School Communities" is different. This book focuses both on how educators can cultivate compassion within themselves and lead together to cultivate…

Teachers have an important influence on pupils' academic progress, yet the quality of teaching varies widely. Policymakers, school leaders, and teacher educators therefore face the challenge of designing and commissioning professional development (PD) to help all their teachers become as effective as the best teachers. In the last two decades, a…

Classroom materials play a major role in teachers' professional lives and are a central component of the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. Teachers themselves have been found to create and adapt materials for a plethora of reasons, one of which is their own continuing professional development. This article aims to take stock of a…

In this article, the authors describe how integrating music with reading and writing practices stimulated transmediation to (1) honor musical students' identities, (2) deepen readers' meaning making with literature, and (3) invite writers' memories to generate emotional grist for composing poetry. The authors share examples to inspire teachers to…

The intent of this paper is to make sense of and share with a broader community of teachers and teacher educators a professional development phenomenon that is peculiar to the Chinese elementary and secondary school context. This practice, known as the Open Class, has at least three forms: intra-school, inter-school, and competitive. These forms…

The leaders of the Black Student Union (BSU) at Liberty High School share their school climate and culture survey with Ms. Nguyen, their Asian American principal. Black youth leaders reveal a hostile and unwelcoming climate in the form of anti-blackness for Black students at a school staffed with primarily white teachers. BSU students request to…

Secondary mathematics teachers are frequently required to take a large number of mathematics courses -- including advanced mathematics courses such as abstract algebra -- as part of their initial teacher preparation program and/or their continuing professional development. The content areas of advanced and secondary mathematics are closely…

Most worthwhile improvements in teaching practice are not simple, and the change process is complicated. It can also take a long time if it involves breaking long-established habits and modifying belief systems. Not only is adoption at scale difficult, but transfer into practice "at all" is often tricky, even with the best professional…

This inspiring book shows how K-12 teachers, literacy specialists and coaches, and school- and district-level administrators can work together to make needed instructional improvements while fostering a lifelong love of reading and writing. The book presents collaborative leadership strategies and research-based best practices for creating joyful,…

The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics envisions data analysis as a key component of K-grade 12 mathematics instruction with statistics introduced in the early grades. Nonetheless, deficiencies in statistical learning persist throughout elementary school and beyond. Too often, mathematics teachers lack the statistical knowledge for…

Classroom observations and the feedback they generate have great potential to support educator development, especially when compared with other components of teacher evaluation systems. Challenges to observation include: (1) The dual foci of teacher evaluation (accountability and development) cannot be addressed simultaneously; (2) Excellent…

This article encourages English language arts and reading (ELAR) teachers to take hold of their ability to thrive in the classroom by suggesting three practices that will facilitate that quest. Many ELAR teachers show the signs of burnout and a defeatist mindset too early in their careers. The author seeks to provide constructive ways for teachers…

Inclusive teacher preparation varies greatly in format and practice, yet programs grapple with the same underlying challenges: which practices work and where do they work. As children with disabilities are increasingly being included in schools, it is essential that guidance is put into place on how best to adapt inclusive practices into the…