The present study hypothesizes that both organizational and classroom constraints mediate the chance of making instructional changes sustainable. Behind this hypothesis is an assumption that when people faces impending changes, the level of anxiety tends to increase and creates defenses which block the change. A survey of 1,876 teachers in 65…

As the population of English-language learners grows exponentially across the nation, districts not traditionally considered immigration magnets suddenly find themselves with a need to come up to speed on implementing the most effective English as a Second Language (ESL) program model. The key to implementing a successful ESL model is to match the…

Curriculum myths rise and fall based on contemporary educational and societal contexts. Twenty-five years after the first discussion about the myth of a single curriculum for the gifted, the myth is still prevalent. Its viability as a myth is a consequence of the current educational climate rather than empirical evidence that is gathered and used…

Over the past eight years, the author has had the pleasure of facilitating discussion groups with gifted middle and high school students. These groups focus on affective concerns, giving students the opportunity to talk about issues they have in common and how life looks and feels through the lens of giftedness. The best school situation for…

Supporting teachers begins with designing professional learning that is responsive to their needs. Gone are the days of one-size-fits all professional development. Principals cannot ensure that all teachers are effective in the classroom if they don't create learning opportunities that move all teachers toward expertise with teaching. In this…

Classroom integration of technology is a complex process that must include thought to the purpose of integration and a plan for the professional development of the teachers. The change in any instructional practice requires an effective professional development plan that best addresses the needs of the teachers. This study investigated the level…

The No Child Left Behind Act requires that all students reach reading proficiency by 2014. Many students struggling with reading are unsuccessful when whole group basal instruction is the center of reading instruction. The purpose of this case study was to examine the ability of 15 fifth grade students with reading difficulties to move toward…

All children can learn. Each child learns in numerous ways and at a different pace. When children are given opportunity, appropriate foundation, support, and precise instruction, learning is enhanced and encouraged. This study investigated an instructional approach for teaching reading to elementary students who were determined to have a learning…

"Education Matters" is the monthly newsletter of the Association of American Educators (AAE), an organization dedicated to advancing the American teaching profession through personal growth, professional development, teacher advocacy and protection. This issue of the newsletter includes: (1) Differentiated Instruction: Responding to each student's…

Differentiated instruction should be evident in every classroom; however, it is particularly critical in Professional Development Schools (PDS) that have the dual focus of instruction for both Pre-K-12 students and university students completing their final internship experience. In this article, the author illustrates a university and school…

Over the objection of officials at the statistical wing of the U.S. Department of Education, the independent body that sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has approved a policy that significantly narrows the grounds for excluding students with disabilities and English-language learners (ELLs) from the exams.…

This paper provides an account of professional learning in action through documenting the experiences of three upper primary teachers as they engaged in reflection-on-action with the assistance of an academic mentor. Video-stimulated recall was used as a mechanism to encourage productive reflective practice, using video footage of each teacher's…

The beauty of American public education is that the potential of every individual is acknowledged with the clear expectation that each person should receive a high-quality, academically focused education. The challenge, then, is how to achieve that goal when students come with a variety of backgrounds, talents, interests, limitations, and…

Child-centred pedagogy is both an enduring approach and a revered concept in Western-based teacher preparation. This article weaves together major critiques of child-centred pedagogy that draw on critical feminist, postmodernist and post-structural theories. These critiques have particular relevance for conceptualizing what it can mean to be, and…

As an eighth-grade student at Jackson Middle School in Nashville, Tennessee, Olivia Contreras had arrived in the United States from her native Nicaragua the previous year. But Olivia learned English so quickly that she was placed in mainstream content classes the following year. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 created a lot of stories…