The background to this paper is based on the ongoing need to place more attention on the importance of teaching. The aim in so doing is to lead to a better valuing of teaching which, in the case of this paper, is through an exploration of the notion of teaching as a discipline. There are differing views about that which constitutes a discipline…

An exploratory research approach is used to characterize the experience of two second year high school mathematics teachers in their teacher preparation programs: one graduated from a four-year undergraduate program while the other graduated from a fifth-year masters program. The two main forms of data collection included interviews and document…

This article focuses on the status of teacher education and early childhood education in Pakistan. The paper analyzes planning issues in early childhood teacher education by examining education policies and existing practices in early childhood teacher education in Pakistan. Initiatives taken at public and private levels in Pakistan are also…

This article draws on data from a small-scale qualitative study conducted in Australia that explored how pre-service teachers engaged with students from culturally diverse backgrounds during practicum and how they understood their own ethnic identities. The findings of the study suggest that pre-service teachers have simplistic understandings of…

In recent years, increasing numbers of professional development programs have dealt with assessment literacy for teachers and/or administrators. Is assessment literacy merely a fashionable focus for today's professional developers or, in contrast, should it be regarded as a significant area of professional development interest for many years to…

The series of papers presented in this issue about Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) measures provide a clear and understandable presentation of the issues involved in the validation of new instruments. The authors' commitment to continuing validation studies leads everyone to believe their efforts will result in a high quality instrument.…

The knowledge base of education-related law is growing at a rapid pace. The increase in federal and state statutes is rising commensurate with litigation that directs teachers on curricular, professional, and social matters. At the same time, numerous studies provide significant evidence that teachers lack an adequate level of knowledge of…

This article presents research that was conducted at the Autism Institute, an organization serving children with autism and their families in the People's Republic of China. The article examines and highlights aspects of the teacher training model at the Autism Institute that have led to the preparation of highly qualified, enthusiastic, and…

Teach for America exists to address educational inequity--the stunning reality that the American nation, which aspires so admirably to be a land of equal opportunity, where one is born still largely determines one's educational outcomes. Despite plenty of evidence that children growing up in poverty can do well academically--when given the…

This study examined graduates' and completers' perceptions of the effectiveness of Marshall University's alternative certification programs, the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certificate (PBTC), from 1999-2010. This non-experimental descriptive cross-sectional study used the "Spivy Survey of MAT and PBTC Program…

This study examines mainstream teachers' knowledge, beliefs and attitudes, and classroom practices in relation to English language learners. The study was guided by four questions: (1) What professional knowledge do mainstream teachers have about teaching English language learners, and where and how did they learn what they know? (2) What beliefs…

The primary purpose of this study was to design and validate a measure of teacher knowledge of Universal Design for Assessment (TK-UDA). Guided by a validity framework, a number of inferences, assumptions, and evidences supported this investigation. By addressing a series of research questions, evidence was garnered for the use of the measure to…

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to examine preservice teacher's knowledge bases and beliefs about literacy and the impact of their personal reading experiences on literacy instruction. Methodology: This study utilized mixed methodology. This included survey data and open coding. Data were collected using a survey, an annotated DRTA lesson…

This "Guide to National Board Certification" introduces teachers to the assessment process and provides them with useful information as they apply for National Board Certification or certification renewal, or order the "Take One!"[R] professional development kit. By participating in the National Board Certification process, teachers are joining…

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Teacher Preparedness, Teacher Practices, and the Availability of Reading Remediation services on adequate yearly progress (AYP) in reading. Since the passage of No Child Left Behind (2001), accountability for school districts has increased dramatically and the standard measure of that…