This paper describes how elementary teachers' thinking and practice developed as a result of video-based professional development designed to promote reflection on the decision making involved in planning for and implementing mathematics lessons. Of the 189 teachers who attended the video-based sessions, 180 completed post-session questionnaires…

In this article, we invite readers into a conversation about ways of being in teaching. Through e-mails, telephone calls, and face-to-face meetings, we use our first conversations with each other as shared moments that we returned to, seeking to better understand how we made meaning in our individual school teaching careers, and how we continue to…

Retaining teachers is a challenge for schools today. The number of teachers leaving the profession each year is costing schools in the United States billions of dollars annually. This article explores an alignment of the attributes of teacher leaders and conditions affecting teacher retention. Characteristics of teacher leaders are discussed and…

The research reported here addresses 2 aspects of integrated mathematics and science instruction. First we provide insights into how middle grades teachers' characterize integrated mathematics and science instruction. Then we discuss how middle grades teachers see an integrated curriculum fitting into their teaching contexts and how these contexts…

Research on peer placements suggests that partnering two preservice teachers with a mentor provides a better, more supportive context for learning to teach. As extant research has focused more on student teachers' development, less is known about mentors' perceptions and experiences. This qualitative study focuses on seven mentor teachers who have…

In the light of changing needs for the professional development (PD) of ESL teachers in Hong Kong, this study investigates current practice and future needs within the context of the implementation of educational reforms by the Hong Kong Government. A cohort of ESL teachers, members of a knowledge sharing community project, participated in a…

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…

The designers of our future built environment must possess intellectual tools which will allow them to be disciplined, flexible and analytical thinkers, able to address and resolve new and complex problems. In response, an experimental and collaborative design studio was designed to inspire and build on students' knowledge and their creative…

What kinds of teacher collaboration are most likely to improve what teachers--and, ultimately, students--learn during their time in school? This study looks within and across different collaborative activities that occurred among one teacher team. Observational data analyzed through a sociocultural theoretical framework suggest how the structure…

When visitors step inside Pocomoke (MD) Middle School, they are immediately surrounded by a profound sense of pride and high expectations. Students are actively engaged in instruction, the classroom walls are covered with student work, and the halls are lined with pictures of students demonstrating success. Beanbag chairs await eager readers,…

In light of shifting demographics in today's classrooms, the faculty at Springfield College recognized a need to revamp their teacher licensure program to incorporate a leadership component. The journey began with a self-evaluation process and culminated with creation of a dual licensure program in elementary and special education to encourage…

Algebra is the gatekeeper of access to higher-level math and science courses, higher education and future earning opportunities. Unequal numbers of African-American males drop out of Algebra and mathematics courses and underperform on tests of mathematical competency and are thus denied both essential skills and a particularly important pathway to…

This research study investigates the experiences of four novice English teachers as they transitioned from their first to their second year teaching. Data were obtained through one-on-one interviews, a focus group discussion, observations, and document review. It was found that although these teachers graduated from the same teacher education…

Co-teaching occurs when a special educator and a general education teacher teach together in an inclusive classroom. Co-teaching has been adopted across the United States as the solution to meet the legal mandates of No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act. These pieces of legislation require schools to have…

Across the United States, community colleges offer millions of students an open-access, low-cost postsecondary education. However, of the students who enroll in community college hoping to earn a credential or transfer to a four-year institution, only about half achieve their goal within six years. For students who enter college needing…