In this paper, the authors review and analyze state policy regarding beginning teacher mentoring with a focus on special education. Mentoring policies guide the selection, assignment, and training of mentors and the process with which novice teachers are matched with veteran mentors. Mentoring is a component of induction; but induction also…

This paper is concerned with teacher collaboration in Higher Education. Specifically, it focuses on how a "community of practice" emerged and developed during the process of enhancing first year transition for pre-service teachers. It is written from the perspective of five teacher educators and is situated within the literature of the…

This article explores the social-psychological process of identity negotiation in collaborative teaching, using Erving Goffman's (1959) theoretical tradition of dramaturgy to analyze the classroom itself as a performance venue. A dramaturgical analysis of collaborative teaching is especially significant given this growing pedagogical trend because…

Teacher professional learning communities provide environments in which teachers engage in regular research and collaboration. They have been found effective as a means for connecting professional learning to the day-to-day realities faced by teachers in the classroom. In this article, the authors draw on survey data collected in primary schools…

This article presents a study exploring the beliefs, knowledge, and practices of four middle and secondary science teachers participating in a collaborative curriculum action research project. Using a case study methodology, the views and practices of these teachers were described and analyzed as they investigated novel ideas about scientific…

In this study, five elementary teachers and a university researcher developed and implemented problem-based learning (PBL) experiences in the context of science teaching and learning. Collaborative inquiry was adopted as a methodology, while a variety of qualitative methods were used to examine the engagement and development of teachers'…

Brenda and Bob have told their family's story many times to professionals as they have navigated through the sometimes precarious waters of education and medicine in search of quality services for their son, Jonathan. Sometimes, along the way, especially when experiencing miscommunication and fragmentation, they've wondered to each other: Is…

This article discusses the importance of faculty collaboration and outlines the process of creating a library instruction session while obtaining and utilizing faculty collaboration. The article maintains that library instruction is improved when combined with faculty collaboration and that ultimately library instruction is linked to academic…

In this article, the author discusses the professional learning communities and describes how this system helps improve schools and reduce teacher isolation. According to Richard and Rebecca Dufour, the best way to improve schools is for schools to function as professional learning communities. Under this system, teachers work in collaborative…

The impact of seminars on lessons in the English classroom as well as their importance in helping to build community within the profession is described. An English teacher has described how he found collaborative professional development through participating in the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Summer Seminars and also its impact on…

Transforming education from a craft to a profession is the greatest challenge school and district leaders face. Above all, "professionalizing" education means creating ongoing opportunities for discussion of problems of practice at every level--communities of practice cannot be just for the teachers. School and district leaders have at least as…

This edited volume covers the range of critical trends in the use of computers and other devices for classroom teaching, online learning, professional development, school improvement, and student assessment. "Spotlight on Technology in Education" draws on expert sources including teacher-leaders, librarians, researchers, and trainers who…

Competence in mathematics is integral to a wide range of disciplines, professions and areas of life. This Eurydice report reveals crucial elements of the policies and practices that shape mathematics instruction in European education systems, focusing on reforms of mathematics curricula, teaching and assessment methods, as well as teacher…

FirstSchool is a school reform approach to early schooling for children 3 to 8 years old. It was developed over the past five years through a collaborative partnership among families, schools, communities, and institutions of higher education. The approach responds to the needs of all young children--especially in African American or Latino…

Museum educators have a longstanding presence in museums and play a significant role in the institutions' educational agenda. However, research on field trips to science museums has predominantly explored teachers' and students' perspectives with little acknowledgment of the museum educators who develop and implement the educational programs the…