Teacher Fellows

This chapter describes the Teacher Fellows Program. This program is a school/university partnership that has provided comprehensive mentoring and induction support to more than 400 teachers over the past 20 years. The program is grounded in social-constructivist, cognitive-developmental and teacher development theories. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods have been used to determine the program's effectiveness over time. Results from analyses of the data indicate the program (a) improves teacher retention, (b) increases teacher effectiveness, (c) fosters collaboration between the university and public schools, and (d) impacts student learning.

National Board Certification in North Carolina

The purpose of this study is to report National Board Certified Teachers' (NBCTs) motivators for pursuing National Board Certification. The guiding research question for this study, “Why do teachers pursue National Board Certification?” was explored. A total of 496 NBCTs currently teaching in North Carolina public schools completed the survey questionnaire in which they responded to demographic questions, Likert item questions, and open-ended questions. Thematic analysis revealed several reoccurring themes that NBCTs revealed having influence on their pursuit of certification. These included impact on financial incentives, improved teaching, professionalism, challenge and encouragement from others.

Policy Impact on Teacher Induction

During the 1980s Connecticut was on the leading edge of national educational reform, developing performance standards for teachers and students, creating a tiered licensure structure, and implementing a state-wide comprehensive, multi-year teacher induction program tied to teacher certification. Since then, many states and districts have begun to implement induction programs as a way to enhance teacher retention and performance and improve student achievement. However, the literature base on successful implementation is limited, as is the research on the effectiveness of specific induction practices as related to teacher development and student achievement. This chapter focuses on informing policy makers and educational administrators about the broad landscape of induction in the United States and explores how Connecticut's rich history with induction can serve other states considering adoption of a comprehensive induction policy. Research concerns are also explored.

Preparing Urban Educators to Address Diversity and Equity through Field-Based Teacher Education

This chapter presents a case for field-based teacher preparation through mutually beneficial community partnerships in diverse urban contexts. Such models are a response to calls for change in teacher education, as well as to current policies and research on the central role of field experiences. Extant research is shared on partnerships as a key context for developing programs with depth, effectiveness, and sustainability. Next, information is presented about the development and implementation of one field-based teacher education program designed around mutually beneficial partnerships to prepare effective urban educators. Key themes and practices are demonstrated through data-based vignettes of collaborative field experiences with urban educators. These cases involve unique preparation experiences, stakeholders, and roles, but also serve as illustrations of the ways in which partnerships aimed at achieving mutual benefit must undergo continuous evaluation and redesign. Recommendations for iterative design and implementation of field-based models are offered.

Revising a Teacher Education Program for Diversity and Social Justice through Culturally Responsive Coursework and Professional Collaboration

A major revision in a graduate teacher education program (GTEP) at a mid-sized urban university provided an opportunity to rethink goals as teacher educators in order to address issues of diversity and social justice. This chapter suggests some answers to the question: What characteristics of a teacher preparation program prepare teacher candidates (TCs) to provide high quality education for all students, including those who have been historically underserved? This chapter reports a case study of the relevant research and implementation of substantially revised university coursework to better prepare teacher candidates for a diverse student population, and increased collaboration to promote program coherence. Revised coursework emphasizes culturally responsive teaching, content area literacy, and accountability for K-12 student learning. Collaboration is facilitated by clustered placements, co-teaching, and lesson study.

What Counts as Quality Teaching?

The professional development of teachers has attracted much critical attention in each of the four nations of the United Kingdom since 2010. This chapter offers a ‘home international' comparison of policies to support the initial qualification and continuing education of teachers in the period following political devolution. A rationale is offered for cross-national comparison in this small and closely linked system. A comparison is offered of routes into teaching and the teachers' Standards in order to explicate divergent models of professionalism. By comparing policies across the Anglo-Celtic isles debate on the distinctive contribution of higher education to professional learning is enabled. Tensions are acknowledged within a policy ensemble that seeks to promote research excellence and teacher development.

Preparing Teachers to Teach Historical Thinking?

This chapter explores the learning outcomes for 45 teachers involved in three different federally-funded Teaching American History (TAH) grant professional development programs. The programs sought to move teachers' thinking about teaching history away from traditional stand-and-deliver practices and toward teaching historical thinking and reasoning as described in much of the reform and research literature in history education. Data were drawn from a multi-scale assessment instrument administered in a sequentialized design and from classroom observations of and interviews with participating teachers. We examine in particular growth (or lack thereof) in historical knowledge and teaching practice and epistemic positioning. Results suggested that aggregate program-based growth and epistemic change were attenuated by incongruences between how American history was expected to be taught in the technocratic culture of schooling and the reform-minded, professional judgment-based ideas cultivated within the TAH programs. Common technocratic organizational routines in the internal environment tended to undermine the interventions' influences rather than support them. In the discussion, these routines and their school culture elements are contrasted with the TAH program reform efforts as a means of understanding the outcomes.

Mathematics Teacher Education and edTPA

The development of the educative teacher performance assessment (edTPA) might be considered as beginning over a century ago as mathematics, mathematics teacher education, and the teaching profession strove to improve student learning. Professional teaching organizations such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, industry, and government agencies have been seeking ways to improve teaching, to differentiate among teacher candidates to predict who will be successful teachers and who will not, and to raise the level of student achievement of all students. Along with these goals is the aspiration of recognizing teaching as a profession. To achieve this, complex assessment is necessary. Assessment of teachers, students and teacher preparation programs is necessary. edTPA could lead the way.

Examining What Elementary School Teachers Take Away from Mathematics Professional Development

The process of providing effective ongoing professional development to teachers is an arduous task for educational leaders. In areas, such as mathematics, professional learning opportunities must deepen teachers' knowledge of content, pedagogy, and other skills connected to teaching. This chapter provides an examination of what teachers learned during a professional development project that was designed based off of principles for Learner-Centered Professional Development and addressed components of the Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching framework. The project included 3 half-day meetings with classroom-embedded activities completed between workshops. An inductive, thematic analysis of workshop evaluations indicated that teachers' learning related to: a) a deeper understanding of the Common Core Mathematics Standards, b) exploring mathematical tasks, and c) planning lessons that start with mathematical tasks instead of direct teaching.

Professional Development for Quality Teaching and Learning

Quality teaching and student achievement have been the focus of much debate and research throughout the American education system. Despite implementation of teacher professional development, concerns remained about its effectiveness regarding quality teaching and student achievement. Thus, a paradigm shift ensued to promote effective, on-going capacity-building teacher professional development, known as job-embedded professional development. Educational milieus experienced reforms ranging from high-stakes testing to the standards movement, and recently, teacher evaluations incorporating value-added measures, all of which underscore professional development significance. The purpose of this chapter is to review, analyze, and synthesize current literature on teacher professional development, the need for job-embedded professional development, implementation challenges, and the relationship between teacher professional development and student learning outcomes. The chapter also examines gaps in the literature, followed by solutions, recommendations, and future research directions.