Education Commons^™

Supporting And Retaining Early Career Mathematics Teachers Using An Online Community Of Practice, Paula M. Jakopovic, Travis Weiland, Maria Campitelli, Lorraine Males, Lisa Amick

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

This study reports on efforts over several years to design and implement a yearlong intervention intended to support secondary mathematics teachers in their early years of teaching. The intervention is designed to retain early career mathematics teachers in the professions by engaging them in the development of meaningful professional relationships with a school-based mentors, and by creating an online community of practice for support with other professionals. The intervention itself consists of early career teachers and their mentors participating in monthly professional learning activities such as online meetings, videoconferencing panels with experts, and collaborative reading and discussing timely, purposeful, and …

Coaching To Develop Teacher Professional Noticing: Planning With Students And Mathematics In Mind, Paula M. Jakopovic

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Purpose

This paper examines how intentional mathematics coaching practices can develop teacher professional noticing of “ambitious teaching practices” (NCTM, 2020) through connected, collaborative coaching cycles.

Design/methodology/approach

Narrative analysis is used to examine observations of a mathematics coach and novice teacher to better understand the role of the coach in helping teachers attend to ambitious mathematics teaching (AMT) practices.

Findings

The initial findings of this study suggest that intentional use of focused goals, iterative coaching cycles and a gradual release model of coaching can support shifts in noticing of AMT from being led by the coach to being facilitated by the …

The Design And Implementation Of An Intervention To Support And Retain Early Career Mathematics Teachers, Lisa Amick, Maria Campitelli, Paula M. Jakopovic, Judy Kysh, Dawn Parker, April Pforts, Travis Weiland, Laura J. Wilding

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This study reports on efforts over several years to design and implement a yearlong intervention intended to support secondary mathematics teachers in their early years of teaching. The intervention is designed to support these teachers’ development of meaningful professional relationships with a school-based mentor and to create an online community of practice for support with other professionals. The intervention itself consists of early career teachers and their mentors participating in monthly professional development sessions such as online meetings, Zoom panels with experts, and collaboratively reading and discussing timely, purposeful, and relevant content. The intervention is designed to not over burden …

Mentoring Future Mathematics Teachers: Lessons Learned From Four Mentoring Partnerships, Angie Hodge, Janice Rech, Michael Matthews, Kelly Gomez Johnson, Paula Jakopovic

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Mentoring is an important aspect of mathematics teacher education, and in particular, pre-service teacher education. Faculty at a large Midwestern university developed and refined a mentoring program designed to help pre-service secondary mathematics teachers, called Scholars, become future leaders in mathematics education. This paper describes how faculty mentors leveraged challenges in the mentoring program’s early stages based on their reflections and initial mentee outcomes to create a more effective mentoring program. Recommendations based on research and practice are provided for other university programs interested in mentoring future mathematics teachers.

Instructional Coaching Implementation: Considerations For K-12 Administrators, Kelly Gomez Johnson

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

As school leaders, 21st century school administrators are in the spotlight for their role in promoting an environment of academic achievement. Along with organizing and planning for the fundamental workings of their staff, students, activities, and building, administrators are expected to encompass numerous roles. In fact, two primary, yet conflicting activities expected from school administrators are leading and managing (Hall & Simeral, 2008). At the intersection of these primary activities is the evaluation and development of teachers as a means to improve student learning. While the management of formal teacher evaluations and observations is important for ensuring teacher accountability and …

Preparing Linguistically Responsive Teachers: Why Service-Learning Is Such A Good Idea, Sandra Rodriguez-Arroyo

Scholarship of Metropolitan Mission

Research data will be presented on a service-learning experience through which teacher candidates (TCs) worked with ELLs from a local middle school. Even though TCs expressed concerns on their ability to communicate with the ELLs and their families, they engaged with them and confronted their own perceived barriers. TCs learned to overcome the communication barrier to implement quality academic experiences and in the process developed caring relationships with ELLs.

Unmasking The Reformers: An Essay Review Of Ravitch’S Reign Of Error, Connie Schaffer

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America’s Public Schools invigorates the ongoing debate surrounding the reform of K-12 public education. Author Diane Ravitch does so by interfusing quantitative and qualitative evidence related to a number of significantly contested issues including standardized testing, high school graduation rates, school and teacher accountability, and the privatization of public schools. Those who criticize charter schools, vouchers systems, merit pay for teachers, and the increased testing of elementary and secondary school children will find their perspectives affirmed and validated throughout the book. In contrast, those who support the …

Stem Literacy For Ells Through Service Learning, Sandra Rodriguez-Arroyo, Barbara Brimmerman, Olga Zeisler

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This presentation features: Rationale, Model of Academic Language Proficiency/ Jim Cummins’s Quadrant, STEM Literacy for ELLs, ELLS-OPS, Tall grasses and Wildflowers of Nebraska: A Service Learning Experience, UNO Students, Objectives, First Year: 2011-2012, Second Year: 2012-2013, Community Partner: Allwine Prairie, Support from Service Learning Academy, Research Presentations, Literacy Strategies, Service Learning Project Outcomes, Visit to the Prairie, and Future Research.

What Can Stem Educators Learn From A Teacher Induction Program? A Study Of Science And Mathematics Teachers’ Reflections On Teaching And Learning, Sheryl Mcglamery, Saundra Shillingstad

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Research completed to date confirms that beginning science and mathematics teachers face many challenges, and must master numerous areas of teaching skill in order to demonstrate competence in teaching. Most will face the initial year of practice with little or no access to an induction program targeting their content areas (Luft, 2009). Research further suggests that science and math teachers left without critically needed guidance, a comprehensive induction program could provide, often develop practices that do not allow their students to participate in inquiry activities (e.g. labs, simulations, problem solving, research projects ( Luft, Roehrig, & Patterson, 2003). Instead the …

Preparing Community-Oriented Teachers: Reflections From A Multicultural Service-Learning Standpoint, Marilynne Boyle-Baise

Diversity

The Banneker History Project (BHP) reconstructed the history of a local, segregated school. The Benjamin Banneker School served African American youth from 1913 to 1951. Oral histories from surviving alumni as well as primary documents from the times were sought. This article focuses on ways that one group of participants, 24 preservice teachers of color. experienced and interpreted the BHP. Data are reported in response to three questions: (a) Whose community does service learning serve? (b) What meanings do preservice teachers make of culturally responsive teaching? and (c) Does a community orientation count in teacher education? The author reflects on …

Meeting Ncate Standards Through Service-Learning: Dispositions, National Service-Learning In Teacher Education Partnership

Service Learning, General

The University of Idaho, Division of Teacher Education, is refocusing its teacher certification program to reflect national standards and place P-12 students at the center of preservice learning. The integration of service-learning into course work throughout the program ensures that a community of learners will be developed both in academic settings and in society.

Meeting Ncate Standards Through Service-Learning: Professional Knowledge & Skills, National Service-Learning In Teacher Education Partnership

Service Learning, General

Community service has a long-standing tradition in the mission and purpose of California Lutheran University. Believing that the adoption of academic service-learning as an innovative and effective instructional strategy can enhance and enrich the teaching and learning experiences of both Faculty and students, in 1994, the School of Education included service-learning as a required assignment in several courses in the Teacher Preparation Program.

Community Service Learning In Culturally Diverse Stettings As A Springboard For Student Constructed Case Studies, Viviana Alexandrowicz

Service Learning, General

This article describes the process of incorporating case study development by students in a teacher education methods course. The students weekly and final reflections, in addition to the high quality of their case studies, suggested that case study development by teacher candidates is an effective approach to increase their understanding of and competence to work with second language and culturally diverse people.

Learning In Deed: Service-Learning And Preservice Teacher Education, Jeffrey B. Anderson

Service Learning, General

Progressive teacher education programs face a pair of daunting yet crucial tasks. New teachers must be prepared to function effectively in schools as they exist today. They also must be educated to take a leadership role in the improvement and restructuring of P-12 education to meet students’ and society’s needs more fully. Service-learning appears to have considerable potential as a method to achieve both these goals.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation believes that meaningful service to the community, combined with curriculum-based learning, builds stronger academic skills, encourages lifelong civic commitment, and improves workplace and personal development skills among youth. Educators lead …

New England College Pre-Service Teacher Service Learning Guidebook, Debra Nitschke-Shaw

Guides

In a democratic classroom, teacher and students strive to create a participatory learning community (Wade, 1997), a community where the voices and needs of all are respected and valued by the members of that community. Democratic education involves connecting with the larger community through meaningful, hands-on involvement. According to John Dewey, "schools should be democratic laboratories of learning closely linked to community need" (National Youth Leadership Council, 1991, p. 4). Therefore, the focus of a democratic classroom should be on responsible participation from all members of the classroom community.

Challenges And Strategies For Success With Service-Learning In Preservice Teacher Education, Jeffrey B. Anderson, Terry Pickeral

Service Learning, General

This study examined challenges to the use of service-learning in preservice teacher education and also strategies used to overcome those challenges. We surveyed 123 teacher educators, education deans, and state department of education service-learning coordinators to gain their perspective regarding challenges most critical to the use of service-learning in teacher education. We then interviewed 42 of the survey respondents to obtain detailed descriptions of specific strategies used to overcome challenges. Results indicate the most critical challenges relate to lack of time for teacher educators to plan and implement service-learning, an already overcrowded curriculum, and a lack of alignment of service-learning …

Service Learning And Teacher Education: Mapping The Territory, Carole Cook Freeman

Service Learning, General

Since the mid-1980's there has been a renewed interest in progressive approaches to the education of intending teachers¹. In the context of this progressive teacher education activity, several distinct, but related, ideas converge and become the theoretical base for teacher education practices involving (community) service learning.² Among these ideas are renewed interest in authentic field experiences, multicultural education, child advocacy, democratic education, social justice, school reform efforts, autobiography and teacher thinking, and an emphasis on community service in K-12 education. In addition, teacher educators increasingly recognize the gap between the backgrounds of those who intend to teach …

Developing Active Citizens: Community Service Learning In Social Studies Teacher Education, Rahima C. Wade

Service Learning, General

How are social studies teacher educators to prepare teachers for working in a society fraught with social, environmental, and economic problems? If the true mission of our profession is active citizenship, we must help our students learn the value of engaging in long-term efforts to revitalize our democratic society and the skills to respond compassionately to those whose daily needs cannot wait for societal transformation. This article is based on the premise that social studies teacher educators are in a unique position to develop future teachers' commitment to giving their students opportunities for active involvement in the community and the …

Use Children's Books To Link The Cultures Of The World, Mary J. Lickteig, Kathy Everts Danielson

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

Global education is a timely and important emphasis in schools today. In this article, we consider the goals of global education, present a rationale for providing global education experiences at the age children are most responsive to instruction, explore the ways that children's trade books can provide links among cultures, and consider goals of geography and ways trade books can be used to meet these goals.