1,720,968 research outputs found
Grit, Biography, and Dedicated Teachers Who Struggled Academically as Students
Get PDFDedicated teachers who had and overcame academic challenges in their youth offer valuable insights into how to support students who struggle. This article presents a qualitative study of 46 teachers from across the United Stated [sic] who faced academic challenges as elementary, middle, and/or secondary students. Their memories of academic struggles lead them to use teaching practices that are grounded in the professional disposition that all children can learn. The findings suggest a positive interrelationship between a biography (Knowles, 1992) that includes academic struggles, the theoretical constructs of grit (Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews, & Kelly, 2007) and self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977), and current educational practices and provide implications for theory, teacher education, and induction
The Analysis of an Unsuccessful Novice Teacher\u27s Induction Experiences: A Case Study Presented through Layered Account
Get PDFAlthough induction support is heralded as an effective way to reduce high attrition among beginning teachers, nationwide increases in induction participation have not been accompanied by a comparable reduction in attrition rates. This inconsistency suggests some induction programs may not provide adequate support. This article presents the results of a case study that explored the experiences of a beginning teacher who left the profession despite participation in an induction program. The research question was: Why was Stella unsuccessful in her second year of teaching? The results are presented through the postmodern ethnographic method of layered account (Ronai, 1997). In addition to raising questions about how to effectively support new teachers, this article includes a discussion of methodological limitations, ethics, subjectivity, and researcher response to participant distress
Exploring Social Studies Through Multicultural Literature: Legend of the St. Ann’s Flood
Get PDFThe search for literature that is high quality, high interest, written at age-appropriate levels for adolescent readers, addresses social studies topics, and presents multicultural perspectives can be daunting. Legend of the St Ann’s Flood is a novel that meets all of these goals. Its setting in Trinidad and Tobago provides the opportunity for students to learn about a country and region that are frequently overlooked in social studies curriculum in the United States. This article provides historical and cultural background information about Trinidad and Tobago, an overview of the novel, and specific teaching suggestions that integrate reading and writing into social studies instruction
The Professional Handbook: Developing Professionalism and Reflective Skills While Connecting Theory and Practice Through Technology
No full textA Technology Supported Induction Network for Rural Student Teachers
Get PDFStudent teaching is a challenging period for preservice teachers as they make the transition from preparation to practice. Support from mentor teachers and university personnel can make this time easier, helping preservice teachers successfully integrate educational theory into their practice. Because of logistical, financial, and personnel limitations, many student teachers with rural placements receive inadequate support. The Technology Supported Induction Network (TSIN) was developed to address these issues by providing support and ongoing professional learning opportunities for preservice teachers through distance technology. A qualitative case study was used to investigate the TSIN’s impact on elementary level student teachers. Results indicate that the TSIN’s two primary components, a discussion board and compressed video sessions, served different supportive roles. Recommendations for future programs utilizing technology as a way to enhance the preparation of student teachers or provide induction for inservice teachers in rural schools are also discussed
On Borrowed Time: How Four Elementary Preservice Teachers Learned to Teach Social Studies in the NCLB Era
No full textThis study presents the findings of a qualitative investigation about four elementary preservice teachers\u27 experiences learning to teach social studies in the No Child Left Behind era. The participants’ internship took place in an elementary school which devoted the majority of the day to literacy and mathematics instruction. Because previous interns in the school had limited or no opportunity to teach social studies, the four participants were required to complete an Interdisciplinary Teaching Assignment to ensure that they were able to teach and reflect upon teaching social studies at least one time during the semester. Findings indicated the interns found the experience meaningful and rewarding because of their students\u27 enthusiasm toward the content and instructional approaches. After meeting the requirements of the assignment, the participants found ways to borrow time from the hours dedicated to literacy and mathematics instruction in order to address social studies topics and themes. The paper concludes with a discussion of teacher educators’ roles in preserving social studies education in American elementary schools while the discipline’s presence is threatened by national curricular trends
Once a Struggling Student…
No full textTeachers who faced tough challenges as K–12 students tell what they learned from their experience
Writing to Learn: Benefits and Limitations
Get PDFWriting to learn (WTL) is the act of making a subject or topic clear to oneself by reasoning through it in writing; it is a pedagogical approach that uses writing to facilitate learning (Zinsser 1988). Some researchers have reported favorable results associated with the approach (Balgopal and Wallace 2009; Bullock 2006; Hand, Hand, Gunel, and Ulu 2009). However, others have indicated that studies supporting WTL pedagogy tend to lack comparison groups, pre/posttest data, or the rich description that contributes to a rigorous qualitative study (Hübner, Nückles, and Renkl 2010; Kieft, Rijlaarsdam, and van den Bergh 2006; Klein 1999). Thus, existing research about WTL suggests that its effectiveness depends on context, leaving a need for further research to better understand the contexts in which WTL has a favorable impact on student achievement. In response to this need, we designed this mixed-method, quasi-experimental study to include pre/posttests and qualitative analysis of WTL journals
Student Attitudes Towards and Impressions of Project Citizen
Get PDFProject Citizen is a civic education curriculum used across the United States and internationally, yet research about its impact on students is lacking in the literature. This article reports the results of a preliminary study designed to answer the following questions: What are students’ attitudes toward and perceptions of Project Citizen? How do their attitudes and perceptions compare to those of students who completed senior projects? Ten high school students and 23 first-year college students completed a questionnaire designed for this study. Our findings indicate that the high school students had positive perceptions of Project Citizen, and they self-reported an understanding and high levels of efficacy regarding civic responsibility. In contrast, the first-year college students had lower levels of efficacy regarding civic responsibility. Our findings suggest the importance of specific learning experiences to help students develop civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions, and indicate the need for further research into civic programs such as Project Citizen
Career Changers as First-Year Teachers in Rural Schools
Get PDFThe challenges novice teachers face as they adjust to inservice teaching are well documented. However, relatively little attention has been given to beginning teachers in rural schools who have had previous careers in other professions. We used qualitative methods to examine the professional experiences and perceptions of four career-changing first-year teachers in rural schools, seeking to identify significant issues in their professional developmental processes. Three primary themes emerged: evidence of effectiveness as teachers; mentoring career changers, and; adjustment to rural school and community. We conclude with implications and recommendations for educators working to support this unique population of educators in preservice preparation programs and rural school districts
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