The first year in teaching will be rewarding and stimulating, but it will also be hard and stressful for most NQTs. A good induction program benefits not only NQTs but also those who support and assess them. Good teachers make good schools--but good schools also make good teachers. In this book, NQT development expert Dr. Sara Bubb, explains…

Early career science teachers are often assigned to classrooms with high numbers of English language learners (ELLs). For the underprepared early career science teacher, these circumstances are challenging. This study examines the changes in beliefs and practices of an early career science teacher who taught high numbers of ELLs in an urban…

This longitudinal study, framed by activity theory, examines what seven novice teachers' talk and actions reveal about their literacy teaching practices then delves into mediating influences of the teaching context. Utilizing collective, multi-case methods, data sources included interviews, observations, and artifacts. Findings indicate novices…

Not your typical how-to manual for new teachers, this no-nonsense, jargon-free elementary school teacher resource offers a wide variety of tools and tactics for getting through every school day with grace and sanity. Covered in glue, glitter, orange juice--or worse? Make a quick change into the spare set of clothes you keep on hand for just this…

This qualitative study explores a cohort professional development experience that brought new teachers together every few weeks from across an urban school district. Observation data were analyzed through Wenger's (1998) "Communities of Practice" social learning framework. The purpose was to examine how a cohort can be a valuable resource of new…

While it is generally acknowledged that the first years of teaching are the most difficult, little is known about the development of subject matter specialists during this period. In order to add to the knowledge in this area, the present study explores the first year of 114 secondary science teachers as they participate in one of four different…

This paper looks at new teachers' use of information and communications technology (ICT) at the start of their first year of teaching. A previous study was made of 40 student teachers (May-July 2007) who were identified as very good users of ICT. This is a follow-up study involving 30 of these 40 participants during their first months of teaching…

This postmodern ethnographic study of teacher conceptualization of teaching expanded the findings of other research regarding the disconnect between teacher preparation programs and classroom teaching by exploring how personal and professional knowledge and identities are synthesized for 10 in-service teachers. Teachers in the study filtered…

The purposes of this study were to determine preservice physics teachers' instructional beliefs and to investigate the relationship between their beliefs and practices. The theoretical framework was based on the combination Haney & McArthur's ("Science Education," 86(6):783-802, 2002) research and Ford's (1992) motivation systems theory. A…

This case study of a fifth-year elementary intern's pathway in learning to teach science focused on her science methods course, placement science teaching, and reflections as a first-year teacher. We studied the sociocultural contexts within which the intern learned, their affordances and constraints, and participants' perspectives on their roles…

Over the past decade many social studies educators have called for teachers to engage their students in historical interpretation. This case study examined the beliefs and practices related to engaging students in historical interpretation of four secondary social studies teachers from their teacher preparation through their first year in the…

In this study, the authors examine the influence of teacher and student communication patterns, instructional practices, and teacher pedagogical content knowledge on students' mathematics learning in both general and special education mathematics classrooms. Five pre-service special education teachers in field placements and 43 students with…

This book provides mentors with a step-by-step action guide through the complexities of the school-based mentoring process. Ten chapters discuss: (1) "Introduction: First Things First" (e.g., roles for cooperating teachers, support providers, and peer coaches or mentors); (2) "Teacher Development" (e.g., concerns and reflections of student…