Low teacher engagement and retention are challenges faced by many schools, especially in high poverty contexts. In this case study, readers will draw on feedback and reflections provided by teachers that reflect realistic concerns current and aspiring school and districts leaders are faced with today in an endeavor to respond to these challenges.…

This paper provides teachers and teacher educators with food for thought by developing a broad, contemporary re-evaluation of the often-used analogy between teaching and the theatre. It does so by synthesizing insights from scholarly works in education with insights from writing about theatre, including both historical work and published…

The university is often regarded as a bastion of liberal democracy where equity and diversity are promoted and racism does not exist. In reality, the university still excludes many people and is a site of racialization that is subtle, complex, and sophisticated. While some studies do point to the persistence of systemic barriers to equity and…

Teachers are natural problem solvers, and they should be using this quality to their advantage when it comes to solving the systemic issues that plague Philadelphia's education system. Many of the articles in this issue have already gone into great detail about what is happening in Philadelphia. Torch Lytle has provided a summary of the recent…

The author's classroom is bare, and the school supplies she received are long gone. After realizing how much money she was spending on her classroom each year, she decided to find other resources besides her credit card to stock up her classroom. In this article, the author shares some strategies that provided more return with a lower investment.

This article explores three dimensions in moral development: (1) morality as an individual construct; (2) facilitated by powerful relationships; and (3) in the context of the organization. The goal in this article is to orient the educator to the mind of the learner and suggest strategies and approaches that facilitate learning. (Contains 1…

Navigating the initial years of teaching can be daunting yet exhilarating. While all new teachers want to do their best to help their students succeed, they also need to learn how to navigate the often bumpy road of education. This book contains interesting scenarios and case studies that ask the reader to solve everyday school situations.…

The application of the principles of scientific management within the structure, organization, and curriculum of public schools in the US became dominant during the early 1900s. Based upon research evidence from the modern day era of high-stakes testing in US public education, the fundamental logics guiding scientific management have resurfaced…

As new evaluation systems begin to enable school and district leaders to identify their excellent teachers, states and school systems are looking ahead to the next step. Leaders ask: Now that we know who our great teachers are, how can we give them the opportunity to take on new roles and advance in their careers? How can we pay them more--ideally…

Easy-to-use progress-monitoring and intervention techniques are attractive because most teachers are crunched for time and teacher instructional time is often consumed with paperwork, especially for progress monitoring and discipline. Some studies indicate up to 50% of a special educator's time may be spent on paperwork. Methods that serve a dual…

Early childhood professionals are familiar with finding and appreciating daily moments of joy. Teachers smile inside and out when toddlers are able to pull up their own pants, preschoolers write their names for the first time, or kindergarteners figure out how to make complicated patterns with blocks. Working with young children can also be very…

The induction years of teaching challenge novice educators to quickly transition from what they learned as teacher candidates into what they can do as emerging professionals. This article outlines a simulated interaction methodology to help bridge teacher preparation and practice. Building from examples of simulated interactions between teacher…

Many teachers enter the profession with a desire to "make a difference." But given who most teachers are, where they come from, and what pressure they feel to comply with existing school policies, how can they take up this charge? "Practice What You Teach" follows three different groups of educators to explore the challenges of developing and…

Half of all teachers might be moonlighting, working at a part-time job in addition to their main job as teachers, and that has consequences for their teaching jobs. Moonlighting interferes with their daily instruction and with their ability to collaborate with other educators. Moonlighting also can contribute to a less positive attitude about…

It is not easy to "come out" as a teacher, particularly at the middle school level. The overwhelming reason to come out is to make school a safer place for youth who know, think, or fear they are lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Adolescence is hard enough without positive role models for every aspect of who one is or is striving to become.…