The adoption of trauma-informed practices in schools is a significant and growing area of school reform efforts. It has been assumed that professional development aimed at influencing teacher attitudes toward trauma-informed care in schools is an important first step in adopting trauma-informed practices and improving student and school outcomes.…

This 5-year mathematics professional development project involves 27 elementary teachers prepared and supported as Elementary Mathematics Specialists (EMSs) in high-need, urban schools. Our inquiry centers on their experiences in the EMS preparation program and the development of important outcomes, specifically productive beliefs and teacher…

Teaching the scientific, historical, and social facets of global climate change, its causes, and inequitable impacts presents a challenge to most K-12 teachers. In this article we describe the design and implementation of a yearlong professional learning program created to support urban, public K-12 teachers in the creation and enactment of…

In this case study, the researcher examines how three elementary teachers, all certified by their school district in culturally responsive teaching (CRT) through professional development (PD) opportunities, implement CRT in mathematics. The study was designed to understand 1) the CRT certification process and structures that were intended to…

High turnover and attrition of teachers negatively impacts student achievement and instructional quality (Borman & Dowling, 2008). Studies show attrition disrupts learning, increases workload, and erodes school culture (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019, Schaefer et al., 2012). Addressing these challenges necessitates better support…

Research continues to study the types of professional development models and the structures which are necessary to impact student outcomes (Darling-Hammond, 1997; Guskey, 2000; Liberman, 1995) to implement educational improvements driven by leadership and policy makers. The diversity of options for implementation paired with sheer volume of…

During a 10-week professional physical science professional development (PD) course, elementary inservice teachers (n = 18) in a large urban district were engaged in explicit-reflective nature of science (NOS) instruction. Teachers were also explicitly engaged in reflection concerning NOS pedagogy (e.g., explicit-reflective, role of context).…

Professional Growth Plans (PGPs), a model of professional development for educators, were completed in the context of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) as part of a grant from a state Professional Educator Standards Board. Participants were in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and represented different educator roles in two urban…

Drawing on adult learning theory, this article proposes a coaching stance that is conducive to cultivating teacher agency and developing teacher effectiveness. As university-based teacher educators and literacy coaches in a large urban school district, the authors describe the evolution of three distinct coaching stances, based on a 3-year…

This 5-year mathematics professional development project involves 27 elementary teachers prepared and supported as Elementary Mathematics Specialists (EMSs) in high-need, urban schools. The EMSs are a distinctive population as informal teacher leaders, with a primary responsibility of teaching students. Described here are data collected at the end…

More attention should be placed on student engagement and the teaching of lessons that promote equitable opportunities to learn science in a way that students can relate to and enjoy. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate and improve student engagement in urban elementary science classrooms. Also, to discover how best to…

Schools are complex and dynamic systems that require innovative leaders who are willing to invest in classroom teachers by giving them opportunities to lead beyond the four walls of the classroom. Because principals play an integral role in the academic achievement of students in their schools, it is incumbent upon principals to invest in teacher…

Leadership, teachers, and parents have observed significantly disproportionate discipline of African American students at urban elementary schools located in Ohio, despite the implementation of positive behavior intervention supports (PBIS). This basic qualitative study explored teacher perceptions of the overrepresentation of disciplinary actions…

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are a powerful school improvement strategy designed to advance teacher professional development. Protocols are tools for structuring teacher conversations in PLCs. In this article the authors present the results of a qualitative study of teacher perspectives about the value and effects of systematic…

This qualitative case study focuses on the impact of neoliberal education reform on an urban charter school serving students of Color. This study has two main objectives: to examine how neoliberal reform influences the goal-oriented actions of data meetings (DMs) in an urban elementary school and engages in a formative intervention methodology to…