In 1999, it was estimated that 50% of new teachers leave urban districts in less than five years. New urban teachers face a host of demands that can contribute towards stress and burnout. While some of the literature has focused upon teacher stress, to date none has focused upon new teachers who are enrolled in alternative licensure programs with…

In 2003 the University of Missouri (with the aid of US National Science Foundation funding) initiated an alternative certification program (CAP) to address the well-documented need in the US for increasing the quantity and quality of mathematics and science teachers for the middle and secondary levels. Nationwide current certification programs do…

Optimal outcomes of the educational assessment of students require that teachers should have adequate knowledge of, strong skills in, and favourable attitudes toward educational measurement. The present study investigated differences between preservice and inservice teachers' knowledge of, perceived skills in, and attitudes toward educational…

New teachers, especially those who are not certified in education, need support to succeed at teaching and remain in the profession. Because there is a growing national shortage of science teachers, many school districts are forced to hire teachers who have science degrees but little training in education or experience teaching. Research shows…

This longitudinal study examined how the approach leaders in two schools took to implementing the Common Core State Standards shaped the way that two first-year teachers constructed meaning related to being a teacher. Instructional leadership constructs and threat rigidity theory were used to analyze qualitative data gathered over a nine-month…

This study emerged out of a year-long narrative ethnography that investigated the first year of ESL teachers. It describes key personal, contextual, and structural factors that influenced the teachers' professional beliefs and practices. The focus of this study centers on the conversations of three middle school ESL teachers during new teacher…

There is an alternative to conventional teacher mentorship. The authors describe and analyze a promising model of mentorship where multiple mentees and mentors, each with varying levels of experience, engage collaboratively in the study of teaching practice. They have found that well-designed contexts in which beginning and experienced teachers…

The lack of certified special education teachers and high rates of attrition have led to a shortage of special educators. Mentoring programs have been developed to improve retention of beginning educators. This study examined if a mentoring program is effective for special educators. The participants were first- and second-year elementary, middle,…

Say the phrase "Charlie bit my finger," and just about every human being with Internet access visualizes the viral video clip of baby Charlie precociously biting the finger of his brother. With almost 200 million views, this video represents just one of thousands of viral videos that form a core component of modern entertainment, news,…

The successful mentoring of first-, second-, and third-year teachers is imperative for both retention and the continued success of students in the public school setting. Implementation of effective teacher mentor programs is vitally important to a teacher's professional success and can have positive impacts on student achievement and staff morale.…

For decades, music teachers have shared the dread of writing formal lesson plans, yet most know that planning yields better instruction. Why does this disconnect continue? The common argument that music teachers make is that teaching music is fundamentally different from teaching other subjects. Lesson plans are written to pacify supervisors and…

The transition from preservice science teacher education programs to the first years of full-time teaching is arguably one of the most critical stages in the professional development of science teachers. This report documents a longitudinal study aimed at enhancing the research base for understanding this critical stage. The research is framed as…

During the 2009-2010 school year, 479 new teachers in the Austin Independent School District were mentored by 419 experienced teachers during more than 12,000 sessions. Planning was the most common type of mentoring activity.

Mentoring of novice teachers has become a prevalent component of programs that help beginning teachers. A conceptualization of mentoring practice that rests on a shared vision of good mentoring, however, needs to be developed so that novice teachers receive more than emotional support or professional socialization. Knowing how to be a good mentor…

This study is based on qualitative data from interviews and observations with seven principals representing two urban high schools, two urban middle schools, and three elementary schools. The study analyzes the views held by these principals about what novice teachers need to learn and grow, and examines what these principals are doing to meet…