The authors of this discussion identify one of the most pressing issues facing American universities: the number of graduate students who fail to graduate. We review the literature and further analyze the student and institutional factors most significant in predicting the degree completion rates of graduate students in education. Based on the…

School psychologists can help build resilience in youth in many ways. This article offers a list of some easy techniques to use when working with individuals or groups, most based on basic cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) techniques. They include: (1) Emotional awareness; (2) Emotional Regulation; (3) Cognitive Flexibility; (4) Self-efficacy; and…

We describe the Science Semester, a semester-long course block that integrates three science courses and a science education methods course for elementary teacher education majors, and examine prospective elementary teachers' developing conceptions about inquiry, science teaching efficacy, and reflections on learning through inquiry. The…

The provision of Open Educational Resources (OER) means that learning horizons are no longer restricted by time and space. However, if the learning potential of OER is to be fully realised, educators and students must have the media literacy skills to select, use and produce information in a judicious and useful way. A consideration of the…

This report summarizes 2012-2013 AISD REACH peer observation scores, the stability of scores overtime, teachers' perceptions of peer observation, the relationship between peer observation and other measures of teaching, and the program cost.

Motivation, one of the leading problems in education, is an ongoing issue for teachers. Motivation is important because it highly contributes to achievement. Teachers have to be certain that their students are being motivated in order to develop a positive outcome. This article suggests some strategies to sustain students' classroom motivation.

Teacher trainers provided guidance and instruction to newly hired AISD teachers in August 2011. When surveyed, most teacher trainers responded that the information and support they received to conduct training were of high or very high quality. A separate report also was published that summarizes survey results from the new teachers being trained.…

This article helps Extension professionals guide individuals in a successful long-term weight loss program. A program should focus on behavioral changes (improving eating habits and physical activity), not just weight loss. In order to do this, Extension professionals should implement behavior change strategies that motivate individuals to…

Well-trained new special education teachers know that the individualized education program (IEP) team is the crux of the special education program. The IEP team addresses academic goals and behavior intervention plans for the student but rarely addresses in depth the social environment of the school, classroom, or family. Important aspects of the…

This article challenges the largely Western, functionalist and unitary notion of the self which underlies contemporary international approaches to educational leadership preparation. It locates an alternative concept of the self as simultaneously singular and multiple in deep-rooted and persisting mythic, religious and metaphysical thinking. The…

The first year as a principal is filled with self-doubt. As one already knows, there is no book or guide that can fully prepare someone for what the principal's position entails. All first-year principals have to learn by doing. In this article, the author discusses five keys to success that will guide and help first-year principals with the…

This article describes the steps involved in the development and implementation of a parent nutrition education workshop series for a low-income, primarily Spanish-speaking population in an urban school district setting. Overall, those parents who participated in the nutrition education workshops showed positive changes in their knowledge,…

Whether someone is a businessperson, teacher, laborer, or a stay-at-home parent, there is always a challenge associated with change. However, the opportunities to face challenges can open unbelievable doors. Current data indicate that the United States has almost four million students enrolled in online learning (Allen & Seaman, 2008). This…

In the author's years working as a music specialist in English primary schools she encountered confident, experienced, professional teachers who expressed anxiety about teaching music in the National Curriculum. A number of generalist teachers seemed to believe that they were not competent to teach music to their classes, since they perceived…

In this article, we propose a model of the process of empowerment. The notion of empowerment is compelling and much employed across many subfields inside and outside of psychology, but the lack of consistency in the ways prior literature has defined it is an obstacle to meaningful synthesis of findings and consistent application in practice. Our…