Teachers in high-poverty middle schools need additional supports from administrators to build collective teacher efficacy. Supportive leadership is the driving force in leading collective teacher efficacy in high-poverty middle schools. A qualitative, instrumental case study was utilized to explore how teachers perceive administrative supports…

This study was prompted by a desire to understand the relationship between reflective practice using classroom instructional video observations and teacher perception of effectiveness. This was a mixed methods study in which quantitative data were collected from a pre- and post-survey using a Likert scale and qualitative data from weekly pre- and…

This quantitative study was conducted to examine if teacher reflective practices had an impact on student engagement, teacher-student relationships, and student engagement. Survey data were collected from 356 middle school teachers and students. Data concluded no significant relationships among the reflective practices of teachers, student…

The purpose of this self-study was to investigate the implementation of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the music classroom without a district-level music administrator. With two guiding research questions, the study involved using culturally responsive music education and a community of practice to implement DEIB music…

As organizations seek to provide meaningful professional learning opportunities, research has emerged to support the development of learning cultures that move beyond isolated learning experiences. An essential component of professional learning is reflective practice which occur at both the individual (Schon, 1983) and collective (Day, 1993)…

This post-critical ethnographic study explored the curriculum of being/becoming a middle school teacher that 5 emergency-certified new-to-teaching teachers experienced through the quotidian interactions of their first fully-in-person school year. The curriculum of being/becoming teachers is increasingly important as the percentage of teachers…

The professional learning experiences of K-12 educators are a critical and complex part of continuously improving teaching and learning within a school. This case study brings to light the experiences of three teams of middle school teachers participating in a professional learning model called instructional rounds. The purpose of this research is…

Recent science education reform has emphasized teaching science as practice -- striving to engage students in the authentic work of scientists so they gain deeper understanding of scientific knowledge and how that knowledge is established. To make this vision of science education a reality in classrooms, teachers must be well prepared to teach…

K-8 school administrators are expected to provide professional development (PD) to bilingual teachers that will enhance instructional practices. PD is an important factor that may lead to student academic achievement. However, it was unclear in what ways K-8 administrators provided PD for bilingual teachers to enhance instructional practices for…

The purpose of this study was to research the perceptions of teachers concerning the implementation and effectiveness of professional learning communities in a middle school in a rural school district in North Carolina. The data were gathered using the Professional Learning Communities Assessment-Revised (PLCA-R) survey and individual one-on-one…

After receiving tenure, experienced teachers may choose to not participate in professional development opportunities. In fact, tenured teachers may only complete the minimum professional development hours required by their school districts. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the factors that motivated tenured…

This qualitative study described the impact of collaboration and technology-based communication on the professional experiences of rural middle school classroom teachers. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to determine if technology-based tools, such as online discussion boards, email, social networking sites, and short message…

This study focused on the lived experiences of a team of four rural middle school teachers as they made the transformation from traditional classrooms to personalized learning classrooms. The teachers were beginning their third year of personalized learning implementation as the study took place. The researcher investigated participants'…

This study is concerned with the reflective practices of middle school teachers. Based on Dewey's theory of reflective practice and Schon's types of reflection, this experience is one of student learning, relationships, curriculum planning, and lesson delivery. This is a qualitative study using the research method of phenomenology through…

This qualitative case study examined how middle school science teachers conducted collaborative inquiry and reflection about students' conceptual understanding, and how individual teachers in the middle school science group acted and made reflections in response to their collaborative inquiry. It also examined external influences that affected the…