Traumatic experiences have the potential to influence neurological development which can change the way a person behaves, learns, and builds relationships. While the footprint of trauma has always been prevalent, the mental health of America's children has rapidly declined and has been described as a crisis. PreK-12 classroom teachers are working…

This study delved into the experiences of novice secondary teachers (NST) in California, with a focus on the support systems and preparation programs that influence their professional growth. Through two interconnected phases, district support systems were analyzed via interviews, followed by NST interviews to gauge their perceptions of support.…

Teacher preparation programs are designed to prepare teachers to support students. However, the supports and experiences teachers are exposed to are often described as academic support. This study explored how special education teachers depicted how their teacher preparation programs prepared them to manage elementary student classroom behavior by…

Teacher preparation programs are institutions where future teachers acquire the pedagogical content knowledge needed to deliver quality instruction that promotes student achievement. Teacher preparation is the best-determining factor for student achievement. As of 2018-2019, there were 2,172 teacher preparation providers: 1,453 traditional and 495…

The first years of teaching can be often some of the most stressful in an educator's career. "Reality shock" is a phase new teachers go through when they transition from learning to being responsible for teaching in their own classrooms (Dicke et al., 2015). It often results in a "collapse of ideals or expectations developed during…

The current study took place in a North Texas public school district. The purpose was to compare levels of teacher self-efficacy among beginning teachers who had participated in traditional and alternative teacher educator preparation programs (EPPs). Additionally, the perceptions of beginning teachers were explored in relation to their…

Systemic structures designed to make pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) exclusive to dominant culture, typically employ practices of exclusion or isolation of Black people. As such, the demand for more Black people, particularly Black teachers, in STEM has increased the demand for teacher preparation programs…

This single embedded case study utilized a content analysis of syllabi and other documents, along with interviews and observations, of two California teacher education programs to explore how social justice-oriented and transformative practices were conceptualized. The courses - topics, text, assignments, and instructional practices - were…

The aim of this study was to explore the extent to which teachers received the education or training that prepared them to teach social studies content knowledge, social studies critical thinking skills, and their overall preparation to become highly qualified teachers. The participants in the study were active social studies teachers in Tennessee…

The purpose of this research study was to uncover any patterns of experiences provided in teacher preparation programs that pre-service elementary teachers perceive as helpful in boosting confidence before student teaching. There is a lack of experiences known to improve teaching self-efficacy, or the belief in oneself to perform a learned skill…

Graduate school is a stressful endeavor for students, causing the incidence of mental health distress to be higher in this group than in the general population. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate and improve the mental health supports for graduate students in teacher preparation programs. Cycle 1 data were collected in…

Enrollment in traditional special education teacher preparation programs has declined while enrollment in alternative preparation programs has increased in Georgia (Georgia Insights, 2024). Since alternative preparation programs have become the viable recruitment vein for rural schools challenged to fill special education teaching vacancies,…

Nationally, schools in the United States struggle to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers. Previous research supports using teacher pedagogy training and mentorship to increase retention. This study examines the use of mentorship in a high school Grow Your Own teacher training program and student career selection. The action research study…

The problem addressed in this study was that teachers do not continuously develop self-efficacy as they progress through their preparation programs. One long-standing challenge in teacher preparation is providing adequate opportunities for self-efficacy development. There is a causal correlation between teacher self-efficacy, teacher preparation…

Teacher training and preparation are important topics to consider in the field of education because of the direct impact quality of instruction and resulting student achievement. Teacher preparation programs and training help teachers develop classroom management skills, learn to lesson plan, and disaggregate data. The purpose of this qualitative…