The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of special education teachers as they relate to teacher preparation programs and how they prepared teachers to work with and lead paraprofessionals. Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership approach and Adult Leadership Theory are the theoretical basis…

Individuals who desire to pursue the teaching profession have two primary paths for preparation: either completing a traditional college-based program or an alternative program. A generic qualitative inquiry methodology was used to explore the perspective of novice teacher participants on how prepared they felt based on the preparation program…

This study explores the learning theories communities of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991) and transformative learning theory (Mezirow, 1978) in the context of mentor teaching. The landscape of teacher education preparation programs is shifting its focus to practice-based teacher education, with the inclusion of high-leverage teaching practices.…

For decades, White supremacy and Whitewashed teacher preparation curriculum have been used to prepare a majority White female teacher workforce. This same workforce has had limited exposure to diversity and a lack of cultural competence and critical consciousness yet is expected to teach diverse student populations. Furthermore, this curriculum is…

The Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is one of the six elements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The practice, definition, and intention have been debated throughout its history. This study focuses on the elementary school educators' understanding and perspectives on how LRE affects how they support students with…

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the mindsets of preservice educators regarding mandatory training in pre-violence indicator patterns at XYZ University. Pre-violence indicator patterns are defined as behaviors symptomatic of violent or aggressive behavior. The theory guiding this study was…

Three major pathways for teacher preparation and certification exist in the United States to recruit and train effective teachers, including traditional, alternative, and teacher residency programs. There is a growing but limited body of research on teacher effectiveness of educators who complete teacher residency programs and the factors of the…

Student support services are critical to a student's university experience and success. The main purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore pre-service teachers' lived experiences with student support services and the implications for retention at a particular teacher training institution in Jamaica. Ten final-year Jamaican…

In order to address prevalent barriers to equitable education, it is critical for preservice teachers to recognize their potential for enacting change as they prepare to enter Pre-K to 12th grade classrooms. This critical qualitative study focused on preservice teachers' attitudes, perceptions, and views of their unique roles in advancing social…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine if teachers' lived experiences of trauma impact practices, relationships, and responses to student behaviors in the classroom. The common themes could allow colleges, school districts, and school leaders to reflect, develop, or improve access to therapeutic interventions and teacher…

In the last two decades, education has come under scrutiny. In response, the edTPA was designed as a panacea for a successful cure for teachers' lack of effectiveness. A teaching preparation program, or teaching, is a historically situated social practice encompassing belief structure, attitudes, and actions (Cochran-Smith et al., 2016).…

Clinical experience is an essential element of any educator preparation program. These experiences provide authentic, real-world learning environments for teacher candidates to practice and improve their instructional skills. Analyzing how clinical experiences impact teacher readiness assists in the development of effective educator preparation…

To date, research on the importance of effective and appropriate technology integration to improve teaching and learning in the 21st century classroom, and the preparation of future educators for effective technology integration through their teacher preparation programs, has been focused primarily on those pursuing careers teaching the general…

In the United States, there were 7,999 bachelor's degree programs in education in 2014 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2014). A minority of these programs were early childhood education (ECE) degree programs, of which there were approximately 1,200 as of 2009 (Hyson et al., 2009). Hyson et al. questioned the quality of ECE degree…

This dissertation is a quantitative research paper that includes data from teachers in Louisiana elementary schools. The critical focus of this dissertation centers around elementary teachers being prepared to educate students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Throughout this paper, teacher preparation programs, professional learning, and…