There are international calls for teacher preparation programs to increase the quantity and quality of field experiences. The belief is that spending additional time in the field being mentored by inservice teachers will develop high-quality preservice teachers. However, the figured worlds of teacher education and the knowledge base of inservice…

With the emergence of new academic demands created by curricular reforms such as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), policy makers and educators have recognized that the linguistic complexity of new curricula requires greater coordination of instructional efforts in teaching English language learners (ELLs). However, the literature has yet to…

Coteaching has two important but different applications in schools. First, coteaching between in-service general and special educators provides support for students with disabilities included in general education settings. Second, coteaching between cooperating or mentor teachers and their student teachers provides support for student teachers in…

Recently, interdisciplinary instruction has come back to the educational scene, specifically supported through the Common Core State Standards. As teacher educators and former middle-level teachers, the authors see this as a positive move to enhance learning for adolescents. This qualitative study sought to answer: How do secondary preservice and…

Technology[superscript 3] is a grant that helped 3 groups of stakeholders (university faculty and supervisors, cooperating teachers, and teacher candidates) with 3 essential technology components (hardware, software, and technology learning support) through a 3-pronged approach based on training, modeling, and mentoring to use technology. Faculty…

Describes how several elementary teacher educators are learning to practice what they teach by integrating methods courses. This involves taking action to coordinate what occurs in each course and integrate what they do and how they do it, with a focus on interdisciplinary instruction. The process of learning to integrate methods courses involves…

Educational legislation has ascribed several roles for the federal government, including: (1) to supplement and complement the efforts of state and local agencies; and (2) to improve the quality of education. The Intergovernment Advisory Council on Education was created to provide assistance and make recommendations concerning intergovernmental…

This article describes the use of a lesson study approach to collaborative professional growth in an elementary science methods course. Preservice candidates designed and taught integrated science-mathematics lessons during the semester before their student teaching. Working in 8 teams of 3 student teachers, participants per team designed a common…

Educational legislation mandated that state education agencies submit plans for the coordination of federal and state funds for school staff development. State activities in planning, preparing, and coordinating programs are identified and discussed. (JN)

This case study examined how four university faculty members experienced the process of collaboratively planning and teaching university methods courses to match the needs of their Professional Development School context. Interview data highlighted four themes as integral to their collective story: learning how to create a participative culture,…

Describes research by a Professional Development School (PDS) partnership which examined various aspects of the partnership and its effectiveness. Data were collected from participants from 17 PDS sites using the Interview Design Process. Findings, which were consistent with previous research, emphasized professional learning communities,…

This conversation between two teacher educators describes a project that integrated social studies and language arts methods classes in a cross-cultural setting. The integrated content evolved around themes of community building and cross-cultural communication. The paper reflects on teaching together in a traditional education program--its…

Describes how seven teacher educators and an outside consultant used action research as a framework to develop and implement a collaborative interdisciplinary methods course for preservice elementary educators. The article documents their struggles to develop curriculum and implement different teaching methods. (SM)

Describes a project that provided training and experience in the process of professional collaboration and use of instructional support strategies for educators serving exceptional students in inclusive classrooms. Crossing the disciplines of special and regular education, the successful project addressed professional development of student…

Examines how general education interns and mentors can use collaborative teaching in professional development school settings. Focusing on special education literature on collaboration, the paper discusses the use of complementary, parallel, station, alternative, and team teaching. Examples of how these models work in elementary and secondary…