Participation in curricular change and teacher professional development can be challenging for honorary clinical teachers, who juggle teaching alongside busy clinical practice. Following redevelopment of our traditional lecture programme, we conducted qualitative research, based on Vygotsky's Social Development Theory, to explore honorary clinical…

The teaching profession, at its core, is relational. Professional development of teachers is provided in many ways: one day seminars, professional learning communities, mentoring, etc. However, there has been little attention to the interaction between the teachers involved in the process and what influence this interaction has on their…

After decades of conflict with Indonesia, Timor-Leste is gradually rebuilding its education infrastructure and reclaiming its identity as an independent country. In the first decade post-independence the education sector faced many challenges, including a lack of school buildings and resources, the need to replenish and upskill the Timorese…

In a private room at the back of a busy restaurant just outside of Tampa, Florida, drinks and appetizers went unnoticed as 12 diners sat around one large table and engaged in multiple rapid-fire conversations about professional learning. On one side of each conversation were representatives of Memphis (Tennessee) City Schools. The district was in…

Using a sample of 374 randomly selected first- and second-year teachers in three states, this study examines new teachers' experiences of official mentoring during their first year. Descriptive analyses reveal that experienced mentors are generally present in the work lives of new teachers. However, new teachers often have inappropriate…

Three years after implementing a standards-based teacher evaluation system in a private K-12 school, research was conducted to determine what attitudes and perceptions teachers had on the effectiveness of the system. The survey includes questions about the teacher evaluation process and the goals of the test school in implementing the process. The…

Teacher educators have suggested that mentoring has the potential to help novices learn to teach in reform-minded ways. This suggestion implies a change in the nature of mentor-novice relationships as conceptualized in the existing literature and an understanding of the complexities of mentoring relationships. Based on critical constructivist and…

This article examines the professional learning accruing from school-based initial teacher education (ITE) within the wider policy debate on school performance. It contrasts the very positive perceptions reported by teachers on the contribution of involvement in ITE to their professional learning with the less than fulsome attitude of school…

Findings from a study of mentors and protege teachers in a Rhode Island mentoring program suggest that mentoring may be as beneficial to mentors as to proteges. After describing the Rhode Island mentoring program, this paper examines the benefits for mentors (e.g., enhanced self-esteem, reduced isolation, reflection on practice, and learning from…

This book describes the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation (MCTP) program which develops and implements interdisciplinary programs for teacher education to develop enthusiastic teachers who continue to be an active learners. Contents include: (1) Foreword (Katherine Denniston); (2) Impact of MCTP on the State of Maryland (Jack Taylor);…

Peer coaching empowers teachers as change agents when integrating innovative practices. This paper describes a model for peer coaching that encourages collegial interaction. Strategies for application include the following: selecting coaching teams, observing, describing implementation procedures, designing an observational instrument, monitoring…

One school district, the Ipswich (MA) Public Schools, has adopted a culture of collaborative leadership that recognizes the strengths of teamwork and commitment. This article looks at some of the history and philosophy, followed by the application of those two elements, and provides a snapshot of a district operating in a unique and innovative…

Very few people would disagree that the work of the principal is multifaceted, hectic, and fraught with uncertainties, and given the ongoing press for accountability, the very work of the principal as instructional leader is shifting to ensure "results." There are myriad day-to-day activities that take principals away from the important work of…

This article will present a case study of an unrequited teacher-learning collaboration, an attempt to work with an experienced teacher to redesign his practice in consonance with Fostering a Community of Learners (FCL) principles and practices. The author's purpose in presenting this case will be threefold: first, to provide a coherent account of…

A multiyear effort to understand and improve the practice of learning communities across North America has revealed encouraging trends and areas in which work should continue. The authors asked fifty-six educators involved in the work to write and talk about the state of learning communities. The authors wanted to learn how learning community…