Growing emphasis on elementary STEM education has pushed elementary teachers to face curriculum changes that focus on standards with which they are largely unfamiliar (Smith, 2020; Trygstad et al., 2013). As a result, elementary students are not always exposed to STEM subjects or integration and miss out on opportunities to access and enjoy the…

Urban elementary school teachers face many challenges in the classroom. Addressing challenging student behaviors is one of these challenges. Challenging student behaviors, which include disruptive behaviors such as noncompliance and verbal aggression, can impede student engagement, and if students are not engaged, their learning is stymied.…

There is little research on the experiences of international teachers recruited to work in urban schools in America. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore Caribbean international teachers' experiences during and after recruitment to teach in New York City public schools. Homans's social exchange theory provided the…

This conceptual work examines the impact of the preexisting characteristics found among kindergarten through fifth grade-teachers who are more likely to implement culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices in their instruction and daily routines. The Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale (CRTSE) was administered to participants…

Teacher accountability and test scores currently drive many practices within the field of education. At the same time, student populations have become increasingly diverse, causing classroom teachers to feel pressured to teach to the test. Differentiated instruction has emerged as a best practice to help maximize learning for all students.…

At an urban elementary school in a northeastern state in the United States, the problem in this study is that despite professional development (PD) provided to elementary teachers to support students with disabilities, (SWDs), in inclusionary classrooms, elementary teachers have not been prepared to effectively meet instructional needs of SWDs.…

Research continues to study the types of professional development models and the structures which are necessary to impact student outcomes (Darling-Hammond, 1997; Guskey, 2000; Liberman, 1995) to implement educational improvements driven by leadership and policy makers. The diversity of options for implementation paired with sheer volume of…

What is the role of teachers in constructing loving dialogic space that is liminal in nature? How can curricular boundary objects catalyze new dialogic spaces connecting people in different social locations? Illuminating these questions, Ms. Thompson opened new doors for elementary students in an urban Reformed Christian school community, inviting…

Known for decades but with minimal change, the underrepresentation of minority and low socioeconomic students in gifted programs has been a concern that needs to be brought to the forefront and addressed. Despite increasing diversity in schools and heightened attention to equity, the ongoing apprehension of underrepresentation remains. This…

This case explores a newly implemented Strategic Education Plan, spearheaded by Principal John Barlow, which has added some tensions and sparked concerns among parents and teachers that the myopic focus on standardized test scores risks erasing the cultural richness that defines the school. The narrative explores the complexities of balancing…

This study explored early childhood student teachers of color's (ECSToCs) development of cultural competence during their fieldwork experience. Nine female students of color enrolled in an early childhood education fieldwork course participated in this study. Employing a qualitative research methods approach, we analyzed multiple data including…

The purpose of this study is to examine preservice teachers' (PTs) meta-awareness related to their developing literacy (teacher) identities and examine the discursive belief systems and patterns embedded within this context. In this instrumental case study, we aim to determine the relationship(s) between meta-awareness and PTs' literacy (teacher)…

During a 10-week professional physical science professional development (PD) course, elementary inservice teachers (n = 18) in a large urban district were engaged in explicit-reflective nature of science (NOS) instruction. Teachers were also explicitly engaged in reflection concerning NOS pedagogy (e.g., explicit-reflective, role of context).…

Professional Growth Plans (PGPs), a model of professional development for educators, were completed in the context of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) as part of a grant from a state Professional Educator Standards Board. Participants were in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and represented different educator roles in two urban…

The purpose of this study was to examine how one physical education teacher education (PETE) alumnus teaching in a CED urban school perceives culturally responsive teaching in physical education (PE), as well as how they enact it in their classes. Guided by culturally responsive teaching and self-efficacy, this study examined John, a physical…