The purpose of this basic narrative qualitative study was to explore the experiences of first- and second-year teachers and mentors regarding professional learning and new teacher mentoring programs from three highly effective schools in the state of Missouri through personal interviews and related documents. The three highly effective schools…

New teacher attrition is a serious problem, with some studies estimating that 50 percent of teachers leave the profession within their first few years. This high attrition rate means that many schools have large number of inexperienced teachers and that districts must spend scarce funds for recruitment and replacement costs. Springfield Public…

The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of field experiences in traditional teacher preparation programs completed by first-year teachers in Missouri and how experiences vary by teaching certificate type. This descriptive study is based on data from a survey administered in early 2015 to first-year teachers in Missouri public…

Action research, also called classroom or teacher research, has been defined as "systematic, intentional inquiry by teachers". Action research encourages school personnel to systematically develop a question, gather data, and then analyze that data to improve their practice. Over the last 15 years, the complexities of using action…

This is a problem-based learning project that focused on a discrepancy in program content and retention rates between two-year teacher induction programs and induction programs that last three or four years. It specifically focused on the impact induction has on new teacher perceptions and teacher retention. The project also examined the influence…

In 2003 the University of Missouri (with the aid of US National Science Foundation funding) initiated an alternative certification program (CAP) to address the well-documented need in the US for increasing the quantity and quality of mathematics and science teachers for the middle and secondary levels. Nationwide current certification programs do…

With the implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS), K-12 teachers, counselors, and administrators will be held accountable for meeting the explicitly defined standards of college and career readiness for every high school graduate. An equivalent and reciprocal challenge is also placed upon universities to prepare future education…

We investigated how and to what extent a school-university partnership might influence the teachers and the teaching in one school, Parkland. We interviewed 23 novice and veteran teachers, the principals, and the university liaison. The data suggest that the university structures (i.e., the practicum, the student teaching internship, the Senior…

This document describes the mentoring relationship from the perspectives of several virtual schools that have built mentoring programs to assist their new teachers. Each school's mentoring program is unique and has been designed specifically for the school's staff, size, and instructional approach. These schools have learned that a successful…