Teacher self-efficacy has been linked to student achievement. This quantitative study was conducted in order to compare teacher self-efficacy of homegrown teachers to other teachers in small rural schools in Missouri. The study used the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Survey (TSES) developed by Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (2001) to gauge a teacher's…

Sixty percent of America's teachers choose traditional baccalaureate programs while the remaining choose one of several alternative pathways. While certification/training is certainly important to preparing effective teachers, other research indicates that teacher efficacy serves as the foundation of teacher behaviors and classroom practice. The…

The purpose of this study was to gather information on experiences of general education teachers concerning inclusion practices for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). In this case study third, fourth, and fifth grade general education teachers in a rural Southwest Missouri school district provided the data source to keep a narrowed…

The requirements for school counselor certification have changed since 2000 in Missouri. Most notably, the requirement of previous teaching experience has been removed. As a result, individuals from backgrounds other than teaching have the opportunity to earn their masters' degrees in school counseling and earn the student services certificate of…