This study combines data from three case studies of teachers moving from their university teacher education programs into their first jobs, with data collected through observations and interviews totaling six observation cycles over the 2 years of data collection. The curricula for working class students that the three teachers taught represent a…

"Authenticity," "intrinsic motivation," "confidence," and "student choice." More than just jargon, these ideas are essential for student achievement. Facing the pressures of mandated standards and assessments, teachers often replace activities that allow for student choice and multiple outcomes with…

Data on the attendance and dropout rates of the Inmate Education Program at Brewer-Parker College, which provides higher education for eight correctional institutes in Georgia, were analyzed. Reasons for the high dropout rate included lack of motivation, lack of resource materials, students' lack of educational preparation, and attitude and…

This paper describes a school-based professional development project for elementary teachers where all teachers from the school and university mathematics educators regularly met to share and plan mathematics teaching strategies for the school's diverse student body. Analysis of data from focus group interviews with participating teachers revealed…

In her first year as superintendent of the Atlanta Public Schools, Beverly Hall encountered what she describes as the nearly universal disbelief that poor children of color can achieve high levels of learning. This chapter recounts how she confronted this and other obstacles and challenges as the new leader of the Atlanta Public Schools. Hall is…