In the U.S., state guidance to schools in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was politicized. We used state-level political affiliation to explore whether access to curricular resources differed pre-pandemic or during pandemic remote teaching and teachers' reported control over curricular resources during pandemic teaching. We found that…

This article investigates the practices of effective collaboration and co-teaching among Special and General Educators as it relates to the social justice concept of inclusion. Data was gathered through interviews, faculty surveys, student surveys, and personal journal reflections. The study explores the key components to reshaping the role of a…

Research concerning men working in predominantly female environments has suggested that stereotyping can occur when gender norms are violated, such as men teaching at the elementary school level. The present study investigated the presence and perspectives of male elementary school music teachers in specific geographical regions of the…

In recent years, teachers in Western countries have developed beliefs and attitudes related to working with students with specific learning disabilities (LD) that may be critical in shaping their educational practices with them; however, their beliefs and attitudes differ across political and geographical contexts and may be influenced by specific…

Teachers and principals have vital roles in the success of our schools and the two must communicate with each other; however, principals must evaluate teachers' performance. The problem investigated for this research study was communication disparity as evidenced by how teachers interpret and react to principal's feedback, teachers' perceived…

"The Right Trajectory" brings to the forefront an often-overlooked voice in the debate about new state assessments developed in consortia: that of the best teachers in the country. This research suggests, despite challenges still to overcome, that these front-line experts believe that the new consortia tests are an improvement on the…

Dedication and commitment are useful terms to apply when discussing teacher quality and excellence, especially in rural contexts. A two-stage case study examined archival data on teachers and teaching in Vermont and northern New England and interviewed 12 outstanding rural teachers from low income districts throughout Vermont. The teaching…

This paper focuses on the use of Gardner's (1985) Multiple Intelligence Theory (MIT) in the restructuring of the curriculum at elementary schools in Pawlet, Vermont. It discusses the state of education in Vermont, the need to restructure and improve assessment at the Pawlet schools, and the adoption of MIT to further this goal. The bulk of the…

The success of alternative assessments such as the Vermont Assessment Program (VAP) is heavily dependent on the involvement and commitment of teachers. This paper focuses on the implementation of the writing portfolio component of the VAP in the classrooms of four teachers who have different knowledge and beliefs about teaching and assessment. The…

Teacher networks used in California and Vermont are examined. Interviews, observations, and document analyses identified how teacher beliefs, teacher experience, social influences, and practical circumstances interacted with program goals and methods to shape teachers' experiences with networks, views of teaching and learning, and classroom…

For the past five years, Vermont has been developing an innovative statewide assessment system in which portfolios of student work in mathematics and writing are a key element. The use of mathematics portfolios, particularly in elementary school, is a novel aspect of the assessment system. This study examines the elementary school mathematics…

This paper reports on the learning outcomes described by experienced teachers attending a program designed to enable them to come together to engage in professional development through structured and systematic reflective practice. In the first part of the paper, we look briefly at some of the challenges of defining "reflective…