Kindergarten teachers' work is unique because they juggle the roles of caregiver to young children, tending to their physical, emotional and educational needs, and managing their kindergarten unit. The year of internship and transition into teaching is particularly intense. For new kindergarten teachers (NKTs) to fully integrate in the…

The current study aimed to examine the perceptions of principals on aspects of the ecological school culture that contribute to novice teachers' retention. Narratives of 16 Israeli middle-schools and high schools principals were analyzed based on the social-ecological model. This model considers the different environments related to the…

In previous studies on teachers' cognition, we discovered that teachers' teaching can be described via a general in-action mental model (IAMM) concerning the structure of the mind and the roles of teaching in fostering children's learning. The purpose of our study was to examine teacher educators' IAMM regarding student teachers' minds and…

Why do teachers become poor performers? In semi-structured interviews, forty elementary school principals in Israel described the personal story of one poor-performing staff member. Half of the problematic teachers were veteran teachers who faced a marked internal and external shift in mid-career. The seeds of their problems were probably planted…

Whereas much research attention has been given to the induction stage of beginning schoolteachers worldwide, there is a limited knowledge base on the experiences of new kindergarten teachers at this stage, despite the different work tasks and contexts of both groups of teachers. Based on semi-structured interviews with 15 Israeli kindergarten…

Explores how principals maintain control when faced with demands for both teacher autonomy and increased environmental involvement. Interviews with 22 Israeli teachers and principals revealed four administrative control mechanisms: direct control and indirect control (via elementary teachers' teamwork), and manipulation of secondary teachers'…

Principals operate in a tightly regulated system while attempting to lead teachers toward voluntary extracurricular activities. According to a case study of an Israeli senior school, leaders resolve this paradox by mobilizing teachers via behavior- and cognition-shaping strategies which cause them to redefine their work. Administrators succeed…

In this article we examine the Israeli Ministry of Education teacher induction program as a paradigm for preservice and in-service induction programs. We stipulate the necessity of creating a bridge between the preservice program and the field, which would allow for collaboration between the pedagogical staff of the teacher preparation programs…

To improve science, mathematics, and technology education, Israeli high school teachers received training involving inservice courses and school supervision. Surveys, reports, observations, meetings, and student achievement tests indicated that the program was useful for teachers who had acquired basic knowledge in their disciplines. It took 3-6…