With the purpose of contributing to the research and discussion about youth work as a contextual, interpersonal process of human interaction, it is suggested that youth work is like a modern dance that works best when youth workers are present, in sync with youth development rhythms for trusting and growing and making meaning in an atmosphere that…

This paper points to a neglected dimension to Schon's work on the reflective practitioner: his distinctive characterisation of the practicum. We argue that Schon's understanding of the practicum is integrally related to his understanding of the reflective practitioner. The appropriation of the latter concept within programmes of initial teacher…

In our increasingly interconnected global society, learning to think about ourselves in a border context, making crossings and connections, reflecting on our position and power, and articulating a vision of social justice are necessary civic skills. Developing educational border crossers who have moved beyond stereotyping and the tourist's gaze to…

In this article I have addressed the need for change from the traditional, technical skills model of the practicum in teacher-education programs, to a practicum that has a broader educative focus. Following a description of the implementation of a practicum experience with an emphasis on inquiry, I consider data from a three-year study designed…

The provision of a professional development programme for distance tutors can be problematic because of the need for flexibility to cater for a variety of working practices, or to overcome the hurdles imposed by geographical remoteness. At the UK Open University, online networks are widely in use for teaching and learning, and we are actively…

To look at practitioners in the field of early childhood education is to look at a kaleidoscope of education, experience, and practice, from practitioners who are beginning in the field to practitioners who have extensive experience and education and have mastered the art of teaching. This kaleidoscope of practitioners brings into the light a…

Students training to become teachers of science to children aged between 7 to 11 years used principles of reflective practice linked to participatory approaches in their curriculum planning and evaluation. A central part of the work was to enable them to introduce aspects of education for sustainability to their pupils. Students first undertook a…

The employment of graduate students on a part-time basis to help with the teaching of undergraduates is growing in the UK and many higher education institutions are confronted with challenges about how best to do this. UK institutions have much to learn from North American experience of appointing graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), and this…

Reading and writing autobiography as a pedagogical mode of engaging multicultural education is no longer new. The authors also adopt this strategy in their own respective teachings at two universities where students are predominantly White and (lower) middle-class women. In this article, the authors not only reflect on their own teaching…

The authors offer research studies and other documented evidence that teaching grammar without a meaningful context does not improve student writing, largely because that approach does not address the root causes of errors. Several resources that support this position and offer more productive strategies are summarized, including the authors'…

Authentic relationships between teacher and student form a central process in transformative learning in the classroom. Based on research and theory, this chapter provides practical strategies for educators looking to foster authentic relationships.

The Penn Department of Chemistry established a strong relationship with regional school districts to develop a unique program for current secondary science teachers, resulting in the June 2000 implementation of the Master of Chemistry Education (MCE) Program. The program has equipped teachers with the tools to conduct this inquiry, thus yielding…

This article explores the central role that description of experience, on the part of both teacher and students, plays in reflective practice. In particular, it highlights the power of students' description of their own learning as revealed to teachers in dialogue, a process I call "descriptive feedback." Descriptive feedback is neither…

In this article, Laura Grandau traces a self-study research project focused on teaching algebra to fourth-grade students. Facing a new curriculum and a new grade level, Grandau considers what good instruction and "good habits of practice" may be. Through journaling, videos, observations, analysis of students' verbal and written responses, and…

Teachers and administrators can help make sustainable educational improvements in high schools. By being systematically reflective about teaching and learning and seeing themselves collectively as agents of change in the interest of academic quality and excellence. The English teachers at Trenton Public School District, New Jersey, have created…