Classroom instruction varies among high school academic departments. To understand how instruction in core subjects can differ, an awareness of the two axes that define instruction is required. In this article, the author discuss the two axes, namely, knowledge-versus-skill axis and level of mental engagement axis, that help describe what…

There is a strong international interest in the enhancement of teaching quality. Enhancement is a big job because teaching is an extensive activity. It is a complex job because learning to teach is not, mainly, a formal process: non-formal, practice-based learning is more significant. These two points, extensiveness and practice-based learning,…

The importance of the concept of professional identity lies in its relationship to professional knowledge and action, but these links are complex. A traditional notion of identity is of something essential about ourselves, a fixed and stable core of "self". More recently, however, identity has been seen as an ongoing and performative…

This paper reports the design and evaluation of small-scale teaching interventions addressing the epistemology of science as part of the regular high school science courses followed by English students. Although there is a growing consensus that the curriculum should include aspects of the nature of science, there is a limited body of knowledge…

This project grew out of concerns expressed by several novice teachers about their lack of preparation to deal with common problems in the classroom. Several trends were evident with the teachers involved in this study. They all came to recognize the importance of effective, organized instruction during the term of the study, along with the…

Two teachers participating in an online study group provided the foci for in-depth case studies. Transcripts of conversations they had with colleagues about issues related to reform-oriented pedagogy were analyzed from both acquisition and participation perspectives on learning. Both teachers exhibited mainly marginal changes to their pedagogical…

The "Guide to National Board Certification" introduces teachers to the assessment process and provides them with useful information as they apply for National Board Certification. By participating in the National Board Certification process, teachers are joining tens of thousands of educators in an unprecedented effort to reshape the public's…

Maintaining that urban teaching and learning is characterized by many contradictions, this book proposes that there is a wide range of social, cultural, psychological, and pedagogical knowledge urban educators must possess in order to engage in effective and transformative practice. It is necessary for those teaching in urban schools to be…

Using primarily online interaction, we worked with a grade one teacher to help her develop an understanding of community in her own classroom. Using an interpretive interactionist methodology, we theorized four domains in her view of classroom community: trust, membership, power, and capacity. The teacher's perceived success in creating community…

The necessity of the foundational courses that take place in teaching courses in teacher education programs is a much-debated topic. Some writers argue that these courses are important since they help teachers and teacher candidates understand the dynamics in the process of teaching and learning and assist teachers in thinking extensively about…

Objective: To assess the sexual health knowledge of teachers who contribute to secondary school sexual health education in order to determine whether teachers are adequately prepared to implement present government education and public health policies. Design: Results were obtained from a questionnaire as part of a two-phase intervention study.…

This is a cross-cultural comparative study that sets out to explore teachers' knowledge, understanding and practices of the teaching of Physical Education (PE) to students from different cultural backgrounds. More specifically, it explores key issues in the teaching of PE to Muslim students. Thirteen PE teachers, six from England and seven from…

The incidence of children with disabilities is growing in both the private and public school sectors. As a result of this trend and efforts to place children in inclusive settings, there is an increasing need for special educators who can provide instruction within the context of a regular education classroom, develop individualized education…

This study describes an elementary science model of professional development through mentoring by university science education professors working with teachers at a private elementary school in a regional city in Queensland, Australia. A cross-cultural collaboration involving professors from the United States and Australia resulted in the socially…

This paper reports on a study of one pre-service teacher's implementation of the sport education (SE) model in a post-primary school in Ireland. The study sought to identify and understand the mechanisms that facilitate or inhibit learning to teach the model from the perspective of a pre-service teacher. Occupational socialization was used to…