The professional learning experiences of K-12 educators are a critical and complex part of continuously improving teaching and learning within a school. This case study brings to light the experiences of three teams of middle school teachers participating in a professional learning model called instructional rounds. The purpose of this research is…

Current gaps in achievement among students from diverse backgrounds and their culturally dominant counterparts imply that theoretical ideas, such as culturally responsive teaching (CRT), that focus on increasing the achievement of diverse populations are sound yet difficult to translate into everyday practice. CRT is intricate and complex and…

This self-study examines my work as a teacher of "Moral Preparation for the Army," a program inspired by Freire and implemented in an Israeli public high school. Together with a fellow teacher educator serving as critical friend, I reflected on my practice through memory-work, and analyzed it in light of critical pedagogy. Looking back,…

During spring and summer 2020, the COVID-19 lockdown upended professional development schemes across the globe. Professional development for PK-16 teachers at one college-sponsored program abruptly shifted its forum from college campus to meeting in a virtual setting online. Over time, this annual teacher conference had developed a professional…

Purpose: This article argues that in social science teacher education general demands for teacher reflection overlap with subject-specific reflective demands. This calls for conceptual frameworks that account for an extended reflectivity, encompassing both teacher reflection and the subject-specific approach to representing controversial issues.…

Over the past 30 years, the teaching profession has embraced the notion of the teacher as a reflective practitioner, which has led to an increased emphasis on teacher education programmes offering learning experiences that model and encourage reflective practice. This qualitative instrumental case study research explored the usefulness, benefits,…

Research on puppets in Intermediate Phase mathematics is in its infancy. According to Vygotsky, play affords a playful element that can optimise learning opportunities. However, many mathematics teachers are unfamiliar with the integration of pedagogy of play (PoP) (in this case, puppetry). The aim of this paper is to report on one participant's…

The present study was an attempt to examine the relationship between reflective teaching and teacher autonomy among Iranian EFL experienced and novice teachers. The study was conducted with a sample of 100 EFL teachers that were selected by convenience sampling from language institutes in Isfahan, Iran. In order to neutralize the role of gender,…

There are practical questions about how inclusive schools can enable quality teaching and teachers' professional development that are relevant to students with special educational needs (SEN). In moves towards inclusive education, teachers are confronted with issues about their knowledge, skills and perceived efficacy to adopt inclusive teaching…

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards' NB certification process is rigorous professional development opportunity available to teachers, counselors, and librarians that involve intensive self-reflection of their teaching practices, based on nationally established standards. This report provides a summary of AISD's National Board…

This is an edited version of a presentation Michael Fielding was invited to give in April 2006 at the Post Primary Teachers' Association Professional Conference. The conference, entitled Quality Teaching--Leading the Way, took place at the Wellington Convention Centre, Wellington, New Zealand. In his presentation, Michael contrasts two approaches…

Artificial intelligence (AI) and Intelligent Computer-Assisted Language Assessment (ICALA) are transforming the educational landscape by radically changing how lessons are taught and students are evaluated. As the masterminds behind the curriculum, it is critical to consider the emotional and mental health of teachers who applied ICALA as part of…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine how participants experienced and perceived an M.Ed. program that had a school-based design. In particular, the authors sought to understand: (1) how participants experienced being in a school-based cohort and (2) whether and how participants experienced the three designated tenets of the M.Ed.…

More than fifty years ago, an idea took hold in Georgia. Eventually called the Foxfire Approach, its main idea is centered around a view of a democratic classroom. Following a general sense of John Dewey's pragmatism, Eliot Wigginton invested his energy and skills into his English classroom to propel students to choose worthwhile activities. This…

Active learning pedagogies offer opportunities to increase student engagement and interest in plants. The Mystery Plant Project is a hands-on, semester-long active learning pedagogy I developed for an introductory, undergraduate Plant Biology course. Students investigate various aspects of their mystery plant species using observations, and…