<p> Nationwide, teacher attrition is a steady and costly phenomenon. Teachers have left the field of education or have left urban schools for better teaching assignments. Although many studies delineated some factors for teacher attrition, namely urban teacher attrition, little has been done to reverse the cycle of teachers leaving prior to realizing their full potential as an educator. A gap in knowledge exists because researchers have not addressed if administrators of teacher preparation programs have included sufficient experiences and supports in the program to prepare teachers for the urban classroom. The implications for urban teacher attrition are far reaching. Urban attrition can force urban students to have an unsteady influx of beginning teachers with limited experience and skills who leave the schools after a few years. To assist with closing the achievement gap and making sure urban students are ready for the competitive job market, urban students need teachers with increased experience and skills. Teachers enter the teaching profession academically prepared but unprepared for the challenges and demands of the urban classroom. The findings from this phenomenological study produced five themes and one subtheme that teachers believe are important preparation experiences to for urban teacher preparation and reducing attrition. The themes were (a) comprehensive preparation, (b) subtheme support, (c) classroom management, (d) field experience, (e) necessary skills, and (f) multicultural preparation. The recommendations invite future studies that can include input from educational leaders, policy makers, and stakeholders to take a proactive role in reducing urban teacher attrition. </p>

<p> Little is known about how engaging in the learning-oriented leadership model (Drago-Severson, 2004b, 2009, 2012a) can support educators to address the adaptive challenges they encounter in their day-to-day work teaching English learners. My qualitative study examined how 11 educators whose school leaders implement the learning-oriented leadership model described and understood the adaptive challenges they encountered teaching English learners; how they described and understood their experiences engaging in the pillar practices (i.e., teaming, assuming leadership roles, collegial inquiry, mentoring) of the learning-oriented leadership model; and in what ways, if any, these educators described and understood those experiences within the pillar practices as supportive to their efforts to meet their adaptive challenges. </p><p> I conducted three one-hour interviews with each of 11 participants (teachers and specialists) from a public elementary school (n=7) and a public charter elementary school (n=4). I selected sites based on the school leader's experience with and implementation of Drago-Severson's learning-oriented leadership model and the number of educators who taught English learners. Data analysis included: 1) writing analytic memos, 2) transcribing interviews verbatim, 3) coding, 4) crafting profiles, 5) categorization, 6) within-case and cross-case analysis, and 7) creating matrices. </p><p> I found that participants understood cultural proficiency, partnering with families, and English learner programming as adaptive challenges they encountered teaching English learners. Furthermore, all participants understood adaptive challenges involving English learners as opportunities for growth and development. The overwhelming majority of participants experienced the pillar practices as a holding environment for their growth and understood that building-level and district-level leaders played a pivotal role in creating an infrastructure for the pillar practices to support their growth. Key features of the holding environment participants described included: provision of information and access to expertise; time and space for reflective discussion and/or collaborative problem solving; and opportunities to pose questions, consider others' perspectives, and offer alternative perspectives. </p><p> Recommendations for principals, superintendents, and policymakers include: employing the pillar practices of the learning-oriented leadership model to support educators in their work with diverse learners, specifically English learners and providing financial and human resources to support educators and principals to gain expertise relating to English learners.</p>

<p> This study explored undergraduate teacher candidates' multicultural identity development. Forty-three participants were in two sections of the course Introduction to Education. The research questions investigated the ways in which candidates examine their cultural awareness, knowledge of diverse learners, and effective practices for 21st century classrooms. Participants in Group 1 experienced face-to-face instruction on issues of diversity. Group 2 engaged in a blended format with an educational online social networking site that extended class discussions on issues of diversity. </p><p> Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to collect and analyze data. The findings revealed that instruction on multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills in a one semester course had an effect on participants. Both groups demonstrated increased cultural self-awareness, appreciation of cultural differences, and knowledge of diverse cultures. There is evidence to suggest that the use of an online social network made a significant difference in the changes in Group 2 participants who evidenced greater changes in attitudes and beliefs in both the quantitative and qualitative data and analyses. </p><p> Understanding how candidates learn about and develop cultural competence extends research literature on educator preparation for diverse classrooms. The implications for teacher educators suggest a focus on the identity transformation process of teacher candidates and reexamination of the ways candidates are prepared for the multicultural realities of schools and society.</p>

<p> The purpose of this mixed-methods action research study was to examine the use of collaborative common academic team time at ABC Middle School. A review of the literature indicated that effective middle school academic team meetings allow for interdisciplinary team teachers to collaborate on curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Additionally the literature indicated that the frequency and productivity of these meetings have a correlation to student achievement. In seeking to understand how academic team time is spent, the following three research questions were analyzed: (1) To what extent do middle school academic teams focus team meetings on curriculum development and integration across content areas? (2) To what extent do middle school academic teams focus team meetings on the sharing of instructional ideas and strategies that will improve student learning? (3) To what extent do middle school academic teams focus team meetings on assessments that will enable students to show that they have learned? The findings and recommendations from this study will assist district administration, building administration, faculty, parents, and students in the planning process for school activities, curriculum, instruction, assessment, programs, scheduling, and professional development.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study is to determine the perceived technology capabilities of different levels of undergraduate students of Kent State University in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services teacher education programs; to determine if the perceived technology capabilities of students beginning the teacher education program differ from those nearing completion of the program; and, if the perceived technology capabilities of students change from the start to the end of the Educational Technology course. Examining student perceptions may provide insight on whether preservice teachers think they can prepare students for the 21^st century once they become inservice teachers. To determine whether preservice teachers perceive that they are being prepared to teach 21^st century skills by integrating technology into teaching and learning, three groups of students were surveyed: incoming students, junior-level students at the beginning and end of the Educational Technology course, and students nearing graduation. The TPACK survey for preservice teachers (Schmidt, Baran, Thompson, Mishra, Koehler &amp; Shin, 2009) was used to examine preservice teachers' perceptions of their technology capabilities as related to teaching.</p><p> Teachers comprise an integral factor in the effective incorporation of technology into classroom activities, yet many current teachers remain unable or unwilling to employ technology fully or effectively. The findings from this study led to several conclusions, including that the students perceived themselves to have better technological abilities after completing the Educational Technology course and as seniors near the end of the teacher education program, and the results of this study should challenge teacher education faculty to consider how their beliefs, attitudes, and use of technology in teaching and learning are transmitted to their students.</p>

<p> This study was a program evaluation on the co-teaching model within the Smallville School District (a pseudonym) measuring its effectiveness defined by the perceptions of leaders in the field of special education. This study filled the gap of previous co-teaching studies by investigating a rural school district, across all buildings. The researcher selected the tools of classroom observations; convenience sample interviews; administrator, teacher, student, and parent surveys; and secondary data from High Quality Professional Development (HQPD) and the school budget. </p><p> The researcher collected data with surveys, observations, and interviews to determine the perceptions of all stakeholders involved in the co-teaching experiences in the Smallville School District. Results included four essential emerging themes compiled from all interviews and surveys noted by the researcher. These themes were a lack of professional development, lack of common plan time, lack of consistent collaboration, and lack of emphasis on co-teaching due to extensive curriculum writing, during the 2013-2014 school year. When taking the MAP data and applying it to a t-test by two unequal samples at each level, the researcher found significant differences in the general education and special education scores at the elementary Communication Arts 2013 data, secondary Mathematics 2013 data, and the secondary Communication Arts 2013 data. Special education students in the co-teaching setting showed an overall increase in tests scores than their counterparts in the special education setting. The general education students in a co-teaching classroom, maintained or their scores decreased on the MAP and EOC.</p>

<p> Researchers and practitioners have indicated that current teacher evaluation systems do not distinguish differences between teachers. In an attempt to redesign the current system and create a more effective system, legislative mandates required the use of multiple measures in the teacher evaluation systems of states receiving federal money. As a result student perception surveys became one of the multiple measures being considered for use in the teacher evaluation process. In this study, student perception survey results and certified evaluator observation results were analyzed to determine if there was a significant linear relationship between students' and evaluators' perceptions of effective teaching. Central tendencies, minimum, maximum, and standard deviation were calculated using the scores of both variables for each indicator to find the variability within the data sets. Additionally, a Pearson r was used to determine the strength and direction of the relationship between the two variables using six teaching indicators designed through the Network for Educator Effectiveness teacher evaluation program. The Pearson r revealed a significant linear relationship between the two variables for two of the six indicators and a weak to moderate positive relationship for the remaining four. Finally, quartiles of students' and evaluators' scores were calculated and analyzed to further explore potential relationships between the variables. Quartile patterns indicated a potential positive relationship for all six indicators. The results from this study can be used to help local, regional, and state decision-makers better understand the advantages and disadvantages of the various measures commonly used to evaluate teaching personnel.</p>

<p> This qualitative study was exploratory in nature. The goals were to examine: (a) if and how bilingual early care and education (ECE) teachers perceived their personal second- language learning experiences to have informed their practices in the classroom, and (b) to explore the teachers' experiences working in classrooms with children who spoke multiple home languages. The following research questions were addressed: (1) What are bilingual ECE teachers' teaching practices with children who are dual language learners (DLL)? (2) In what ways do bilingual ECE teachers' second language learning experiences influence their teaching practices with DLL children? The nine female ECE teachers participating in this study were bi- or multilingual, had completed a college-level degree, and had at least 3 years of experience working in ECE. Data sources included a Participant Demographic Questionnaire, two observations, an interview, a reflection activity, and follow-up letters. Results identified the use of several best practices for working with DLLs, and classroom practice was found to be empathetic, inclusive, and encouraging of children to maintain their home language. Overarching findings showed the importance teachers placed on providing a seamless experience for DLL children, the need for additional training specific to teaching DLL children, and the importance of preparing DLL children for future success. Research, practice, and policy implications are: (a) draw on bilingual teachers and their personal experiences and practical knowledge, (b) implement policy changes at the state level that would create a new certification, and (c) address the content of higher education degrees and ECE training.</p>

<p> This instrumental, collective, targeted case study explores decisions elementary preservice teachers make with respect to culturally responsive teaching through the lens of dialogic teaching. Most candidates currently enrolled in elementary teacher education programs in the United States are young, white, and female. Meanwhile, the population of students in U.S. schools grows increasingly diverse, leading to a widening cultural gap between teachers and many of their students. Many preservice teachers opt not to use culturally responsive instructional strategies, particularly those related to communication, also known as dialogic teaching practices, despite research indicating such practices foster improved academic achievement for all students-but especially for students of color who are typically underserved in U.S. schools. Who the preservice teachers are when they enter teacher education programs, their experiences inside and outside of school, plus factors as broad as the context of schooling in the United States to as narrow as the impact of one particular student in a classroom, influence the choices a preservice teacher makes when faced with a lesson to teach, a room full of young children, and a ticking clock. Explicating decisions made by preservice teachers through direct classroom observations, followed by one-on-one interviews, provides a glimpse into factors promoting or inhibiting participants' use of dialogic teaching strategies. This study is part of the larger effort to support student discourse and teacher preparation through the use of one component of culturally responsive instruction as viewed through the lens of dialogic teaching, thus addressing the need to better serve all children in our nation's schools. </p>

<p> This quasi-experimental value-added study provided evidence for the predictive validity of the Massachusetts MTEL General Curriculum Mathematics Subtest by finding an association between the licensure test results of 130 teachers and the growth of their 2640 grade 4 and 5 students. The study took advantage of a natural experiment that arose due to a policy change made by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MADESE) in response to the initial administration of a new highly rigorous math-specific licensure subtest for elementary and special education teachers in March, 2008. The emergency amendment allowed test takers to conditionally pass the licensure test based upon a lower, temporary cut score, therefore providing a comparison group of teachers who received conditional licensure without fully passing the licensure test. The study sample used a cross-sectional data set acquired from MADESE for the 2010-11 school year, the first year for which data was available that linked individual teachers to their students. The dependent variable of students' mathematics Student Growth Percentile (SGP) score on the statewide test, the MCAS, incorporated prior achievement and was calculated by comparing each student to his or her academic peers. OLS regression analyses including student background variables, classroom variables, and teacher characteristic variables showed that teacher results on the MTEL math test were positively associated with student math SGP scores. The strength of the association found in this study was substantial relative to the research literature and comparable in magnitude with established factors such as student low-income status. The predictive power of the MTEL math test was strongest at the lower range of test scores, suggesting that policymakers should consider lowering the permanent cut score to the level set by the emergency amendment in order to avoid screening effective teachers out of the workforce and potentially decreasing student achievement.</p>