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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Idaho, 2006. / Abstract. "November 2006." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 176-189). Also available online in PDF format.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 199-211).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 116-122).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI/Dissertation Abstracts International.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept of Sociology, August, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

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This exploratory case study examines an alignment-focused coaching model of mathematics professional development during a school district's second-year implementation of the coaching model. Specifically, the study describes the content of coach-teacher talk as five coach-teacher pairs, grades K-8, engage in planning and analyzing mathematics lessons. Using an alignment framework designed around the components of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to analyze talk, four patterns unfold. Issues of curriculum, instruction, and assessment were more often discussed in isolation than interconnected, mathematics was most often the content focus when teacher and/or coach were using the state standards document to plan, student thinking and learning were most often a focus when students were struggling, and teachers often talked about instruction as actions isolated from student thinking and learning. In addition, teachers reported changes to instruction as an outcome of participating in coaching. Self-reported benefits to teachers' practice included planning lessons that focused on student learning, that is, considering the mathematics in the standards and ways students would learn the content. Teachers also reported asking "better questions" more often and in different ways, using models such as manipulatives and representations for connecting mathematics ideas, thinking more about student learning, and analyzing and scrutinizing textbooks to align with the state standards.

The purpose of this study was to explore a particular opportunity for experienced teachers to continue to learn and grow professionally within the context of their daily practice. Using the cooperating teacher/preservice teacher dyad as a framework, the study explored reciprocity of professional learning and growth in mentoring relationships.The participants, six secondary teachers from two Professional Development Schools, had each mentored one or more preservice teachers during their careers. Identified through non-probability sampling, the participants represented both genders, several disciplines, and career spans of 3 to 30 years.Data were collected through a series of three semi-structured, phenomenologically based interviews with each participant. Additional data were provided through researcher observations and a reflective research journal kept by the researcher during the data collection and analysis. All interviews were tape recorded and transcribed in their entirety. Individual case narratives were developed for each participant and a cross-case analysis of the individual case studies was performed. An inductive analysis of the data identified five discrete yet overlapping themes: professional pride, collegial relationships, sources of new learning, personal/professional growth, and professional renewal.Each theme encompassed several sub-themes. Sub-themes comprising the theme of professional pride included giving back, making a difference, touching the future, learning to teach, and the real world. The second theme, collegial relationships, was comprised of breaking the isolation of the classroom, teacher talk, mentoring meetings, and time. Sources of new learning included modeling, observing, and evaluating. The theme of personal/professional growth encompassed new roles and responsibilities and interaction with the university. Professional renewal was comprised of three sub-themes: challenges, enthusiasm of student teachers, and revival of mentor teachers' enthusiasm.The five identified themes and attendant sub-themes provided insight into the participants' interpretations of their experiences and their understanding of the meaning of the experiences to them as professional educators. While the research centered on the mentor teachers' perceptions and explored the psychosocial and career benefits offered to them through the experience of mentoring, its value would be increased by expanded study on the subject and its implications for teachers, schools, and colleges of education. / Department of Educational Studies

The claim that mentorships are particularly appropriate and in some ways unique educational experiences for high ability students was empirically tested. Students who had and had not taken part in a gifted, creative, or enrichment program (n = 39) completed a questionnaire that consisted of scenarios and statements addressing mentees' vocational and psychosocial needs. Of particular interest were the factor analyses generated from students' responses to the direct statements. As predicted, the high ability group preferred mentorships addressing psychosocial needs to those addressing vocational ones. All five psychosocial items loaded on factor 1, while nine of the 11 vocational items loaded on factor 2. For students who had not participated in a program for high ability pupils, a combination of vocational and psychosocial items loaded on factors 1 and 2. This suggested that these students shared a more general preference for mentoring relationships regardless of whether they addressed vocational or psychosocial needs.