Carla Tanguay

This inquiry examined the pedagogical practices in mathematics of elementary teachers (N=27) who had been identified as experienced and successful and were working in an urban school district with underserved student populations. Also investigated were relationships between their instructional practices and other elements of proficient teaching of mathematics, including specialized content knowledge and beliefs. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected via a knowledge assessment, belief surveys, classroom observations, and individual interviews. The findings related to learner-centered, equitable mathematics instruction reveal a mixed picture of understanding and enactment by the participants, illuminating variability and complexity, especially within the context of a standardized model for instructional delivery. Participants expressed constraints in implementing learner-centered, equitable mathematics instruction, particularly: prescribed, scripted lesson plans; teaching roles that involved instruction of many students thus contributing to lack of familiarity; and a mix of learners who were in-class and remote due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results also demonstrate that pedagogical practices were shaped by participants’ specialized content knowledge and to a more limited extent their beliefs. These data further reveal mixed endorsement of the different belief constructs. Considerations for teacher development are discussed.

This 5-year mathematics professional development project involves 27 elementary teachers prepared and supported as Elementary Mathematics Specialists (EMSs) in high-need, urban schools. The EMSs are a distinctive population as informal teacher leaders, with a primary responsibility of teaching students. Described here are data collected at the end of Year 1 via a survey of coaching practices, a teacher leader record, and individual and focus group interviews. The findings illuminate the variety of ways they were serving as a more knowledgeable other and practicing agency in this teacher leadership. They were agentic in their teacher leader efforts by navigating constraints through: focusing on incremental changes; developing collegial, trusting relationships with peers; and leaning into the network of teacher support in the project. The findings also provide insights into how their primary and concurrent role as teacher of students provided credibility and understanding with fellow teachers, contributing to affordances in their informal teacher leader capacity.

ABSTRACT In response to increased accountability demands placed on teacher preparation programs across the US, some programs are using standardized teacher performance assessments, such as edTPA. A recent mandate for this study’s elementary teacher preparation program is teacher candidates’ successful completion of edTPA for teacher certification. A case study design explored the experiences and views of multiple stakeholders (instructors, supervisors, administrators, teacher candidates, and cooperating teachers, N = 60) as they engaged in edTPA. Data were collected via two surveys and individual interviews. The effects of edTPA were visible across the data in a variety of ways, as stakeholders found the assessment overwhelming, often taking precedence because of its high-stakes nature. Changes were questioned, as this program was already held in high regard and produced high-quality teachers prepared for urban school contexts. Analysis of the interview data revealed three themes: Assets of edTPA, edTPA-produced Changes, and Not a Fair Measure.

Professional development that scaffolds and supports supervisors is critical for quality field experiences and is our responsibility as teacher educators. The literature supports this statement and two ideas that conceptually frame our work: (1) quality field experiences are a critical component of preservice programs and (2) training and support for supervisors is necessary to ensure quality field experiences. With the overarching outcome of quality teacher candidates and strong partnerships with schools, the authors describe the context for their supervisors’ work, supervisors and their roles, a structure and resources for collaboration, then conclude with a practical and detailed framework to support professional development for supervisors. Based on four goals that guide the content and process of our professional development, the authors use a critical friends approach to (1) learn together; (2) develop a shared understanding of programs, teacher candidates, and school partners; (3) facilitate integration of coursework and field experiences; and (4) examine and extend the coaching process. Based on our experience, reflections, and the knowledge base in supervision, the authors make nine recommendations for establishing and sustaining professional development and support for supervisors.

This research focuses on understanding the effectiveness of a university-based induction support program (ISP) instituted to support the graduates of an urban university who completed their preparation during the COVID-19 pandemic. We framed the evaluation of our ISP as participatory action research (PAR) and chose a critical theoretical perspective of adult learning and development as our theoretical lens because of the close alignment with this perspective to our college’s conceptual framework on social justice and equity. Primary data sources consisted of individual interviews with 15 key informants identified by the ISP research team. Data analyses occurred through a recursive and generative process moving between open coding using Nvivo and reflection on the literature related to critical adult learning theory and research on effective induction and coaching models. Findings included (a) the ISP as a liberating space to engage with other educators, (b) the ISP’s role as a unive...

Due to the health pandemic of 2020, teachers have been forced to initiate online teaching delivery models with little preparation just as students and parents have had their routines abruptly altered from in-person schooling to hybrid and fully online instruction (Mecham, et al., 2021). The pandemic brought to light new opportunities for novice teachers to learn how to implement pedagogical strategies using digital tools to support student learning and development in remote settings. As part of a larger case study of 23 novice teachers who graduated from our urban institution, these results focus on new teachers’ perceptions of their own development and their impact on student learning while teaching online, during the pandemic. Semi-structured interviews focused on educators’ approaches to instruction across 12-18 months of the pandemic.  Data were analyzed using NVivo through open coding. Findings help us understand these new teachers’ perceptions of their impact on student learni...

Teacher educators share their experiences in response to the adoption of a high-stakes policy in Georgia regarding the use of edTPA®. Their efforts followed an organic model characterized by the inclusion of three important concepts: (1) distributed leadership, (2) ongoing communication, and (3) a commitment to the evolution of responsibilities and support structures. Stories highlight the importance of collegiality, shared decision making, and clear and open communication within the institution to ensure the success of a policy imperative at the grass-roots level. Since the policy of edTPA for licensure in Georgia carried high stakes for teacher educators and teacher candidates alike, the transition period allowed faculty to engage in conversations and practices that paid attention to the policy imperative, simultaneously allowing them time to consider how to conserve the values and cultural assets of the institution.

In “Will Schools Change Forever,” Waite and Arnett contend our educational system, and our society as a whole, have been confronted with two pandemics, COVID-19 and systemic racism (2020). Both of these pandemics have acerbated challenges schools must address and have exposed chronic inequities in educational systems. Our inquiry is case study of 23 novice teachers who graduated from our urban institution and their perception of how the pandemics impacted the development of their students, their own professional trajectory, and their future instruction. Semi-structured interviews focused on educators’ approaches to instruction across 12-18 months of the pandemic. Data were analyzed using NVivo through open coding. Results indicated novice teachers’ initial teaching experiences were disrupted by both Covid-19 and the social unrest during this time period. The challenges they faced reflected their focus as culturally responsive educators who were working to meet the needs of the learn...

The cooperating teacher has long been referred to as the most significant person in the education of teacher candidates (Guerrieri, 1976) and plays a crucial role in ensuring teacher candidates have an educative and gainful student teaching experience (Hynes-Dusel, 1999; Stark, 1994). We found however, that the voice of the cooperating teachers has been largely missing in teacher education evaluation research. Our study focused on obtaining feedback about the effectiveness of our teacher education programs based on the learning outcomes of our college’s conceptual framework from arguably the most significant stakeholder, the cooperating teacher.

This study examined the implementation of high-stakes adoption of edTPA® in one state in the year prior to consequential use of edTPA scores for teacher licensure. Using a mixed methods design, we investigated concerns of coordinators who were responsible for edTPA implementation in their institutions. We utilized the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) to understand edTPA coordinators’ Stages of Concern, the nature of the challenges they faced, and the professional development opportunities that alleviated their concerns. Based on the CBAM survey, the most common Stage of Concernfor edTPA coordinators was Management.Coordinators’ interviews revealed the nature of their concerns at different stages and how the size of their institution and supportive resources at particular times may have played a crucial role in shaping the edTPA roll-out in their institutions. The use of the CBAM framework enabled edTPA coordinators (a) to understand their own concerns about the high-stakes polic...