Empowering Formal and Informal Leadership While Maintaining Teacher Identity


Book Description

Teacher leadership remains at the forefront of conversations in teacher education, with discussions on recruitment, retention, and effectiveness. Teachers are at the core of schooling, and the roles they assume and types of leadership they engage in are multi-dimensional. Teacher leadership comes in many shapes and definitions. In this sense, both opportunities and challenges exist in teacher leadership. While national competencies continue to define dispositional and knowledge base for teacher leaders, there is still work to be done to define and add to the body of scholarship on this topic. Teacher leadership opportunities provide development for teachers as a key retention strategy; however, role ambiguity presents challenges in how to empower teachers for formal and informal roles of leadership while maintaining the teacher identity. Empowering Formal and Informal Leadership While Maintaining Teacher Identity provides a comprehensive look at the opportunities and challenges of teacher leadership, drawing on research and practice that add to the body of knowledge for teacher leadership, which is a niche in education that differs from educational administration. Highlighted topics within this book include models for teacher leadership, teacher education, types of leadership roles, the development and retention of teacher leaders, and leadership across different types of school districts. This book is ideally designed for inservice and preservice teachers, administrators, teacher educators, practitioners, researchers, academicians, and students interested in teacher leadership roles and the way in which teacher identity is maintained in relation to these other leadership positions.




Care and Teachers in the Induction Years


Book Description

This edited volume focuses on understandings and enactments of care in teacher induction in a landscape reshaped by the recent pandemic, ongoing societal issues, and increased expectations of teachers. Building on the editors’ book Reconstructing Care in Teacher Education after COVID-19: Caring Enough to Change, this volume extends reconsiderations of care and teacher development into K-12 schools, aiming to explore how care is, should, and can be operationalized in teacher induction now. Each chapter draws on research, practice, and reflection to provide recommendations to move teacher induction forward in responsive and caring ways. Authors include teacher educators, practicing teachers, and administrators representing different subject areas and educational levels. The operationalization of care also takes many forms, from mentorship and professional learning communities to support in navigating burnout and staff shortages. Chapters offer specific examples from contributors’ own teaching experiences and conclude with suggestions for adapting the model or practice for readers’ own programs and students. Ideal for faculty working with preservice educators and administrators supporting newly hired teachers, this book can also serve as recommended or supplementary reading in undergraduate or graduate teacher education, curriculum and instruction, leadership, and educational administration courses as well as within professional development opportunities.




School-University Partnerships—Innovation in Initial Teacher Education


Book Description

This book showcases models of Australian school–university partnerships which, in their development, respond to, and aim to move beyond the principles and practices of current partnership mandates in initial teacher education. Supported by government policy, these partnerships reveal innovative ways of working across multiple stakeholder groups within a range of unique school-university partnership contexts. Each of the examples of school-university partnerships within this edited collection provide insights into the power and potential of cross-sectoral vision, collaboration and growth, drawing upon research evidence and impact data that points to the mutual benefits experienced by all stakeholders. Across its ten chapters, this book explores various examples of partnerships, and forms an important reference for all initial teacher education providers, schools, and educational stakeholders; as school–university partnerships necessitate the way these sectors connect, learn from one another, and inform future practice.




Restructuring Leadership for School Improvement and Reform


Book Description

The quality of school leadership has a big impact on improvement and inspection outcomes. Good school leaders ensure that their teachers have the resources they need to be successful. They also create a positive culture where teachers feel supported and appreciated. This leads to better morale and higher retention rates. Additionally, good school leaders can effectively communicate the school's vision to all stakeholders. This ensures that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals. Restructuring Leadership for School Improvement and Reform investigates cooperation, staff development, resource supply, vision transparency, workplace stress management, and professional development for school leaders as methods for creating a healthy school culture. This premier reference source is ideal for administrators, instructional designers, researchers, academicians, scholars, practitioners, instructors, and students.




Handbook of Research on the Educator Continuum and Development of Teachers


Book Description

In light of recent sociological events and the COVID-19 pandemic, education has undergone an incredible change in both policy and delivery. As a result, many educators have sought different career paths. It is essential to maintain a concentrated effort to retain educators; however, recruiting teachers into the profession is only one area of focus; there must be intentional support for teacher development along the educator continuum in order to sustain the profession through institutional struggles. The Handbook of Research on the Educator Continuum and Development of Teachers expands on the body of research related to the educator continuum with a holistic view of teacher development. This book combines theory, concepts, and research studies that pinpoint facets of the educator continuum, providing researchers with scholarly contributions that advance the profession. Covering topics such as instructional coaching, special educator career development, and teacher retention, this major reference work is a valuable resource for educational faculty and administration, teacher colleges, educators of K-12 and higher education, pre-service teachers, government officials, teacher education administrators, libraries, researchers, and academicians.




Instructional Leadership Efforts and Evidence-Based Practices to Improve Writing Instruction


Book Description

Writing is a critical skill for academic and professional success, yet it is often neglected in schools. According to achievement data, only a quarter of students in the United States are proficient writers, indicating a significant need for improvement in writing instruction. One contributing factor to this problem is the lack of school and district leadership in writing instruction. School improvement efforts are often concentrated on reading and math, leaving writing instruction overlooked. Additionally, issues related to writer identities, self-efficacy in writing, and educator training can also impact the effectiveness of instructional leadership in this critical subject. Instructional Leadership Efforts and Evidence-Based Practices to Improve Writing Instruction, edited by Jennifer VanSlander of Columbus State University, provides within this peer-reviewed book an exploration of evidence-based practices aimed at developing instructional leaders and enhancing student achievement in writing. It covers a broad range of topics related to writing instruction, including learning theories, conceptual models, and the latest empirical research associated with the supervision, organization, implementation, and monitoring of writing programs and instructional approaches. With its emphasis on writer identities, self-efficacy, equitable and inclusive practices, curriculum planning and implementation, assessment, instructional frameworks, and managing instructional change, this book provides educators with a comprehensive guide to improving writing instruction. It is an essential resource for educators who seek to increase the effectiveness of instructional leadership and writing instruction at the classroom, school, or district level.




Enhancing Teaching and Learning With Socratic Educational Strategies: Emerging Research and Opportunities


Book Description

Traditionally understood as an ancient teaching method conceived by the philosopher Socrates, scholars in education have boldly explored the definitions, philosophical underpinnings, assumptions, and uses of Socratic dialogue in various learning situations and educational settings. Despite its ancient origins, the Socratic Method has an impact on contemporary leadership, critical thinking skills, e-learning, adult education, and social-emotional learning. Enhancing Teaching and Learning With Socratic Educational Strategies: Emerging Research and Opportunities presents scholarly work, philosophical investigations, educational claims, and the latest empirical research on the process and outcome of the Socratic Method in educational contexts. It delves deeply into the instructional strategy uncovering its practical impact in educational contexts and its philosophical and societal consequences in the modern world. Covering topics such as female voice, maieutic instruction, and teacher preparation, this book is an essential resource for philosophers, educational administration, educators, researchers, pre-service teachers, academicians, and government programs.




Restorative Justice and Practices in the 21st Century


Book Description

Restorative justice is a conceptual and practical framework for repairing any harm that may have been caused either to people, property, or things. It is essential to investigate examples, scenarios, perspectives, strategies, and implications for the use of restorative justice in diverse settings, including K-12 settings, colleges and universities, the workplace, and within public safety organizations and departments. Emphasis must also be placed on diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion and how restorative practices foster the use of inclusive practices and accessibility for all persons. Restorative Justice and Practices in the 21st Century offers broad perspectives across numerous disciplines and professions and provides restorative practitioners with a timely account of what restorative justice and practices may offer to their respective organizations, school, or agency. It provides possible strategies and actions to implement restorative practices as well as how restorative practices can provide different strategies and methods in handling conflict, disputes, and discipline. Covering topics such as equity and inequalities, pedagogical reflection, and indigenous roots, this premier reference source is an essential resource for administrators and educators of both K-12 and higher education, public safety officials, law enforcement, corrections officers, students of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.




International Beliefs and Practices That Characterize Teacher Effectiveness


Book Description

Research surrounding teacher quality and teacher effectiveness has continued to grow and become even more prominent as teaching has become more professionalized globally and countries have invested more comprehensively in teacher education, certification, and professional development. To better understand teacher effectiveness, it is important to have a global viewpoint to truly understand how beliefs and practices vary in each country and can lead to different characterizations of what makes an effective teacher. This includes both cross-cultural commonalities and unique differences in conceptualization of teacher effectiveness and practices. With this comprehensive, international understanding of teacher effectiveness, a better understanding of best practices, teacher models, philosophies, and more will be developed. International Beliefs and Practices That Characterize Teacher Effectiveness identifies, shares, and explores the predominant conceptual understandings of beliefs and practices that characterize effective teachers in different countries. This book provides international and cross-cultural perspectives on teacher effectiveness and examines the prominent philosophies of teaching and pedagogical practices that characterize teachers in selected countries. Each chapter includes a background, such as history and undergirding philosophy within each country, effective teacher models, prominent applications of teacher effectiveness practices, and special or unique features of teaching in the specific countries mentioned. This book is essential for practicing educators in various countries, teacher educators, faculty, and students within schools and colleges, researchers in international comparative studies, organizations engaged in international education, and administrators, practitioners, and academicians interested in how teacher effectiveness is characterized in different countries and regions across the world.




Motivation, Volition, and Engagement in Online Distance Learning


Book Description

Motivation is an important factor in and for all education levels. However, as learners in online distance education milieus are away from both teachers, other learners, and the learning environments physically, this concept becomes more important for online education. Motivating learners in distance education and keeping their motivation alive throughout the learning process is an issue that should be emphasized and taken care of for teachers and instructional designers. At this point, although there are many approaches, models, and theories regarding enhancing and sustaining motivation and engagement in the education processes, it is seen that there is not enough work and/or effective and efficient strategies that can be applied in online distance learning environments. Motivation, Volition, and Engagement in Online Distance Learning evaluates motivational obstacles in online distance education both theoretically and practically, identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the online education environments regarding motivation, and provides actionable motivational and volitional strategies for online educators. This book offers coverage of topics such as learning theories, motivation research, and synchronous online learning environments, making it a valuable resource for researchers, professionals, decision makers, institutions in all education levels, academicians, pre-service teachers, and most importantly, online educators from various disciplines and learners from all educational landscapes.