The chapters in the book present in-depth examination of novice teachers’ experiences in Houston area schools during their first-through-third year of teaching. Their professional challenges and the unique conditions in which they must navigate their developing and sometimes fragile teacher identity are comprehensively explored.

This book focuses on the impact of sustained and evolving collaborations, showcasing research and scholarship in a faculty group—consisting of 28 professors from five regional universities—meeting and supporting each other since 2002. Originally an innovation introduced by Cheryl J. Craig and funded by a reform movement, the Faculty Academy continues to flourish in the fourth largest city in America long after the reform initiative abandoned its charge. Contributors to this volume represent all stages of careers, include all races and genders, and write from a multiplicity of disciplinary stances (literacy, mathematics, science, social education, multiculturalism, English as a Second Language, accountability, etc.). In addition to fascinatingly diverse perspectives on teacher education, the authors also investigate issues related to career trajectories—including experiences of vulnerability. The volume illuminates how the Faculty Academy works as a dynamic academic and social bond: not only as a glue that binds members in community, but also in rigorous intellectual commitments that fuel their collective knowing and advance their careers while providing leadership, mentorship, and modelling in up-close and timely ways.

Emerging technologies in education are dramatically reshaping the way we teach, learn, and create meaning—both formally and informally. The use of emerging technologies within educational contexts requires new methodological approaches to teaching, learning, and educational research. This leads educational technology developers, researchers, and practitioners to engage in the creation of diverse digital learning tools that can be used in a wide range of learning situations and scenarios. Ultimately, the goal of today's digital learning experiences includes situational experiences wherein learners and teachers symbiotically enroll in meaning-making processes. Discussion, critical reflection, and critique of these emerging technologies, tools, environments, processes, and practices require scholars to involve themselves in critical conversation about the challenges and promises afforded by emerging technologies and to engage in deliberate thinking about the critical aspects of these emerging technologies that are drastically reshaping education. The Handbook of Research on Global Education and the Impact of Institutional Policies on Educational Technologies deepens this discussion of emerging technologies in educational contexts and is centered at the intersection of educational technology, learning sciences, and socio-cultural theories. This book engages a critical conversation that will further the discussion about the pedagogical potential of emerging technologies in contemporary classrooms. Covering topics such as communication networks, online learning environments, and preservice teacher education, this text is an essential resource for educational professionals, preservice teachers, professors, teachers, students, and academicians.

Academic classrooms in both K-12 and higher education feature diverse students with many different backgrounds, personalities, and attitudes toward learning. A large challenge in education is not only catering to each of these students to motivate them to learn, but also the many strategies in handling diverse forms of academic misconduct. It is essential for educators and administrators to be knowledgeable not only about disciplinary actions, but also intervention methods that will create a lasting impact for student success. The Research Anthology on Interventions in Student Behavior and Misconduct provides the best practices, strategies, challenges, and interventions for managing student behavior and misconduct. It discusses intervention and disciplinary methods both at the classroom and administrative levels. This book focuses on the prevention of school violence and academic misconduct in order to promote successful learning. Covering topics such as learning behavior, student empowerment, and social-emotional learning, this major reference work is an essential resource for school counselors, faculty and administration of both K-12 and higher education, libraries, pre-service teachers, child psychologists, student advocacy organizations, researchers, and academicians.

Declining academic performance, along with a growing apathy of students toward the value of education, demonstrates that students in the United States public education system do not recognize the value of a positive experience in middle schools. A plethora of research and writing has been done on elementary schools and secondary schools, but middle school education, as a whole, has been left behind. For this reason, there is the need for current research on all aspects and topics that may contribute to middle school student success. Promoting Positive Learning Experiences in Middle School Education focuses on the ideal conditions for maximizing student success and engagement in middle school education. The chapters take a deeper look into the modern tools, technologies, methods, and theories driving current research on middle school students, their teachers, their classroom environment, and their learning. Highlighting topics such as curriculum reform, instructional strategies and practices, effective teaching, and technology in the modern classroom, this book is ideally intended for middle school teachers, middle school administrators, and school district administrators, along with practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students interested in middle school education and student success.

Early childhood educators are keenly aware of the importance of a child’s transition to “real school.” This transition is occurring earlier in a child’s life now that school districts nationwide are moving to pre-kindergarten experiences for 3- and 4-year olds. Annually, more than one million children attend public school pre-k programs overseen by elementary school principals who, although veteran educational leaders, were not trained to oversee these programs. Although pre-k classrooms are rapidly growing and deserve special attention, school leaders must be reminded that early childhood means more than pre-kindergarten; it extends through third grade. School leadership needs to understand the principles of early childhood education to effectively support all children age three to grade three. Professional and Ethical Consideration for Early Childhood Leaders is a collection of innovative research that crafts an overall understanding of the importance of early childhood leadership in today’s schools. The book employs strategies to improve support for children in early childhood years, examines the different roles of early childhood leadership, analyzes best practices for implementation in early childhood contexts, and explores improvements for leadership preparation for schools with pre-k through third-grade children. While highlighting a wide range of topics including advocacy, cultural responses, and professional development, this publication is ideally designed for educators, administrators, principals, early childhood development teachers, daycare instructors, curriculum developers, advocates, researchers, academicians, and students.

This book traces the origins and activities of the longest-standing collaborative teacher group in education, the Portfolio Group. Each chapter documents, historically and conceptually, the main intellectual moments in the evolution of the idea of knowledge communities. Authors illuminate the expansive work, research, and the leading/learning influence that the Portfolio Group has had in the local education community as well as on the international education landscape. In doing so, they illustrate the journey of a school-based, cross-institutional knowledge community and provide the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel for so many novice and newly formed groups seeking sustainability. The book demonstrates through the shared experiences of five teachers/teacher educators the ways in which varied collaborations aimed at professional development lead to teacher growth in practice, leadership, and career.