Today, in many contexts the lack of attention to preparing the next generation of teacher educators as well as having a critical mass of faculty who understand the current teacher education research problem lingers. Although the NCATE Blue Ribbon Panel Report (2010), the recent advent of the CAEP standards, and the new AACTE Clinical Practice Commission Report (2017) challenge those responsible for teacher preparation to rethink the design as well as their work within clinical practice, there is much too little discussion about how to prepare the next generation of teacher educators to work differently. Just like Zeichner found almost 20 years ago, teacher education still too often remains "a tangential concern for most and the major concern of only a few" (Ziechner, 1999, p. 11). These concerns raise important questions for those who are currently responsible for pivoting, reinventing, and researching teacher preparation. This book offers insights from teacher education researchers that illustrate the ongoing benefits and persistent challenges of educating and preparing university and school-based teacher educators. This is an important step in understanding the complex roles, practices, and responsibilities associated with high quality teacher education that emphasizes clinical practice.

Empowering the Voice of the Teacher Researcher through a Culture of Inquiry is essentially a description of one school's initiatives to use collaborative communities and action research to empower teacher research and a culture of collective inquiry. It is written by teachers primarily for teachers and teacher educators. Of course, none of the initiatives described in the text would be possible without the visionary leadership of school and district administrators. Because administrative support is foundational to the process, school and district administrators and staff developers will also be interested in reading about how this school's principal and assistant principal set the stage for developing their community of learners. There are many sound action research texts on the market. This text is apart by its first-person accounts of teachers' experiences with action research as examples of profound possibilities for professional growth. As such, this book, written by teachers for other teachers and then contextualized by the Editors so that the relevance is clear to a broader audience, fills an important niche in the literature.

The international collection of essays contained in this volume offer a comprehensive look at how small groups are being employed in the field of education today and the purposes for which they are being used. Where teaching is concerned, readers of this volume come to know how teachers experience professional development in book clubs, Critical Friends Groups, and teacher research groups and how action research has been used by teachers in a particular curriculum reform project. Where teacher education is concerned, readers are afforded an insider view of what is happening in various cohorts and other small group configurations throughout the nation and the world, particularly with respect to diversity. Finally, readers catch a glimpse of what is occurring in higher education and how professors learn to be teacher educators, contributing members of the academy, and collaborative colleagues in their efforts to support and enhance student learning along the educational continuum.

'Uses metaphor to connect the reader in a personal way with the intricacies of mentoringua powerful catalyst for reflection.'uHal Portner, Educational Consultant'Sets the stage for the reader with a thoughtful, proactive context for carrying on the work of mentor.'uTom Ganser, Director, Office of Field Experiences, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater'What the text does so well is enable mentors to deeply consider their role and how they live this role within their interactions with new teachers.'uDebra Pitton, Associate Professor of Education, Gustavus Adolphus CollegeDeepen your mentoring practice with this innovative new approach!Effective mentoring requires planned and mindful attention to the ways in which one's knowledge, skills, and experience can be passed on to new teachers. Stressing the importance of deep reflection on one's mentoring practice, the award-winning authors offer eight models/metaphors that mentors can customize to meet the individual needs of their mentees. Proven strategies and real-life stories help teacher educators, trainers, and mentors to:Meet the diverse needs of mentor/mentee relationshipsDevelop helpful mentoring toolsContinue to reflect, learn, and grow as mentorsThis resource is sure to inspire critical conversation and fresh insights among all mentors committed to professional growth for themselves and their fellow teachers.

Empowering the Voice of the Teacher Researcher through a Culture of Inquiry is essentially a description of one school's initiatives to use collaborative communities and action research to empower teacher research and a culture of collective inquiry. It is written by teachers primarily for teachers and teacher educators. Of course, none of the initiatives described in the text would be possible without the visionary leadership of school and district administrators. Because administrative support is foundational to the process, school and district administrators and staff developers will also be interested in reading about how this school's principal and assistant principal set the stage for developing their community of learners. There are many sound action research texts on the market. What sets this text apart are the first-person accounts of teachers' experiences with action research as examples of profound possibilities for professional growth. As such, this book, written by teachers for other teachers and then contextualized by the Editors so that the relevance is clear to a broader audience, fills an important niche in the literature.

Very little information about the impact of reflection on teacher performance, teacher retention, and student learning is available in teacher preparation programs. This book provides practical and research-based chapters that offer greater clarity about the particular kinds of reflection that matter and avoids talking about teacher reflection generically, which implies that all kinds of reflection are of equal value. This book addresses five very pertinent concepts: (1) teacher reflectivity in theory and research, (2) teacher reflectivity in teacher education programs, (3) teacher reflectivity with teacher candidates, (4) teacher reflectivity in schools and classrooms, and (5) teacher reflectivity and international perspectives.

The international collection of essays contained in this volume offer a comprehensive look at how small groups are being employed in the field of education today and the purposes for which they are being used. Where teaching is concerned, readers of this volume come to know how teachers experience professional development in book clubs, Critical Friends Groups, and teacher research groups and how action research has been used by teachers in a particular curriculum reform project. Where teacher education is concerned, readers are afforded an insider view of what is happening in various cohorts and other small group configurations throughout the nation and the world, particularly with respect to diversity. Finally, readers catch a glimpse of what is occurring in higher education and how professors learn to be teacher educators, contributing members of the academy, and collaborative colleagues in their efforts to support and enhance student learning along the educational continuum.

Powerful tools for facilitating teachersAE professional development and optimizing school improvement efforts! This step-by-step guide presents specific strategies for coaches who work with professional learning communities (PLCs) that practice action research, better known as 'inquiry-oriented PLCs.' This resource illustrates how incorporating action research can significantly influence professional development practices and provides coaches with lessons learned from facilitators of inquiry-oriented PLCs. This research-based book also offers: The 10 essential elements for a healthy PLCSample inquiry projects and case studies of actual inquiry-based PLCs12 lessons to help good coaches become great coachesReflection prompts in each chapter for study groups

Harness the power of data to transform classrooms through inquiry and analysis with this updated, best-selling resource When teachers examine the simple but complex act of teaching, the power yielded can be transformative. For three editions, teacher preparation and professional development providers have turned to this bestselling how-to guide for an authentic clear description of teacher inquiry and how to harness it for greatest effect. In this 4th edition, readers will journey toward understanding the link between teacher inquiry and the creation of data-driven classrooms by walking through some of today's most relevant scenarios as well as timeless and enduring examples. Featuring helpful exercises and step-by-step instructions, this edition includes: * A head on discussion of equity and social justice and the role inquiry plays in tackling it * A look at professional practice doctoral programs as ripe context for inquiry * A complete chapter on the role literature plays in teacher research * A more seamless integration between the text and accompanying website Grab this text, raise your voice at the table of educational reform, and transform assumptions for more impactful teaching.

Today, in many contexts the lack of attention to preparing the next generation of teacher educators as well as having a critical mass of faculty who understand the current teacher education research problem lingers. Although the NCATE Blue Ribbon Panel Report (2010), the recent advent of the CAEP standards, and the new AACTE Clinical Practice Commission Report (2017) challenge those responsible for teacher preparation to rethink the design as well as their work within clinical practice, there is much too little discussion about how to prepare the next generation of teacher educators to work differently. Just like Zeichner found almost 20 years ago, teacher education still too often remains "a tangential concern for most and the major concern of only a few" (Ziechner, 1999, p. 11). These concerns raise important questions for those who are currently responsible for pivoting, reinventing, and researching teacher preparation. This book offers insights from teacher education researchers that illustrate the ongoing benefits and persistent challenges of educating and preparing university and school-based teacher educators. This is an important step in understanding the complex roles, practices, and responsibilities associated with high quality teacher education that emphasizes clinical practice.

Facilitate step-by-step practitioner inquiry training that covers formulating a research question, collaborating with others, collecting data, analyzing data, writing and presenting classroom research, and assessing final results.

A complete rewrite of best-selling and award-winning text The Reflective Educator's Guide to Professional Development: Coaching Inquiry-Oriented Learning Communities, this revamped text will show teachers the ways being a productive and active member of a PLC can help them reclaim their own profession and create a successful PLC to improve student learning.

Take your great idea to the next level with action research How-and when-can we find time to conduct meaningful action research? Great ideas and thought-provoking questions can only blossom through methodical inquiry. Nancy Fichtman Dana steps in as your action-research coach and leads you on a journey through wonderings to real change in your classroom. From framing your question to presenting your research, this guide will encourage, challenge, and ultimately lead you through the action research process. Teachers, students, and action-research coaches alike will learn how to: Reframe initial wonderings into pointed inquiries Creatively analyze both qualitative and quantitative data Draw action-research topics out of ordinary discussions with colleagues Share findings with others to help them improve as well With real-life vignettes, self-guided worksheets, and an included DVD, Digging Deeper into Action Research is your go-to guide each time you embark on a new journey toward professional growth.

'When teachers network, they become a social force for the good of society and each child in their classrooms. This book is a must-read for anyone who cares about teaching and teacher development' -Mary M. Brabeck, Dean and Professor of Applied Psychology , Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University 'This book is essential for anyone interested in the future of public education in America. Embedded in the notion that teachers are the solution, not the problem, this book explores how teachers can create a vision, find a voice, manage a growing network, and make a difference. Surely there is nothing more important as we grapple with how best to move forward' -Bill Cirone, Superintendent Santa Barbara County Education Office, CA 'This resource makes a most compelling case for the centrality of professional community to excellent teaching. It provides a ringing clarion call for teacher collaboration and for grounding educational policy in the real world of the classroom and the school. Part how-to manual for building teacher networks and part chronicle of the authors' successful work, this book sets forth a vision for the transformation of our nation's schools through the development of teacher voices' -Randi Weingarten, President American Federation of Teachers When connected through inter-school networks, teachers can communicate with each other and share invaluable information and ideas across district and state boundaries, ultimately enhancing both their own effectiveness and student learning. This step-by-step guide shows you how to create, manage, and sustain a teacher network or grow an existing one, and provides an easily adaptable model developed by The Teachers Network. The book includes teacher vignettes and director and advisors' experiences in managing a network, plus a wealth of worksheets, tools, and resources to get you started. Practical guidelines illustrate how networks can: - Support new teachers, reduce teacher isolation, and increase retention rates - Share the benefits of collaborative group work, including action research - Enhance professional practice and nurture teacher leaders - Connect teachers to the goals and ideals that drew them into education Teachers working together can not only make a significant impact on their school communities, but also strengthen the influence that teacher leaders can have in the wider arena of educational policy.

'Uses metaphor to connect the reader in a personal way with the intricacies of mentoringua powerful catalyst for reflection.'uHal Portner, Educational Consultant'Sets the stage for the reader with a thoughtful, proactive context for carrying on the work of mentor.'uTom Ganser, Director, Office of Field Experiences, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater'What the text does so well is enable mentors to deeply consider their role and how they live this role within their interactions with new teachers.'uDebra Pitton, Associate Professor of Education, Gustavus Adolphus CollegeDeepen your mentoring practice with this innovative new approach!Effective mentoring requires planned and mindful attention to the ways in which one's knowledge, skills, and experience can be passed on to new teachers. Stressing the importance of deep reflection on one's mentoring practice, the award-winning authors offer eight models/metaphors that mentors can customize to meet the individual needs of their mentees. Proven strategies and real-life stories help teacher educators, trainers, and mentors to:Meet the diverse needs of mentor/mentee relationshipsDevelop helpful mentoring toolsContinue to reflect, learn, and grow as mentorsThis resource is sure to inspire critical conversation and fresh insights among all mentors committed to professional growth for themselves and their fellow teachers.

In this volume, bestselling authors Diane Yendol-Hoppey and Nancy Fichtman Dana have crafted an essential guide to job-embedded professional development (PD) and demonstrate how educators can strengthen teacher learning without breaking the budget. Rather than advocating a specific method, Powerful Professional Development: Building Expertise Within the Four Walls of Your School presents a full toolbox of professional development strategies with suggestions for implementation and recommendations about which tools to use at different times and in different contexts. Using this comprehensive resource, schools can move away from the traditional model of professional development that relies on outside experts, and instead draw on and develop the skills and talents of their own faculty. Covering a range of approaches and techniques and sharing examples of lessons learned from schools and districts that have cultivated these approaches successfully, the authors describe and evaluate a full spectrum of models of job-embedded PD, including - Book study - Webinars - Co-teaching - Open space technology - Lesson study - Action research - Coaching - Professional learning communities - Online communities, and more.

While much has been written about the effectiveness of action research for improving the practice of teachers, few resources exist for leading principals through the process to strengthen their professional development and their role in school improvement efforts. Best-selling and award-winning author Nancy Fichtman Dana guides principals in identifying and exploring areas of interest for research, including staff development, curriculum development, individual teachers, communitylture building, leadership skills, building management, and school performance. With a step-by-step approach, this resource: helps principals develop a question, collect and analyze data, and share the results of their inquiry with school faculty, the district, and the broader education community; includes numerous examples of actual principal inquiry to illustrate each step of the research process; and, provides exercises to guide principals through their own inquiry projects. Use this proven method of professional development to continually cultivate your craft and improve school performance!

While the Common Core couldn't be clearer about what to teach, they never quite tackle how to teach. That's what makes Inquiring into the Common Core such an essential resource. It offers teachers an inquiry-based professional development model for achieving greater understanding of the standards themselves, then determining best ways to realize desired outcomes. How exactly does the model work? Teachers take charge of their own professional development by posing questions, or wonderings, to stimulate action and higher-level insight into the big ambitions of the Common Core. At the very same time, they engage in a parallel process of inquiry with their students in service of the very same goals. Assisting teachers along the ways, Inquiring into the Common Core provides tools to systematically study teaching effectiveness while adapting to new standards classroom-ready, student inquiry techniques and strategies to apply within Common Core's framework real life inquiry-implementation examples from a high-need, high-poverty school Ideal for both teams or individual teachers, there's no better resource for laying the groundwork for successful and thought-provoking classroom actualization amid shifting times.

Powerful tools for facilitating teachersAE professional development and optimizing school improvement efforts! This step-by-step guide presents specific strategies for coaches who work with professional learning communities (PLCs) that practice action research, better known as 'inquiry-oriented PLCs.' This resource illustrates how incorporating action research can significantly influence professional development practices and provides coaches with lessons learned from facilitators of inquiry-oriented PLCs. This research-based book also offers: The 10 essential elements for a healthy PLCSample inquiry projects and case studies of actual inquiry-based PLCs12 lessons to help good coaches become great coachesReflection prompts in each chapter for study groups

The purpose of this book is to provide districts with a comprehensive guide to building a powerful, systems-wide professional development program that will enhance the quality of teachers they employ. Building on recommendations from The National Staff Development Council and the latest research on teacher professional development, the foundation of this PD system is the power of job-embedded professional learning, with a particular focus on inquiry and professional learning communities.