SRATE

Abstract: Numerous teacher preparatory programs place emphasis on instructional advocacy within their curriculum. This article discusses a pathway teacher educators can use to connect candidates with research-based knowledge and skills that sync broad policy to practice, developing a comprehensive approach to advocating for education. The author sought to promote policy-based advocacy by quantitatively illustrating a district funding metric that differs comparatively in specifying need for particular levels of school poverty on academic achievement. At its conclusion, practical tips on discussing research ideas with teacher candidates and how candidates can advocate for more equitable conditions for teachers and students are offered.  

Abstract: Parents are important stakeholders in the educational experiences of their children. Their views about technology shape the perceptions students have about technology. These conceptions also shape how they view what should be happening in the K-12 classroom. Our study an open-ended question survey to explore how parents view technology use in classrooms and how they manage technology in their own homes. Finally, we discuss the implications of this research for teachers, administrators, and future researchers.  

Abstract: The purpose of this exploratory study was to compare the performance and confidence of preservice teachers in their readiness to teach, as determined by the edTPA and a candidate survey, respectively. Descriptive analyses of the data reflected higher confidence scores and increased variability within those scores. While this suggests there was more uncertainty in how they perceived their readiness to teach, the confidence exhibited by the candidates at the end of their student teaching experiences generally exceeded how they actually performed on the edTPA. The major implication is that, while it may be good that preservice teachers feel ready and confident to enter the classroom, this may be an overestimation of their performance once the realities of the profession are upon them.  

Abstract: Instructional coaches collaborate with in-service and pre-service teachers through dialogue and reflection in order to improve instruction for their students. In this qualitative study we learned from three exemplar coaches who used elements of coaching in their supervision of pre-service teachers. The coaches reflected on how they navigated the coaching process with PSTs, sharing how they targeted specific areas of focus and tailored each step of the coaching cycle to meet the individual needs of their PSTs. Coaches shared some evidence that PSTs became more reflective practitioners who took ownership of their own learning and development through inquiry.  

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine pre-service teacher self-efficacy and attitudes towards inclusion. Participants included pre-service teachers (N = 68) who were all enrolled in a freshman education course. Researchers administered two scales including the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices scale (TEIP; Sharma, Loreman & Forlin, 2012) and Scale of Teacher’s Attitudes towards Inclusive Classrooms (STATIC; Cochran, 1997). Results indicate preservice teachers have high self-efficacy and positive attitudes towards teaching students with disabilities.  

Abstract: This study assesses K-12 teachers’ beliefs, contextual supports, and actual uses of student data. Results showed that teachers’ beliefs, school environments, and engagement in substantive data-driven analyses are associated with their use of periodic and classroom-based data to inform their instruction and communications with instructional coaches, students and their parents. Explicated in this paper are specific recommendations for substantive changes in pre-service and in-service teacher training. Both are of great relevancy in providing teacher training that truly cultivates educators’ data literacy, and their capacity to expand opportunity for all students through data-driven practice.  

Abstract: Efforts made by educator preparation programs (EPPs) utilize teacher performance assessments (TPAs) that include formative and summative assessments that evaluate teacher candidates’ professional growth and performance. The educative teacher performance assessment (edTPA) has replaced the local TPAs to become a national performance-based evaluation that standardizes training as a summative score. EPPs that focus too heavily on the edTPA may be distracted from realizing the importance of fostering First Generation College Students (FGCS) and low socioeconomic status (SES) teacher candidates to a higher, more competent self-efficacy through effective feedback, experiences, and exemplar.  

Abstract: Nathanson, Pruslow, and Levitt (2008) found a high prevalence of aliteracy among inservice and preservice teachers. They determined that although teachers acknowledged the importance of personal reading, few invested the time to read for fun. They further noted that preservice teachers were motivated by literacy activities that had intrinsic value rather than a graded assignment. In this article, we describe how teacher education faculty are encouraging reading for fun by integrating literacy activities that have intrinsic value to preservice teachers. We provide suggestions for teacher education faculty who want to motivate preservice teachers to read for fun.