This article describes possibilities afforded by using social media, specifically Twitter, as a way to encourage students to join political conversations across the United States and around the world. In this study, we describe a project in which students used Twitter to share commentary about the state of the 2012 presidential election. The…

Today's technology-based society and the vast influx of new information make leadership development a necessity. Many of the world's finest and most successful leaders have trusted mentors. Mentoring has emerged as a means to cultivate the leadership skills of current and future leaders. Mentoring has a rich history and harbors immense…

Since PreK-12 student achievement is the primary focus of schools, all teachers are called to serve as teachers leaders and improve learning on their campuses. Rather than waiting until they have gained experience, teachers can begin acquiring the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of teacher leaders during their preservice programs. Drawing upon…

This essay begins with the question, "What can educators do to minimize the risks inherent to interracial dialogue?" Though no such meaningful conversation ever will be without risk, this article offers two specific strategies that have helped foster open classroom climates: adding without contradiction and granting freedom for conclusions. Both…

In response to increased performance expectations, schools and districts are turning to nonsupervisory, school-based, instructional teacher leader roles to help improve teachers' instruction and enhance student learning. Increased opportunities to learn about teacher leadership may facilitate the implementation and institutionalization of…

The ancient Greeks proclaimed, "Know thyself." This prescript is particularly critical in the educational arena because no pedagogical tool can serve a teacher or a student who lacks self-knowledge. Effective educators understand that only by knowing and capitalizing on their own and students' strengths can they achieve true excellence.…

In Tanzania, the integral role that teachers play in providing a quality education for students has been recognized consistently in government documents (e.g., Ministry of Education and Culture [MOEC] 1995; 2001). However, concerns about the quality of teachers and teaching in Tanzania persist) Massawe and Kipingu 2000; Kuleana Center for…

Schools of education increasingly are using contingent faculty members to instruct students. Contingent faculty members bring expertise and knowledge. However, because they often are less aware of university expectations, their instruction can magnify program weaknesses and overshadow strengths. To strengthen program infrastructure, the roles and…

Focus groups with 82 middle and high school students from diverse school settings elicited four themes: (1) definitions of school violence must be expanded beyond physical assault; (2) teachers should be more involved in establishing a safe environment; (3) respect is the key to effective communication; and (4) connections with school and adults…

Educators in the United States are being asked to do more with less: school budgets are shrinking, principals are struggling to be instructional leaders in the face of huge management issues, and teachers are trying to meet the needs of increasingly diverse students at a time when a standardized, one-size-fits-all curriculum is mandated. The tenor…

A new threat has arisen for which teachers, administrators, and parents admit they are poorly prepared. Cyberbullying--electronic forms of peer harassment--is becoming increasingly prevalent and often originates beyond the legal reach of the school. This presentation describes how cyberbullying differs from other forms of mistreatment, cites…

This article describes a comparative framework for identifying, analyzing, and practicing acts of leadership. The triadic framework identifies transactional, transformational, and critical domains of leadership, and argues that teachers, heretofore ignored or neglected in discussions of school management, are pivotal leaders in school reform…

Craft (1984) noted that there are two different Latin roots of the English word "education." They are "educare," which means to train or to mold, and "educere," meaning to lead out. While the two meanings are quite different, they are both represented in the word "education." Thus, there is an etymological basis for many of the vociferous debates…

Analysis of films featuring teachers reveals a variety of roles portrayed: teacher as culture guardian, iconoclast/subverter, alien culture-bearer, change agent, learner, compassionate mentor, student advocate, maverick, and incompetent. Examination of these portrayals can prompt critical thinking about teacher responses to different social and…

A survey of 94 teachers who served as cooperating teachers or mentored beginning teachers indicated that, despite few extrinsic rewards, they were motivated to undertake these roles; many had no formal preparation for them. Without clear expectations and high-quality training, their ability to enhance student and beginning teachers' practice may…