Additional career paths are an element of improvement on the traditional career ladder concept in education. A culture of growth offers teachers opportunities that can greatly expand their careers while substantially enhancing student learning. The career paths summarised in this article, describe some additional opportunities for education…

Field experiences, also referred to as practicums or clinical experiences, are part of every accredited teacher preparation program. These pre-student teaching experiences place future teachers in a preK-12 classroom where they have the opportunity not just to observe, but also to learn about teaching by interacting with teachers and students. The…

This paper presents a conversation with Carol Dweck, the author of "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" (Random House, 2006). She serves as the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Science and is the recipient of…

If you are finishing your undergraduate degree or wrapping up your first few years in the classroom, you may be starting to think about what is next in your professional life. Should you go to graduate school? Many states now mandate either the completion of a master's degree in education or additional training for teacher licensure in addition to…

Cooperating teachers can help student teachers make the most of their student teaching experience. The author has served as an on-site supervisor for many practicum students and interns. She has also worked on the university side, supervising pre-student teachers and school psychology practicum students. Having served in all three of these…

Many Hollywood films show the struggles of students with disabilities. More often than not, the struggle involves a clash between family and school. Real life shows that the movies have some of it right. According to MetLife's 2005 Survey of the American Teacher, new teachers often consider working with parents to be their biggest challenge. Both…

What makes the difference between a good teacher and a great one? Knowing one's content is important, but having strong leadership skills can tip the scales from mediocrity to excellence. The best time to begin practicing being a teacher leader is during the preservice years. By practicing leadership skills, one can begin to view oneself not only…

Because China is the world's fastest growing economy, the Chinese school system has a huge demand for English teachers at all levels. Teaching English as a second language (ESL) offers a plethora of benefits, such as developing a more critical approach to cultural understanding, more opportunities for travel, overseas experience during a time of…

College teaching can be as rewarding as a K-12 career and, whether in elementary school or college, students deserve good teachers. College professors who prepare teachers can have a tremendous impact on K-12 classrooms for decades into the future. However, career paths vary widely, and the path to teaching in higher education is as unique as the…

Although schools have always struggled with student failure, retention, and attrition, the turn of the new century has produced added pressures for schools to reduce student dropout rates. In the current political and economic environment, increased costs and reduced budgets are forcing difficult choices in how best to spend limited resources.…

This article originated from a single question: do the restrictions that various accrediting agencies place on teacher educators limit, or entirely eliminate, academic freedom? Considering that question makes it apparent the problem is much broader than academic freedom. The issue has two foci: personal identity and the impact of market…

Each generation seems to lament the characteristics of the generations that follow. Today, however, with a student population unique in traits that impact teaching and learning, differences between teacher and learner generations must be recognized, analyzed, and addressed if faculty in higher education are to meet the needs of students. In spring…

Fostering Healthy Futures (FHF) is a randomized controlled trial of an intervention for preadolescent youth placed in foster care because of maltreatment. As part of the FHF program, graduate students spend sixteen to twenty hours per week mentoring two youths in foster care and receiving intensive training and supervision. During summer and fall…

This paper uses a mixed-methods approach to investigate how the Young Women Leaders Program, a mentoring program for at-risk adolescent girls, supports mentor commitment, prejudice reduction, and increased understanding and acceptance of diversity among the undergraduates serving as mentors. The results suggest that particular mentoring program…

Although research has clearly demonstrated the benefits of mentoring for mentees, much less is known about how mentoring impacts mentors and, in particular, their professional development. Using a mixed-methods design, this study investigated the impact that mentoring youth had on the professional development of first- and second-year university…