This article argues that the instructional scaffolding metaphor may be reconceived as distributed scaffolding when multiple means of influence are provided in a service-learning setting. In the service-learning course described here, the professor's role is largely as designer of activity settings for preservice teacher candidates, through…

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Race to the Top (RTTT) are part of a widely heralded and visible change effort, providing a powerful force--replete with evidence, logic, money, and voice--that is changing public schooling away from locally run and state-subsidized, into a federal-state-controlled enterprise. The article begins by situating the…

This article provides a view of school bullying as a group phenomenon and practical implications stemming from this approach. The motivation for bullying perpetration often relates to one's social standing in the group. Peer bystanders are typically present when bullying takes place, often providing the perpetrators with social rewards. The…

To complete this special issue on theoretical bases for antibullying efforts in schools, we focus in this article on the importance of teachers and other educators in the ecology of schools. First, we present evidence that teachers are not perceived to be effective at intervening when bullying occurs. Then, using a social motivational lens, we…

Bilingual education continues to be one of the most controversial educational programs worldwide. In several US states, it has even been put to a vote in general elections. Internationally, nations that have long promoted multilingualism are debating whether the languages of new, working-class immigrants deserve to be taught in schools.…

As public servants who work most closely with children, teachers have first-hand knowledge of the needs of the changing demographics of urban public schools in the United States. Teachers who engage in research, and researchers who are former teachers, enjoy unique positions in conducting investigations and sharing and implementing findings.…

The author proposes that teachers of critical literacy must not only decenter texts as infallible authorities, but also decenter teachers as infallible (textual) authorities. She outlines problematic aspects of pursuing critical literacy as outcome, where there is heavy emphasis on having students parrot the teacher's viewpoint, and of pursuing…

Around the world there are many schools where native speakers of other languages study English as a foreign language (EFL). In this article, I introduce a school-based reflective management model (SBRM) for such EFL schools. The model centers on creating a learning community where all changes involve reflective learning and growth for students,…

Just as the workplace, for many adults, has been transformed by the introduction of information and communication technology (ICT), expectations are high that educational establishments, particularly schools, will follow suit. This article explores the impact of technology on learning and teaching in the classroom. It draws on the findings of…

Introduces an issue on promoting thinking via peer learning. Articles address decisions needed when using peer learning, focusing on who learns in a group, what changes in those interactions, and how to assess learning from peer interaction. Influences on peer learning are described (e.g., the anticipated nature of collaboration, the teacher's…

Describes peer learning, looking at supporting structures and strategies necessary for its optimal application. The paper explains that classroom environmental decisions (including the use of technology) will follow from the teacher's stance (e.g., as the developer of an educational program, coordinator of activities, and evaluator) and from the…

Analyzes the teaching of linguistics and ethics of representing linguistic issues in a persuasive way, examining tensions between telling it like it is and telling it in a way that students will listen. The paper highlights persuasion, the introduction of linguistic concepts, the importance of understanding dialects and their role in education,…

Examines British research that investigated the learning processes involved in school-based teacher education and the role of mentors and higher education tutors in supporting that learning. Results suggest that effective mentoring and higher education tutoring are both central to the professional preparation of teachers, each making important but…

Examines bias awareness, offering examples from a program in New York City that helps children learn creative skills of nonviolent conflict resolution through cooperation, communication, affirmation, problem solving, mediation, and bias awareness. The paper offers considerations for educators interested in integrating conflict resolution and bias…

Identifies strengths and weaknesses of peer mediation, suggesting flexible guidelines for locally developed, comprehensive approaches to managing complex conflict in schools. The paper examines the background of school conflict programs (providing examples) and outlines approaches that expand the scope of problems concerned educators can manage.…