State teacher union strength and student achievement

A new and very small literature has provided evidence that students have lower test scores in larger school districts and in districts in which the district's teachers union has negotiated a contract that is more favorable to the district's teachers. The teachers’ unions at the state and national levels contribute a great deal of money to candidates for state and federal offices. This gives the unions some influence in passing (defeating) bills that would help (harm) the state's teachers. We introduce two novel measures of the strength of the state-wide teachers union: union dues per teacher and union expenditures per student. These reflect the key role of political influence for state-wide unions. We provide remarkably strong evidence that students in states with strong teachers unions have lower proficiency rates than students in states with weak state-wide teacher unions.     

The resourceful facilitator: teacher leaders constructing identities as facilitators of teacher peer groups

The use of teacher peer groups is a prevalent strategy for school-based professional development and instructional improvement. Facilitation of such groups is an increasingly vital dimension of teacher leadership as a component of school improvement efforts. Drawing on a qualitative study of facilitation of teacher peer groups, the article investigates how teacher leaders integrate experiences from different domains of life in constructing a unique facilitator identity. Focusing on portraits of three teacher leaders, it demonstrates how teachers relate experiences outside of teaching, including academic experiences, other professional experiences, and social experiences, to the skills and orientation necessary for effective facilitation. The article argues for attention to reflexive practices of identity formation in the preparation of teacher leaders as facilitators and in the ongoing development of teacher leaders who already function as facilitators.     

Becoming teacher leaders in Israel: a meaning-making model

Consensus is growing that teacher leadership benefits teaching quality and student performance. Despite the recognition that teacher leadership contributes to teachers’ professional development, little is known about how it is developed and how teachers experience the transition to the teacher-leader role. This study explores the internal mechanisms underlying the transition to and formation of teachers’ professional identity as teacher leaders. It is based on 60 interviews: 41 teachers who were selected to participate in a leadership training programme, 10 principals and 19 teacher-leaders’ colleagues. The findings led to a model with four central components: (1) Overall professional identity; (2) The experience of ‘being chosen;’ (3) An internal meaning-making process; and (4) External forces.     

Use of telecommunications for reflective discourse of science teacher leaders

Journal of Science Education and Technology - This case study explores how a group of teacher leaders (TLCs) used network exchange to reflect upon their involvement with peer leadership and...     

The color of innovative and sustainable leadership: Learning from teacher leaders

In this article, I address how teachers in urban and suburban U.S. schools with multicultural and multilingual student populations demonstrate leadership both within their classrooms and schools as well as outside of them. Based on research with U.S. public school teachers in two projects (Nieto What keeps teachers going? New York: Teachers College Press 2003, Why we teach. New York: Teachers College Press 2005), various roles that teachers have in initiating, putting into practice, and sustaining change in schools are described. Implications for policymakers and administrators are then briefly explored.     

Preparing teacher leaders: Perceptions of the impact of a cohort-based, job embedded, blended teacher leadership program

This qualitative study was designed to examine teachers’ and principals’ perceptions of the impact of a graduate program designed to prepare teacher leaders. Impact was investigated through interviews with 20 graduates and 6 principals. Using Mezirow’s concept of transformational learning, the study documents perceived transformation of teachers’ frames of reference: two related to teaching (adopt an inquiry stance; learn to view oneself as an autonomous professional), and two related to leadership (adopt a leadership stance; view student learning as a communal responsibility). The study includes implications for the design of graduate level teacher education programs to enhance their impact and effectiveness.     

The professional developmental needs of higher education-based teacher educators: an international comparative needs analysis

A universal lack of attention to the professional learning needs of teacher educators is the driver for this study, which considers the most effective ways to support the professional learning of higher education-based teacher educators. At a time when many industrialised countries are engaged in systemic educational reform, this study provides an international and comparative needs analysis through a survey of 1158 higher education-based teacher educators in the countries participating in the International Forum for Teacher Educator Development: Belgium, Ireland, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK. Our results suggest that while teacher educators are only moderately satisfied with their professional development experiences, a strong desire exists for further professional learning. This desire, influenced by their professional context, relates to their current beliefs concerning ‘best practice’ in teacher education, the academic skills required to further their professional careers and knowledge of the curriculum associated with their fields of expertise.     

Critical Literacy needs teachers as transformative leaders. Reflections on teacher training for the introduction of the (new) Modern Greek language curriculum in Cyprus

The new Curricula of Cyprus aspire to deliver a new ethos in teaching and learning that promotes the notion of ‘the humane and democratic school' and emphasises the right of every child to succeed. In this context, the new Modern Greek language curriculum in Cyprus has been moulded upon the notion of Critical Literacy (CL). CL is neither an instructional strategy nor a lesson plan. It is a philosophical belief committed to a different worldview. As such, CL requires people's acceptance. Not just students but also teachers must first learn, understand and embrace the notion before applying its principles to their practice. This can only be done through a process of transformative leadership enabling teachers to become transformative leaders themselves. Has this axiom been taken into consideration in the case of Cyprus? Do teachers in Cyprus learn about CL in a process of transformative leadership? This article will attempt to answer these questions utilising the testimonies of Sandra, a primary school teacher who attended the seminars and workshops organised for training teachers to use the new language curriculum.     

Utilizing program theory and contribution analysis to evaluate the development of science teacher leaders

This paper illustrates how theory of change coupled with contribution analysis assisted in delineating the role each aspect of a teacher professional development program contributed to the expected outcomes. Using a mixed methods evaluation based upon the theory of change, data was gathered on 12 teacher leaders over three years. Findings indicated that not only did the teachers continue to develop as leaders over the three year project but also that the interventions designed to provide professional development to the teachers did indeed contribute to the attainment of project outcomes. By combining stakeholders’ theory of change with contribution analysis, evaluators can develop an understanding of program intentions and design an evaluation that enhances the validity of findings.     

Social network analysis: a simple but powerful tool for identifying teacher leaders

Instructional teacher leadership is central to a vision of distributed leadership. However, identifying instructional teacher leaders can be a daunting task, particularly for administrators who find themselves either newly appointed or faced with high staff turnover. This article describes the use of social network analysis (SNA), a simple but powerful tool that can help administrators better understand the connectedness of their network and pinpoint influential individuals within it. We offer practical guidance for conducting SNA, generating and modifying a sociogram, and interpreting the resultant data. Additionally, we suggest that information provided by SNA may be used to inform decisions about school/district programmes and policies.     

教师需要现状调查与教师激励方案的修改

本文对师生需求的满意度作了简单调查,阐述了教师激励方案必须遵循的基本原则,提出了构建教师激励方案应包含的主要内容及修改方法。     

高中生物探究性学习呼唤高素质的教师

生物探究性学习能更好地体现新课程理念，自主建构知识和促进全面素质发展，适应时代的发展需要．而在探究性学习过程中起主导性作用的教师，则应具有现代先进的教育教学理念和更丰富的专业知识和能力，特别是要具有科学的探究思想．终身学习和研究的素养．     

Educating leaders for social justice: the case of special educational needs co-ordinators

In the light of policy imperatives to initiate and maintain inclusive education reforms, the role of special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs) in England and Wales should be reconceptualised with a view to their leading school reforms commensurate with the principles of an inclusive discourse. The article concentrates on the social justice dimension of educational leadership to advance discussion of the changing role of SENCOs. It is suggested that, apart from the operational and strategic aspects of their redefined leadership role, SENCOs should be empowered to embrace a social justice discourse in tackling power inequities and systemic educational inequalities that undermine inclusive education reforms.     

Strengthening the special educational needs element of initial teacher training and education

In the academic year 2006–2007, the Training and Development Agency (TDA) set up a development programme to enable Initial Teacher Training and Education (ITTE) placements in specialist special education provision. The goal of the programme was to enhance the knowledge, skills and understanding of inclusive practice for special educational needs and disability among those joining and those who are relatively new to the teaching workforce. This article, by Gill Golder, Nicky Jones and Erica Eaton Quinn, all Senior Lecturers at the College of St Mark and St John in Plymouth, outlines one project related to this TDA programme. The authors explore the outcomes of their work on a three‐year BEd (Honours) Secondary Physical Education course in the south‐west against the TDA's objectives for both trainee teachers and the special schools to which they were attached. Results confirm the importance of preparing trainee teachers for a future career in more inclusive schools.     

Mother and teacher ratings of maladaptive behaviour in children with special needs

ABSTRACT

Parents and teachers of 109 children selected from the Special Needs Register and living in a multiethnic urban health district participated in the study. Their perceptions of children's behaviour at home and at school were measured by the Aberrant Behavior Checklist(ABC). About two‐thirds of the subjects presented with at least one type of maladaptive behaviour of at least moderate severity within their family, and 50 per cent had similar difficulties at school. The dimensions of hyperactivity and irritability were the main causes for concern by both sources. Contrary to previous studies, high rates of parent‐teacher agreement were found. This significant association was not affected by factors such as age, ethnicity or type of school. The implications for the provision of services for children in special education are discussed.     

Why School Choice Reforms in Denmark Fail: the blocking power of the teacher union

This article investigates why school choice is exercised to a limited degree by parents despite major government initiatives to enhance diversity, competition and choice in the Danish education system. Denmark has had 20 years of centre‐right governments, promoting choice reforms perhaps even more vigorously than the other Nordic countries, yet school choice is seldom used – only 12% of parents choose a public school that differs from the one that is allocated to them. The literature on school choice in Denmark argues that this is primarily due to a general lack of parental interest because of the relatively high similarity across schools. In this article, we argue that the main reason is to be found in the politics of vested interests, namely municipalities’ persistent use of pupil assignment schemes supported by powerful teacher union branches at the local level.     

Pupil participation in planning provision for special educational needs: teacher perspectives

There are legal, moral and practical reasons to involve pupils in planning provision for their special educational needs. We do not yet know how principles are implemented in practice. This study explored the views and experiences of 64 teachers with an interest in special educational needs through an online survey. Participants reported greater pupil involvement in everyday matters, less in conceptual aspects of planning. Effective strategies were based on good teacher-pupil relationships and school-wide systems for sharing pupil views. Participants gave examples of the impact of pupil participation on teacher insight, pupil motivation and material provision. 84 per cent indicated that they would like pupils to be more involved in decisions about their provision than they currently are. Barriers included the nature of children’s difficulties and practitioner attitudes. Listening to children is intrinsic to good teaching, yet pupils also benefit from a more formal role in provision planning.