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By detailed analysis of numerous case studies of teachers grappling with real classroom problems, Stones shows that true quality teaching is only achieved by sensitivitiy to the interplay between the processes by which children acquire knowledge.
This book explores the interplay between actors within educational institutions, organisational structure, commitment of senior leadership, involvement of faculty and students, and evaluation instruments in order to find ways of improving the quality of teaching.
Teachers are the most important single element of the education system but what does it take to create high quality teachers in today’s world? Around the world, countries are struggling to understand how to change their schools to meet global demands. International comparisons have shown that schools in Finland lead the league tables, but why is this, what new policies and practices in teacher education have they developed and how do they support the changes? A number of European and Asian countries also top the list when it comes to providing high quality teacher education, but there is little information about what and how they are doing the work and how they have made changes. The leading international contributors to this book describe the systemic policies and practices of teacher education in eight high-achieving countries and how they are dealing with teacher quality, equity, and the changing global society. Among the countries that are doing well – Finland, Singapore, the Netherlands, the UK, Hong Kong, Canada, Australia and the USA – there is an interesting diversity of policies and practices that support their changes in education, including: emphasis on the preparation, induction, support and assessment of new teachers focus on teacher retention, teachers’ professional knowledge and continuing professional development curriculum change and critical policies. In addition the chapters highlight the local cultural imperatives that influence and shape the preparation of quality teachers and make change both possible and problematic. Teacher Education Around the World examines what can be learned from the different countries, what policies and practices seem transferable; and which seem embedded in the particulars of the culture of the country. It describe themes that cut across all the countries, documenting not only what they are, but how the countries go about supporting and sustaining changes in teacher education. This book will prove itself an absolute essential for all those involved in teacher education, teaching and educational policy.
This book provides an analytical exploration of the condition of teachers working in expanding school systems across the world, with a particular focus on the lives of women teachers in rural Sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing from award-winning research, it looks beyond the official portrayals of teachers’ lives in order to better understand the reality of the contexts in which teachers live and work. Positioning Amartya Sen’s capability approach at the heart of the study, each chapter considers documentary evidence alongside ethnographic research from rural, remote and under-resourced schools in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Sudan. Interweaving rich narratives from teachers in a variety of contexts, the book proposes a concept of professional capability and examines female teachers’ agency to pursue and achieve this in their classrooms. This key examination challenges existing notions of ‘quality education’ and reveals insights into the broader purpose of schooling for rural communities. Quality Teaching and the Capability Approach will be of value to researchers, academics and postgraduate students in education, particularly those concerned with gender, development and teaching, as well as educationalists and policy makers concerned with education and development.
This report gauges progress toward achieving high quality teaching in every classroom, using data about teaching conditions that are new since publication of an earlier report by the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future. Section 1, "Doing What Matters Most: Investing in Quality Teaching," describes the Commission's original findings and recommendations following two years of study. Findings indicate that most schools and teachers cannot achieve new educational goals because they do not know how and do not receive support to do so. Recommendations include linking teacher standards to student standards, reinventing teacher preparation and professional development, overhauling teacher recruitment, putting qualified teachers in every classroom, and organizing schools for success for all. Section 2, "America's Agenda for Education," discusses new standards and new students in America's schools, examining why and how teaching matters. Section 3, "Lessons from Last Decade's Reforms," discusses major initiatives in North Carolina, Connecticut, and other states for improving teaching quality. Section 4, "The Current Status of Teaching," discusses teacher recruitment and teacher supply and demand; salaries and working conditions; retention; qualifications and training; reform of teacher education and induction; access to professional development; and progress in school reform. Section 5, "Evidence of Progress," describes federal, state, and local initiatives to improve quality. Six appendixes offer state report cards on teacher quality; state-by-state data tables; National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium, and National Board standards; Commission staff, advisors, and consultants; partner state contact persons; and national organization partners and contact persons. (SM)
Quality Teaching for Quality Learning: Planning through Reflection provides teachers, as reflective practitioners, with the knowledge and skills to structure quality pedagogy to achieve high quality learning outcomes for their students and schools. It encourages teachers to constantly re-assess their practice in the light of the context in which they teach. Quality Teaching for Quality Learning: Planning through Reflection provides teachers with an understanding of the dimensions of Quality Teaching: intellectual quality, quality learning environment and significance. Each element of each dimension is examined by asking what it is; where it comes from; what it means for teaching; and what it means for learning. Teaching strategies and learning activities are outlined for each element to support program - and lesson - planning and assessment and the evaluation of teaching and learning. The text is essential reading for teachers who want an overview of how to plan before, during and after teaching experiences and to know how to assess the quality of their teaching and planning. The material presented is the result of many years of working with teachers to best assist their professional growth. The authors are the coordinators of the extensive and highly esteemed primary education programs at the University of Newcastle at the Port Macquarie, Newcastle and Ourimbah campuses. They have published extensively for school and academic audiences in a variety of areas including literacy, numeracy and social education.
As educational standards continue to transform, it has become essential for educators and pre-service teachers to receive the support and training necessary to effectively instruct their students and meet societal expectations. However, there is not a clear consensus on what constitutes teacher effectiveness and quality within the education realm. The Handbook of Research on Professional Development for Quality Teaching and Learning provides theoretical perspectives and empirical research on educator preparation and methods for enhancing the teaching process. Focusing on teacher effectiveness and support provided to current and pre-service educators, this publication is a comprehensive reference source for practitioners, researchers, policy makers, graduate students, and university faculty.
This book reports on an international study of quality in teaching in elementary and secondary schools and on policies to promote quality teaching in 11 countries. The study on which the book is based called on case studies by experts from 11 countries on policies to improve the quality of teaching, seminars for teachers to discuss the definition of quality and what affects it, and descriptions of new developments in initial teacher education. Participating countries were Australia, Austria, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, and United States. Chapter 1 places the study in the context of previous research and ongoing reforms of educational systems. Chapter 2 reviews the conceptual framework and procedures used in the country studies. Chapter 3 describes the samples of schools studied in each country. Chapter 4 presents the strong similarities among countries in the attributes and actions of good teachers. Chapter 5 explains the range of policies to improve teacher quality that were described in the country studies. Chapter 6 describes characteristics of schools that support high quality education. Chapter 7 analyses some of the implications and possible conflicts among initiatives to improve teacher quality that arise from central policies, local schools, and individual teachers themselves. Contains 56 references. (JB)
This book provides a comprehensive analysis and critique of many key issues being addressed in schools and school systems in a variety of countries. Using the postmodern approach of recognizing multiple meanings and interpretations, Quality Teaching and Learning provides readers with a framework in which they can examine some of the «commonsense» reasoning behind many school practices and teaching and learning approaches. Working from these understandings, readers are enabled to look beyond current orthodoxies and recognize the advantages and disadvantages - along with many of the contradictions - that exist within and between the multiple expectations being placed on schools.
