Thoroughly updated for the new era of Common Core Standards, this seventh edition of Observational Skills for Effective Teaching is vital in this time of educational change. It offers a detailed, yet easily accessible, handbook for teachers to prepare for and design their first classroom experiences. Updated with the newest research on effective teaching and learning, the book cogently introduces such topics as learning climate, classroom management, and lesson clarity with the newest findings that lead to desirable cognitive, social, and emotional outcomes in learners.

Currently, many states are adopting the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) or are revising their own state standards in ways that reflect the NGSS. For students and schools, the implementation of any science standards rests with teachers. For those teachers, an evolving understanding about how best to teach science represents a significant transition in the way science is currently taught in most classrooms and it will require most science teachers to change how they teach. That change will require learning opportunities for teachers that reinforce and expand their knowledge of the major ideas and concepts in science, their familiarity with a range of instructional strategies, and the skills to implement those strategies in the classroom. Providing these kinds of learning opportunities in turn will require profound changes to current approaches to supporting teachers' learning across their careers, from their initial training to continuing professional development. A teacher's capability to improve students' scientific understanding is heavily influenced by the school and district in which they work, the community in which the school is located, and the larger professional communities to which they belong. Science Teachers' Learning provides guidance for schools and districts on how best to support teachers' learning and how to implement successful programs for professional development. This report makes actionable recommendations for science teachers' learning that take a broad view of what is known about science education, how and when teachers learn, and education policies that directly and indirectly shape what teachers are able to learn and teach. The challenge of developing the expertise teachers need to implement the NGSS presents an opportunity to rethink professional learning for science teachers. Science Teachers' Learning will be a valuable resource for classrooms, departments, schools, districts, and professional organizations as they move to new ways to teach science.

Online education has become a prevalent means of program and course delivery, especially within teacher education programs. However, the lack of preparation in online design is concerning, especially in the field of teacher education where the focus is preparing preservice and practicing teachers to implement effective, evidence-based instructional strategies. Effective Practices in Online Teacher Preparation for Literacy Educators is an essential scholarly resource that shares innovative ideas for translating face-to-face reading/literacy specialist preparation into effective online instruction for courses in literacy education. Highlighting various topics such as instructional design, teacher education, and literacy assessment, this book is ideal for instructors, curriculum developers, instructional designers, IT specialists, education professionals, instructors, administrators, academicians, and researchers.

A Commitment to Teaching: Toward More Efficacious Teacher Preparation introduces the reader to a collection of thoughtful works by authors that represent current research and thinking about teacher self-efficacy and teacher preparation. It is the intent of the book to provide the reader with current and relevant knowledge concerning preparation of committed and efficacious teachers. Teacher self-efficacy, and the presence of teacher efficacy, in teacher preparation and practice, is fundamental to preparing teachers for the public school classroom. As a construct, teacher self-efficacy beliefs are an integral aspect of the teaching process. While many authors refer to teachers’ sense of self-efficacy for teaching, meaning their beliefs about their ability to perform the actions necessary to teach, many others have identified a specific form of self-efficacy pertaining to teaching. These have been called teaching or teacher efficacy. Chapter One opens the book with a focus on the teacher commitment and self-efficacy, providing the reader with an introduction. The authors of Chapters Two-Seven present field-based research that examines the complexities efficacy and commitment in the preparation of teachers. Each chapter offers the reader an examination of teacher self-efficacy and teacher preparation and based on formal research that provides the reader with insight into how the research study was conducted as well as equally important, the findings and conclusions drawn with respect teacher self-efficacy and teacher preparation. Finally, Chapter Nine presents an epilogue that focuses on the for more efficacious teacher preparation.

Because Teaching Matters provides teachers with a realistic depiction of today s classrooms while highlighting the enormous impact they have on everyday lives. The second edition presents material around a framework of five professional commitments that allows them to make sense of what it means to be a teacher. A new critical-thinking framework helps them manage the content better and retain more of what they learn. Increased coverage of diversity and technology is integrated throughout the chapters. A new chapter has also been added on the history and philosophy of education. This book will help teachers make decisions and take responsibility for the consequences of those choices.