Teacher Education

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11274/9564

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Navigating the politics of education: Leading schools during challenging times
(The Online Journal of New Horizons in Education, 2024) Burkett, Jerry R.
Teachers, principals, and superintendents have been placed in an unfortunate and unexpected political position. Due to increased misinformation on the nature and origin of varying political issues, educators often have to address and confront parents and community members who have likely seen headlines about these brewing “local battles” (Kingkade et al., 2021). Normally, educators would approach these topics thoughtfully with a purpose to help each of their students to realize their potential as effective citizens and fulfilling responsibilities in the community by cooperating with parents to improve the public schools (Texas Administrative Code, 1998). However, these themes have become polarizing and educators are feeling a mounting pressure to make pedagogical decisions to please school leaders and the school community (Walker, 2018; Dunn, Sondel, & Baggett, 2019).
Ineffective school leadership: Teachers weigh-in
(Texas Council of Professors of Educational Administration, 2023) Burkett, Jerry; Hayes, Sonya D.
Effective school leaders are essential to the success of the school environment. Teachers have left schools due to poor and ineffective campus leadership, but often do not report the reasons why they left or do not have a safe mechanism in place to support their claims and drive campus change. The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand the perceptions of teachers who work in elementary, middle, and high schools in Texas on the qualities of ineffective principals and how these qualities affect teacher retention. Respondents in an open-ended survey reported that ineffective principals lacked character, professionalism, and ethics; exhibited poor leadership and management skills; did not practice active listening or effective communication; and lacked the capacity to develop and sustain a positive learning climate. From these findings, we offer recommendations for campus principals for improving their leadership and school climate to support and retain teachers.
Using mixed reality to support inclusive teaching strategies in general and special education preparation programs
(MDPI, 2023) Peterson-Ahmad, Maria; Keeley, Randa; Frazier, Andrea
Preparing teacher candidates to provide learning strategies that support the differentiated needs of students should be at the forefront of all educator preparation programs (EPPs). Teacher candidates must become fluid in providing strategies that promote students’ individualized academic and social–emotional growth as well as strategies that support effective collaboration to enhance student productivity across the school environment. This pilot study explored the use of mixed reality (e.g., Mursion) as a tool to support pre-service general and special education teacher preparation and improvement of self-efficacy related to student engagement and instructional strategies. This study collected data on teacher candidates’ pre-/post-self-efficacy and participant self-reflections from an EPP in the United States. The results of this study yielded ideas as to how EPPs can better support teacher candidate preparation using a mixed-reality platform, as data revealed participant increase in self-efficacy and gains in the use of student engagement and instructional strategies that supported the use of evidence-based and high-leverage practices.
Measuring the implementation of inclusive strategies in secondary classrooms using an observation rubric
(Hofstra University, 2023) Keeley, Randa G.; Alvarado-Alcantar, Rebecca; Peterson-Ahmad, Maria
The inclusion classroom is a form of mainstreaming in which students with disabilities (SWD) are integrated into the general education classroom and other school activities. The U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics (2019-2020) reported that approximately 64% of SWDs are placed in the general education, inclusion classroom for 80- 100% of the school day. This article outlines the process researchers used to collect data using the Assessment of the Inclusion of Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (AISSEND) rubric when observing inclusion classrooms. The observation rubric was designed to monitor for instructional strategies provided to students in an inclusive classroom setting. The researchers collected reliability data during the project and found that the rubric is reliable and feasible to use in a classroom setting. Additionally, researchers found that inclusion classrooms, regardless of the number of teachers present, typically used the same amount of strategies.
Dual credit at your doorstep: What you need to know
(Magna Publications, 2023-09-08) Hoermann-Elliott, Jackie; Johnson, Tanisha; Figueroa, Jorge
In 2019, the US Department of Education reported that one in every three American high school students participates in dual enrollment courses (Shivji & Wilson, 2019), a number expected to rise in the coming years. Texas is one such state where rapid expansion is underway. From 2000-2017, a sharp 753% increase of students enrolled in dual credit courses was observed, representing 10% of all students enrolled in Texas higher education (THECB, 2018). Not only is dual credit growing rapidly, it’s playing a critical role in bridging the educational achievement gap by offering college coursework opportunities to high school students, many of whom lack access to such transformative academic programming.
Pandemic policy preparedness: Unintentional student discrimination in the wake of COVID-19
(Texas Council of Professors of Educational Administration, 2020) Burkett, Jerry; Reynolds, Danielle
Educational leadership requires a set of skills and practices that are shaped by professional ethics. Professional ethics are the dynamics of both personal and professional ethics and requires educational leaders to understand how these ethical codes drive interactions and decisions especially in difficult situations (Shapiro & Stefkovich, 2016). Anderson (2014) argues that educational leaders may not have the deeper understanding of social justice necessary to “better scholarship, but also to better practice” (pp. x) due to the current expectations of leaders including increasing test scores and accountability ratings and addressing social and emotional learning. Adding to the current expectations of school leaders are unparalleled situations such as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), a fast spreading, communicable disease. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic and with growing cases in the United States, unprecedented closures resulted. The U. S. Department of Education (2020) communicated that even during this time, districts must be “mindful of the requirements of Section 504, Title II, and Title VI, to ensure that all students are able to study and learn in an environment that is safe and free from discrimination” (p. 1). Legislative policy is also enacted as a result of the health crisis. On March 27, 2020, the United States Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act which provides an economic relief plan and educational provisions for public and private schools. Indefinite school closures have left some school districts unprepared to manage the necessary provisions to provide an equitable education for all students. As learning hubs were launched for at-home learning guided by parents and students, accommodations for English Learners (EL), students with disabilities, and students receiving Special Education services were not on the forefront of the design in every district, potentially providing larger gaps in learning. The launch of online at-home learning also requires internet access and devices to even access the learning, providing another potential inequitable gap, especially in low socioeconomic households. This necessary response to COVID-19 placed a burden on parents who may be working from home, or not at home, or not capable of assisting with the level of instruction their child requires to replace the daily instruction of a classroom teacher. The purpose of this paper will be to evaluate State of Texas local school board policies FB (LEGAL) and FB (Local) Equal Education Opportunity in the wake of the World Health Organization declaration of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic and the resulting actions of school closures. We will investigate the potential discrimination under Section 504, Title II, and Title VI during an unprecedented time of transitioning from learning at school to learning at home is reasonable to ensure that educational opportunities are equitable. The need to understand how such a pandemic closure impacts the teaching and learning of all students is essential to policy change for educational leaders in the way of a new reality of learning and lesson delivery during a time of a global pandemic.
Podcasting professor: Quick, concise, and creative teaching
(Magna Publications, 2023) Burkett, Jerry
Using podcasts as a medium to deliver lectures can be an engaging and convenient method to connect with students. There are currently over 75 million podcast listeners in the United States with that number expected to reach 100 million by 2024 (Adams, et al., 2021). My own experience using this method to reach my students has been successful and the student response has been welcoming. The COVID-19 pandemic offered an opportunity to explore this method of teaching and reach students in a new and engaging way.
Ineffective campus leadership: Why good teachers leave bad principals
(Journal of Academic Perspectives, 2020) Burkett, Jerry
Effective school leaders are essential to the success of the school environment. Preparation programs teach principals traits and skills that define what research has determined to be effective school leadership. However, either by attrition or through a lack of personal awareness, some principals may lose or under-develop these essential traits and then knowingly or unknowingly employ ineffective leadership skills and create dysfunction. Teachers have left schools due to poor and ineffective campus leadership but often do not report the reasons why they left or do not have a safety mechanism in place to support their claims and drive campus change. The purpose of this exploratory research was to survey teachers who have left school with poor campus leadership and determine the traits that
Curriculum controversy: Supporting teacher candidates in understanding politically divisive education
(Journal of Academic Perspectives, 2023) Burkett, Jerry
A suburb in north Texas recently made national news when residents elected a mayor, city council members, and school board members who spoke out against the local school district’s proposed Cultural Competence Action Plan. In this plan the district promised to emphasize cultural competence in curriculum, feature student assembly speakers specializing in cultural sensitivity and diversity, and to provide ongoing diversity training for all staff (Asmelash, 2021). Later that year, the state of Texas legislature enacted new restrictions on some types of diversity-related curricula and teacher training. Legislation has also been proposed at the federal level that would prevent federal funds from being used to teach from curricula deemed controversial (Cotton & Buck, 2021). Prospective and in-service teachers have likely seen headlines about the Critical Race Theory “battle” (Kingkade et al., 2021) and may seek professors of teacher education for guidance from their colleges or universities. It can be difficult for new teachers to navigate what could be classified by some as a divisive curriculum in their first-year in the classroom without the proper background, training, and information. It is important to explore these topics to provide an overview and background of the controversy, offer an explanation of concerns and questions parents may have about new curricula, and provide a perspective on advantages to covering racial issues in schools. This paper aims to provide an explanation for educators on some recent controversial conversations around curriculum and instruction in American schools.
Defining principal effectiveness: Measuring the value of effective principals using the principal effectiveness evaluation rubric
(IMRJ, 2023) Burkett, Jerry
The evaluation of a campus principal can be a challenging process due largely to the complicated factors that exist to capture an accurate assessment of a principal’s leadership effectiveness. Generally, principal evaluations are conducted by districtlevel officials who often do not have the time or the resources to observe campus principals on a regular basis. Further, principal evaluation systems (PES) are designed to improve the practice of principals (Clifford & Ross, 2012; Davis, Kearney, Sanders, Thomas, & Leon, 2011; Fuller & Hollinsworth, 2014a; Fuller, et al., 2015), and there has historically been an acknowledgement that these evaluations do not always achieve this purpose. Therefore, the overarching purpose of an evaluation is to use defensible criteria to judge the worth or merit of a principal. Critical to this definition is “defensible criteria” as the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation (Gullickson & Howard, 2009) recommends that personnel evaluations should rely on defensible criteria to ensure such evaluations are “ethical, fair, useful, feasible, and accurate”. The Principal Effectiveness Evaluation Rubric is designed to evaluate the various themes found in the literature to help determine set criteria that is most used to measure principal effectiveness.
Campus administrators’ responses to Donald Trump’s immigration policy: Leadership during times of uncertainty
(Hipatia Press, 2018) Burkett, Jerry; Hayes, Sonya
Donald J. Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States in November 2016, after more than a year of campaigning on many major issues. Among the key issues presented during then-candidate Trump’s campaign was immigration reform. While Latinos make up the largest ethnic group of non-citizens in the U.S., most of these individuals have resided in the U.S. for a long period of time, have strong family ties, and have children who are lawful U.S. citizens (Baum, 2010; Almeida, Johnson, McNamara, & Gupta, 2011; Sharpless, 2017). The Trump administration’s early days involved a flurry of executive orders and other measures aimed at increasing the enforcement of immigration laws and blocking admission to the U.S. by individuals from specific countries. The purpose of this exploratory research study wasto interview principals who lead Hispanic-majority elementary, middle, and high schools to determine how students and school communities are reacting to President Trump’s current policy and rhetoric regarding immigration, and how these principals are responding to the students and communities they serve.
Next-level leadership: Preparing assistant principals for campus leadership
(Department of Educational Leadership, College of Education and Human Services at Lindenwood University, 2021) Burkett, Jerry R.
The workload of campus leaders continues to increase with new expectations for evaluation and supervision, changing legislative mandates, and mounting pressures for improved school accountability. Educational Leadership preparation programs are built on national and state standards related to principal leadership and competency. However, while principal preparation programs have focused intently on instructional leadership development for future principals, most educational leadership candidates do not immediately enter the principalship but rather start their administrative careers as assistant principals. School districts can implement a comprehensive training protocol for their emerging principals using research-based practices to ensure assistant principals have the training, coaching, and mentoring necessary for the next level of leadership. The professional development strategies presented here can be pivotal in ensuring that individuals are prepared for campus leadership and potentially mitigate principal burnout. Increasing the competencies of assistant principals to prepare them for campus leadership will help support the future of the school district and ensure a pipeline of strong leaders.
Evaluating principal effectiveness: A review of the literature
(Department of Educational Leadership, College of Education and Human Services at Lindenwood University, 2023) Burkett, Jerry
The evaluation of a campus principal can be a challenging process due largely to the complicated factors that exist to capture an accurate assessment of a principal’s leadership effectiveness. Generally, principal evaluations are conducted by district-level officials who often do not have the time or the resources to observe campus principals on a regular basis. Further, principal evaluation systems (PES) are designed to improve the practice of principals (Clifford & Ross, 2012; Davis, Kearney, Sanders, Thomas, & Leon, 2011; Fuller & Hollingworth, 2014a; Fuller et al., 2015), and there has historically been an acknowledgment that these evaluations do not always achieve this purpose. Therefore, the overarching purpose of an evaluation is to use defensible criteria to judge the worth or merit of a principal. Critical to this definition is “defensible criteria” as the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation’s (Gullickson & Howard, 2009) recommends that personnel evaluations should rely on defensible criteria to ensure such evaluations are “ethical, fair, useful, feasible, and accurate” (p. 1). The purpose of this literature review is to evaluate the proposed themes found in principal evaluation systems to help determine set criteria that is most used to measure principal effectiveness.
Predictive factors of problematic smartphone use in young Spanish university students
(Elsevier, 2022) Marín, Verónica; Sampedro, Begoña Esther; Ortega, Juana María; Figueroa, Jorge
Smartphones have evolved from being a helpful tool in our days to be an indispensable complement. Its presence in our daily lives has grown to reach a problematic use on occasions. This fact is even more remarkable when we speak of young adults and adolescents, in which problematic situations can be identified as derived from its use. In this study, we analyze the self-perception of 409 young adults pursuing an Education university degree on the use and consumption of the smartphone via their responses to the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale. The results show that, despite not perceiving the use of the mobile phone as problematic, some of the behaviors described by them as habitual would imply inappropriate use of the smartphone. Some outlined by the sample included mitigating loneliness, fear of isolation, or using it to feel better. Surprisingly, these are not recognized as problematic, despite being some of the most apparent indicators of misuse. The analysis of the results shows how younger populations and, mainly women, present this type of worrying and unconscious behavior. However, the increasing use of these devices within training areas offer new options to favor its proper use, mitigating the possible adverse effects of its use.
Weaving the fabric of shared experience: Immigrant and refugee students engaged in visual Testimonio
(Frontiers, 2023) Myers, Aimée
Testimonio, collective narratives situated within our sociopolitical sphere, is a powerful tool that empowers students and moves them toward a space of collective agency. When multimodalities are added to this process, students can further expand their expression and agency. This article hopes to support educators who want to embed a visual testimonio pedagogy in their own classrooms by exploring ways a secondary teacher sought to develop a critical literacy curriculum with her immigrant students. This article explores the current social discourse on immigrant and migrant students, discusses the foundations of visual testimonio, and offers three tangible examples of classroom activities.
The good, the bad, and the ugly life of educational administration
(Texas Council of Women School Executives, 2014) Trujillo-Jenks, Laura
Like almost anything in life, there are the good, the bad, and the ugly times. In educational administration. the good. the bad. and the ugly will look differently to each person, and those differences will make an educational administrator strong and knowledgeable. Through my experiences at the campus level, my good, bad, and ugly times gave insight into campus. administration. Sharing some of these experiences are what I do when teaching principalship courses to aspiring campus leaders and what I'd like to share here
The chameleon identity
(Texas Council of Women School Executives, 2013) Trujillo-Jenks, Laura
Traditionally, men have dominated leadership positions in the field of education, particularly the positions of principal and superintendent. However, more women are occupying these positions successfully (Mendez-Morse. 199, 2000; Skrla, 2000a. 2000b; Tallerico, 1999, 2000). Additionally, identifying with educational administrators involves accepting the responsibilities, characteristics, and attributes, assigned and ascribed to that position. An administrator has responsibilities, characteristics, and attributes of leading and caring for teachers and children, ensuring that they succeed at the appropriate level and pace. With increased opportunities in educational administration, women can have the responsibility to become successful and possibly help alter the characteristics and attributes that are assigned and ascribed.
Building bridges to the world: Utilizing service learning during the senior year to develop participatory citizenship
(Dwight Schar College of Education, 2016) Myers, Aimée
The senior year of high school has the potential to be a bridge between childhood and adulthood, but senior courses are not vastly different than courses offered to freshman who are barely into their teenage years. A service learning component that is embedded throughout the senior year provides students with the space to think critically and then act, thus engaging in participatory citizenship. Teachers should, however, scaffold students’ movement toward community participation by establishing a service-learning framework that combines critical reflection with classroom community.
2021-2022: Year of the Pandemic
(Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education (CSOTTE), 2022) Fredrickson, Rebecca
At the close of the 2021 CSOTTE conference, I had the opportunity to reflect upon what the experience meant to me. The fact that we were once again permitted to gather together--in the same room with Covid 19 social distancing preference color coordinated lanyards--was something marvelous I never in my wildest academic dreams ever thought would be something so treasured. It never dawned on me that people (especially educators) would not always be able to easily gather together to grow and learn. This is something that I will not take for granted again.
Women supporting women: Using the 5 Anchors of Impact as a tool for uplifting women leaders
(Texas Council of Women School Executives (TCWSE), 2023) Trujillo-Jenks, Laura; Fredrickson, Rebecca
It is somewhat saddening to visit a restaurant that serves lobster and see the uncovered tank of lobsters. The idea is to promote that the lobster is fresh, but the uncovered tank also demonstrates another, more fearsome concept. The tank is open but the lobsters do not escape. The reason being is that if one lobster starts to make an escape from the tank, the other lobsters will pull them back into the tank (Botteril, 2017). Applying this metaphor to women, sadly, the same can often be seen. As women work to succeed or rise within leadership positions, they are pulled back down by other women. This is referred to as the Lobster Syndrome.

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