March 2013 • Volume 44 • Number 4
Middle Level Teacher Education and Professional Development
Articles in this issue focus on the preparation and professional development of middle grades teachers. Musser and associates share inspiring accounts of veteran teachers who engage and inspire their students in an era of test-based accountability. Edwards describes a program revision effort designed to reconcile aspects of the middle school concept with the test-driven culture in partner schools, and Previts and associates analyze their program and identify potential "signature pedagogies" that may represent standard practices in the field. Thornton discusses findings from a survey of middle level teacher educators to determine their views of online teacher preparation, while Howell an associates offer a comparative look at the ways in which three universities form partnerships with schools to design effective field experiences for teacher candidates. Rollin explores the ways in which middle-class African American teachers navigate issues of race and class as they teach students in poverty. The issue concludes with Karen Wood's "Research into Practice" column focused on using VoiceThread to enhance literacy learning across the curriculum.
Imagine a Place Where Teaching and Learning are Inspirational: A Decade of Collected Wisdom from the Field
P. Maureen Musser, Micki M. Caskey, Linda L. Samek, Younghee M. Kim, William L. Greene, Jan M. Carpenter, & Jay Casbon
Some middle grades educators find ways to engage and inspire their students in an era of high-stakes testing and rigid accountability policies.
Preparing New Teachers for Contemporary Middle Grades Schools
Susan Edwards
A middle grades teacher preparation program prepares new teachers to enact the principles of This We Believe in schools focused on testing and accountability.
A New Professionalism in Middle Level Teacher Preparation: Toward a Signature Pedagogy
Joanne L. Previts, Karynne L.M. Kleine, & Nancy B. Mizelle
An analysis of an effective middle level teacher preparation program reveals signature pedagogies.
Middle Level Professors' Perspectives Regarding Online Teacher Education
Holly Thornton
Middle level teacher educators report their views of online teacher preparation.
School Partnerships and Clinical Preparation at the Middle Level
Penny B. Howell, Jan Carpenter, & Jeanneine P. Jones
Strong school–university partnerships foster valuable clinical experiences for preservice teacher candidates at three universities.
Departments
A View from the Middle
David C. Virtue
A Profession that Matters
Turning Points 2000: Lessons Learned
Sharlonne Rollin
Teachers, Students, and the Impact of Social Class
Research into Practice
Karen D. Wood, Katie Stover, & Brian Kissel
Using Digital VoiceThreads to Promote 21st Century Learning
Copyright © 2013 Association for Middle Level Education