Penny B. Howell - Böcker

Over the last decade, significant changes have occurred in how schools are organized, how educators are prepared and certified, how accreditation policies have shifted both curriculum and content, as well as changes to the demographics of middle school classrooms. This volume, Preparing Middle Level Educators for 21st Century Schools: Enduring Beliefs, Changing Times, Evolving Practices provides a review of current research focused on middle level educator preparation at all levels. Our enduring beliefs about young adolescents have not changed (e.g., need for developmentally responsive instruction, caring adults who understand them and are prepared to teach them, opportunities to explore their interests) but the political and sociocultural climate of schools and schooling has. In light of changing times, this volume allows researchers and teacher educators to share research from their context and inform the evolving practices of educator preparation for the middle level.The research presented in this volume is organized into three sections, with an introduction provided for each. The authors grounded their work in the Association for Middle Level Education’s teacher preparation standards (2012) and tenets of This We Believe (NMSA, 2010). By doing so, they examine topics that hold potential for meeting the learning needs of teachers and students in middle level schools. The first section includes chapters from individuals working to ensure that the enduring beliefs of middle level education continue to guide the structures of their middle level teacher preparation programs. The second set of chapters closely examines how changing times are shaping the work of teacher educators. Finally, the last section spotlights evolving practices that continue to develop in response to the changes impacting our classrooms, schools, and communities.This text provides readers with researched-based practices and information to help them continue the tradition of middle level teacher education. The enduring beliefs of preparing teachers who understand, respect, and honor the many talents, gifts, and contributions of the young adolescent student will guide teacher educators as they respond to the changing times of education and the evolving practices of teachers, teacher educators, and schools.

Over the last decade, significant changes have occurred in how schools are organized, how educators are prepared and certified, how accreditation policies have shifted both curriculum and content, as well as changes to the demographics of middle school classrooms. This volume, Preparing Middle Level Educators for 21st Century Schools: Enduring Beliefs, Changing Times, Evolving Practices provides a review of current research focused on middle level educator preparation at all levels. Our enduring beliefs about young adolescents have not changed (e.g., need for developmentally responsive instruction, caring adults who understand them and are prepared to teach them, opportunities to explore their interests) but the political and sociocultural climate of schools and schooling has. In light of changing times, this volume allows researchers and teacher educators to share research from their context and inform the evolving practices of educator preparation for the middle level.The research presented in this volume is organized into three sections, with an introduction provided for each. The authors grounded their work in the Association for Middle Level Education’s teacher preparation standards (2012) and tenets of This We Believe (NMSA, 2010). By doing so, they examine topics that hold potential for meeting the learning needs of teachers and students in middle level schools. The first section includes chapters from individuals working to ensure that the enduring beliefs of middle level education continue to guide the structures of their middle level teacher preparation programs. The second set of chapters closely examines how changing times are shaping the work of teacher educators. Finally, the last section spotlights evolving practices that continue to develop in response to the changes impacting our classrooms, schools, and communities.This text provides readers with researched-based practices and information to help them continue the tradition of middle level teacher education. The enduring beliefs of preparing teachers who understand, respect, and honor the many talents, gifts, and contributions of the young adolescent student will guide teacher educators as they respond to the changing times of education and the evolving practices of teachers, teacher educators, and schools.

This text highlights partnerships between schools and teacher preparation programs where candidates have opportunities to learn in their coursework alongside teachers in the classroom in clinical settings, bridging the theory-practice divide and helping candidates better understand the simultaneous and multi-dimensional nature of teaching and learning in schools. All of the authors in this text describe how their programs go beyond informal arrangements and include a collaborative relationship between the school and university. As a Handbook of Resources, this text provides details about roles, relationships, expectations, organizational structures, and the challenges of partnerships, which will help those who wish to establish a clinically-based model and move confidently from vision to implementation. The authors of the chapters clearly describe the details of their partnerships so their stories can be a resource for others in similar contexts or situations. In doing so, each chapter highlights the different ways to develop partnerships, as well as provides opportunities for universities, schools, and districts with established partnerships to share their stories, wisdom, and expertise and offer inspiration, encouragement, and ideas. The authors of these chapters acknowledge the tensions inherent in the process of developing, implementing, and sustaining an effective, viable partnership by providing insight into how challenges are addressed at different stages of a partnership and what benefits, successes, and differing perspectives exist in this type of relationship.There are a variety of schools represented in this body of work--rural, suburban, private, public, large research intensive, and small private. By design, we believe any school can find themselves in this text as the authors offer suggestions and ideas that can be implemented in other structures. With that said, we want to emphasize that the examples provided are meant to inspire creativity and possibility as programs develop partnerships rather than offer a wholesale approach or a recipe. Viewing the reader as the expert at their institution, this text offers insights into ways to shape the ideas and structures to fit their context.