How Preservice Content Teacher Background Qualities Influence Their Attitude and Commitment to Supporting Multilingual Learners

With the growing number of multilingual learners (MLs) in U.S. schools, research relating to effective teacher training methods has gathered increased interest; however, research on how teachers’ background qualities (BQs) influence teaching practices for MLs is lacking. In the field of multilingual education, scholars have suggested that certain qualities, particularly cultural and linguistic backgrounds, contribute to effectively accounting for MLs in the content classroom and embracing the role of language teacher. In this study we draw upon in-class comments, classroom interactions, targeted interviews, and assignments from teachers-in-training (N=12) throughout one semester in a history teaching methods course to address the following research question: How do prospective teachers’ language-related BQs (i.e. ML-related education, cultural experiences, language learning experience, and teaching experience) shape how they approach ML-related activities and assignments in a content methods teacher education course? The data indicate that preservice teachers with these BQs were better prepared to embrace their roles as language teachers and tailor lessons for MLs than their peers without such BQs.

Membumikan Lesson Study Dalam Meningkatkan Kemampuan Mengajar Berbasis STEM Bagi Guru Matematika SMK Negeri 1 Singkep Kabupaten Lingga

This study aims to apply lesson studies to improve STEM-based teaching skills for teachers of SMK Negeri 1 Singkep. The application of lesson studies is expected to be useful in improving teaching skills after the implementation and culture of lesson studies among mathematics teachers. In this study, the researcher as the principal with a mathematics teacher background implemented learning through workshops as a practice of implementing and understanding teaching teachers. With STEM-based learning, it is hoped that teachers can carry out discussions in planning lessons, implement teacher learning models in teaching and be able to reflect on learning. The research used school action based on Kemmis & Taggart which consisted of 2 cycles starting with planning, acting, observing and reflecting. As research subjects are teachers of SMK Negeri 1 Singkep which consists of 28 teachers. From the results of this study, it was found that through the application of this method, (1) teachers can improve STEM-based teaching skills, (2) teachers can improve skills in making observations, and (3) teachers can increase knowledge in terms of adding insight into learning methods in class . Based on the results of data analysis, it shows that this method is effective for improving the teaching ability of STEM-based teachers, in the first cycle the teacher's average ability was 70.82 and increased to 78.88 in the second cycle, an increase of 8.06 was quite significant. And there was a significant increase in 3 mathematics teachers. Thus the principal is sought to be able to provide intensive, directed and sustainable coaching for teachers in teaching, because lessons can provide experience for teachers to always reflect on the learning that has been carried out as a reference for teachers in carrying out learning effectively and effectively in accordance with the objectives set in curriculum.

Technology in the Montessori Classroom: Teachers’ Beliefs and Technology Use

As technology becomes ubiquitous in society, there is increasing momentum to incorporate it into education. Montessori education is not immune to this push for technology integration. This qualitative study investigates four Upper Elementary Montessori teachers’ attitudes toward technology and technology integration in a public school setting. Interviews and observations were used to understand the teachers’ thoughts and actions regarding technology in the classroom. Both the school context and teacher background played important roles in teachers’ beliefs and actions. Teachers in this study expressed positive views of technology in general, exhibiting high technology efficacy and valuing the development of technology skills in their students. However, all four teachers struggled to include instructional technology in ways that are consistent with a Montessori paradigm. Although individual student use of adaptive tutoring software was the most common use of technology, the teachers varied greatly in both the amount of student time spent on computers and the roles that technology played in their classrooms.

KOMPETENSI PEDAGOGIK GURU AGAMA KATOLIK SEKOLAH DASAR DI KABUPATEN BANTUL

Penelitian ini bertujuan mengungkap: (1) kompetensi pedagogik guru agama katolik SD di Kabupaten Bantul, (2) mengetahui bagaimana kaitan latar belakang profil guru dengan kompetensi pedagogik guru agama katolik SD di Kabupaten Bantul. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif jenis deskriptif. Penelitian ini dilakukan pada bulan November dan Desember 2013. Data dikumpulkan melalui angket isian pertanyaan dan tes. Populasi penelitian ini adalah 28 orang guru agama Katolik Sekolah Dasar di Kabupaten Bantul. Hasil analisis deskriptif menunjukkan bahwa: (1) kompetensi pedagogik guru agama katolik Sekolah Dasar di Bantul dalam kategori cukup; (2) latar belakang pendidikan belum berkontribusi meningkatkan kompetensi pedagogik guru; (3) latar belakang masa kerja menjadi guru belum berkontribusi meningkatkan kompetensi pedagogik guru; (4) tingginya pangkat golongan ruang belum berkontribusi meningkatkan kompetensi pedagogik guru agama katolik SD di Bantul; (5) latar belakang pendidikan, lamanya masa kerja, pangkat golongan ruang guru, belum berkontribusi meningkatkan kompetensi pedagogik guru agama katolik SD di Kabupaten Bantul. Kata Kunci: Kompetensi pedagogik, latar belakang guru THE PEDAGOGIC COMPETENCY OF CHATOLIC RELIGION ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OF BANTUL REGENCY Abstract This research is aimed to: (1) reveal the pedagogic competency of chatolic religion on elementary school of Bantul regency, (2) know the relationship between the profile background of teacher with the the pedagogic competency of chatolic religion on elementary school of Bantul regency. This reasearch was carried out on November and December 2013. The collecting data technique used is questionnaire and test. It is a research of quantitative descriptive. The population of the research is all teachers of chatolic religion on elementary school in Bantul regency. There are 28 teachers of chatolic religion on elementary school in Bantul regency. The descriptive analysis shows that: (1) the pedagogic competency of chatolic religion on elementary school of Bantul regency is in the category adequate or satisfactory; (2) the education background does not automatically enhance pedagogic competency, (3) the background of long working period does not automatically contribute to the pedagogic competency; (4) the level of position does not automatically contribute to the pedagogic competency of catholic teachers of elementary school in Bantul regency, (5) the education background, the working period, the working position rank do not automatically enhance the pedagogic competency of catholic teachers in Bantul regency. Keywords: pedagogic competency, the teacher background

Reforming Rural Education in China: Understanding Teacher Expectations for Rural Youth

The Chinese state's commitment to improve teaching quality in rural regions is a key component of national efforts to close the rural–urban education gap. In this paper, we investigate an understudied but critical dimension of quality teaching: teacher expectations. We employ longitudinal data gathered in Gansu Province in 2000 and 2007 to first examine whether teacher expectations for rural youth are conditioned by students’ social origin and teacher background characteristics. Next, we determine the predictive accuracy of their expectations. Our results highlight the ways in which teacher expectations condition the sorting of rural children among different schooling tracks with distinct life trajectories. Significantly, teachers are more likely to hold lower expectations for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition, non-local teachers hold lower expectations for rural children compared to local teachers. Finally, a low percentage of teachers expect students to enrol in post-compulsory vocational education. We consider the implications of these results for both educational policy and social inequality.