Arlene L. Barry

A Model of a New-Teacher Induction Program and Teacher Perceptions of Beneficial Components.

Abstract Hiring new teachers and continuing their professional growth so that they remain in the profession and become effective teachers have been a challenge for decades. Research suggests that induction programs can achieve these outcomes if they are highly structured, include mentoring, focus on professional learning, and emphasize collaboration that is broad and focused. The Great Beginnings new-teacher induction program, the focus of this article, contains these effective components. Results of a multiyear study indicate that the new teachers view the instructional resource teacher, an instructional coach and mentor, and opportunities to collaborate with colleagues as the key components of the new-teacher induction program. Additionally, teachers value professional development that they perceive as addressing their particular challenges. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Metaphors and Sense of Teaching: How These Constructs Influence Novice Teachers

The purpose of this study was to identify the root metaphors of secondary classroom teachers and to observe ways in which these constructs influence teachers’ work with their students and their environments. Specifically, five case studies of novice teachers were presented. Results indicated that the metaphor of life as a tree was the most common view and that all five participants held a similar childhood metaphor in which they tended to idealize childhood. Overall, the data showed the persistence of ideas that beginning teachers bring to their university preparation and those beliefs extend into actual classroom practice. Teacher development seemed to be more influenced by the schooling environment rather than the pre‐service preparation the teachers received. Furthermore, these novice teachers felt conflict between their held beliefs and the reality of teaching and schooling. Implications for teacher educators and future research are included.

I Was Skeptical at First: Content Literacy in the Art Museum

This is the publishers official version, and it is also available electronically from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/JAAL.00071

Lessons from Animals, Real and Imaginary, in the Work of Theodor Geisel

My purpose here is to explore the role of real and imaginary animals in the work of Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. Animals, through Geisel’s pen, have helped children learn to read and to contemplate many of life’s difficult problems while doing so. The animals were able to connect with their readers because of their anthropomorphic qualities. Anthropomorphism, or the assignment of human traits to a non-human animal, is a practice that is “ancient” and “universal,” according to Brown (2011). It has been displayed by Neolithic people in their cave paintings, by Native Americans in their totem poles, through cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh, and in the mascots of sports teams. Today, questions abound as to which traits belong to animals and which belong to humans. But the practice called anthropomorphism is still pervasive.