An increasing number of PK-12 students need mental health support. While a broad group of professionals (e.g., teachers, administrators, counselors, psychologists, social workers, families) may be involved in school-based mental health and well-being work, not all are trained mental health experts well-versed in the nuances of implementing the resources provided. In this manuscript, we share three vignettes describing instances across our study of teacher preparedness for wellness work in which a lack of a common lexicon emerged as a barrier. By describing cross-disciplinary lexicon challenges, we highlight the need for a universal definition of and lexicon for building a robust mental health and well-being support system for students. Without a consistent way of communicating, educators face challenges with designing effective teacher induction and professional development for mental health and well-being work and difficulty in enacting wellness practices.

This study examines the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in teacher preparation courses, emphasizing the role of teacher educators in modeling best practices. The research focuses on two aspects: (1) Does modeling UDL principles that align with student needs enhance engagement in teacher preparation courses? and (2) How do students perceive the impact of UDL principles on their individual learning needs and their ability to express and engage in courses? Utilizing a mixed-methods action research design, this study fosters reflective practice among teacher educators and evaluates the effectiveness of UDL strategies. Findings indicate that the instructors were highly effective in creating a positive and inclusive learning environment, enabling students to feel supported and safe in expressing themselves. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on effective teaching strategies in higher education, highlighting the importance of UDL in preparing future educators.

This paper discusses a teacher residency model that has been collaboratively developed with a mid-sized urban school district struggling with high teacher turnover and a mid-sized university working to support our partner district and provide beneficial clinical experiences for our candidates. In this paper, we provide a brief overview of literature related to teacher recruitment and retention and teacher residency programs, describe our model and its success in recruiting diverse teacher candidates, and describe the successes and challenges of program implementation. We conclude with implications for future practice and research. We hope through this paper to share the benefits and challenges of our particular paid residency model as we work to strengthen approaches to recruiting, supporting, and retaining a diverse teaching pool.

This paper examines how male preservice teachers pursuing an elementary or middle level education certification perceive barriers and supports in their chosen major and future profession. To answer this question, the authors used a convenience sample of male undergraduate students at a mid-sized, private, liberal arts college. Sixteen male students completed an online 24-question Likert scale survey and nine of these students participated in a semi-structured focus group. Our results support current literature findings showing male preservice teachers experience barriers to the field related to gender identity. Additionally, findings highlight the significant role teacher preparation programs, cooperating teachers, and peer support systems play in the resiliency and success of male preservice teachers. Implications from this research include the need for teacher preparation programs to address these barriers and provide systems of support of this underserved population.