Understanding Teaching and Learning with Military Students in Public School Contexts: Insights from the Perspectives of Teachers

Life experiences relating to mobility and deployment may intersect with mainstream school cultures and affect the progress of military students. How K–12 teachers of military students construe and negotiate these intersections has not yet been substantively considered. Data from interviews and focus groups with 74 educators in eight U.S. public schools with large populations of military students were analyzed using a grounded theory approach to identify teacher knowledge, skills, and dispositions perceived by participants as critical for support of military students’ academic and social development in the school context. Findings inform the development of relevant interventions that effectively serve military and other students through collaborations among service providers and instructional personnel in public school settings.