Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons^™

La Barbe: Feminine Beards And Other Mysteries Of French Grammatical Gender, Robin F. Keller

Senior Honors Projects

Grammatical gender in French language is one of the biggest guessing games for a native English speaker. Why a table is feminine and a book is masculine is a question that plagues those learning French as a second language. In French, all nouns have gender, masculine and feminine. The complication: only a small percentage of the nouns are assigned gender semantically leaving the remaining which are assigned gender seemingly arbitrarily. For English native speakers, the distinction of these basic parts in a foreign language is not a natural skill. The simple fact that nouns are either feminine or masculine is ...

A Study Of Secondary Science Teacher Efficacy And Level Of Constructivist Instructional Practice Implementation In West Virginia Science Classrooms, Amanda Kristen Knapp

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of use of selected constructivist instructional practices and level of teacher efficacy in West Virginia secondary science classrooms. The study next sought to determine if a relationship existed between level of use of the constructivist practices and teacher efficacy. In addition the study sought to determine if differences existed in level of use of the selected constructivist practices and/or teacher efficacy based on selected demographic variables

The study was a mixed-methods design. First, a researcher-developed survey instrument was used to collect data regarding the level of use of constructivist ...

Interview Of Richard Monastra, Richard J. Monastra, Pamela Johnson

All Oral Histories

Richard Monastra is of the “baby boom” generation, having been born in 1946 in Philadelphia. He is the eldest of two children. He remains very close to his sister to this day. Mr. Monastra grew up in South Philadelphia in the 1950’s and 1960’s. He describes South Philly at the time as “magical”. He described his neighborhood as being made up of Euro-Americans who settled in South Philly after the Civil War. He attended St. Edmond’s Parochial Elementary School where there were as many as 60 kids in a class. After elementary school, he attended Bishop Neumann ...

Interview Of Thomas J. Wurtenberger, Thomas J. Wurtenberger, Charles D. Muzyczek

All Oral Histories

Thomas J. Wurtenberger was born and raised in the Lower Olney (Feltonville) section of Philadelphia in 1935. He was raised primarily by his mother after the death of his father in 1944. Tom attended North Catholic High School where he took business courses. He did not have aspirations to attend college right out of high school. He was encouraged by a former employer to better himself by going to college and earning a degree. One year after graduation Tom enrolled at La Salle College. He chose La Salle because of its reasonable tuition and proximity to home. Originally Tom desired ...

Shifting Teacher Paradigms: A Study Of Andragogical Professional Learning Structures, Judith Marie Moore

Education Doctoral Theses

As public education seeks to address the needs of a globalized, 21^st Century workplace, curriculum and instructional methodologies increasingly require classroom technology integration, infusion of critical thinking skills and information and media skills over rote memorization of facts. In order to retrain teachers in the new instructional archetype, this study designed and implemented a professional learning program, grounded in adult learning theory, which sought to shift teacher's instructional paradigm from that of didactic information provider to student-driven learning facilitator. Specifically, the research questions addressed the current level of technology integration at a moderate size middle school in the ...

The Great Migration: Charter School Satisfaction Among African American Parents, Monica Almond

LUX: A Journal of Transdisciplinary Writing and Research from Claremont Graduate University

This study addresses the reasons that African American students are disproportionately enrolled in public charter schools by surveying parents of African American charter school students at a small public charter middle school in California. The researcher utilized a quantitative research design by collecting survey data from 71 charter school parents. The findings indicate the following reasons that African American parents remove their students from traditional public schools: their desire for a safer schooling environment, higher expectations for their students, individualized attention, and a college-going atmosphere. Recommendations are made for traditional public school leaders to consider the implementation of these practices.

Mathematics Educators And The “Math Wars”: Who Controls The Discourse?, David W. Stinson

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Faculty Publications

In this editorial, the author expresses support of a colleague, Professor Jo Boaler of Stanford University, in her actions of going public with the harassment that she has experienced through professional and personal attacks by James Milgram of Stanford University and Wayne Bishop of California State University, Los Angeles.

On The Brilliance Of Black Children: A Response To A Clarion Call, Erika Bullock, Maisie Gholson, Nathan Alexander

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Faculty Publications

In this editorial, three dotoral students in Mathematics Education reflect on their experiences as conference organizers and co-editors of the Proceedings of the 2010 Philadelphia and 2011 Atlanta Bejamin Banneker Associaton Conferences.

Characteristics Of Contemporary U.S. Progressive Middle Schools, Jan Ware Russell

Dissertations & Theses

Progressive education has a long history within the American K-12 education system dating back to the late 1800s. During this period, two very distinct ideologies represented progressive education: 1) administrative progressives supporting standardization as a means of efficiency and 2) pedagogical progressives supporting child-centered learning based upon a well-rounded education. This study looks at 82 contemporary pedagogical progressive schools to identify common characteristics. Child-centered learning, community integration, and democratic decision-making were the three overarching philosophies covered in this study. Data was collected through an online survey of school leaders. The majority of research surrounding progressive education is qualitative and focuses ...

Beyond The Numbers: A Benjamin Banneker Association Conference Series, Jacqueline Leonard, Erica R. Davila, David W. Stinson

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Faculty Publications

The authors discuss how the "white male math myth" can be effectively debunked by conferences such as the Benjamin Banneker Association Beyond the Numbers conference series, which focus on urban mathematical education and highlight the achievements of black children.

Examining Spiraled Elementary Curricula On Columbus: A Case Study, Maegan Wilton, John H. Bickford Iii

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

Educators’ content background and use of accurate, age-appropriate teaching materials generates quality teaching. Content in every grade level should supplement content from previous grades in a spiraled format. State test results on students’ math and reading indicate, but do not prove, the presence of these two presumptions. Because history is not tested, the authors examined the basis of these two presumptions for history in two school districts that require every elementary educator to teach about Christopher Columbus. Findings reveal significant interconnections between these two presumptions and have consequential implications as states consider standardized testing in other curricular areas, such as ...

Examining Spiraled Elementary Curricula On Columbus: A Case Study, Maegan Wilton, John H. Bickford Iii

John H. Bickford III

Educators’ content background and use of accurate, age-appropriate teaching materials generates quality teaching. Content in every grade level should supplement content from previous grades in a spiraled format. State test results on students’ math and reading indicate, but do not prove, the presence of these two presumptions. Because history is not tested, the authors examined the basis of these two presumptions for history in two school districts that require every elementary educator to teach about Christopher Columbus. Findings reveal significant interconnections between these two presumptions and have consequential implications as states consider standardized testing in other curricular areas, such as ...

Perceptions Of Indiana’S Engineering/Technology Education Classroom Teachers As Measured By The Characteristics Of Technology Education Survey, Steve E. Rogers

College of Technology Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine Engineering/Technology Education (ETE) teachers’ perceptions of Project Lead The Way’s (PLTW) pre-engineering program in the state of Indiana utilizing the Characteristics of Technology Education Survey (CTES) (Daugherty, Hill, & Wicklein, 1996). The study focused on the perceptions of teachers who were and were not teaching PLTW’s pre-engineering curriculum as they related to curriculum content, teaching methodology, curriculum integration, and fit of curriculum in school environment. Two hundred and eighty two or 51.3% of Indiana high school ETE teachers responded to the 46 question CTES. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and ...

Original Political Cartoon Methodology And Adaptations, John H. Bickford Iii

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

This paper is grounded on the premise that effective educators base lessons on rich and intriguing content which is relevant to students’ lives, implement the content using engaging and age-appropriate methodology, and measure students’ learning through authentic assessments. In order to support practicing teachers’ effective implementation of best practice methodology and assessment, educational researchers investigate the interconnections between content, methodology, and assessment. As technology facilitates teaching methodologies and learning assessments, meaningful activities such as students’ original political cartooning should be examined, detailed, and adapted. In this article, the methodological suggestions for, and adaptations of, students’ original political cartoons guide educators ...

Original Political Cartoon Methodology And Adaptations, John H. Bickford Iii

John H. Bickford III

This paper is grounded on the premise that effective educators base lessons on rich and intriguing content which is relevant to students’ lives, implement the content using engaging and age-appropriate methodology, and measure students’ learning through authentic assessments. In order to support practicing teachers’ effective implementation of best practice methodology and assessment, educational researchers investigate the interconnections between content, methodology, and assessment. As technology facilitates teaching methodologies and learning assessments, meaningful activities such as students’ original political cartooning should be examined, detailed, and adapted. In this article, the methodological suggestions for, and adaptations of, students’ original political cartoons guide educators ...

Former Juvenile Offenders Re-Enrolling Into Mainstream Public Schools, Thomas Richardson, Thomas Dipaola, Robert K. Gable

K-12 Education

This study examined school re-enrollment procedures employed by two school systems for N=578 former juvenile offenders re-enrolling from secured supervised settings to urban mainstream secondary public schools and alternative schools and programs in New England. Quantitative data regarding student demographics and qualitative data from interviews with 19 support personnel and selected documents were used to evaluate which program elements enhanced or disengaged former offenders from secondary urban schools. The characteristics of former juvenile offenders’ lack of school involvement with respect to truancy, school suspension and expulsion, learning, behavior, and emotional disabilities, as well as family, economic, and social disadvantages ...

Characteristics Of At-Risk Students, Michael Sollitto, Robert K. Gable

K-12 Education

This study focused on a major problem facing today’s educators: high school dropouts. Research questions addressed differences in teacher perspectives of the characteristics of struggling students. Differences in teachers’ perspectives based on teaching level (elementary & secondary) were examined. The researcher conducted focus groups with a total of 12 teachers. The research was conducted in two suburban districts. Focus group questions were designed following a survey administered to 108 suburban public school teachers. The survey responses reported previously identified four dimensions of characteristics of at-risk students: behavior, achievement, family involvement, and family background. The data from the focus groups can ...

Agent Based Modeling As An Educational Tool, Jonathan H. Fuller, Rodger Johnson, Vic Castillo

STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Program Posters

Motivation is a key element in high school education. One way to improve motivation and provide content, while helping address critical thinking and problem solving skills, is to have students build and study agent based models in the classroom. This activity visually connects concepts with their applied mathematical representation. “Engaging students in constructing [models] may provide a bridge between frequently disconnected conceptual and mathematical forms of knowledge.” (Levy and Wilensky, 2011)

El Metro De Madrid, Mark K. Warford

Spanish Model Lesson Plans

This lesson can be carried out in one class period. It centers on the symbolic competencies necessary for navigating the Madrid Metro. Targeted level would be second year of secondary-level study or second semester of college study.

Lesson 6: Mapping The Spanish American War, Mario J. Minichino

Hispanic Heritage of Florida Conference 2012

The proximity of Tampa and Key West, Florida to the island of Cuba, and how their geographic locations played a major part in the Spanish American War. In this lesson, students will transfer/combine historical data from different sources to create a representative map, developing a deeper understanding of the connections between Tampa and Cuba and practicing their mapping skills.

(This lesson plan is designed for two days or can be used for a block schedule)