Education Commons^™

Teacher Inquiry: A Catalyst For Professional Development, Divonna Stebick, Jonathan Hart, Lauren Glick, Jaime Kindervatter, Jenna Nagel, Cathy Patrick

Networks: An Online Journal for Teacher Research

Teachers seek and require meaningful professional development opportunities to truly grow in the profession. Teacher inquiry, or teacher research, is one way to accomplish professional development goals. Teacher inquiry is thought of as individualized, personalized, and meaningful professional development (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999). In this paper we articulate the learning of a cohort of certificated professionals engaged in a year-long project that included asking research questions, designing data collection tools, and developing an independent study to examine their questions. Nine certificated professionals participated in the year-long project representing various grade levels and experiences. Data was collected through teacher reflections and …

An Application Of The Ccsr Noncognitive Framework: Bringing Together Typical And Exceptional Student Research, Sara E. Taylor

Educational Considerations

The University of Chicago Consortium on School Research (CCSR) published a report in 2012 entitled Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners. The Role of Noncognitive Factors in Shaping School Performance: A Critical Literature Review in which they drew together research from fields such as psychology, economics, and education to present noncognitive factors as a malleable means to improve student performance in school. According to the framework derived by CCSR, noncognitive factors include academic mindsets, academic perseverance, academic behaviors, learning strategies, and social skills, which interact to influence academic performance. Researchers often focus on either typically developing or exceptional student populations. This …

Embracing Resiliency: Practical Strategies To Minimize Teacher Burnout And Elevate Retention, Melissa D. Reed, Heather Caswell, Monica Wong-Ratcliff

The Advocate

Abstract

Teacher shortage constitutes a crisis in the U.S. and the education system at-large. In light of the crisis of teacher shortage and the severity of turnover rate, the purpose of this paper is to join in the dialogue to further the conversation regarding how believing or reinforcing stereotypes can contribute to burnout and unrealistic expectations teachers face in education. Suggestions for pre-service and in-service teachers to acquire a more realistic and resilient lens for themselves as educators and the profession is presented. The following themes will be explored: collaboration, embracing vulnerability, empowerment and agency, support and mentoring, and self-care …

Spiritual Leadership In Early Intervention Practice, Jo L. Mccray

Adult Education Research Conference

This study explored integrating the principles of spiritual leadership theory into early intervention therapeutic practice to enhance services provided to children and families. Semi structured interviews served as major sources of data.

Characteristics And Predictors For Students Classified With Emotional And Behavioral Disorder Who Have Also Experienced Maltreatment, Richard E. Mattison, Gregory J. Benner, Skip Kumm

Educational Considerations

Though experiencing maltreatment (abuse or neglect) appears to be common in students with the special education label of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), little research has been devoted to this topic by EBD educators. This paper uses archived file drawer data from 1992 that focuses on 149 students newly classified with EBD for whom a wide range of enrollment variables was collected, and who were subsequently followed up on an average of 8 years later to assess their educational outcomes. At enrollment, experiences of maltreatment were determined to have occurred in 57.7% of these participants. The group who experienced maltreatment …

The Relationship Between Pre-Service Training And Teaching Self-Efficacy For Inclusive Practices, Jennifer Francois

Educational Considerations

Pre-service programming is instrumental in providing skills to teachers that builds positive teaching self-efficacy. This becomes increasingly important for those teachers who are hired to work in inclusive settings. Directives by the Division for Early Childhood and the Individuals for Disabilities Act have outlined content areas that teachers working in special education settings should have knowledge of and are comfortable in implementing (Division of Early Childhood 2014; United States Department of Education 2017). Many teachers, however, continue to come away from pre-service experiences without these skills (Lewis et al. 1999). Institutions continue to struggle with the integration of course content …

It’S About Time: Initial Findings From A Feasibility Study Of A Time-Study Tool For School Social Workers In Michigan, Michael S. Kelly, Steven Whitmore

International Journal of School Social Work

Starting in late Summer of 2015, the two authors began collaborating on the pilot testing of a school social work (SSW) time-study tool with a sample of SSW in suburban Detroit (n=9). This article details the path towards the development of the time-study tool, drawing from the extant literature on workload and caseload issues in related special education fields, and resulting in the time-study tool that was first piloted with SSW in 2015-2016. Initial data from year one of the two-year 2015-2017 pilot project is shared in this article, along with qualitative data based on interviews with the SSW in …

Supporting High Quality Teacher Preparation: Developing A Mentoring Program For New And Early Career Special Education Faculty, Harriet J. Bessette, Katie Bennett

The Advocate

As any new or early career faculty member in the academy can attest, the early days of one’s career in higher education can be daunting, often evoking feelings of unsteadiness, tentativeness, and low self-efficacy. Despite knowing the landscape, academic neophytes are required to navigate the social and political rungs, negotiate participation on university, college, and department committees, develop and/or enhance their research niche, and demonstrate uncompromising proficiency as a teacher, mentor, supervisor and advisor. This paper explores strategies and principles that were adopted by one department within a teacher preparation program to establish a mentoring program for new and/or early …

Comprehensive Trauma-Informed Care For The Whole Community: The Whole Child Initiative Model, Gregory J. Benner Ph.D.

Educational Considerations

The Whole Child Initiative (WCI) is a decade-long blueprint for sustainable and comprehensive community-wide change. To be successful, community-wide sustainable change must embrace a common vision, language, and common experiences to bridge the contrasting community structures, environments, and scopes of work. The Whole Child Initiative uses data, shared goals, and aligned supports ensure that every youth is safe, supported, engaged, healthy, and challenged in the community-at-large. We make the case that a population health or public health approach is needed to sustainable change in communities and the WCI model is described. Among other important outcomes, researchers have found social and …

Role-Clarity And Boundaries For Trauma-Informed Teachers, Alex Shevrin Venet

Educational Considerations

As they begin to implement trauma-informed practices in their classrooms, teachers should consider their role in the lives of students and how to maintain appropriate and safe boundaries with students. This essay explores the role of the teacher in supporting trauma-affected children and offers a frame of teacher as a facilitator of connection. It also offers ways to compassionately maintain boundaries with students while supporting their access to mental health care.

Disclosure And Self-Advocacy In Higher Education: Emerging Into Adulthood With A Disability, Carol Rogers Shaw

Adult Education Research Conference

A study of leaners with disabilities in postsecondary education moving from dependent special education K12 students to self-authored adult learners reveals complex disclosure and self-advocacy interactions with faculty, peers, and disability staff.

The Teaching Chair: Maintaining Excellence In Teaching, Cathy Thorsen 5590686, Mary Elizabeth Zimmer, Marilyn Odom

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Teaching chairs must balance preparation for class and maintaining teaching effectiveness with the duties of chair. Participants will explore scenarios related to the teaching chair themes derived from survey responses and share strategies for coping, overcoming, and/or accepting their limitations related to balancing chair and teaching roles.

Seclusion Amongst Elementary And High School Students: An Analysis Of The Role Of Demographic Variables In The Use Of Seclusion In Kansas Schools, Felicity Balluch

Prairie Journal of Educational Research

Background Demographic variables are suspected to influence seclusion rates in educational settings. However, little is known about the connections between these variables and reported incidents of seclusion, particularly how seclusion is influenced by gender, special education status, race, and eligibility for free and reduced lunch.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to understand the relationships between demographic variables and seclusion rates for elementary and high school students. It was hypothesized that all predictor variables were directly related to the outcome variable in both cases.

Design/Method This study utilized data from the Kansas Discipline Incident System (Kan-Dis), which is an …