Education Commons^™

Lessons Learned: Building A Better Laboratory School, Amanda S. Wilcox-Herzog, Meridyth S. Mclaren

NALS Journal

Laboratory schools serve an important function in the education and training of early educators as well as important sites for the development of new knowledge related to best practices in early care and education. To this end, it is important to determine how to promote and preserve Laboratory Schools in the United States. The following paper utilizes existing literature and field data to identify essential components of successful Laboratory schools and provides a case study of a relatively new Laboratory school serving infants and toddlers; both its successes and struggles.

College Mission Alignment: Lessons For Laboratory Schools, Sharon L. Carnahan Ph.D., Diane Terorde Doyle Ma

NALS Journal

This paper concerns the content, role, and purpose of mission statements in higher education and the the advisability of aligning the mission and activities of a laboratory school with the overall aims of the sponsoring college. We review strategic planning for alignment and share mission-driven activities that we have developed. We end with ideas about receiving recognition for doing the important job of a laboratory school, through disseminating and displaying examples of excellence.

The Effect Of Physical And Music Education In The Development Of Motor Skills In Children Between Six And Eight Year-Olds In An Inclusive Environment, José E. Betancourt, Marta Hernandez

NALS Journal

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the effect of the integration of music education and physical education programs on the development of locomotor skills in students who are between six and eight years old. Various activities were developed and implemented to assure the best quality of teaching in both academic subjects using 28 children –13 girls and 15 boys­. Fourteen children were in an experimental group and followed the integrated class of physical and music education for two months. The rest served as the control group and followed the physical education program, separate from musical …

The Practice Of Olympic Wrestling As A Mechanism Of Behavior Modification In Elementary School Special Education Students., José E. Betancourt

NALS Journal

The purpose of this study was the investigation of the effect of the practice of Olympic wrestling on the modification of the behavior of sixteen elementary school special education students between the ages of eight and twelve years old. Ninety two percent of this group was enrolled in a special education program of which eighty six percent were classified with ADHD. The investigation lasted ten-weeks during which the students were evaluated before and after their participation in the wrestling program. During this period the students participated in Olympic wrestling training sessions, which consisted of many motor skill activities including axial …

The Anything Writing Project In First Grade, Stephanie J. Koplitzharty, Konnie Serr

NALS Journal

This article gives an overview of varying levels of engagement observed in the Grace B. Luhrs University Elementary School First Grade classroom during “Anything Writing” writing workshop. Children in first grade at Grace B. Luhrs are encouraged to use topics of their own choosing when creating their written work while at the same time following basic steps in the writing process.

The “Anything Writing” approach offers differentiated instruction opportunities for diverse learners within a community of writers. Observations by university faculty, university students and the first grade teacher are included along with student writing samples. This article is the result …

Laboratory School Leaders Provide Support For Literacy, Doyle Brinson, Edward J. Dwyer, Pamela H. Scott, Virginia Foley

NALS Journal

Laboratory school leaders can greatly influence reading achievement among students. In this light, the authors propose that school leaders, by becoming more aware of their own journey in becoming readers, are encouraged to strengthen reading programs in their own schools. Consequently, writing a memoir titled “My Life as a Reader” can be used to encourage reflection on becoming a reader. In this study, analysis of the memoirs of school leaders provided substantial evidence supporting the conclusion that experiences with books and interested adults greatly encourages eventual reading achievement. The subjects in this paper are school leaders; however, application of the …

Financially Sustaining University Lab Schools: One University’S Story, Gloria J. Gresham Dr.

NALS Journal

University lab schools connected to teacher preparation programs are based on the clinical teaching model. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education encourage teacher preparation programs to extend the hours required in clinical settings for teacher candidates. For years, some teacher preparation programs have championed the clinical teaching model. The university that was the focus of this study has implemented the clinical teaching model for over 87 years. Sustaining this model was not easy but through perseverance, this university did just that. The intent of this study was to determine …

A Picture Literally Is Worth A Thousand Words! Using Documentation To Increase Family Involvement, Eva M. Zygmunt-Fillwalk, Renee Hufffman

NALS Journal

Research conducted over the past two decades indicates the predictive nature of family involvement in children’s education to child school and life success (Jeynes, 2005). Beyond factors such as socioeconomic status and parental education, the extent to which families are involved in children’s education at home and at school has been shown to have the strongest relationship to student academic success (Henderson & Berla, 1994). This manuscript details a collaborative project between Burris Laboratory School and Ball State University, through which early childhood practicum students created web-based documentation pages to showcase kindergarten student learning. These pages opened the door to …

Building International Partnerships: Country To Country, School To School, Doyle Brinson Dr.

NALS Journal

Creating effective, meaningful international partnerships is a major component of a comprehensive education for today’s students. Knowledge of different cultures and perspectives provides a richer and deeper educational experience for students growing up in a world brought closer together through modern technology and up to the minute communications. University School at East Tennessee State University and Colegio Americano from Guayaquil, Ecuador are two schools who embraced the myriad of challenges that accompany the process and have successfully established a global partnership that has provided for each school opportunities to visit one another, share ideas and establish friendships and relationships between …

Why Parents Choose Laboratory Schools For Their Children, Paul Erickson, Neal Gray, Bill Wesley, Elizabeth Dunagan

NALS Journal

Since the 1960s, laboratory schools have been diminishing throughout the United States with less than 100 active today. This reduction is attributed to lack of financial support, and the fact that fewer children are choosing to attend laboratory schools. Why, then, do parents choose to enroll or withdraw their children in laboratory schools? This article focuses on this question, while presenting the strengths and weaknesses of laboratory schools. Strengths of laboratory schools include better preparation for higher education, an understanding of a college atmosphere, higher college acceptance rates, and increased performance on standardized tests. Weaknesses of laboratory schools include high …