Education Commons^™

Back To The Future: Looking At Nostalgic Practices To Conceptualize A More Inclusive Literacy Future (Part 1), Rebecca Witte, Darreth Rice

Michigan Reading Journal

In the first of two articles, the authors, two girls that “Just Want to Have Fun,” reminisce about educational literacy practices of the past, specifically one nostalgic writing practice, dialogue journaling. Using the analogy of a familiar toy from the 1980s, the View Master, they aim to revitalize an antiquated practice using modern theoretical frameworks (reels) that make current classroom practices more inclusive for today’s students. Looking to “reels” of academic (using current state standards), culturally relevant pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995), social emotional learning (Mussey, 2019), and humanizing instruction (Freire, 1968), we support current teachers in analyzing their practices to foster …

Looking Down, Up, Forwards And Backwards: Telling The Story Of The Menominee Sustainable Forest, Kate Van Haren

Occasional Paper Series

The common narratives of history focus often focus on settlement and colonization. These stories often focus on the destruction of natural resources and the historic trauma of Indigenous who used and preserved them for thousands of years. The story of the Menominee, a Native nation, in southeast Wisconsin, offers a counternarrative of success. Using primary sources and the scholarship of Wisconsin-based activists, historians, and educators, this article explores the civic actions Menominee needed to protect their sustainable forest and how these lessons can be used to teach environmental stewardship in elementary classrooms.

Interdisciplinary Read Alouds: Building Background Knowledge To Support Learning Across Science And Social Studies, Lyndsey Bensel

Michigan Reading Journal

Science and social studies instruction at the elementary level has diminished in quantity and quality as a result of increasing pressure to maximize English language arts achievement. Research establishes a strong connection between background knowledge gained through content area learning and the ability to comprehend expository texts. Deprioritizing science and social studies instruction limits opportunities to explore disciplinary literacy practices which serve as the foundation for acquiring knowledge in different disciplines. This paper explores interdisciplinary read aloud lessons as an introduction of disciplinary literacy skills to elementary students. Interdisciplinary read aloud lessons can also support students in acquiring background knowledge …

The Symbiotic Relationship Between Reading And Music: A Natural Pedagogical Collaboration, Jarrett D. Moore, Kathryn Simonyak, Kelsey Ruzicka

Networks: An Online Journal for Teacher Research

Reading and music instruction can form a symbiotic relationship to positively impact lower-elementary literacy and increase student engagement. In this action research study, cross-curricular instruction between reading and music at the 2nd grade elementary level was taught by both the reading and music teacher. This study employed reading, rhythm, rhyme, instrumentation, writing, physical movement, and song to benefit students’ phonemic awareness while reading. Developmental Reading Assessments (DRAs) were used to measure student growth from the start of the study to its conclusion. These DRAs were used as pre- and posttests and were bookended around instruction using reading, rhythm, rhyme, instrumentation, …

Exploring Elementary Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Stem And Cs Abilities, Scott R. Bartholomew, Vanessa Santana, Jessica Yauney

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

Curriculum, legislation, and standards across the nation are quickly evolving to incorporate computer science and computational thinking concepts into K-12 classrooms. For example, many states have passed legislation requiring computer science to be included in every school’s curriculum. Most states, however, report high shortages of qualified computer science teachers, meaning, teachers without extensive training will be required to integrate these concepts into their classrooms—a daunting task for most teachers without the necessary background and experiences. This paper reports the impacts of a thirteen-week intervention in a local elementary school designed to introduce computational thinking skills to 4^th and 5 …

Standing Their Ground: How A Field Supervisor Helped Student Teachers Implement Classroom Management Strategies That Work, Anita B. Sunseri, Mary Anne Sunseri

Journal of Practitioner Research

Many new teachers struggle with implementing effective classroom management strategies to deal with student behavior. This study examined the role a university field supervisor played in supporting three student teachers in the area of classroom management. The author used cognitive coaching techniques to help her student teachers devise classroom management strategies to address students behavioral issues. These coaching strategies included eliciting student teachers’ input about students’ specific behavior problems and their strategies for dealing with their students’ behavior. As a result, student teachers developed classroom management strategies to help students with behavior problems follow the classroom rules and engage with …

School Leadership Support: Understanding The Experiences Of Elementary-Level Teachers During A Global Health Pandemic, Kathleen M. Crawford, Pamela Wells, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Kristen N. Dickens, Katherine Fallon

School Leadership Review

The purpose of this study was to better understand how the current COVID-19 global health pandemic has professionally and emotionally impacted elementary-level teachers. Teachers experienced diverse challenges during this unprecedented time with a rapid shift from in-person to online learning. Two overarching themes emerged based on participant experiences: abandoning best practices and increased stress and emotional pain. Implications for practice included the need for school leaders to evaluate the current level of support being provided to teachers and assess areas of need to support professional and emotional growth with the backdrop of the pandemic. We encourage future research with all …

Collaborative Writing With Young Multilingual Learners, Loren D. Jones, Luciana C. De Oliveira

Journal of English Learner Education

Effectively teaching writing to multilingual learners (MLs) has been identified as one of the most prominent challenges currently facing educators. Collaborative writing has been identified as one promising pedagogical practice that responds to this challenge; however, little of the existing research focuses on the elementary level. This study seeks to address this gap in the literature, describing a design-based research study focused on collaborative writing with MLs in a diverse first-grade classroom. This paper showcases two iterations of collaborative writing, closely examining the how-to and opinion texts that two focal MLs produced with their peers. The evaluation of students’ writing …

Engaging Pre-Service Teachers In Interactive Social Justice-Themed Read-Alouds, Kayln Hoppe

Educational Considerations

This qualitative case study explored how pre-service teachers responded to social justice-themed picture book read-alouds in an undergraduate literacy course. Data were collected from personal observations, semi-structured focus group interviews, and student work, and were analyzed using inductive analysis. Findings indicate how reading multicultural literature aloud plays an important role in post-secondary students’ content understanding and preparation for a career in teaching. This case study may inspire teacher educators to incorporate multicultural read-alouds into higher education coursework.

The Problem Of Words: Learning To Teach Mathematics When Numbers And Languages Mix, Gladys Krause

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

In this piece I propose a perspective shift, from a simplified view of mathematics story problems to a more academically rigorous perspective that integrates mathematical proficiency and language practices crucial for educating bilingual students. The data presented in this article provide a window into what preparing bilingual pre-service teachers to teach mathematics might involve. I discuss issues that arise in the context of preparing Spanish-English bilingual pre-service teachers in a way that can inform their practice in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms.

Exploring The Impact Of Field-Based Supervision Practices In Teaching For Social Justice, Detra Price-Dennis, Erica Colmenares

Journal of Educational Supervision

The purpose of this study is to understand how field-based supervisory practices support preservice teachers’ conceptualizations of reflective practice, curriculum inquiry, and social justice-oriented pedagogies. Moving away from the more traditional supervisory triad model (e.g., preservice student--cooperating teacher--university supervisor), our qualitative investigation examined five supervisory practices: formal observation, Lesson Study, video debriefs/observations, guided observations, and participation in Intellectual Learning Communities (ILCs). Through a case study of two preservice teachers, this study highlights how these supervisory practices helped support preservice teachers’ notions of reflective practice and curriculum inquiry but did not deepen their notions of social justice and inclusivity.

Writing For Comprehension: How Does Writing Influence Informational Reading Comprehension In The Elementary Classroom?, Tori Golden Hughes, Roya Q. Scales, W. David Scales

Literacy Practice and Research

This quantitative study was conducted through a school and university partnership. Data from benchmark reading assessments and writing rubrics were gathered over five weeks in a third-grade classroom in the rural mountains of the southeastern United States. Results indicate student growth in reading comprehension and writing. Findings confirm the positive correlation between reading and writing, which suggests integrating explicit reading and writing instruction supports students’ reading comprehension. Based on these findings, we suggest ways teachers can improve reading comprehension skills, blend reading and writing instruction, and pique student interest through an informational writing unit.

Policies, Practices, Places, And People: How Elementary Preservice Teachers Learned Literacy Teaching, Chad H. Waldron

Michigan Reading Journal

This article features cases of how elementary education preservice teachers made sense of teaching literacy. Their contexts for teaching varied in policies, curricula, and demands for their literacy teaching, shaped their learning and understanding of literacy instruction and assessment as beginning teachers. The research featured in this article pushes upon conceptualizations of "good" literacy teaching and how mentor teachers serve a critical role in preparing the next generation of elementary literacy teachers. Recommendations are made on how to best support elementary preservice teachers in literacy instruction and assessment.

A Comparison Of Two Keyboarding Instruction Methods Over 2 Years For Elementary Students, Denise K. Donica, Peter Giroux, Young Joo Kim, Sydney Branson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: As computer and digital device use continues to grow in prevalence for school and work tasks, it is important for elementary-aged students to develop efficient keyboarding skills to support future academic and vocational success.

Method: A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test study design was used to compare the effect of two different keyboarding instructional approaches on elementary students over a consecutive 2-year period. One group used Keyboarding Without Tears (KWT; N = 592) both years while the other group used free web-based activities the first year and Keyboarding Without Tears the second year (mixed methods; N = 714). …

Providing An Elementary School Environment That Encourages Girls To See Their Place In The Stem Fields, Hannah Borchardt

Innovations and Critical Issues in Teaching and Learning

For many years, women have been underrepresented in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields at the collegiate and professional levels. The two primary reasons for this underrepresentation are the influence of gender stereotypes and biases surrounding STEM and the lack of female role models in the STEM field. Elementary educators must do what they can to address these issues in an effort to allow girls to see their place in STEM. To help counter the influence of gender stereotypes and biases in STEM, elementary educators should integrate STEM into the classroom for all students to participate and have …

Innovations And Critical Issues In Teaching And Learning, Volume 2, Issue 1, 2021

Innovations and Critical Issues in Teaching and Learning

Complete text of Innovations and Critical Issues in Teaching and Learning, volume 2, issue1, 2021.

Emotional Dimensions Of Teaching In Elementary Education Preparation, Kathleen M. Crawford, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Katherine Fallon

The Qualitative Report

Student teaching is a pivotal event in teacher education preparation programs, and there is a need to investigate emotions in teaching. This study examined how one elementary program navigated the emotional dimensions of teaching. Findings revealed that the emotional dimensions of student teachers were influenced by individualized factors unique to the teacher; certain emotions were perceived as more acceptable to express; and supervisors needed to support student teachers to manage and respond to the emotional dimensions of teaching. The recommendation is to go beyond the technical and academic aspects of teaching and address the emotional dimensions to best prepare the …

If I Knew Then What I Do Now: Fostering Pre-Service Teachers’ Capacity To Promote Expansive And Critical Conversations With Children’S Literature, Stephen Adam Crawley

Occasional Paper Series

In this article, I reflect on my practices as a teacher educator and respond to the following questions: How do I foster the capacity of pre-service teachers to use children’s literature to promote expansive and critical conversations in the classroom? How do pre-service teachers report their stances and sense of preparedness when reflecting on the course? To address these questions, I share two strategies I employed in my undergraduate course for elementary education majors: 1) emphasizing children's literature as windows and mirrors and 2) considering stakeholder responses. For each strategy, I include preservice teachers’ (PTs’) statements that reflect how the …

Teaching Science In Rural Elementary Schools: Affordances And Constraints In The Age Of Ngss, Doron Zinger, Judith Haymore Sandholtz, Cathy Ringstaff

The Rural Educator

Providing science instruction is an ongoing priority and challenge in elementary grades, especially in high-need rural schools. Nonetheless, few studies have investigated the factors that facilitate or limit teachers’ science instruction in these settings, particularly since the introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards. In this study we investigated affordances and constraints to elementary science instruction in high-need rural schools. Data sources included semi-structured interviews and survey responses from 49 teachers from 30 different rural schools. Through a primarily qualitative analysis, we identified four teacher reported categories of affordances and four categories of constraints to teaching science. One category of …

Becoming A Highly Effective Elementary Teacher And How To Support Teachers' Development, Tim Pressley, Riley Isom, Chalon Johnson, Amy Barnes, Laura Mcauliffe

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

As teachers enter the field of teaching, teachers look to continue to develop in order to become highly effective teachers as they are often less effective than teachers with at least some experience (Boyd et al., 2008; Ladd & Sorenson, 2017). This development may occur through the support of mentors, administration, professional development (PD), as well as through trial and error, with the most development occurring during the first several years of teaching (Koedel & Betts, 2007; Rice, 2003). However, not all teachers develop into effective teachers. Some aspects that may affect a teacher’s effectiveness are the classroom environment, instruction, …

Exploring 3-5 Grade Teachers' Self-Efficacy With Inquiry-Based Science Instruction, Sarah Laden

Undergraduate Research Journal

From an early age, teachers should expose students to high-quality STEM education to allow them to explore and discover phenomena. In order to prepare students, teachers must be able to assist students and facilitate the inquiry process. Unfortunately, elementary teachers often have low self-efficacy regarding inquiry-based science and resort to instruction that is not supported by research. A survey was given to third through fifth grade teachers at a small, suburban, mid-western school district to measure their self-efficacy regarding inquiry-based science. The teachers responded to questions that asked them to rank themselves on several skills that are required to teach …

The Effects Of Schema-Based Instruction On Solving Mathematics Word Problems, Scarlet Hughes, Joshua Cuevas Dr.

Georgia Educational Researcher

The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency with which students use math word problem strategies during and after schema-based instruction. It examines the extent to which students increase their ability to correctly solve word problems. It compares students’ attitudes toward mathematics problem solving before and after schema-based instruction. The study was conducted in a resource class with seven second-grade students on individualized education programs (IEPs). A single-subject research design was used. The schema-based instruction was implemented by the special education teacher in a small group setting. Students showed an increase in attempted and correct strategy use during …

Innovations And Critical Issues In Teaching And Learning Volume 1, Issue 1, 2020

Innovations and Critical Issues in Teaching and Learning

Complete text of Innovations and Critical Issues In Teaching and Learning Volume 1, Issue 1, 2020.

Breaking Silence: The Voices Of Syrian Refugee Children In The Canadian Classroom, Sara Shahbazi, Alyssa Palazzolo, Geri Salinitri

Journal of Global Education and Research

The researchers in the study explored the lived experiences of Syrian refugee students in the Canadian classroom. The participant sample included four students who entered their first year in a South-western Ontario public school as of the 2015-2016 calendar year. Data were collected through one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Analysis of results indicated the District’s growing need for understanding refugee students using a holistic approach, utilizing and building peer relationships for language acquisition, and recognizing the effects of the structure of the learning environment on student experiences.

The Influence Of Visually Rich Technology On The Writing Process Of Elementary Students, Mikala Thomas, Drew Polly

Journal of Practitioner Research

This teacher inquiry project, conducted by an undergraduate teacher candidate with support from a faculty member, explored the use of visually rich technology and its influence on elementary school students’ motivation and learning outcomes in writing. Students used visually rich technology as part of the writing process. We found that when students used technology to support the writing process they showed incremental gains in motivation as well as gains in student learning outcomes. Implications for practitioners highlight a need for teachers to consider how visually rich technology can support students’ aspects of the writing process as well as development in …

Juxtaposing Primary- And Intermediate-Elementary Trade Books’ Historical Representation Of Amelia Earhart, Rachael A. Burkhardt

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Amelia Earhart can be used in the classroom not only to interest students but can also be used to cover Common Core State Standards (CCSS), National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) framework, and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). When teaching Amelia Earhart, textbooks, trade books, and primary sources can be used, however one must be careful with the misrepresentations each resource can portray. To look at what is misrepresented, omitted, and included within primary and intermediate grade level trade books, 32 books were scrutinized. The trade books being analyzed were found to have some historically representative and misrepresentative elements …

Weather Courtyard: Reflections On Interactive Stem Learning Spaces, Ryan Day

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

In this article, the author discusses his experiences in service-oriented engineering developing an interactive weather station for DCES students. Day details this process and the lessons learned over the course of the project development, as well as the project’s influence on his aspirations for a career in civil and environmental engineering. To provide substantive takeaways from the project, he concludes by reviewing the benefits of interactive STEM learning spaces in the instructional environment and links them to the impacts of the weather station project on the community.

Elementary Teachers’ Positive And Practical Risk-Taking When Teaching Science Through Engineering Design, Jeffrey Radloff, Brenda Capobianco, Annie Dooley

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

This study examines the perspectives of three generations of elementary teachers learning to teach science using engineering design and the risks associated with implementing this innovative type of reform-based science instruction. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and teacher reflections. Data analysis entailed open coding and document analysis. The findings indicated that there were four types of perceived risks: practical, pedagogical, conceptual, and personal. First-generation teachers exhibited conceptual risk-taking behavior, while second- and third-generation teachers reported practical, pedagogical, and personal risks. Benefits of risk-taking included increased student engagement in science, improved self-confidence in teaching science, and greater teacher …

Creating Positive Learning Environments In Early Childhood Using Teacher-Generated Prosocial Lessons, Callum B. Johnston, Teresa K. Herzog, Crystal R. Hill-Chapman, Caitlin Siney, Ashley Fergusson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

A primary motivation for people to behave as they do is the need to belong socially to a group and to have relevance. A positive learning environment for young students is created when students are recognized and accepted by their peers and their teachers, and studies reveal that in such environments, students perform better academically and tend to have fewer behavioral issues. These environments may also act as a buffer against school dropout rates. This study examined whether teaching prosocial lessons to first-grade students in the southeastern United States would create positive learning environments for children who otherwise may not …

Departmentalization For Mathematics: Is It Beneficial For Teachers, Students, And Teacher Candidates?, Melinda S. Eichhorn, Courtney Lacson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Studies have shown that both the departmentalized and self-contained models of instruction can help students achieve strong mathematics scores on standardized tests, and school administrators must consider their teachers and students when deciding on an instructional model. However, little research has considered the effect of the instructional model on initial license teacher candidates and school–university partnerships. Drawing from a Massachusetts college’s experience with practicum placements for elementary candidates pursing a generalist license (Grades 1–6), implications for teacher preparation programs are explored as more upper elementary classrooms move to a departmentalized model for mathematics.