Education Commons^™

The Wichita Teacher Inquiry Group (Wtig) Lessening Structural, Cultural, Indirect And Direct Forms Of Through Cultural Competence And Transformative Teaching And Learning, Linda F. Rhone, Kimberly Johnson Burkhalter

The Advocate

Bullying at school is an international phenomenon, and as a result there is a need for teachers to understand bullying behavior at its roots and beyond direct (hitting, kicking, choking) and indirect (gossiping, cyberbullying, silencing one’s voice) forms. If we are really going to lessen bullying at school overtime, we must talk about the unmentionable: Bullying at school is larger than one child pushing, hitting or kicking another. Literature suggests it is quite disappointing that to date there has been no significant impact on bullying at school in the United States (Juvonen, Graham, & Schuster, 2003; Berger, 2007). Literature also …

Beyond Busses, Balls, And Beans: An Examination Of The Leadership Skills Of Kansas Principals, Carolyn L. Carlson

The Advocate

Introduction: Each year in American public schools, nearly 450,000 teachers leave their jobs (Johnson, Berg, & Donaldson, 2005). This means that one-sixth of all teachers either transfer to different schools/districts or leave the teaching profession altogether.

Where Are All The Women? Gender Bias Persists In Social Studies Texts, Tim Fry, Brenna S. Hofelt

The Advocate

Introduction: Creating an inclusive and a more equitable classroom is a goal that all educators should continually strive for. One area of concern is that many girls and young women do not see themselves in curriculum materials - especially in the social studies.

Table Of Contents And Introductory Materials For Vol. 20, No. 2, 2012, Bruce Quantic

The Advocate

This content includes the table of contents and editorial information for vol.20, issue 2 (Fall, 2012)

Alien Education, Jennifer Cady

The Advocate

Introduction: Stepping into the classroom now-a-days is like walking through Times Square. Students come equipped with vast levels of knowledge just like the diverse individuals navigating the streets in the heart of New York City.

Developing Cultural Competence Through Problem Posing And Multicultural Children's Literature, Gayla Lohfink, Laurie Curtis

The Advocate

Increasing diversity in Kansas elementary schools is challenging educators to teach culturally and linguistically diverse students effectively. Unfortunately, research shows teachers as lacking in necessary cultural competencies. This article shares a multicultural picture book action-research project and shows how pre-service teachers constructed pedagogy by selecting literature that drew upon their students’ funds of knowledge. Implementation of the same project in practicing teachers’ classrooms revealed their self-reflections of students’ cultural connections frequently, but more often, the teachers’ reflections focused on students’ connections to the curriculum. This observation prompted an alternative problem-posing approach for utilizing multicultural literature to be presented for teachers. …

The Conceptual Framework: A Supportive Accreditation Practice For Teacher Education Programs That Could Be Used In The Academic Governance Of Public School Districts, Kirsten Limpert, Nancy Albrecht, Stu Ervay

The Advocate

This paper discusses how the conceptual framework - a tool used by teacher education units to improve post-secondary professional programs - can be used by public school districts instead of or in addition to a mission statement for the development of course syllabi and curriculum in this era of educational reform. It brings to a forefront the reality that public schools do not typically use the syllabus technique but instead use local curriculum guides and lesson plans. However, some districts are beginning to use comprehensive course plans similar to syllabi in higher education. Regardless of the processes being used, a …

Maximizing Resources To Make School Employee Wellness A Reality, Jennifer Thomas, Joan Carley-Brewer, Matt Howe

The Advocate

Because of the large number of Americans employed within school districts, they are a prime target population for the development and implementation of employee wellness programs. Even with grant support, funding for these programs can be limited. Forming partnerships with universities who have health- and wellness-focused areas of study can be mutually beneficial; school districts can stretch their dollars further, while college students gain hands-on experience for effective employee wellness program implementation. This articles addresses a successful partnership between a local school district and nearby university department to provide an employee wellness program. Specific tips and ideas for implementation of …

Combating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Through The Integration Of Multiple Intelligences, Jennifer Cady

The Advocate

In recent years, millions of children have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). As a result, schools are ill-equipped to handle the distractive characteristics that often times accompany those diagnosed with ADHD. Through the use of the Muliple Intelligences, established by Howard Gardner, teachers can begin to construct lessons that meet the needs of all learners, but particularly those individuals diagnosed with ADHD.

Students' Perceptions Of Learning Course Objectives: On Campus Versus Virtual Sections Of One Course, Lori Cook-Benjamin

The Advocate

The college course used in this project is required for students majoring in the Elementary Education and Early Childhood Unified Programs. Sections of the course are offered virtually as well as on the campus. This paper examines students' scores on an assignment called the Course Objective Reflection to determine if course format made a difference in the candidates' perceived learning of the six course objectives. Preliminary results indicate that virtual students achieved higher aggregate scores on the assignment than students completing the class on campus.

The Importance Of Activating And Building Knowledge, Stephanie Wessels

The Advocate

Introduction: The following exchange occurred in a third-grade classroom:

"I thought grit was a food. It doesn't make sense," Saida commented. "Yes, there are grits that people eat. Grits are ground corn, however, in this story the word is grit. Do you remember when it was really windy outside and dust and dirt got on you? That was grit," Mrs. Henning explained.

Table Of Contents And Introductory Materials For Vol. 20, No. 1, 2012, Bruce Quantic

The Advocate

This content includes the table of contents and editorial information for vol.20, issue 1 (Summer 2012)

Cultural Capital And The Digital Divide: A Literature Review, Suzanne K. Becking, Marilyn L. Grady

The Advocate

The internet holds promise of rapid diffusion of information to the global community and the potential to change our way of life. Those without access or with limited access to the internet are at a disadvantage. This paper examined the implications and issues surrounding the Digital Divide as it relates to Bourdieu's theory of cultural capital. It is an examination of the literature on the Digital Divide in education.

Preparing Digital Natives To Teach: Time To Redesign Teacher Education Programs, Adam C. Holden, Thomas Mcglinn

The Advocate

Since the emergence of Marc Prensky's concept of Digital Natives being taught by Digital Immigrants, education's challenge has been to find a way to effectively teach those who have grown up in a net generation. Now that the first of these millenniel students are preparing to become teachers themselves, we have the opportunity, perhaps for the first time, to witness true digital natives teaching their own. This article will examine the paradigm shift required of teacher education programs if they are to prepare this digital teaching generation effectively for the educational challenge that lies ahead of them.

Student Perceptions Of Undergraduate Research At Fort Hays State University, Germaine Taggart, Amanda Brown, Dustin Engel

The Advocate

Undergraduate Research is becoming an increasingly important aspect of all academic areas in universities today, and as a result an effort must be made to underand how students feel about conducting undergraduate research. Literature suggests that students are aware of the benefits to be gained from conducting research, but there are a variety of factors holding them back from actually doing so. This particular study aimed to examine the benefits students feel they receive from conducting research as well as examine how the students feel about the availability of research opportunities at a Midwestern, predominantly undergraduate institution, Fort Hays State …