Education Commons^™

Burnout Prevention In Christian Public And Private Middle School Leaders: A Qualitative Study, Rhonda Grider Purchase

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a momentous problem in academic settings today regarding stress and burnout among academic school leaders (Francis et al., 2017). The focus of this study was to examine the prevention of professional stress in the lives of middle school academic leaders. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of what the selected participants believed was the prevention of stress and burnout in middle school leaders in Newton County, Georgia. For this study, school leaders were defined as certified principals who hold a bachelor’s level or above degree and contribute to the academic environment …

Advocating For Adolescent Sexual Minorities, Madeline Hawkins

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

Sexual minority (gay, lesbian, and bisexual) adolescents experience bullying and mental health issues at higher rates than their heterosexual counterparts. It is important that teachers find ways to protect, support, and advocate for these students to prevent them from struggling academically and socially. Through the use of inclusive curricula, gay-straight alliances, and informal mentoring, educators can foster an environment of inclusion and respect for sexual minority students.

“Always A Place To Start” In Middle Grades Education: Editorial Remarks, Penny A. Bishop, James F. Nagle

Middle Grades Review

No abstract provided.

Changing The Face Of Reading Instruction: Do Culturally Relevant Passages Increase The Effects Of The Repeated Reading Intervention For Middle School Black Girls With Reading Difficulties (Bgrds)?, Olajumoke Edith Oshokoya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that fewer studies have focused on improving the reading abilities of middle school Black girls (Morris, 2007). As BGRDs progress through K – 12 grades, they increasingly rely on basic and advanced reading skills (i.e., oral reading fluency [ORF] and comprehension) to learn. Providing BGRDs with engaging reading passages that are relevant to their prior knowledge, background, interests, and experiences, is more likely to motivate them to read, and eventually improve their reading skills (Cartledge et al., 2015). While there is a growing body of literature focused on Black students’ experiences, currently no study has explored the …

An Examination Of The Casel Social And Emotional Learning Standards In Middle School, Nicole Cramer

Dissertations

In this mixed-methods study the researcher analyzed teacher perceptions of social and emotional learning and whether students in subgroup populations including Black students, students receiving free and reduced lunch, and students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) attained social and emotional competency at the same level as peers not in the aforementioned subgroups.

The researcher used the CASEL competencies (self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills) to define social and emotional learning data in the study. The researcher used descriptive statistics and a t-test from data collected in a student self-reported survey to determine whether subgroup populations achieved SEL …

Benefits Of Learning Without Homework For Middle School Students, Ashley Garcia Marquez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this senior capstone is to examine the benefits of learning without homework for middle school students. The research draws on the experiences of teachers in Monterey County, who provide personal input and teaching philosophies on this topic. Throughout the use of the literature review, three teacher interviews, and fifty anonymous student surveys, the findings indicate that learning without homework is essential, and in-class workshops have a positive impact on middle school student's academic success. Thus, teachers should recognize that learning without homework and in-class workshops plays a vital role in educating the growing minds of middle school …

The Shared Experiences Of Educators In Grades 7–12 Who Implement Lessons In Social–Emotional Learning Curriculum, Heathre C. Palige

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Social–emotional learning (SEL) is used in public school classrooms throughout the United States. The problem that this researcher addressed in this study was that minimal understanding exists of the lived experiences of teachers who implement SEL in Colorado public schools in Grades 7–12. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and to provide a clearer understanding of the lived experiences of six educators who implement SEL in Grades 7–12 in Colorado public schools. The study fills a gap in literature in understanding the experiences of teachers who use SEL in middle and high school. The literature review …

The Effectiveness Of A Social And Emotional Learning Intervention Program With Middle School Students In Central Georgia, Daymond Ray

Curriculum and Instruction (Ed.D.) Dissertations

Addressing students' social and emotional learning can lead to increased social and emotional functioning, improved classroom and school behavior, and increased academic performance. This study investigated the effectiveness of a social and emotional learning (SEL) intervention program in a middle school in central Georgia. The study utilized a mixed methodology and examined the effects of a semester long SEL intervention program called Second Step. The participants in the study consisted of 60 7th-grade students between 11 and 13 years of age who were enrolled in a health education course for the second semester at ABC Middle School. Descriptive statistics and …

Is This The Best Way? The Impact Of Out-Of-School Suspension On Middle Grades Students, Lianne Jones

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

Suspension is a commonly used discipline approach in schools across the country. In particular, out-of-school suspension refers to a student's removal from the school setting for a period of time, typically no more than five school days. Although out-of-school suspensions have been traditionally reserved for major behavioral infractions, they are not being more frequently utilized for repeated misbehaviors and classroom disruptions. Studies show that punitive disciplinary measures are often ineffective in eradicating student misbehavior and contribute negatively to students' life outcomes and success in school. Moreover, suspensions are disproportionately applied to certain groups of students including minorities, boys, economically disadvantaged …

Equity In Learning Opportunities For Middle School Students: Connecting Communities And Transportation Through Gis, Tom O’Brien, Ben Olson

Mineta Transportation Institute Publications

Geographic information systems (GIS) is part of an in-demand career skillset that can lead to safer streets in California communities. This project included a three-session bootcamp that introduced middle school students to transportation via GIS and gathered assessments on their awareness of transportation as a career pathway. The project built upon CSUTC TRANSPORTS’ Year 4 project, “K–12 Special Investigation Project: Mapping E-Commerce Locally and Beyond.” The bootcamp for this project was coordinated in partnership with Rio Hondo College, which provided the instructor and connection to the students at the Mountain View Unified School District in El Monte, CA. The bootcamp …

The Amplification Of “At-Promise” Middle School Student Voice To Foster School Success, Nathan J. Ngieng

The Dissertation-in-Practice at Western University

Transformative actions towards the collective vision of the educated citizen have been central to the change efforts of educational leaders in British Columbia. Through a challenge to the status quo, utilizing a critical and post-structuralist lens, this paper charts a path towards revisioning middle school student success nested in listening stances and reflective practices. At the heart of this Problem of Practice is the disengagement and lack of voice that middle school students are experiencing, viewed through the context of a large and diverse suburban school district in the lower mainland of British Columbia. Theories of social learning, adult learning, …

A Phenomenological Study Of Teachers' Experiences With Educational Gamification And Its Impact On Student Engagement In The Middle School Math And Science Classroom, Kimberly Rudd Parks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand digital gamification and its effect on student engagement based on the lived experiences of middle school math and science teachers in rural schools in the southeast region of the United States. Nick Pelling’s gamification theory guided the study herein. Gamification theory served as a tool to alter learner engagement which impacted instruction and learning. I used a criterion-based purposeful selection of 10 middle school math and science teachers with gamification experience. Participating teachers had three or more years of teaching experience and taught in regional rural schools. The hermeneutical phenomenological study …

Considering Middle School Organizational Structures Through A Lens Of Equity And Justice, Kristie Smith

Middle Grades Review

No abstract provided.

Growing Culturally Responsive Advisory In Your Context., Matt Moulton

Middle Grades Review

No abstract provided.

Students Deserve More Than Equity Conversations: Middle Level Structures That Promote Equity, Dave Brown

Middle Grades Review

No abstract provided.

Re-Examining School Structures Of People, Place, And Time To Promote Equity At The Middle Level, Katherine M. Main, Dana Pomykal Franz, Kristina N. Falbe, Cheryl Ellerbrock

Middle Grades Review

In 2018 we published a chapter entitled “Middle Grades Schools and Structures” (Ellerbrock et al., 2018a) in Literature Reviews in Support of the Middle Level Education Research Agenda (Mertens et al., 2013). Building on the earlier work of Ellerbrock et al. (2018a), this chapter reviewed literature between 2000 and 2018 that reported on the organizational structures of middle level education settings in the United States of America and Australia. Though the findings highlighted the dearth of research specifically examining the organizational structures of middle level education, the literature examined supported the original three key interconnected themes of people, place …

Organizing For Equity In The Middle Grades: Editorial Remarks, James F. Nagle, Penny A. Bishop

Middle Grades Review

No abstract provided.

A Transitional Program From Elementary To Middle School, Savannah S. Shontere

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

I created a program to promote a smooth transition from elementary to middle school for the students at Bradenton Christian School (BCS). Following my literature review and needs assessment, the program was designed to provide students with the tools and strategies needed to feel prepared for middle school, foster friendships, and advocate for themselves and their peers. Following the program implementation, I created educational resources for the faculty at BCS to continue the program in the future.

Advancements In Middle School Agricultural Education: An Examination Of Emerging Trends And Exemplary Programs, Jacob P. Englin

LSU Master's Theses

Recent trends in agricultural education have demonstrated that the number of middle school programs and students has been increasing. Despite this, middle school agricultural education students, teachers, and programs often have been considered to be underserved. For example, teachers at this level have expressed that they often lacked the training and resources to meet the needs of this diverse learning population. Even so, middle school agricultural education teachers have continued to provide quality learning experiences for their students. In response, this investigation’s purpose was to examine current trends of middle school agricultural education and the quality of learning conducted by …

Trust, Levels Of Functioning, And The Plc Process In A Midwest Middle School: A Case Study, Nancy Fuchs

Dissertations

This dissertation investigated the connections between professional learning communities (PLCs), trust, and targeted interventions to promote increased functioning within adult groups. In contemporary education environments, collaborative efforts and shared decision-making became integral to achieving organizational goals. However, adult groups faced challenges such as communication breakdowns, conflicts, and lack of cohesion, impeding collective efficacy.

The study critically analyzed the theoretical foundations of PLCs and the potential to foster professional growth and collaboration. PLCs were characterized by ongoing learning, reflective dialogue, and a shared commitment to improvement. By providing a structured framework, PLCs offered opportunities for individuals to engage in meaningful interactions, …

Incorporating Social-Emotional Learning Into Middle School Classrooms, Jessica Wolles

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This article is how the implementation of social-emotional learning in a middle school can improve behavior, academics, mental health, and social awareness amongst adolescents. This paper examines research from twenty research articles to communicate the need for social-emotional learning to be implemented in a middle school. This article outlines the school improvement plan for implementing a social-emotional learning curriculum.

Creating Inclusive Classrooms With Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, Melissa Kane

Doctor of Education in Secondary and Middle Grades Education Dissertations

This is a qualitative phenomenographic study that uses the theoretical frameworks of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) (Paris, 2012), Intergroup Contact Theory (Allport 1954), and Social Constructivism (Smagorinsky, 2007) to evaluate how 7^th grade students at a Title I middle school in the Southeastern United States experience the phenomenon of peer relationships in the context of a CSP writing unit. Students created, peer edited, and shared multimodal “Where I’m From” (Lyon, n.d.) poems in intentionally created groups. The researcher collected data via participant interviews, participant journals, and a researcher reflection journal. Findings indicated that students developed a better understanding of …

A Study Of Computational Thinking Skills And Attitudes Towards Computer Science With Middle School Students, Lorien W. Cafarella

Theses and Dissertations

Many middle school students come to Computer Science (CS) classes without any previous CS instruction or any Computational Thinking (CT) skills that are needed to be successful. To overcome this, many curriculums and programming environments have been used to engage students and to instill a love of CS. Which curriculum should be used to develop CT skills that will also increase positive attitudes towards CS so students will continue in this field of study in higher grades? The purpose of this mixed method action research study was to evaluate how Code.org’s block-based programming curriculum affects middle school CS students’ CT …

An Analysis Of The Reconceptualizing The Achieving Success Everyday Group Counseling Model, Norma L. Day-Vines

Journal of School-Based Counseling Policy and Evaluation

This article provides an evaluation of Steen et al.’s (2023) systematic review of group counseling interventions with Black male students. The article highlights strengths of the review including the effort to center the specific and unique needs of Black male students, the avoidance of comparative frameworks, and the use of critical race theory as an organizing principle so researchers do not problematize Black boys, the social and cultural heterogeneity of Black boys. Recommendations for future research include the consideration of students’ intersectional identities and studies that exhibit more methodological rigor.

A Commentary Response To The Article Reconceptualizing The Achieving Success Everyday Group Counseling Model To Focus On The Strengths Of Black Male Middle School Youth, Kristopher M. Goodrich

Journal of School-Based Counseling Policy and Evaluation

The purpose of this commentary is to review the article Reconceptualizing the Achieving Success Everyday Group Counseling Model to Focus on the Strengths of Black Male Middle School Youth. In the commentary, the author complements the article authors on their strong foundation of critical race theory, their attention to the current status of scholarship surrounding Black middle school students, as well as their notes about the need for more rigorous methodology in the future. The commentary author offers the article authors suggestions surrounding how they may better situate the Achieving Success Everyday group model for readers less familiar with it …

Disrupting White Hegemony: A Critical Shift Toward Empowering Black Male Youth Through Group Work, Caroline Lopez-Perry

Journal of School-Based Counseling Policy and Evaluation

Despite the unique and pressing needs of Black male students in schools, there has been a significant gap in the availability of culturally responsive group counseling models to support and empower this population. In this commentary article, I discuss the theory and research underlying the ASE group model for Black male middle school youth. Drawing on Steen et al. (2023) use of Critical Race Theory for reconceptualizing the ASE group model, I expound on the concept of white hegemony in school counseling. School counselors may unconsciously impose white cultural norms and values on students, hindering the effectiveness of the ASE …

Teachers’ And Principals’ Perceptions Of The Influence Of Principal Behaviors On Middle School Culture, Heather Daniel

Ed.D. Dissertations

Before this study, the research was limited regarding teachers’ perceptions of their principals and the influence on school culture. Even less research was dedicated to self-perceptions of principals’ behaviors within a middle school setting. Due to the lack of research, further investigation was necessary to understand specific behaviors performed by middle school principals and their influence on school culture. In this study, and teachers from one Tennessee county responded to questionnaires to investigate the relationship between perceptions of teachers and principals on principal behaviors and the influence on school culture. Through this study, principals and teachers listed multiple principal behaviors …

Challenging The Gifted Learner Virtually: A Phenomenological Study, Amanda Jeane Price

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of core academic middle school teachers with differentiating instruction and assessment for gifted and talented students in rural southern Maryland. Two theories providing the theoretical framework for this study include Bandura’s self-efficacy theory and McClelland’s achievement-motivation theory These two theories explain learning experiences and interactions between the learner and the instructor while addressing the educator’s efficacy in challenging gifted learners within the virtual classroom. The central research question that guided this research was, “What are the shared lived experiences among select middle school, core academic, teachers when differentiating …

A Field Trip That’S Not About The Destination But The Journey, Vanessa Scanfeld, Eric James, Vincent Dotoli

Middle Grades Review

This Practitioner Perspective presents a middle school unit focused on designing a day-long field trip as an effective project-based initiative for advancing social and emotional learning (SEL). It considers the social and emotional competencies students develop as they navigate the complexities of this project: researching options, planning an itinerary that meets various parameters, and ultimately taking the trip. It also offers practical guidance to schools for successfully adopting this program.

Detecting A Possible Correlation Between Hands-On Experimentation And Scientific Data Analysis In 8th Grade Students, Breana Dobesh, Phu Vu

Middle Grades Review

This Practitioner Perspective reports on action research that examined the impact of integrating hands-on experimentation on eighth- grade students skills of scientific data analysis and interpretation in a science middle school class. The intervention given to the treatment group was tasking students with completing scientific experiments during their daily lessons, along with collecting and analyzing data from those experiments. Collected data through both control and treatment groups indicated that there was no significant difference in mean test scores between the two groups. Discussions and suggestions for future studies were included.