Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Feasibility Of Tower Garden Implementation In Pre-Kindergarten 4-Year Old Classrooms, Kaitlyn Sills

Honors Theses

Explicit nutrition and gardening education for preschool-aged children is on the decline as health concerns increase (Fryar et al., 2018; Malden et al., 2019). Though the health, social-emotional, and academic benefits of hands-on gardening education are evident in research, many barriers to integration exist that inhibit teachers from implementing gardening into their classrooms (Burt et al., 2018; Heim et al., 2009; Gatto et al., 2011; Lineberger et al., 2000). Tower Gardens, otherwise known as hydro- and aeroponic, vertical gardening systems, offer an alternative to the space and time required for traditional gardening. However, the body of literature surrounding the impacts …

The Role Of Community Outreach Programs In Partnership With The University Of Mississippi In Combating Food Insecurity In The Oxford/Lafayette Area, Gabrielle Miller

Honors Theses

Grow Club is a community outreach programming effort that was formed in Oxford, Mississippi in the fall of 2020 by University of Mississippi undergraduate students. The program works towards bringing community members as well as university students and staff together in attempts at alleviating many stressors felt by local community members living in poverty. This written work aims to offer a breakdown of how this program began and the steps taken to recognize a community need, formulate solutions, and work with the community to offer resources.

Fostering Language Development And Literacy In Children From Birth To Two Years Old, Vanessa Vives

Honors Theses

This thesis explores what language is and how its development can impact literacy. It includes a brochure with practical tips for parents and guardians to foster language and literacy development in children from birth to two years old.

The Process Of Developing A Piece Of Children’S Literature Over The 12 Cranial Nerves For The School Aged Child To Comprehend And Retain, Macey Kanaman

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Holistic Education: How And Why, Amanda Krebs

Honors Theses

Since standardized testing began in the early 2000s, teachers and administrators began to focus on grades and numbers due to pressure placed by these measures. Students are not numbers and therefore are not getting a holistic education that develops their whole being, only their academics. How do we incorporate methods into the classroom to develop the whole child, not just academics, and why is this important?

The most common way in the present day is through socio-emotional learning platforms or curriculums. These may be stand alone lessons or techniques on incorporation into lessons and school culture in general. Normally, whole …

Low Academic Outcomes: A Result Of Food Insecurity And Student Mental Health During Covid19, Kristen Riley Cole

Honors Theses

Food insecurity has significantly increased throughout the United States as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many schools switched to remote learning and children lost access to free school meals, affecting them psychologically and academically. This study examined the relationship between food insecurity and low academic outcomes, accounting for student mental health, such as anxiety, depression, and ADHD, as well as parental involvement as a possible protective factor against mental health. The current study administered a survey through Amazon’s MTurk to reach a diverse group of participants across the United States. Data analysis from the study can conclude that food …

The Changing Classroom: A Thematic Analysis On The Impacts Of The Coronavirus Pandemic On Children And Educators Of A Montessori School, Briley Holbrook

Honors Theses

The Coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has drastically changed day-to-day functioning in American culture and the outlook of many essential institutions, specifically the education system. A halt in learning for most American school children in the spring semester of 2020, as well as necessary adaptation of the day-to-day functions of educational facilities in the fall has altered the learning environment for children and educators like never before. Research on historical disruptions in education, such as natural disasters and public health crises, provide a partial framework for federal approaches to the modern-day pandemic and their potential consequences. Modern technology has provided an …

The Mind Matters: Yoga And Mindfulness In Preschool And K-12 Schools, Anna E. Hall

Honors Theses

This study uses a systematic literature review to examine the efficacy of preschool and K-12 school based yoga and mindfulness programs. A collection of 47 sources were examined to compare and contrast results and determine best practices. The results of the literature review are divided into three primary categories: implementation methods, student outcomes, and teacher and student opinion. The results suggest that individual and whole school implementation methods are the most effective. The results also suggest that there are positive student outcomes in regards to classroom behavior, child executive functioning, and anxiety. Teacher and student opinion on these programs are …

Examining Construction And Reproduction Of The Educational Opportunity Gap: The Nation’S School Board Members Respond, Hallet Demouy

Honors Theses

This thesis explores opportunity gaps, often related to achievement gaps, in education via the analysis of school board members’ responses regarding challenges that face future education, students, and the public school system. The perceptions of these school board members serve to address the sources, prevalence, and effects of inequities that exist in widening (perpetuating) this gap between students. After discussing and elaborating upon the perceived challenges and barriers located in the institution of education, school board member responses will again be used to present potential ways and opportunities through which the achievement gaps, relating to the success rates and testing …

An Exploration Of Elementary Teacher Perceptions Of Student-Centered And Teacher-Centered Instruction, Adeline Shastid

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Teacher Evaluation Of An Integrated Nutrition Curriculum For Mississippi Schools, Janiya A. Davis

Honors Theses

The prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States has more than tripled over the last four decades from 5 percent in 1978 to 18.5 percent in 2016, and according to the Mississippi Obesity Action Plan, 40.4% of Mississippi elementary school children (grades K-5) were either overweight or obese. Some reports have suggested that Mississippi’s overall obesity rate could reach 66.7% by 2030. Although the literature on best practices for the prevention of this condition is limited, some success has been achieved through the use of school-based nutrition interventions, in which children are taught how to make healthy food choices. …

Product Realization Capstone: Element Proof Safety Steps For Willie Price Lab School, Catherine Thomas, Allan Heuerman, Jared Mumme

Honors Theses

The purpose of this document is to describe the process we took to complete our capstone which paired the Center for Manufacturing Excellence with the Willie Price Lab School. The goal of the capstone was to remake step stools for the students of Willie Price, as the last stools failed to withstand weather damage. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, plans were hindered, shifting the goal from actually producing the steps to creating instructions so that a younger Center for Manufacturing class could complete the production at a later date. Standardized Work Instructions, a detailed production plan, and engineering drawings were …

Forest Kindergarten And The Perception Of Parents, Rebecca Boyer

Honors Theses

This study investigates one public school forest kindergarten in the southeastern U.S. The purpose of this study is to determine the perception of parents of a kindergarten classroom context that is somewhat unique for U.S. public schools (forest kindergarten). The researcher believes that there is a unique perception that parents of forest kindergarten students have, and this study seeks to identify and describe them in order to inform 1) the participants and participating school system so that they can make informed decisions for this and future school-context reform models, and 2) the education research community at large so that U.S. …

Through The Elementary School Years: Self-Regulation Predicting Social Competence With Student-Teacher Relationships As Mediators, Kelsie Anderson

Honors Theses

Using a longitudinal, nationally representative dataset, ECLS-K:2011, research was conducted to determine the predictive relationship between Self-Regulation in kindergarten and first-grade years and Social Competency in the third- and fourth-grade years of elementary school. Along with this, Student-Teacher Relationships were studied to determine if they could mediate the relationship between Self-Regulation and Social Competency. These aspects have been extensively studied individually in previous research, but this study looks at how these aspects work together and the implications that these relationships have. The current study documented that a) Working Memory predicts indices of Behavioral Engagement and Internalizing Behavior Problems in the …

Encapsulating Educational Design For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lauren Praeuner

Honors Theses

This paper is a thesis/creative project hybrid split into two parts. First, it examines different aspects of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the symptoms experienced by those on the spectrum, and the guidelines that parents, medical professionals, and educators should follow to ensure a holistic approach to the care and education of children with autism. The text also notes some of the considerations that designers should review when designing educational facilities for these individuals, as well as few precedents that successfully do so. The second part of the paper presents my team’s architectural studio project, contributed to by UNL students Lindsay …

Creating Dynamic Spaces: Exploring Student-Empowered Self-Expression Through Art, Meghan E. Charest

Honors Theses

Research suggests that students living in rural areas may be more likely to face adversity and stress due to intersecting challenges present in their communities including poverty, substance abuse, addiction, poor health, reduced economic opportunity, and geographic isolation. I conducted an engaged scholarship project in partnership with students and staff at JES to explore ways that open-ended art activities that provide students with self-directed creative spaces can cultivate a student-centered environment built around strong relationships. This type of environment can mitigate the negative impacts of adverse childhood experiences potentially affecting rural Maine students and improve a culture of emotional wellness …

Microadventures: Student-Empowered, Trauma Informed Outdoor Learning Projects, Jennifer Lyn Flaumenhaft

Honors Theses

This project began with colored Post-It notes and a classroom of Colby College students with a mission to promote student voice in an under-resourced rural elementary school. Lyn Mikel Brown’s Youth-Fueled Activism class paired with Transforming Rural Experience in Education (TREE), an organization that transforms rural communities into hubs for opportunity and civic empowerment.1 TREE uses trauma-informed principles to improve the school experience for students at Seabrook and Portside Elementary Schools. Our class worked with TREE to engage in curricular reform that reimagines learning in a way that promotes student voice. Our class took Maine Common Core State Standards and …

Environmental Clearinghouse Of Schenectady, Kate Van Patten

Honors Theses

This paper analyses Environmental Clearinghouse of Schenectady, a local nonprofit environmental organization. The paper investigates the history of the organization as well as the effectiveness of its organizational and funding habits. A literary review was conducted to analyze the success of ECOS mission as well as the positive effects ECOS has on society using elements such as environmental education, the importance of early environmental education, how well the organization connects urban residents with the outdoors and the effectiveness of environmental programs. This research promotes the importance of early environmental education on our future generations health and environmental conditions. Additionally, through …

Positive Discipline As A Part Of Effective Classroom Management, Allison Stevens

Honors Theses

This study was driven by the researcher’s interest in learning more about classroom management, and in particular, how experienced teachers thought about positive discipline as part of a management system. The researcher was a teaching intern in an elementary suburban school, where she interviewed 5 teachers and the building principal about classroom management and positive discipline. Interviews were transcribed, and patterns across responses were sought. Findings revealed common pieces of effective classroom management: 1) setting clear expectations and rules, 2) consistency in applying rules and expectations, and 3) having good parent communication. All teachers used tangible extrinsic rewards to motivate …

Full Day Preschool Math Achievement, Denise Calixto

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Impacts Of Representation On Increasing Flexibility In Understanding Number Composition, Abigail Carr

Honors Theses

Place value is a mathematical concept that young children struggle to understand. A common misconception for children is that the digits that make up multi-digit numbers represent the quantity of that number itself, instead of the number according to its place value (i.e. the 1 in 18 represents 1, instead of 10). The base-ten representation is an efficient way to represent numbers and quantities, but it is not easily learned. One reason children may struggle to fully understand place value is the English language does not make the value of the number known and has hidden base-ten meanings. To contrast, …

Race To The Bottom: The United State's Early Childhood Education Issue, Elizabeth Dalton

Honors Theses

Since the 1990's there has been a large push for universal early childhood education in the United States as other countries have started to create their own programs. Administrators and policymakers in power have realized the impact of early childhood education on the future lives of children. In my paper I do a historical comparative analysis on Head Start and the push for universal preschool in the states and abroad. I do this by looking at why Head Start was needed the process to make it a staple in American society and the impacts. I move on to look at …

A Retro Development In Education: Evaluating The Feasibility Of Integrating Place-Based Education Into Mississippi Curriculum Standards, Colby K. Mcclain

Honors Theses

This thesis evaluates the feasibility of integrating place-based environmental education activities from Think Green, Take Action: Books and Activities for Kids into the Mississippi Department of Education’s (MDE) Frameworks for Science and Social Studies for K-5. As children develop and experience the world, their ability to understand and interpret the surrounding environments expand; however, Mississippi schools are not focused on experiential environmental education, even though experiencing and understanding the surrounding environment is vital in fostering eagerness to learn. Due to a growing disconnect between humans and the natural world, this thesis examined 37 place- and environment-based activities for children, sixteen …

Causes And Consequences Of Bullying, Molly Maloney

Honors Theses

What causes people to bully others? Some evidence suggests that being the victim of bullying can cause a person to become aggressive, but research on the topic is flawed. The current research attempts to improve on prior research to examine (1) whether being bullied causes individuals to become bullies, themselves, and (2) whether there are personality traits or situational variables that predispose individuals to respond to bullying by becoming aggressive. Participants were either included in all three rounds of an online game (Cyberball; Williams et al., 2012), or ostracized to varying degrees. I hypothesized that participants who were ostracized would, …

Investigating The Attitudes Of Pre-Service Early Childhood Educators Concerning Their Attitudes Toward Physical Activity In The Early Years, Rebecca Forbus

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Integrating Communication Into The Mathematics Classroom: An Examination Of The Efficacy Of Discussion Groups In An Upper Elementary Classroom., Kally Hinton

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Authentic Assessment Versus Traditional Assessment: A Comparative Study, Nikki Brawley

Honors Theses

Assessment is defined as "almost any form of measurement and appraisal of what students know and can do." These forms can include, but are not limited to: tests, reports, observations, and questioning. There are two main subgroups used when describing assessment: trasitional and alternative. The term traditional assessment refers to a paper and pencil based test used to determine what a student knows and can recall, i.e. the Palmetto Achievement Challenge Tests (PACT). The term alternative assessment refers to "almost any type of assessment other than standardized tests." (McAfee & Leong, 2-3) This subgroup can be divided into various types …

Death In Children's Literature, Joyce Ann Kaufman

Honors Theses

Mr. Wordsworth posed an interesting question. What should a child know about death?

Often we try to protect children from death. Euphemisms are used regarding death. People and pets do not die, they "pass away," "go to sleep," or "go to live in heaven." When a death occurs in a family, the adults often say of a young child, "It doesn't seem to bother him. Maybe he doesn't realize what has happened." Other people may mention that "He has accepted it so well. Children adapt so easily."

Learning Centers, Tanna Murry

Honors Theses

Individualized learning through the Learning Center method is becoming more and more popular in today's classrooms. For this reason I chose to develop two basic Learning Centers--one for math and one for language arts--for my honors project. I plan to use these centers and others when I begin to teach.

In preparing these Learning Centers, I used two basic handbooks: Invitation to Learning: the Learning Center Handbook by Ralph Claude Voight and Learning Centers: Children on Their Own prepared by the Association for Childhood Education International. These two sources helped me to sort out and apply ideas of my own …

Creativity In Pre-School Art, Sharon Kluck

Honors Theses

"Children are wonderfully fresh and vivacious. What adult can compete with a child's energies? A child's mind runs like a mouse in a maze. He observes, perceives, imitates, and responds as a unique individual." His work is original, using foreign symbols for an image he pulls from his memory. All of the myriad elements, internal and external, influence a child's creation. These works for the young child are expressions of his life's experiences. As he matures in his thinking, he becomes more aware of himself, his family, and the people and things in his environment. He is curious and explore …