Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons^™

A Creative Approach To Promoting And Discussing Social Emotional Learning, Lori B. Doyle, Jill L. Swisher

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

Social emotional learning (SEL) is an important topic in education and a desired area of professional development for teachers. This conceptual essay offers a creative approach in promoting and discussing SEL through the use of haiku poetry. The tenets from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework were synthesized into key concepts and presented as haiku poems as a pedagogical exercise to increase awareness on SEL.

Middle School Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sherria La Vonne Grubbs

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This paper examines the perceptions of middle school teachers on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on student achievement, attendance and enrollment, mental health, and social and economic factors. Allowing the voices of the middle school teachers to be heard was important to this study because it helped to identify some key themes of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on education. For this qualitative research study, a survey was created with Google Forms and a focus group discussion was implemented using the zoom platform to gather and collect data for this study. 67 middle school teachers were invited to …

Why Remain Where It Seems To Be Difficult? An Analysis Of Teacher Retention At High-Poverty Middle Schools In Eastern North Carolina, Kevin Smith

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study sought to identify how teachers perceived the effectiveness of administrative support, induction program support, and mentor support. This study addressed the following research questions: (a) Is there a relationship between the perceived effectiveness of their administrative support and teaching in a high-poverty school for beginning middle school teachers in eastern North Carolina? (b) Is there a relationship between the perceived effectiveness of their induction program and teaching in a high-poverty school for beginning middle school teachers in eastern North Carolina? (c) Is there a relationship between the perceived effectiveness of their mentor and teaching in a high-poverty school …

Perceptions Of Paraprofessionals On The Grow Your Own Teacher Program In Three Rural School Districts In Eastern North Carolina, Tony Faison

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The Grow Your Own Teacher (GYOT) program addresses the shortage of qualified teachers by recruiting and training community residents to become qualified teachers. These programs look and feel like community-building strategies instead of teacher pipeline strategies. The GYOT initiative is not new, but the mainstream absorption of the GYOT initiative presents an exciting opportunity to link education policy and neighborhood revitalization more closely. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of paraprofessionals on the GYOT program in three rural school districts in eastern North Carolina. The conceptual framework was based on Yosso's (2005) Cultural Wealth Model, …

Instructional Coach Feedback: Investigating The Impact, Anna Coats

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This mixed methods study was conducted to investigate the impact the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and coaching style of an instructional coach has on middle grades teacher instructional practices. The results of this study can be used to inform school leaders, administrators, and instructional coaches on methods for improving instructional coaching practices. The study was conducted utilizing a survey instrument and interviews. The survey indicated the instructional coaches have a role in developing instructional practices, though the qualitative data indicated possibility of greater impact than in current practice. Interview participants identified opportunities for a greater impact, such as incorporating timely, balanced, …

Identifiable Factors That Influence Teacher Retention In Four Title I Middle Schools: A Multiple-Case Study, Adair Blanton Mckay

Education Dissertations and Projects

Student success has suffered a great deal and continues to suffer in the Title I middle school setting. Staffing problems in these schools account for part of the cause. This study examined four Title I middle schools that experience difficulty retaining teachers. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2016), between 2011-2012 and 2012-2013, approximately 8% of teachers moved, another 8% of teachers left the profession, and approximately 84% of teachers stayed at the same school. The percentage of movers from high-poverty schools is double that of movers from low-poverty schools. The goal of this study was to serve …

The Impact Of The Summarization/Paraphrasing Strategy, Frayer Model, And Student Engagement On Reading Comprehension, Yolanda Janiece Reilly

Education Dissertations and Projects

This mixed-methods research examined student achievement in reading comprehension as measured by the North Carolina End-of-Grade Test for Reading Comprehension, and specific reading strategies (Frayer Model & Summarization/Paraphrasing strategy) in Grades 6–8 classrooms. The purpose of this research was to determine if a difference exists in student reading comprehension achievement between students instructed using the Frayer Model and students instructed using the Summarizing/Paraphrasing strategy, when used with fidelity, and which reading strategy students found to be more engaging between the Frayer Model and Summarization/Paraphrasing strategy. Engagement is a major factor in education that impacts achievement in the classroom as well …

The Perceptions Of Stem From Eighth-Grade African-American Girls In A High Minority Middle School, Lachanda Nichole Hare

Education Dissertations and Projects

Even with the existence of STEM curriculum and STEM programs that target women and minorities, African-American females still lag behind other ethnic groups in STEM fields. Reasons for the underrepresentation of females in STEM fields can be traced back to the early years of schooling. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that impact African-American females’ perspectives of STEM subjects and STEM careers. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach was used for data collection with a survey, focus group, and interview. Forty male (N=12) and female (N=28) students from different ethnic groups were surveyed. The focus group and …

A Study Of Student Attitudes And Dispositions Toward The Use Of The Inquiry Method In Teaching Eighth-Grade Social Studies, Michael George Bolling

Education Dissertations and Projects

Despite a recent emphasis on instruction that utilizes higher level critical thinking skills in middle schools, too many history teachers rely primarily on rote memorization due to state standards that place an emphasis on teaching to a multiple choice standardized test. The difficulty of having to teach copious amounts of information is that it can give rise to the problem of coverage. Teachers feel they must cover massive amounts of material so their students will do well on the standardized test at the end of the school year. This leaves little time for engaging the students in higher level critical …

Middle School Teacher Perspectives Of Ldc In A Rural Southeastern North Carolina School District, Adrain Shavonne Batten

Education Dissertations and Projects

The mixed-method phenomenological study surveyed middle school teacher perceptions of the Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC). The study population consisted of 16 sixth through eighth grade English language arts, science, or social studies teachers. The data for this study were analyzed from the 2011-2012 school year until the 2015-2016 year. The researcher utilized Stufflebeam’s (2003) context, input, process, product (CIPP) model to create the research questions. The following research questions guided the study: (1) To what extent does the LDC model influence middle school teacher decisions in the type of the instructional strategies they choose to use in their classrooms; (2) …

A Matter Of Time: The Relationship Of Class Length And Demographics On The South Carolina Algebra I End-Of-Course Test In South Carolina Middle Schools, Jennifer Addie Ramsey

Education Dissertations and Projects

For middle school students taking Algebra 1 as a high school credit, having sufficient instructional time to understand and explore the course content is crucial. While the focus of the literature review helps lend understanding to the study, there has been limited information concerning assessment scores in middle school math classes and the length of class time. This study investigated the differences in the End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) test scores of middle school students in Algebra 1 as influenced by schedules used in South Carolina public middle schools for each individual year in a 5-year span of the 2010-2015 academic …

A Mixed-Methods Program Evaluation Of Two Middle School Mathematics Intervention Programs, Angela Hines

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to conduct a program evaluation of two mathematics intervention programs, Transmath and Vmath, in order to discover whether students who are exposed to the intervention programs will show growth in their mathematics performance. The effectiveness of the programs was measured quantitatively by collecting a pre and postassessment score using Moby Max and qualitatively regarding the implementation and effectiveness of the two programs by conducting classroom observations and teacher interviews.

The literature in this study identifies the connection between RTI, tiered intervention, mathematics intervention, and program implementation fidelity. The current literature contains a great deal …

A Mixed-Methods Study Of Student Perceptions Of The Transition To Middle School, Danyah Mcallister Hill

Education Dissertations and Projects

The study detailed in this dissertation was designed to examine and understand student perceptions of self-efficacy, motivation, student-teacher relationships, and procedural differences during the transition to middle school. The mixed-methods study utilized a survey, focus groups, and interviews to triangulate the data.

An analysis of the data revealed that there is a statistically significant difference between student perceptions of motivation and self-efficacy at School A and School B. The researcher found that students at School A had a more positive perception in the areas of motivation and self-efficacy than School B, yet School B met its predicted growth score and …

Examining The Effects Of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's Read 180 Program On Reading Achievement And Self-Efficacy In Middle Schools, Amanda Michelle Cox

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if improving reading achievement through Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s (HMH) READ 180 program impacted a student’s reading self-efficacy. Of the students participating in this study, particular attention was placed on the factors of gender, ethnicity, and the length of time students were exposed to HMH’s READ 180 program.

The setting for this research was three middle schools in upstate South Carolina. The schools sampled were from a combination of urban, suburban, and rural populations. The study’s methodology was quantitative and correlational.

When reviewing the results of the study, the research indicated that there …

Beginning Teachers’ Experiences Working With A District-Employed Mentor In A North Carolina School District, Kari S. Hobbs Dr., Jennifer Putnam Dr.

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

This study is concerned with the experiences of beginning teachers working with a district-employed mentor. Based on Illeris’s (2002) Three Dimensions of Learning, the study sought to understand the cognitive, emotional, and social processes involved in working with a mentor through the use of one-on one, in-depth interviews.

Nine beginning teachers participated in the study. Their assignments included elementary (n=4), middle grades (n=2), and high school (n=3). Data collection took place at the end of the school year and included Year 1 and Year 2 teachers. The study uncovered four findings related to these beginning teachers: mentors …

A Case Study Of The Integration Of Smartmusic Into Three Middle School Band Classrooms Found In Upstate South Carolina, Carla Fowler Tucker

Education Dissertations and Projects

Technology is at the forefront of education as teachers expand their instructional strategies to incorporate technology in the hope of educating students to be 21st century learners. As more and more districts encourage educators to use technology in all classrooms, teachers search to find programs that will help their students in their particular subjects. The band classroom is not immune to this push in education; therefore, we find band directors searching for a tool to use in their band rooms.

This study looked at a web-based music program designed for performance-based groups. The purpose of the study was to examine …

Program Evaluation Of Bridges To Success Program, Michael Cory

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the alternative education model, the Bridges to Success Program, and the program’s impact on teachers teaching within the program in a middle school in the Upstate of South Carolina. The Bridges to Success Program was initiated in September 2009 for at-risk students in eighth grade with a history of poor attendance, behavior issues, and low math and reading academic performance.

The evaluation model used was the Logic Model. The research questions set the framework for this study. Research questions focused on short-term outcomes that evaluated how teacher knowledge of …

Program Evaluation On The Implementation Of A Middle School Concept In Private Christian Schools, James Chapman Hall

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of implementing a middle school concept in three private Christian schools using Daniel Stufflebeam’s CIPP model of program evaluation. The National Middle School Survey was used to measure faculty and administrative perceptions of both the value and actual implementation of middle school concepts that to this point have not been formally evaluated in each school. Additionally, student levels of cognitive and psychological engagement and global life satisfaction were measured using the Student Engagement Instrument and Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale.

The following evaluation questions were the focus of this study …

A Study Of The Social And Emotional Growth And Development Of Students With Disabilities In An Inclusive Setting In An Inner-City Middle School, Heather Rachelle Lemmons

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this retrospective, explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was to determine the impact of an inclusive educational setting on the behavioral, social, and emotional growth and development of students with various disabilities. Many aspects of a student’s educational experiences can be affected by a proper placement in an inclusive setting with non-disabled peers including discipline rates and referrals, need for behavioral goals and plans, and perceptions concerning personal social growth and development.

The setting for this research study was an inner-city middle school serving Grades 7 and 8 in western North Carolina. Eighth-grade middle school students identified as students …

The Role Grade-Level Configuration Plays On Meeting Young Adolescents' Developmental Needs, Jessica W. Hall

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation is a mixed-methods research study on the role grade-level configuration plays on meeting the developmental needs of young adolescents. This study reviews the history of the middle school, explains the controversy over grade span configurations, and articulates the developmental needs of young adolescents and what schools should provide to ensure the success of their students.

Seven schools in northwest North Carolina were examined. Four of these schools serve students in a 6-8 setting and three serve students in a K-8 setting. In an attempt to ascertain what grade-level configuration best meets the developmental needs of young adolescents, surveys …

The Impact Of Repeated Reading As An Intervention For Middle Grades Sixth- And Seventh-Grade Students On Reading Fluency, Christopher Dion Stocks

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the effects of repeated reading on readers identified as below grade in sixth and seventh grade. The study was set in a rural middle school located in the foothills of North Carolina.

Students selected for the study were identified utilizing Lexile levels to identify them as below grade level for sixth and seventh grade. Once students were identified, the teachers used Curriculum Based Measures (CBMs) to determine their current fluency levels. Oral reading fluency and MAZE CBMs were employed to measure speed, accuracy, rate, and comprehension. Classroom teachers also used a prosody …

An Evaluation Of A Remedial Reading Program For Middle-Grade Students In A Southeastern State Public School, Susan S. Nichols

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects on reading achievement for middle school students after participation in a remedial reading program, Xtreme Reading, at a southeastern state public school. The researcher used Stufflebeam's (2003) context, input, process, and product (CIPP) model to guide the study. A mixed-method research design was used to examine data collected from 80 students in Grades 6 through 8 participating in reading interventions spanning a 1-year period from 2013 through 2014.

There were significant differences in reading achievement scores of students during the 1-year implementation of Xtreme Reading. The findings in this study …

Eury Value-Added Experience Model: A Case Study On The Collective Learning Culture Of A Suburban Middle School In The Southeastern Region Of The United States, Timothy Merrell Reed

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to test the Eury Value-Added Experience Model as a theoretical model to measure and evaluate the collective learning culture of a school organization. The Eury Value-Added Experience Model is based upon five domains of the theoretical model: (1) dispositions, (2) professional experiences, (3) structure, (4) shared decision making, and (5) assessment and reflection skills. This mixed-method case study used the five domains to focus on the collective learning culture of a suburban middle school in the western region of the State of North Carolina. Limited research exists on the use of the Eury Value-Added Experience Model …

Efficacy Of A Growth Mindset Intervention To Increase Student Achievement, Paula Benee' Boozer Wilkins

Education Dissertations and Projects

This research investigation examined the effectiveness of Brainology © , an online/classroom based curriculum, targeted to increase student motivational behavior and academic achievement. Five middle schools within an urban school district in the piedmont region of North Carolina participated in this study. Seventh-grade students and their teachers were the targeted sample (N=684).

A number of school motivational constructs were measured (mindset, effort beliefs, academic self-efficacy, interest and engagement in science, motivation in science, and use of study skills strategies). Teacher ratings of student motivational behavior were used and student academic achievement in math and science was calculated by quarterly grades …

An Evaluation Of A Summer Reading Program At A Public Middle School In A Southeastern State, Michael Waiksnis

Education Dissertations and Projects

Academic achievement loss during the summer is an established fact that is backed by a dearth of research. Most students generally lose academic ground in math during the summer. However, summer learning loss in reading is not shared by all subgroups of students. Students living in poverty lose, on average, 3 months of academic learning while other students gain or stay the same over the summer months. This is of major concern to schools and districts as they struggle to close the achievement gap.

A middle school in a southeastern state created a reading program that guaranteed access to books …

The Impact Of The One-To-One Laptop Initiative On Teacher Perceptions Of Instructional Delivery And Student Engagement In Middle School Mathematics, La'ronda Long Whiteside

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the impact of the one-to-one laptop initiative on teacher perceptions of instructional delivery and student engagement in middle school mathematics. Teacher perceptions of the initiative vary. Several school districts in North Carolina have implemented the initiative and are examining the impact it has on teaching and learning. The one-to-one initiative has been an essential paradigm shift for several national and international schools. The learning environment of the one-to-one initiative immerses students in a curriculum that integrates technology in all subject areas.

The Impact Of A Grade Nine Transition Program On Student Success In The Piedmont Region Area Of North Carolina, Phillip Jermaine Johnson

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Grade 9 transition program at an urban high school in the piedmont area of North Carolina. Grade 9 is a pivotal year that determines which students prevail and which students fail to finish high school (Hertzog, 2003). It is essential that schools put in place components that ease the transition into high school and provide ongoing support.

Investigation measuring instruments that were used by the researcher included a student survey and a teacher survey which involved Grade 9 students and those teachers who taught Grade 9 students. The data that …

Impact Of Stress-Coping Strategies On Perceived Stress, Intrinsic Motivation, And Self-Efficacy Levels Of Students, Tanya M. Hudson

Education Dissertations and Projects

Impact of Stress-Coping Strategies on Perceived Stress, Intrinsic Motivation, and Self-Efficacy Levels of Students. Hudson, Tanya M., 2013: Dissertation, Gardner-Webb University, Stress/Coping/Adolescents/ Motivation/ Self-Efficacy/Stress-Coping Strategies Stress-coping strategies are identified by researchers as conditions used suitable to a situation when adolescents have a change in their environment or a stressor that they cannot control. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the impact of stress-coping strategies on perceived stress levels, levels of intrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy. According to the research, stress results from an imbalance between the requirements of the environment and one's ability to cope with it (Aldwin, 2007). …

Evaluation Of The Relationship Of Learner-Centered Beliefs Of Seventh Grade Mathematics Teachers And Student Achievement On The Mathematics Section Of The North Carolina End-Of-Grade Assessment, Mary A. Steltz

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the personal domain in systemic reform. In an effort to improve student achievement, this study focused on accountability reform. The learner-centered model was based on what teachers believe about teaching and learning and how student motivation and achievement was influenced by those beliefs. Teacher practices, beliefs and behaviors had the greatest impact on student learning; therefore this study sought to establish identification of learner-centered teachers and their effectiveness on student achievement on the seventh grade mathematics section of the North Carolina End-of-Grade Assessment.

To that end, a non-experimental quantitative study design was used to …

An Evaluation Of The Back-On-Track Program To Determine Effectiveness In Increasing The Attitude And Motivation Toward School And Academic Self-Perception Of Overaged Eighth Graders To Accelerate Grade Placement For On Time Graduation, Jean R. Dickson

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the study was to perform a program evaluation of the Back-On-Track program to determine the program's impact on overaged eighth-grade students' attitudes towards school, motivation to continue and complete a formal education, and academic self-perception. The mixed-method evaluation consisted of an experimental-comparison design that included conducting focus group interviews with and administering surveys to all consenting program participants, performing field observations, and comparing the attitudes and motivations towards school, and the academic self-perception of program participants before and after completing the Back-On-Track program.

The researcher and a trained interviewer administered surveys to and conducted focus group interviews …