Elementary Education Commons^™

Road Ditch Flowers Of Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota, Joanita M. Kant

STEM Educational and Outreach Materials

Goal: Participants will become lifelong learners and critical thinkers about culturally relevant traditional Native plants, both inside and outside of a school setting, while considering their roles as conservationists.

Objectives: Participants will be able to identify Native plants or know where to access information to make identifications and find traditional uses through accessing the knowledge of tribal Elders, Internet sites, books, and visits to herbaria collections.

Development Of A 4th-8th Grade Curriculum For Flying And Programming Mini Drones, Jordan Lynn Bartholomew, Russell Scott Mayo

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This project was a joint effort by Jordan Bartholomew and Russell Mayo. The project consisted of three parts. Part one was the development of the lesson content led by Jordan Bartholomew. Part two was the production of a multimedia package that included lesson videos, animations and logos for the ROAV copter mini curriculum, led by Russell Mayo. Part three included a journal article to introduce the curriculum co-written by both Jordan and Russ. The curriculum was developed for hands-on experiential learning and includes a computational thinking component. The lesson videos were intended for self-instruction or in a classroom setting. The …

What To Know Before Working With English As A New Language Students., Caterina Antonacci Mrs.

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

What to know before working with English as a New Language students. In the current immigration status, immigrants are not only relocating to major cities in the United States they are locating to small and rural areas as well. School districts are now experiencing an increase of students who do not speak English are enrolling in their schools. Educators are not sufficiently prepared in teacher preparation course to instruct the English as a New Language Students. The survey shows items to consider.

Keywords: ENL (English as a New Language), education

A Phenomenological Study On Leading Transformational Change And Building School Culture In Elementary Schools, Tamera Jones

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This study followed a phenomenological qualitative approach to understand the complexity surrounding the experiences of the elementary school principals, build understanding around how they describe their daily life of school, and how they lead transformational change and build school culture. I sought to understand the associated skills, knowledge, and behaviors that elementary school principals employed and how the relational and collegial theories of transformational, instructional, and servant leadership were applied by elementary principals in leading transformational change and building school culture. Five key themes provided insight into the experiences of these elementary principals, the associated skills, knowledge, and behaviors that …

Effective Resource Utilization In Arkansas Public Schools, Ryan Sanders

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Teacher pay in Arkansas public schools varies widely from district to district across the state. This pay discrepancy is driven by both the funds available to a district and by how these funds are allocated. There is a standard per student budget given to districts across the state, but this budget can be supplemented by additional property taxes collected on property within a district. This leaves districts with more highly valued property at an advantage. Districts are free to allocate their budget for teacher pay as they see fit, with constraints on number of students per teacher and minimum teacher …

Stronger Together: A Case For Team Teaching In The Elementary School Setting, Jenna Christine Degan

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The focus of this study was to determine the impact of team teaching on teacher efficacy, burnout, and student engagement in an elementary school setting. Few if any studies have examined the relationship between team teaching and feelings of efficacy and burnout with elementary school teachers. The purpose of this study was to determine if team teaching was a viable and workable approach for teachers in the elementary school settings to develop teacher efficacy, avoid burnout, and increase student engagement. This study utilized a qualitative methodology to collect data from three participants who were team teaching at the same elementary …

Women In Science: A Course, Krystyna Krupinski

Senior Honors Projects

Ask any student to name five women who have made advancements in scientific fields and most likely they will not be able to name more than two. With a lack of courses highlighting women scientists’ achievements, this lack of knowledge is hardly surprising I am addressing this issue in my work. Through the researching of scientific advancements made by women, I have proposed a method to teach students about these scientists so names like Johnson, Franklin, and Curie become as commonplace as Einstein, Hawking, and Bohr. Frequently in science classes in middle schools and high schools, the focus is only …

Fostering The Concept Of Autonomy In School-Aged Children, Michelle Newcombe

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Studies show that autonomy in school-age children helps students in terms of academics and in becoming well-rounded members of the society (Bandura, 1993). This senior capstone explores how autonomy is taught successfully in Japanese schools, explains its structure, and how it can be facilitated. Through the use of literature review as well as surveys conducted with 12 Japanese exchange students and 15 Liberal Studies students, results were inconclusive and are premature to determine how the concept of autonomy is fostered in U.S school-aged children. However, the literature review found that in Japanese elementary schools, educators use the Self-Determination theory and …

Academic And Social Effects Of Waldorf Education On Elementary School Students, Christian Zepeda

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

As society becomes more critical of public education, alternative education systems are becoming more popular. The Waldorf education system, based on the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, has increased in popularity and commonality each decade. Currently, 23 Waldorf institutions exist in California. With this increase in popularity, it is important to analyze and examine the effectiveness of this education philosophy. An examination of Waldorf education, through research and interviews of Waldorf teachers and administration, will provide parents and teachers with an understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, Waldorf education provides a positive environment for students, yielding positive effects but this …

Benefits Of Educational Services For Students With Disabilities, Miguel Zazueta-Ruiz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone research project examines the benefits of educational services that schools offer to students with disabilities for a smooth transition from elementary school level to middle school and high school level. Federal and state laws, e.g. the Re-authorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA) of 2004, ensure that students with disabilities receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) specifically designed to provide services to meet the needs of individual student with disabilities through the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Through the use of relevant literature review and surveys …

Understanding Student Perception Of Failure To Promote Self Worth, Stephanie Grubaugh

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Teachers strive to create a safe learning environment where students can learn from their mistakes and/or failures. Even though teachers are creating safe spaces for learning, many students will not engage in activities that might be challenging to the point of that students experiencing failure. The purpose of this qualitative action research study is to examine what perceptions students have about failure in order to help teachers find non-material incentives or reward structures to help give students self-worth. The research method involved the collection of data through surveys, a guided research project about the failures of famous people and an …

"Or I May Live...": Meaning-Making And Mortality, Hannah Bright

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

This project examined the ways in which dialogical processing of the fact of one’s own impending death impacts meaning-making in day-to-day life. Taking a qualitative approach, the thesis builds from five in-depth interviews and follow-up surveys with students in higher education. In reviewing the role of death education in public school settings, the study concludes that an enhanced emphasis on love of learning, creative thinking and community engagement in public education is the most effective way for educators to support students in building appropriate skillsets to create meaning in their lives, as well as in the face of their eventual …

How To Best Support Individuals Growing Up With A Special Needs Sibling, Lauren Mcdonell

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this study was to understand the emotions of a neurotypically developing sibling. This study also attempted to understand how caregivers can best support the neurotypical sibling in the areas of self-concept and overall well-being. The gap is knowledge is how to better support neurotypical developing siblings specifically in the areas of self-concept and overall well-being. Three participants were interviewed to gain insight about their experiences with their special needs sibling. Participants who participated in a support group for neurotypical developing children with a SNS were surveyed to gain insight about their experiences with the support group. Through …

Trauma Informed Teaching To Support Student Social And Emotional Needs, Tara Williams

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine how a trauma informed approach to behavior that supports the emotional growth of students and meets their needs for discipline and structure within a school environment affects teachers’ negative perspectives of student behavior. This study examined the impact Rainbowdance had on teacher perception of student behavior before teacher training and after training. The participants are three lower elementary teachers at Country Charter School and additional information is provided by the International Trauma Center (ITC) staff members who are implementing Rainbowdance. The data collection was done through narrative interviews, field notes and …

Effects Of Social-Emotional Instruction On The Behavior Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Kelsey Olson

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Students with learning disabilities who spend the majority of the school day in a general education classroom often struggle to appropriately deal with feelings of frustration and anxiety. There is currently a gap in understanding how special education teachers can support the social and emotional inclusion of students with learning disabilities when they are in the general education classroom. The purpose of this study is to explore the results of implementing a social-emotional curriculum both in a pullout setting and in the general education setting and examine the effect of the program on the behavior of students with learning disabilities …

Responding To Interactive Troubles – Implications For School Culture, Gro E. Lund, John M. Winslade

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Responding to interactive troubles in schools can create processes of exclusion and marginalization. Certain basic assumptions can become knitted into school culture in ways that give rise to specific exclusionary practices. However, it does not have to be this way. Inclusionary ways of responding to interactive troubles can also be produced, given a school culture that nurtures relational ways of engagement. This article presents such relational practices and argues thoroughly for their use.

The Effects Of International Curriculum On Students’ Worldview, Abriana Davies

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis discusses the education of students in international schools, particularly elementary-age students, who grow up in international schools, completing their programs and becoming “citizens of the world.” However, this relatability is constantly seen in international students who have attended an international school. It is as though a person’s people-skills and ability to relate well with others skyrockets as they attend a school where differences are not only accepted but celebrated. It is in these places where it is important to use technology well, think critically, stay current in the affairs of the world, be encouraged to follow one’s own …

A Case Study Analysis Of Elementary Teachers' Attitudes About Student Discipline And The Implementation Of Restorative Justice, Kaitlyn M. Spore

Education Dissertations

This study examined the attitudes of elementary school teachers regarding student discipline and the implementation of restorative justice practices. The present research was conducted at a public elementary school in the greater Seattle area. All participants were teachers at the public elementary school, and were purposefully selected based on their years of experience, age, gender, and grade level taught. The study utilized qualitative case study methods to analyze the participants’ attitudes regarding discipline, specifically the use of exclusionary discipline, and their views on implementing restorative justice practices as an alternative to exclusion.

Key Words: restorative justice, school discipline, exclusions, suspensions, …

A New Model For Creative Education, Carolina Schnapp R.

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This project explored the design of a pedagogical model for the development of creativity, targeted for teachers and educational institutions. The development of creativity has become highly relevant over the past few decades, especially with the emphasis given to 21st Century Skills and the responsibility that schools have on fostering these skills. In this project, you will find the ideas based on research and experience, that were the foundation for the model, the creative process behind the design of the model, and the final version. The project was shared with experts who validated parts of the model and opened space …

A Case Study Of Teacher And Principal Perceptions Of A School-Wide Positive Behavior Intervention And Supports Framework In An Urban Elementary School., Cassaundra Lynn Watkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This single site case study examined the perceptions of teachers and the principal of a persistently low achieving elementary school in a large urban school district. Using the Concern-Based-Adoption-Model (CBAM), which originated in Fuller’s (1969) study of perceptions of pre-service and practicing teachers and used by Roach, Kratochwill and Frank (2009) as a tool to ascertain support for the implementation of research-based practices, teacher and principal perceptions of the effectiveness of School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) framework were examined. Interviews and document analysis were utilized to collect data and triangulate teacher and principal perceptions of obstacles and supports …