Elementary Education Commons^™

Math Vocabulary & Number Sense: Instructional Strategies For Upper Elementary English Learning Students In The Math Classroom, Matt J. Cavanaugh

Doctorate in Education

Recent studies show that English learning students are a growing population within the United States school system. Language barriers have been shown to negatively influence reading scores as well as math scores, and math scores are a predictor of future academic success in many subject areas. This qualitative action research study demonstrates the difficulties many upper-elementary English learning students have understanding number sense (numeracy) in a math classroom setting in Minnesota, United States. The purpose of this study was to explore whether intentional teaching of math vocabulary could alleviate the difficulties upper-elementary English learning students have in understanding, applying, and …

An Inquiry Into Urban Schooling And The Social Justice Nexus: An Agency Case Study For Transformative Change, Eduardo E. Peña Jr.

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

In an era of accountability and censorship in public schooling, teaching for social justice is a difficult proposition for K-5 teachers. This inquiry explored the pedagogical principles of five elementary school teachers who navigate the rigors of standardization while also providing an education with a social justice orientation. Using a critical lens, this study v i was guided by the following questions: (1) how do elementary teachers approach topics of social justice in their curriculum? (2) what are the pedagogical considerations for teachers in urban schooling? and (3) what structures prohibit or provide proliferation for the integration of social justice …

A Study Of Preservice Teachers' Preparedness To Teach Reading, Kelli Williams-Page

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Only 35% of fourth graders in the United States can read at the proficient level, and only 34% of eighth graders can read proficiently (National Assessment of Educational Progress [NAEP], 2022). The purpose of this study was to determine how preservice teachers (PSTs) describe their experience of the methodology of teaching reading in their literacy courses. In addition, what specific strategies for teaching reading do PSTs describe as the focus for their teaching reading preparation, and how do PSTs describe the potential of the strategies learned in their coursework to help them teach reading in their future positions? This study …

Inclusive Education For All: Identifying Teacher Beliefs About Working With Students With Disabilities, Chelsea Sharek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the beliefs K-12 teachers have when working with students with disabilities in a rural Pennsylvania school district. This study aimed to identify if teachers’ personal beliefs created biases about their students and school systems; thus, forming barriers and preventing an inclusive education when working with disabled students. Instrumentation for this quantitative study is the Multidimensional Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education Scale (MATIES) survey. Findings suggest that some teachers at Sunnyside School District (pseudonym) hold personal beliefs that could create biases about their students and school system that may form barriers when working with …

How Will Having A W.I.N Room For Our Emotional And Behavioral Disorder Students To Access When They Are Needing A Break Affects The Number Of Room-Clearing Behaviors In A Week?, Samantha Streed

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Having the power to create the behavior program from the ground up, starting a “What I Need” (W.I.N) room at the elementary school where the researcher works. This is a sensory type of room with different tools and strategies that the students can use to calm their bodies or as we say have a safe and calm body. This room will be run by the researcher along with a paraprofessional that will be in the room all day to help support the students. This paraprofessional will also supervise the W.I.N Room if the researcher needs to leave to handle a …

P-12 Teachers' Perceptions And Knowledge About Students' Mental Health And Their Willingness To Provide Mental Health Supports Within Their Classroom, Tamara Engel

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

P-12 students are experiencing higher rates of mental health needs, which generates a growing concern among teachers, parents, and educational leaders. Students with mental health challenges may struggle socially, emotionally, behaviorally, and academically and become at a risk for lower academic achievement, reduced graduation rates, and increased school suspensions and expulsions. While most of the literature is qualitative and has consistently identified schools as the ideal location to provide targeted mental health supports to students, teachers have reported having insufficient knowledge, skills, and resources to provide these supports to students. This correlational study aimed to move forward the quantitative methodology …

Manipulating The Distance Of Inter-Letter And Inter-Word Spacing To Improve Reading Accuracy And Speed In The Dyslexic Student, Jon Roemmich

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

Recent research studies have shown that increased inter-letter and inter-word spacing has a positive effect on the reading speed and accuracy of students with dyslexia. A few of these studies also included the use of increased font size. Research that has included using fonts designed for dyslexics in addition to increased font size has not produced favorable results in increasing reading accuracy and speed. In relationship to previous research our results have shown that a .5 inter-letter and inter-word spacing has a marginal positive effect on reading accuracy and speed. The use of .3 and .7 inter-letter and inter …

Decodable Readers Versus Leveled Text, Taylor Leitch

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

A student’s ability to read fluently is an extremely vital skill, necessary to allow them to succeed both in an academic setting and in everyday life. To guide those developing readers in increasing their independent reading fluency, abilities educators must have the correct instructional methods and tools that are developmentally appropriate to provide meaningful instruction. This quantitative action research project explores the use of decodable readers versus leveled text for students who are still developing the phonemic skills and recognition needed to read fluently. A decodable reader allows a student to explicitly practice one phonemic skill to mastery before adding …

Water Ways, Naoufal Enhari

Capstones

Water Ways is a web series about New Yorkers and their connection to the more than 500 miles of waterfront surrounding the New York City area.

Link to Project: https://medium.com/@naoufal.enhari04/water-ways-40079ccf0cf4

Relationship Between School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports, Student Achievement, And Teacher Efficacy In High Poverty Rural Alabama Elementary Schools, William Combs

Dissertations

The purpose of this research study is to determine if relationships exist between the level of School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports implementation, student academic achievement, and teacher self-efficacy in high-poverty rural Alabama elementary schools. The research encompassed a comprehensive analysis of existing literature, incorporating historical and policy-related context, theoretical underpinnings, relevant studies, and expert viewpoints. Additionally, the research involved the gathering and examination of data, presentation of findings, establishment of conclusions, and suggestions for prospective research directions. The primary objective of this study is to investigate potential correlations between the extent of SWPBIS (School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) …

Narrowing The Achievement Gap: Culturally Responsive Teaching For African American Students, Haylee Batzer

Masters Projects

It is no surprise to educators that classrooms are filled with children of all different backgrounds. Most teacher preparation programs try their best to prepare educators to teach students of diversity and support inclusion in the classroom. However, educators are still finding themselves lacking the skills needed to incorporate culturally responsive teaching (CRT) into their classrooms. Students of all backgrounds need inclusive practices to be successful. It is important to all students that they feel supported and seen in the classroom, without these practices schools start to see a decline in graduation rates and an increase in dropout rates. Many …

Third-Grade Students’ Poor Performance On The Math Section Of The Stanford Achievement Test At Chapel Hill Elementary School: An Instrumental Exploratory Qualitative Single-Case Study, Giovanny Guillermo Gaviria

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this instrumental exploratory qualitative single-case study was to explore the understanding of the principal, teachers, and parents related to the poor performance on the math section of the Stanford Achievement Test and the related factors of self-determination and self-efficacy of third-grade students in a private Christian elementary school in a city (pseudonym, Chapel Hill) in the Western United States. The theory guiding this study was Bandura's social cognitive theory, which is the foundation of self-determination theory, academic self-efficacy, and school-related parental monitoring. This case study contained a purposeful sample of ten participants (one principal, four teachers, and …

Influential Experiences: Practices Of Teaching And Learning Successes To Increase Pre-Service Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Amanda L. Steiner, Jennifer Lemke

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

Teaching is a complex yet rewarding career; still, 40% - 50% of teachers leave the field within the first five years of their career (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011). Teacher preparation programs are often criticized for the lack of connection between theory and practice. Pre-service teachers who have more pedagogical courses and field experiences built into their coursework display higher levels of self-efficacy in their first year of teaching (Boyd et al., 2009; Clark, 2016). Through the lens of Bandura’s four sources of self-efficacy, this case study examines what experiences are most influential in developing pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy.

A Qualitative Study Of Principals’ Perception As Implementers Of The Teacher Evaluation Model, Achievenj, And Federal Education Policies In An Urban Public School District In New Jersey, Petra Liz-Morell

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The study explores the implementation of teacher evaluation models and federal education policies, particularly AchieveNJ, in an urban public school district in New Jersey. It focuses on principals' experiences and perceptions, uncovering their challenges and thoughts on the policy's effectiveness in enhancing teacher performance and student learning outcomes. The research delves into the complexities and uncertainties principals face, examining how these align with their leadership practices and impact policy execution. It also investigates the contextual factors influencing AchieveNJ's execution and effectiveness, providing insights for future policy formulation and practical implementation.

A key aspect of the study is its use of …

Preservice Teacher Education Preparation: Implementation Of Personalized Learning And Technology Integration In The Fifth Industrial Revolution, Crystal C. Loose, Rose Jagielo-Manion

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this article here.

It has been argued that we have moved into the age of personalization. One can see this while ordering drinks at a local Starbucks, where options are limitless. This personalization has been called the Fifth Industrial Revolution, a time noted for a deep, multi-level cooperation between people and machines. With emphasis on innovation, purpose, and inclusivity, this revolution calls for changes in the classroom setting to focus on relationships and lived experiences. So, how do we prepare our preservice teachers for this reality? Methods of instruction that create an engaging and …

The Power Or Words: Increasing Student Vocabulary Acquisition, Kelly M. Tiers

Masters Projects

A lack of vocabulary knowledge may have an influence on student reading comprehension. Reading comprehension, a fundamental, skill, hinges on understanding unknown vocabulary. The research highlights the significant correlation between reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge, stressing its increasing importance as students encounter more complex text. This project explores the importance vocabulary plays in reading comprehension and its link to overall academic success. It further explores strategies to effectively increase student vocabulary and comprehension. The project is designed for elementary classrooms (K-6) to be integrated into existing lessons and routines. An in-service session, part of a district-wide professional development day, will …

Using Improvement Science To Address Early Elementary Teacher Efficacy And Competency When Addressing Trauma-Induced Behavior, Laura Hayes

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

As more research sheds light on the effects of trauma on school-age children, educators must learn to apply the research and make adaptations in the classroom and school settings. While the body of literature has grown, limitations still exist in research focused on specific strategies and applications for classroom teachers. Many teachers feel ill-equipped and exhibit low self-efficacy when working with students affected by trauma. As a result, many students receive disciplinary action rather than constructive practices that promote healing. Some teachers feel that more targeted and specific training and resources would improve efficacy, confidence, and effectiveness. In this study, …

Growing Agriculture Literacy’S Presence In America’S Classrooms, Emily Stone

Journal of Food Law & Policy

“Americans, as a whole, were at least two generations removed from the farm and did not understand even the most rudimentary of processes, challenges, and risks that farmers and the agricultural industry worked with and met head-on every day.” This quote perfectly describes the mindset of agriculture stakeholders in 1981 as they began to realize the drastic steps our education system had taken away from using principles of agriculture in K-12 education. As they saw it, Americans were moving out of rural America, away from farms, and becoming less connected to the food they daily consumed. Simultaneously, the education system …

The Casnr L.I.N.K.S. Newsletter: Learning Innovation Network For K-12 Schools, Volume 2, Edition 11, December 2023, Bailey Feit, Tammy Mittelstet

CASNR L.I.N.K.S. Newsletter

The purpose of this L.I.N.K.S. newsletter is to provide a monthly update of opportunities and resources for K-12 schools to connect with the University of Nebraska's CASNR Food, Energy, Water, and Societal Systems (FEWS²) programs and partners.

Included in this edition:

New engage in the range curriculum, World Wildlife Fund

The CASNR Change Maker Competition

Data Driven 2024: 4-H Statistics Field day

UNL CASNR six interest areas

Focus on Department of Food Science and Technology, Center for Grassland Studies, and Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Career spotlight: forest ranger, range management, US conservation specialist, environmental lobbyist, food chemist, nutritionist, nonprofit fund …

Gerrymandering In A Selection Of Central Alabama School Districts, Rebekah Cahill

Honors Theses

School district gerrymandering, the process of drawing district lines that intentionally steep the demographics to create a more homogeneous student population, has been a significant factor in cementing Alabama’s reputation as being academically underperforming. This is especially true in central Alabama’s Jefferson County, where forced integration and shifting area demographics have resulted in a significant number of unusual school district secessions. In this paper, I argue that school districts within Jefferson County, Alabama, have created boundaries that put certain students at an educational disadvantage, which has had significant impacts on third grade reading achievement in struggling districts. I perform a …