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

Scamle Journal 2023 Full Volume

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

No abstract provided.

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 …

Metacognition In Teaching Of English Language Teachers In Bhutanese Secondary Schools, Yeshi Moktan, Somruedee Khongput

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Despite numerous studies advocating for metacognitive interventions in day-to-day language instruction, little is known about teachers' awareness of their metacognition and how they process their cognition while teaching. This study aimed to examine English language teachers' metacognitive awareness in the Bhutanese context and their use of metacognition by adopting a mixed-method approach. Two phases of data collection were employed. A self-report questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from 42 English language teachers from ten schools in Thimphu, Bhutan. Subsequently, qualitative data were collected through one classroom observation and two semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers selected purposively. The findings …

Walking Carefully Towards Bridging The Gap: Exploring Australian Music Educator Voices About Teaching Indigenous Music, Dawn Joseph, Bradley Merrick

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Facilitating an inclusive pedagogy to close the gap that exists within the teaching of Indigenous Knowledge in Australia is a tall order for many teachers. This paper draws on responses to a national study and explores how music educators include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music and culture into their practice. An online survey (December 2022-February 2023, N=109) informed the findings. Using thematic analysis, two themes (teaching challenges and opportunities, and bridging the gap) are discussed and key recommendations offered. Findings suggest that walking carefully towards bridging the gap is an opportunity for educational change in contemporary Australian classrooms.

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 …

Policy Analysis: School Clustering Policy, Sajid Ali, Aisha Naz Ansari

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Using Music To Teach Math In Middle School, James D. Walsh, Bridget K. Coleman

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

Music is an effective tool to use in the middle school classroom. Music is engaging, makes learning memorable, and can help relieve anxiety. Music can be connected to math in many different ways. Lyrics, melodies, and movement can be used to enhance learning. Students can learn the quadratic formula song to help with procedural memory; they can identify fractions in musical composition and notation; and they can write class songs to help retain information.

Guest Editorial: Renewing The Commitment For Specialized Middle Grades Teacher Preparation And Licensure

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

teacher shortage, recruitment and retention, grade span configurations, specialized middle grades preparation, licensure

I Wish My Teacher Knew: Trauma, Stress, Loss, And Learning In Today’S Classrooms, Janie R. Goodman, Victoria A. Oglan

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

As teachers and students continue to navigate the new normal of in-class, remote, and hybrid learning environments, three ongoing themes of trauma, stress, and loss have become pervasive. This collection of resources can give all educators a broader understanding of stress, trauma, loss, and learning as well as provide information that can be applied directly into work with students in the classroom and the community.

Connectedness In The Classroom: Classroom Management In The Middle School, Patricia S. Fears

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

As documented by research and assertions from middle school instructors, teaching adolescent students can be a challenging experience for many. Specific challenges include mediocre student engagement, lack of motivation, substandard academic performance, and disengaged teacher- pupil relationships. This article addresses these challenges by offering research-based options for teachers to consider when designing a classroom management system that will improve the aforementioned challenges. The techniques and strategies presented focus on developing relationships and building upon them to make teaching and learning experiences positive, engaging, relevant, and impactful.

Kindling A Desire To Read: A Review Of Three Young Adult Novels, Michelle Rasheed

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

Drawing on experiences as an English teacher and as a teacher educator, this article offers a review of Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk (2021), Paradise on Fire by Jewell Parker Rhodes (2022), and Year on Fire by Julie Buxbaum (2022). The review offers suggestions to promote adolescent reading. Authentic characterizations, realistic dialogue, credible events, and elements of suspense draw readers in and keep them reading. Recommended as viable works to spark students’ interest in reading, Nothing Burns as Bright as You, Paradise on Fire, and Year on Fire are contemporary young adult novels to …

Shaking Up Assessment: Integrating Low And High Technology Tools, Lenessa Clark, Erin Besser

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

Assessment is an important component of education because it communicates whether the academic goals are met within a class. Generally, assessments offer opportunities for educators to target their teaching goals and to measure the extent to which the expected goals are attained (Madani, 2016). Incorporating the right technology provides opportunities to enhance teaching and learning. This article presents several low- and high-tech tools that middle grades educators can integrate into their instructional practice as a developmentally responsive way to facilitate the assessment process.

Supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered And Queer (Lgbtq) Youth In Southern Middle Schools, Xiomarra A. Beverly

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

During my experience teaching in a conservative, southern middle school, I have found that gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and queer (LGBTQ) youth are not afforded the same support systems as other minority groups within the classroom. I have noticed that students who self- identified as a member of the LGBTQ community were less engaged, had lower overall grades, and were frequently victimized by both students and faculty at times. I believed that I could increase the overall mental and physical health in the classroom by instilling supportive means that would translate inside and outside of the classroom. From both personal …

Sticky Notes Matter: 3 Ways To Promote Mental Health In The Middle School Classroom, Demisa Gray

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

Mental health issues continue to be a prominent concern in middle level education. Adolescence marks a crucial period for developing healthy social and emotional skills to promote mental well-being. Poor mental health can affect grades, relationships, decision-making, and students’ overall health. Building positive rapport and connections with students can protect their mental health. Encouraging students to journal their thoughts and feelings helps students process and recognize their emotions. Students enjoy using bright, colored sticky notes. I recommend that teachers give students opportunities to use sticky-notes to express themselves.

More Than Academic: Texts For Teens, Casey Belli, Rebecca Harper

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

Middle and high school students are dealing with many heavy issues and topics daily – and we’re noticing the strain this is putting on their mental health -- yet there are several texts that can be used to help middle grades students develop decision making skills and coping strategies. Teaching reading and writing with books like these in classrooms can help students build a sense of empathy and compassion for others, along with offering them opportunities for contemplation and reflection. Plus, these experiences can also allow students a safe space to invite dialogue and discussion about topics that are part …

Preservice Elementary Teachers Conceptions And Self-Efficacy For Integrated Stem, Deepika Menon, Deef A. A. Shorman, Derek Cox, Amanda Thomas

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Educational reform efforts have emphasized preparing highly competent and confident preservice teachers to deliver effective K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) instruction. Self-efficacy is a key variable that influences motivation and performance, and therefore it is necessary to support the development of preservice teachers’ integrated STEM teaching self-efficacy. This mixed-methods study investigates how preservice elementary teachers’ integrated STEM teaching self-efficacy is shaped during their participation in a newly redesigned STEM semester consisting of three concurrent methods courses (science and engineering, mathematics, and technology methods courses). The quantitative data sources included the Self-efficacy for Teaching Integrated STEM instrument administered as …

Women Pursuing An Agricultural Systems Technology Degree, Tanya Milam

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This phenomenological research study examined the factors influencing women to pursue an Agricultural Systems Technology (AST) degree and their self-efficacy in that field of study. Two research questions guided this study and data was analyzed from interviewing women enrolled in an Agricultural Systems Technology (AST) program at a mid-western university. The resulting four categories of Agricultural Experiences, Aptitude, Support, and Motivation were broken down into themes. The results were also applied to the theoretical framework of self-efficacy associated with career choice theories. Limitations of scope and generalizability indicate that further investigation of this topic is highly recommended.

Keywords: …

Dancing Through The Harlem Renaissance: An Inquiry-Based Unit Plan Exploring Movement And Culture, Marina Tsirambidis

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Incorporating movement and physical activity into the K-12, general education classroom has been on the rise. In a study done in 2019, Chloe Bedard deemed physical activity successful within the primary school setting and was determined to examine the benefits of movement integration into the secondary school setting (Bedard et al 2019, as cited in Romar, 2023). Additionally, dance scholars have researched the positive effects of incorporating dance history and movement into the classroom. With these two major advancements in mind, this study will provide a social studies unit that integrates dance movement. This unit aims to teach students about …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Inclusive Classrooms, Tamara Ann Lipson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined teachers’ perceptions of inclusive classrooms. The specific areas of focus were analyzed by comparing demographic characteristics of the responding teachers to survey questions from the adapted Teachers Attitude towards Inclusive Education (TAIS) in order to determine how teachers perceive inclusive classrooms, how prepared they feel to teach in inclusive classrooms, and if there is any correlation between the workload of the teachers and their perception of inclusive classrooms. Data was collected through a survey completed by 480 teachers from a large, diverse, public school district in Northeast Florida. The findings of this study indicate that these teachers …

Student With Twice-Exceptionalities Iep Meeting Assignment Description, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

General education teachers should remember that all students are general education students, first. We need to be prepared to work with students of all abilities in our classrooms. As general education teachers, we have an active role on a child’s IEP team and an active role during the IEP meeting. This assignment asked preservice teachers to develop a script of what they would say at an IEP meeting of one character from four different novels that would be considered a child with twice-exceptionalities.