Education Commons^™

Making The Choice And Surviving The Loss: A Qualitative Study Of The Emotional Impact Of Multifetal Pregnancy Reduction, Sheri Hegg Tesch

Culminating Projects in Child and Family Studies

With the rapid increase in Reproductive Technologies, there has been an 'increase in the number of Multifetal Pregnancy Reductions (MFPR) performed. Multifetal Pregnancy Reductions or MFPR , is a procedure that reduces the number of fetuses in a multiple pregnancy in hopes of increasing the chance for a positive outcome. It places parents in the very difficult position of determining which of their unborn children will live and which will die. While previous research has examined this issue in terms of psychological dysfunction and medical benefits, few have examined this issue from the viewpoint of the lived experience. In listening …

Early Childhood Program Director Leadership Characteristics And Program Quality, Barbara J. June

Dissertations

This phenomenological research study was conducted to explore and describe how the characteristics, traits, and styles of directors, as described and perceived by the teachers, reflect the factors that are currently addressed in the indicators forming the basis for evaluating program quality. Teacher participants from six sites participated in a survey, questionnaire, and interview to determine director and program profiles. The Program Quality Assessment score was used as a standardized data source.

The data were collected, coded, and analyzed to determine the director and program profiles for each of the sites. The director and program data for each site were …

Finding Our Way Back Home: Reintroducing Mythology Into The Lives Of Children, Faith Klavan

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Mythology is present in almost all aspects of modern life. Though many books, movies, video games and advertisements make reference to ancient myths, the myths themselves are no longer readily accessible to children. This thesis provides a rationale for writing a children's book which retells an ancient Greek myth. An outline for the book, entitled Perseus, as well as two sample chapters, are included. The thesis deals with mythology's relevance to the modern child asserting that it can help him/her deal with issues such as step-parents, separation anxiety and the need for individuation. The thesis also discusses the ways in …

Developing A Support Group For Adolescents With Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Using An Outdoor Adventure Educational Modality, Tara Lynch

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This independent study details the group process aspects of creating an outdoor adventure based support group for adolescents living with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). A review of previous outdoor adventure programs is included, followed by a rationale for the new material. The developmental assessment of teens living with IDDM identifies a need for greater self-confidence, increased independence, and social support. To meet this need, a program that includes aspects of team building, personal challenge, and problem-solving has been created.

A Museum-Based Curriculum For Middle School Students In New York City, Nayantara Mhatre

Graduate Student Independent Studies

India Inquiry is a museum-based curriculum designed for middle school students in New York City. The curriculum is organized by the following themes: Geography, Wildlife, Culture and Crafts, and Religion. Within each theme there is one out-of-classroom trip, including three visits to the American Museum of Natural History, and one to the Ganesh Temple in Flushing, Queens. In addition there are seven lessons that compliment and support the organized field trips.

The curriculum was developed to appeal to the social, emotional, and intellectual needs of students emerging from the latency period of late childhood and approaching early adolescence.

India Inquiry …

Teacher Perceptions Of Bullying Prevention: A Comparative Analysis Of Teacher Perceptions Of Bullying Prevention Programs, Diana Howell

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

School bullying has often been tacitly minimalized as a rite of passage—an unfortunate but common experience among children. In the past few years there has been an increasing awareness of school bullying as a catalyst of school violence. Parents, school boards, and administrators are understanding and taking more seriously the negative impact that bullying has on victimized students and are actively looking for ways to reduce incidents of such violence. This research provides a discussion of bullying behavior and an examination of teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of bullying prevention programs in their schools. If teachers do not feel that …

Making Sense: Reflections On Developing A Social Studies Curriculum For Five- And Six-Year-Olds, Anne Tobias

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper is a reflection on the writing of a social studies curriculum for five and six-year-olds-a study of a neighborhood construction site. It examines the way in which one teacher's commitment to offering children meaningful content evolved into the formulation of her educational philosophy, as influenced by such progressive educators as John Dewey, Lucy Sprague Mitchell, and Caroline Pratt.

Part One of the thesis is divided into three major sections. The first consists of a developmental overview of five- and six-year-olds. The second describes the connections between understandings of basic child development, understandings of a particular group of children, …

A Reflective Look At The Writing Process For Both Children And Adults: A Memoir Study, Jessica Block

Graduate Student Independent Studies

In order to teach the writing process, one must be a writer. This independent study explores the writing process from the inside out. It investigates the writing process from an adult perspective while also examines the writing process that developed for individual student writers within a second grade classroom. Over the course of three months, the students in my second grade classroom and I developed personal memoirs about a "small moment" from our lives. This study includes a comprehensive breakdown of lessons which scaffolded the memoir writing process.

It also includes a strong reflective component which reveals how we all …

The Virginia Preschool Initiative: Parents' Perceptions Of Parental Involvement, Elizabeth Outlaw Crawford

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Teacher Self -Efficacy Beliefs And Their Impact On Recommendations For Student Retention At Grades K--2, Nicole Pearce Rummel

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a statistically significant relationship between teacher self-efficacy beliefs and teacher recommendations for student retention. An online survey served as the data source for this study. The survey link was emailed to 236 kindergarten, first, and second grade teachers in an urban Virginia school district. Teachers were asked to report the number of students recommended for retention over a two year period as well as information regarding the characteristics of the children actually retained (e.g., race, gender, SES status, etc.) over that same two year period. In addition to providing …

Talk Among The Dragonflies And Dalmations: An Investigation Of Communicative Competence In A Pre-Kindergarten Classroom: A Dissertation, Lauren Foley Goldberg

Educational Studies Dissertations

A year-long ethnographic study of young children's language was conducted in a pre-kindergarten classroom. The investigation focused on the teachers' direct instruction and the children's emerging communicative competence in the rules and structure of group conversation. The class "Morning Meeting" was recorded once or twice a week for the entire year; a subset of these recordings formed the data set for the analysis. Of particular interest were communication behaviors that emphasized the growth of a sense of membership and community within the group as well as evidence that the children had learned conventions for turn-taking, topic maintenance, and solidarity.

Study Analyzing The Perspectives Of National Board Certified Media Specialists, Melissa Ann Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of ESLMS's (Expert School Library Media Specialists) as total educators (Fullan & Hargreaves, 1996), including the SLMSs (School Library Media Specialist) purpose, the ESLMS as a person, the organizational context and the culture of the SLMS's school. The hypothesis was that ESLMSs role and development as experts in their field was directly related to their purpose and motivations, their view of themselves as persons including their beliefs and values, and the culture and organizational context of the specific school in which they work. Three SLMS's currently employed in Georgia public …