Education Commons^™

Navigating Through Systems That Create Inequities: Elementary Teacher Perceptions, Sarah Rector

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This qualitative case study was designed to explore elementary teacher perceptions of what it means to provide an equitable education for their students. These perceptions allow educational leaders insight into how teachers navigate systems that create inequities and what professional development may be needed to further support equitable learning in the classroom. K-5 certified teachers were interviewed twice to gather data on their understanding of educational equity and the correlation between classroom and state testing. Four findings emerged from this study: (a) educators believed that providing an equitable education would create successful adults, (b) educators gained cultural experiences by having …

Supporting English Learners In Elementary Classrooms: How Teacher Preparation Affects El Achievement, Jordan Whitman

Education | Master's Theses

Due to an increasing number of English learning children entering the U.S. public school system (Tinkler., Tinkler, Reyes, & Elkin, 2019), there is a need for teachers to be prepared and feel confident in providing adequate English language instruction and academic content to support these young learners. There is also limited research on the effectiveness of instructional strategies that elementary teachers use to engage and instruct English learning students, including technology as a strategy (Chang & Hung, 2019). This study uses qualitative data analysis to examine instructional strategies and practices, as well as teacher’]s’ own perceptions and experiences that support …

Effects Of Interdisciplinary Instruction On Students' Connection Of Knowledge Across Learning Domains, Karley Becker

Honors Projects

This research examines the use of interdisciplinary instruction in the early education classroom and how it impacts students' connection of knowledge across learning domains. This study looks specifically at a second-grade classroom in a midwestern state. The primary learning domains of social studies, science, mathematics, and language arts were focused on. The study is broken up into two phases: observation and implementation. Prior to the observation phase, a four-part interdisciplinary lesson plan on dinosaurs was created, including transition activities, vocabulary, state standards, and activities. After the creation of the lesson plans, the observation phase took place in which a typical …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Teaching Literacy To English Language Learners (Ells) Who Struggle With Reading And Who Are In A Suburban District In New York State, Kara A. Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP; National Center for Education Statistics, 2020) have shown that despite efforts to raise the literacy skill levels of students in elementary school, the average reading scores for fourth-grade students in 2019 were still cause for concern. The NAEP data showed the reading scores in four percentiles (i.e., 10th, 25th, 50th, and 75th) from 2019 dropped in comparison with the corresponding data garnered in 2017 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2020). In addition, the number of students whose first language is not English has soared by 105% in the last decade (i.e., …

An Exploration Of The Use Of Science Specialists And Elementary Students’ Science Achievement, Wesley Roach, Jillian L. Wendt

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine the effect of using science specialists in elementary schools on science achievement scores. The sample population consisted of 282 fifth grade students enrolled in Georgia public schools. The data for this study was collected from four public elementary schools’ end-of-year state assessments and analyzed as archival data. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to determine if there was a difference between science achievement scores in elementary schools that use science specialists compared to those that do not. Results indicate that no statistically significant difference exists between the science achievement scores …

Identifying Schools As Caring Communities: Teacher Perceptions About Character Education, Jasmine Johnson

Faculty Works

This study quantified teacher perceptions and their observations of school community interactive attachments. Observed attachments through teacher perceptions classified school communities as caring. Elementary school teachers in the southern United States districts volunteered, in order to determine the significance of school-based taught or learned character education principles in comparison with caring attachments. Data were collected using the Caring Community Profile – II questionnaire, which measures the participants’ attitudes by the extent to which they agree or disagree with a statement. The results clarified the significance of character education programs that identify school communities as caring.

Additionally, the findings answered the …

Teaching Our Past To Preserve Our Future: Ignorance And The Insurrection, Haleigh Jacocks

Geifman Prize in Holocaust Studies

No abstract provided.

Perceived Teaching Style And Academic Growth In An International School Setting, Jamie Elizabeth Martin

Dissertations

The presence of international schools has grown significantly around the world to accommodate a growing need for academic instruction that differs from that provided in local schools and to meet the rapid demands of globalization. As demands for international schools increase, demands for student performance are also increasing.

This quantitative correlational study seeks to determine if correlations exist between teaching style and student academic growth in mathematics within an international school setting. The study also determines if a dominant teaching style exists and if correlations between teacher grade level and teaching style can be made among international teachers who teach …

“They Can Speak English, But They Don’T Want To Use It.” Teaching Contents Through English In A Bilingual School And Policy Recommendations, Amirul Mukminin, Siti Rahma Sari, Eddy Haryanto, Akhmad Habibi, Marzul Hidayat, Lenny Marzulina, Nurulanningsih Nurulanningsih, Ikhsan Ikhsan

The Qualitative Report

The growing need for English as a key to global communication, relations, and information, is noticeable in schools around the world. In response to these imperatives of global competitiveness, one of the private bilingual schools in Indonesia has adopted English as a medium of instruction (EMI). The aim of this study was to explore the implementation of English as a language of instruction in a bilingual school in teaching contents in one private bilingual school in Jambi City, Indonesia. The data were collected through demographic profiles, documents, and semi-structured in-depth interviews. The documents were used to find out the comprehensive …

Missed Opportunities For Writing In The Kindergarten Classroom, Shalise Meadows

Spring Presentation of Undergraduate Research

Writing is a very important part of life. Students begin learning to write before or during kindergarten. While in a kindergarten classroom, I noticed that there was a lot of writing, but it was mostly independent with little to no instruction. There are a few reasons as to why teachers are not spending time on writing instruction; for example, lack of time. However, there are simple ways that teachers can implement writing instruction and the feeling of a community in the classroom.

The Impact Of Using Elementary Science Specialists On 5th Grade Science Achievement Scores, Wesley Armstrong Roach

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

American students score significantly below several other countries in the area of science achievement. With threats such as epidemics and cyber terrorism facing modern society, it is important for schools to prepare students to succeed in science. Research has shown, however, that substandard science instruction at the elementary level leaves students ill-prepared for future success in science. And, even worse, low quality science instruction in elementary school is, for some students, correlated to the loss of interest in science altogether. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine the effect of using science specialists in elementary schools on science …

Review Of Think Big With Think Alouds: A Three-Step Planning Process That Develops Strategic Readers, Susan J. Chambre

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

In Think Big with Think Alouds: A Three-step Planning Process That Develops Strategic Readers (2017), Molly K. Ness provides classroom teachers with a detailed three-step process for developing think aloud procedures during classroom literacy instruction. The book assists teachers in identifying stopping points in narrative and expository text. Ness also includes multiple scripted think alouds with comprehensive explanations for both narrative and expository text. Additionally, practical tips for promoting student adoption of higher order thinking skills are provided in the form of sentence starters and strategy symbols. The procedures outline in Think Big with Think Alouds will empower classroom teachers …

Inquiry-Based Learning: Effects On Student Engagement, Kimberly Wheatley

Honors Projects

Inquiry-based learning is an approach to science instruction that has been around for over 40 years and has many positive aspects, including: critical thinking, student achievement, positive attitudes towards science, and student engagement. Inquiry-based learning has four different levels and is an instructional method that provides a problem or question which allows students to complete an investigation. This action research project will explore how inquiry-based learning affects student engagement and how student’s feel about inquiry. Students were taught with two days of traditional instruction, two days inquiry-based instruction, and then given a pre-survey and post-survey, and observed using an engagement …

Catholic School Teachers' Perceptions Of Factors Related To Low Mathematics Achievement: A Qualitative Case Study, Andrzej Robert Piotrowski

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored Catholic school teachers' perceptions of factors related to low mathematics achievement in second through fifth grade at three Catholic elementary schools in the Eastern United States. The three schools that participated in this study have varying degrees of ethnic diversity and vary in school enrollment. In 2015, all schools in the archdiocese produced standardized test results well above the national average in reading in second through fifth grades. In the same academic year, the gap between the national average and the district's second through fifth grade mathematics scores was significantly narrower. This study identifies the …

Student Success Skills: An Evidenced-Based Program To Impact Student Outcomes, Nick R. Abel

Nick R. Abel

No abstract provided.

Seeing Mathematics Through Different Eyes: An Equitable Approach To Use With Prospective Teachers, Christa Jackson, Cynthia E. Taylor, Kelley Buchheister

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Teacher educators need to prepare prospective teachers by encouraging them to critically examine their current beliefs about the teaching and learning of mathematics while also providing opportunities for prospective teachers to develop an equity-centered orientation. Attending to these practices in teacher preparation programs may help prospective teachers observe actions that occur in classrooms and determine effective strategies that provide the opportunity to enhance all students’ access to high-quality mathematics instruction. As mathematics teacher educators, we must recognize what prospective teachers attend to as they direct their attention to various classroom events and how they relate the events to broader principles …

Science Instruction In A Culture Of High-Stakes Assessment: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Into The Experiences Of Missouri Elementary School Teachers In A Non-Assessed Grade Level, April Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the transcendental qualitative phenomenological research is to describe the characteristics and strategies of teachers who share the same experiences in teaching science, a non-assessed content, in a high-stakes assessment environment at the third and fourth grade levels. Teacher curriculum choices are dictated by the need to prepare students to take content area standardized assessments in the grade level taught. Science instruction that focuses on scientific reasoning may lead to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) careers for students. Teachers who elect to teach science at the elementary level in a manner that develops scientific reasoning are an …

Teacher Self-Efficacy In Writing And Instructional Choices: A Correlational Study, Beth Burke

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This quantitative study focused on examining the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and their use of writing practices in teaching writing. Participants included elementary kindergarten through fifth grade teachers in a large school district in northeastern United States. The following research questions guided this study: Is there a statistically significant relationship between overall teacher self-efficacy and the amount of time teachers spend using specific practices in writing instruction? Is there a statistically significant relationship between teaching self-efficacy factor of personal self-efficacy and the amount of time teachers spend using specific practices in writing instruction? Is there a statistically significant relationship between …

Literacy Tutoring Strategies Of America Reads University-Level Tutors, Mauricio Cadavid

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore, study, outline and describe tutoring strategies applied by American Reads (AR) tutors and non-America Reads (nAR) tutors helping young tutees develop early literacy skills. There is limited research on the implementation of effective tutoring strategies during one-on-one tutoring with elementary school children in terms of early literacy development. Most of the literature is split between peer tutoring and program tutoring. This lack of research presents a particular challenge when it comes to identifying an effective tutor and effective tutoring methodologies. Using a qualitative approach, this study utilizes survey data, session recordings, and …

A Collective Case Study On Vocabulary Instruction In Fifth Grade Classrooms, Farrukh Nazir

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In this qualitative research study, I investigated how vocabulary instruction takes place in two fifth-grade classrooms from both teachers’ and students’ perspectives. Vocabulary knowledge holds key importance in learning to read, academic success in all school subjects, and achievement in life beyond school (Graves, 2016. p.2). Due to the importance of vocabulary, Common Core State Standards (CCSS) also put an increased focus on the process of vocabulary acquisition. Recent vocabulary research has found that vocabulary instruction in classrooms is weak, thin, and not research-based (Carlisle, Kelcey & Berebitsky, 2013; Graves, 2016; Wright & Neuman, 2014). To investigate vocabulary instruction the …

Children's Literature As A Tool To Teach Mathematics, Kara Weinstein

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Common Core State Standards have changed the way that we teach math concepts in elementary schools. These new educational standards promote teaching math for understanding instead of teaching the standard algorithms that have been traditionally taught. Children's literature is an alternative teaching method. The aim of this project is to examine children's literature with the purpose of teaching mathematic concepts. This project models the components of quality children's literature to create an original book that teaches students grades 3-5 about fractions. 2

Student Success Skills: An Evidenced-Based Program To Impact Student Outcomes, Nick R. Abel

Scholarship and Professional Work – Education

No abstract provided.

What Is Equity? Ways Of Seeing, Christa Jackson, Cynthia Taylor, Kelley Buchheister

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Prospective teachers must be prepared for their role in providing equitable access for learning high quality mathematics. Therefore, it is imperative that mathematics teacher educators provide opportunities to develop an equity-centered orientation in teacher preparation courses. In this study, we begin to address this issue by identifying what prospective teachers attend to in a classroom vignette of an African American male student who is above grade level in mathematics and exhibits disruptive behavior during instruction. The results of the study indicate that while participants are beginning to attend to cultural influences, most responses are focused on classroom management strategies

A Narrative Study Of Novice Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Science Instruction, Roberta Harrell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is hoped that, once implemented, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) will engage students more deeply in science learning and build science knowledge sequentially beginning in Kindergarten (NRC, 2013). Early instruction is encouraged but must be delivered by qualified elementary teachers who have both the science content knowledge and the necessary instructional skills to teach science effectively to young children (Ejiwale, 2012, Spencer, Vogel, 2009, Walker, 2011). The purpose of this research study is to gain insight into novice elementary teachers’ perceptions of science instruction.

This research suggests that infusion of constructivist teaching in the elementary classroom is beneficial …

Common Strategies Used By Kindergarten Teachers To Instruct Reading To English-As-A-Second-Language Students, Emma Kaye Penn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research was designed to describe, analyze, and interpret what reading strategies experienced kindergarten teachers believe are essential to instruct English-as-a-Second-Language learners how to read. Through in-depth interviews, experienced kindergarten teachers were given a voice to describe what they consider essential reading strategies to instruct English-as-a-Second-Language learners to learn how to read.

The participants were four licensed, non-probationary kindergarten teachers instructing reading in English to a minimum of 51% English-as-a-Second-Language population. Selected kindergarten programs were consistent in program design. Processes were influenced by the gateway approach. The stories teachers told about their experiences in teaching ELLs how to read was …

Handwriting: Should Formal Instruction In Handwriting Be Taught To Elementary Students?, Cathleen Rutter

Education 589 Projects

Having taught students Language Arts from 2nd grade through sophomore year of high school, I have encountered numerous samples of handwriting, with great variance in their legibility. It has caused me frustration as a beginning teacher trying to decipher what has actually been written and just what the student was trying to convey to myself, as their teacher. In some cases I have graded a spelling test, marked words incorrect because I could not read the letters in the word. But then, because I felt that the student has mastered the spelling of a given word, I had the student …

Meeting The Needs Of Gifted Students At Quail Run Elementary School: An Action Research Report, Shannon L. Bryant

The Corinthian

Appropriately differentiating for gifted students can be a daunting task. There are many issues to consider when individualizing instruction for the gifted and talented student population. I teach gifted students in an elementary resource setting. This Action Research paper identifies a number of the issues I discovered when conducting my action research project-meeting the needs of my gifted students. I also offer recommendations on how I plan to improve my teaching in particular and gifted education at Quail Run Elementary in general.

Effect Of A Balanced Literary Program In Kindergarten, Holly Parker

The Corinthian

The purpose of this study was to show the effect of a balanced reading instruction on kindergartners. The subjects were students from 10 kindergarten classes in 2 consecutive school years. This was a causal-comparative study with 129 students in the control group and 151 students in the experimental group. Both the control group and the experimental group were pretested in the the fall and posttested in the spring, using the Lexia Comprehensive Reading Test. The posttest mean of the experimental group (M = 28.0, SD = 10.3) was higher than the mean of the control group (M = 24.1, SD …

The Effects Of Lexia Phonics Based Reading Software On First Graders' Lexia Comprehensive Reading Scores, Paula Snider

The Corinthian

The research conducted in this paper provides information about using computer software to remediate reading skills in first grade. The pre- and posttest is the Lexia Comprehensive Reading Test (2001). This research was conducted in a first grade classroom with 22 students of which half were in the experimental group. Students were matched using Lexia Comprehension Reading test scores and randomly divided into the two groups. The experimental group used the Lexia Phonics Based Reading Program (2004) for 30 minutes a day 3- 4 times a week to build upon individual needs. After one month, the posttest was administered. The …

Volunteer Assisted Reading, Linda Laurene Young

All Graduate Projects

The problem investigated in this study relates to the need in schools today to find ways of providing educational support assistance for classroom teachers as part of the classroom learning process. With the continued rise in school enrollments, it is difficult for school funding to keep up with growing educational demands. Favorable student-teacher ratio issues emphasize the need to provide additional help for the classroom teacher. Finding additional classroom help has become a major concern; parents' commitments to employment and social obligations have changed their availability to participate at the schoolhouse and have lessened parent-child contact time (Cassidy, 1981). According …