Education Commons^™

Mathematics Teacher Educators As Cultural Workers: A Dare To Those Who Dare To Teach (Urban?) Teachers, David W. Stinson

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Faculty Publications

In his editorial, the author challenges urban mathematics educators to institute as the primary goal for the community of mathematics educators the cultural transformation of the discipline of mathematics from the psychologically brutalizing discipline of stratification into the psychologically humanizing discipline of freedom.

Nebraska School Facilities: Educational Adequacy Of Class Iii School District Structures, John M. Weidner, Sr.

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In 2009, a replication of the Pool study was conducted. This study, however, focused on the school systems classified as Class III districts. Nebraska has 252 Class III districts. Compared with Class II (21), Class IV (1), and Class V(1) districts, the Class III districts offer a wide array of school settings, from urban to extremely rural, and from the third largest school system in Nebraska to a single school district occupying a county in the western sandhills.

The survey responses were sorted and analyzed by five indices: Class, Quartile of Valuation per Pupil, Population Change Category of the 2008 …

Helping Immigrant And Refugee Students Succeed: It's Not Just What Happens In The Classroom, Eileen Kugler, Olga Acosta Price

Center for Health and Health Care in Schools

No abstract provided.

Addressing The Lack Of Male Elementary School Teachers: Factors That Influence Grade-Level Preference, Michael David Patrick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine which, if any, specific factors are deterring male teachers from pursuing elementary education. The number of male elementary teachers in America's public school systems had continued to decline, and this survey sought to discover what specific factors had contributed to this. This study surveyed 231 male public school teachers from six different school districts in Tennessee, Georgia, and Missouri. Male participants recorded their viewpoints regarding male elementary teachers while at the same time they provided personal information concerning factors which contributed to their own personal grade level selection. Participants were surveyed to …

The Effectiveness Of A Proactive School-Wide Discipline Plan On Office Discipline Referrals At The Elementary School Level, Elizabeth Anne Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a proactive school-wide discipline plan on office discipline referrals, and as a predictor of incidents of chronic disciplinary referrals. The study examined two consecutive school years, 2007-2008 and 2008-2009, with 2007-2008 being the control group without a school-wide discipline plan, and 2008-2009 the treatment group with a school-wide discipline plan in place for a full academic year. The purpose was to determine if there would be a statistically significant decrease in the number of office discipline referrals and the number of office discipline referrals which resulted in In-School or …

From Stalled To Successful: The Art Of Negotiating, David Alan Dolph

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

In times of limited resources, the likelihood of difficult negotiations between labor and management may increase even in the best of school districts. The negotiation process can range from traditional to positional to competitive to a more collaborative and cooperative interest-based approach. The most productive approach is a matter of debate and can vary from district to district.

Regardless of the negotiation model used, bargaining can break down because of poor relations between parties, a lack of understanding of each other’s needs, and a variety of other reasons. When breakdowns occur, it is difficult for either side to achieve its …

Racial Isolation And Student Achievement, Peter J. Smith

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Achievement data of African American, Hispanic American, and Caucasian students from racially segregated and racially integrated settings in an urban, Midwestern school district were analyzed to determine the effect of racial isolation on achievement within each racial group. In the district studied, achievement of students from segregated schools was not significantly different from the achievement of same race students from integrated schools. The study’s results should encourage district officials and instructional leaders to look at those factors that have a positive impact on student achievement regardless of the level of racial isolation.

Walking The Talk: Educational Administration Candidates' Espoused And Observed Dispositions, Kay Anne Keiser, Peter J. Smith

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Teachers who seek a career as a school administrator envision their leadership will be transformational and charismatic--and are often surprised by the conflict and confrontation that is an inevitable part of school administration (Hall, 2008; Hartzell, Williams, & Nelson, 1995; Sigford, 2005). Just as preservice teachers imagine a future career where all children love learning and respect teachers, only to find a reality that is less utopian (Su, 1992), this disconnect between the ideal of the vision and the reality and the new job often produces disappointment and shock (Senge, et al., 2000). The reality is that successful school leaders …

Judging Competence, Marie A. Lynch, Linda Capalbo

Faculty Publications

This study analyzed written records created by college clinical supervisors, of student teaching observations carried out during the Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 semester. Observations, conducted in public schools in a Northeastern state, reflected the dual enrollment status of each student teacher; that is, each candidate was observed, multiple times, in both a general elementary or middle level classroom and in a setting focused on students with special educational needs. The purposes of the analysis were to 1) examine the language used by the observer that both describes and evaluates the student teacher_s performance, particularly as it differentiates levels of …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of How Leadership Styles And Practices Of Principals Influence Their Job Satisfaction And Retention, Eric Matthew Denton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study addresses the challenge principals face in retaining highly qualified and effective teachers in their schools. Although efforts to recruit new teachers have proven successful, teachers are leaving education at alarming rates, especially in the first four years of their careers. The purpose of this study was to identify what school principals can do to increase teachers' job satisfaction and retention. To do so, 12 veteran teachers from four schools were interviewed from February to April 2009. The participants answered questions concerning their levels of job satisfaction, their perceptions of their principals' leadership styles, and their reasons for continuing …

Reforming Education In Pakistan – Tracing Global Links, Sajid Ali, Malik S. A. Tahir

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This paper is about tracing global links in national education reforms in Pakistan. The paper tries to describe globalization and its general effects on national policies. It particularly highlights the effects of globalization on education reforms, which are: competitiveness-driven, finance-driven and equity-driven. In light of these global education reform patterns the paper explores the major educational reforms being pursued in Pakistan since 1990s. The paper argues that globalization has seriously challenged the national reform policies, which are now becoming more and more globally driven. Rather than out rightly rejecting all global policies, engaging critically with them is the stance of …

Managing Conflict In The Classroom, Saima Khalid, Syeda Imrana Raza

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Does A Co-Learner Delivery Model In Professional Development Affect Teachers’ Self-Efficacy In Teaching Mathematics, John J. Ribeiro, Denise Demagistris

Teacher Education

A mixed method study is reported examining teacher efficacy regarding professional development in mathematics instruction for two groups of teachers: in building with peers (N=17) and MAT student co-learners in the classroom (N=14). An end-of-course survey, focus group interviews and pre-post data for the Teacher Self Efficacy Scale were used to investigate:1. What is the difference in teachers’ efficacy regarding mathematics instruction based on the professional development delivery system they experienced? 2. What are teachers’ perceptions of their professional development with peers conducted onsite in district compared with professional development with peers and preservice teachers at a university setting? Descriptive …

Expectations For Career And Social Support By Mentors And Mentees Participating In Formal Elementary And Secondary School Mentoring Programs, Monique Jacob, Robert K. Gable

Teacher Education

Teacher shortages are a nationwide concern, attributable primarily to high attrition rates among new teachers (Ingersoll, 2003; Ingersoll & Kralik, 2004; Ingersol & Smith, 2004). Ingersoll and Kralik (2004) claimed that an estimated 50% of new teachers left the profession within their first 5 years. Reasons for leaving include: isolating and non-supportive teaching environments, poor working conditions and overwhelming teaching assignments (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2005). To support beginning teachers, Rhode Island passed legislation requiring districts to develop a mentoring process (Law 16-7.1-2 Accountability for Student Performance). One variable measuring mentoring success is how closely participants’ expectations for the relationship …

Perceptions And Practices Of Pre-School Through Eighth-Grade Christian School International Administrators In The Selection Process Of Teachers, Timothy Van Soelen

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Principals are the primary influencers in the teacher selection process. They have the opportunity to improve the quality their school each time a teacher vacancy occurs through the process of determining of their school’s need, recruiting candidates who might be a good match, and selecting what they hope will be a highly effective teacher. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare existing perceptions and practices that preschool through eighth-grade principals hold to during the teacher selection process. Specific characteristics of principals and the schools they serve were analyzed by the dimensions of a candidate’s personal traits, professional …

Is It The Blues? Depression & Suicide Prevention In Our Schools, Naveen Jonathan

Marriage and Family Therapy Faculty Presentations

Discusses the prevalence of depression and suicide among children and teenagers, the factors behind it, signs and symptoms, and what educators can do to help prevent it and help suffering students.

Parents Involved In Community Schools V. Seattle School District No. 1: An Overview With Reflections For Urban Schools, Charles J. Russo, William E. Thro

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

In Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1, a highly contentious and divided Supreme Court invalidated race-conscious admissions plans in two urban school systems, Seattle and Louisville. As such, Parents Involved was the latest chapter in the Court's almost 40-year history of reaching mixed results in such far-reaching areas involving race-conscious remedies as admissions to higher education, employment in the general workforce and in education, minority set aside programs, and voting rights. In light of the impact that Supreme Court cases on race-conscious remedies have in education, particularly in urban settings, this article first reviews …

English Learners In Boston Public Schools: Enrollment And Educational Outcomes Of Native Speakers Of Haitian Creole, Miren Uriarte, Cassandra Villari, Nicole Lavan, Faye Karp

Gastón Institute Publications

In November 2002, the voters of Massachusetts approved Referendum Question 2. This referendum spelled an end to Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) as the primary program available for children requiring language support in Massachusetts. In its place came a radically different policy called Sheltered English Immersion (SEI). Unlike TBE, which relies on the English learners’ own language to facilitate the learning of academic subjects as they master English, SEI programs rely on the use of simple English in the classroom to impart academic content; teachers use students’ native language only to assist them in completing tasks or to answer a question. …

English Learners In Boston Public Schools: Enrollment And Educational Outcomes Of Native Speakers Of Cape Verdean Creole, Miren Uriarte, Nicole Lavan, Nicole Agusti, Faye Karp

Gastón Institute Publications

In November 2002, the voters of Massachusetts approved Referendum Question 2. This referendum spelled an end to Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) as the primary program available for children requiring language support in Massachusetts. In its place came a radically different policy called Sheltered English Immersion (SEI). Unlike TBE, which relies on the English learners’ own language to facilitate the learning of academic subjects as they master English, SEI programs rely on the use of simple English in the classroom to impart academic content; teachers use students’ native language only to assist them in completing tasks or to answer a question. …

English Learners In Boston Public Schools: Enrollment And Educational Outcomes Of Native Speakers Of Vietnamese, Mandira Kala, Peter Nien-Chu Kiang, Nicole Lavan, Faye Karp

Gastón Institute Publications

In November 2002, the voters of Massachusetts approved Referendum Question 2. This referendum spelled an end to Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) as the primary program available for children requiring language support in Massachusetts. In its place came a radically different policy called Sheltered English Immersion (SEI). Unlike TBE, which relies on the English learners’ own language to facilitate the learning of academic subjects as they master English, SEI programs rely on the use of simple English in the classroom to impart academic content; teachers use students’ native language only to assist them in completing tasks or to answer a question. …

English Learners In Boston Public Schools: Enrollment And Educational Outcomes Of Native Speakers Of Chinese Dialects, Lusa Lo, Nicole Lavan, Faye Karp, Rosann Tung

Gastón Institute Publications

In November 2002, the voters of Massachusetts approved Referendum Question 2. This referendum spelled an end to Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) as the primary program available for children requiring language support in Massachusetts. In its place came a radically different policy called Sheltered English Immersion (SEI). Unlike TBE, which relies on the English learners’ own language to facilitate the learning of academic subjects as they master English, SEI programs rely on the use of simple English in the classroom to impart academic content; teachers use students’ native language only to assist them in completing tasks or to answer a question. …

Fourth And Fifth Grade Departmentalization: A Transition To Middle School, Tak C. Chan, Daniel Terry, Harriet J. Bessette

Faculty and Research Publications

The difficulties involved in the transition for students leaving elementary school, where there typically exists little departmentalization, to the middle school, where departmentalization is the primary structure, have often been noted by scholars. While some studies cited in this work indicated a decrease in student achievement with the implementation of departmentalization, this approach should not be categorically rejected. In this regard, this study examines how elementary students can begin to be better prepared in fourth and fifth grades to enter the departmentalization system.

What About The Govt Schools?, Sajid Ali

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

“Good Politics Is Good Government”: The Troubling History Of Mayoral Control Of The Public Schools In Twentieth-Century Chicago, James C. Carl

Education Faculty Publications

This article looks at urban education through the vantage point of Chicago’s mayors. It begins with Carter H. Harrison II (who served from 1897 to 1905 and again from 1911 to 1915) and ends with Richard M. Daley (1989 to the present), with most of the focus on four long-serving mayors: William Hale Thompson (1915–23 and 1927–31), Edward Kelly (1933–47), Richard J. Daley (1955–76), and Harold Washington (1983–87). Mayors exercised significant leverage in the Chicago Public Schools throughout the twentieth century, making the history of Chicago mayors’ educational politics relevant to the contemporary trend in urban education to give more …

Beyond Volunteerism And Good Will: Examining The Commitment Of Schoolbased Teachers To Distance Education, Michael K. Barbour, Dennis Mulcahy

Education Faculty Publications

Two decades ago Newfoundland and Labrador introduced distance education in the K-12 environment. The program focused upon providing advanced-level courses to rural school students, and worked largely due to the widely known, but rarely documented significant amounts of content-based assistance from school based personnel. In the past seven years the province has moved to a virtual school model of distance education and more rural schools find that they must rely upon this virtual school to offer academic-level courses to students with a wide range of abilities. This has created many new responsibilities for teachers that have also gone undocumented. Studies …

Teachers Reflecting Differently: Deconstructing The Discursive Teacher/Student Binary, David W. Stinson, Ginny C. Powell

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Faculty Publications

This session explores the ways that practicing teachers came to reflect differently regarding the discursive teacher/student binary during a graduate-level course entitled “Mathematics Education within the Postmodern.” Using Dewey’s concept of reflective thinking, as well as Foucault’s discourse and Derrida’s deconstruction, we show how the course provided new suggestions for the students as they continued their journey of becoming teachers. Through interweaving comments written by the students with concepts borrowed from postmodern philosophers and theorists, we illustrate how the teachers began to understand that teachers and students might indeed be described differently in the postmodern.

The Proliferation Of Theoretical Paradigms Quandary: How One Novice Researcher Used Eclecticism As A Solution, David W. Stinson

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Faculty Publications

When a doctoral student plans to conduct qualitative education research, the aspect of the dissertation that often becomes problematic is determining which theoretical paradigm(s) might frame the study. In this article, the author discusses how he resolved the quandary through eclecticism. The author begins by describing briefly the purpose of his dissertation study, providing a justification for eclecticism in the selection of theories. He follows with a description of the three theories— poststructural theory, critical race theory, and critical theory—that framed his study and discusses briefly the methodology employed. The author concludes with a discussion of likely objections of his …

The Social Studies Curriculum In Atlanta Public Schools During The Desegregation Era, Chara Haeussler Bohan, Patricia Randolph

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Faculty Publications

This historical investigation explores how teachers, students, and education officials viewed the social studies curriculum in the local context of Atlanta, and the broader state of Georgia, during the post-Civil Rights era, when integration was a court-ordered reality in the public schools. During the desegregation era, Atlanta schools were led by Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Superintendent, Dr. Alonzo Crim. Brought to Atlanta as part of a desegregation compromise, Dr. Crim became APS's first African American superintendent. In particular, the authors investigate how national social studies movements, such as Man: A Course of Study (MACOS), inquiry-based learning, co-curriculum activities, and …

Today’S Student And Virtual Schooling: The Reality, The Challenges, The Promise, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

Introduction:

In 2008 I was approached to deliver a keynote address at the biennial conference of the Distance Education Association of New Zealand (DEANZ) in Wellington on the topic of today’s student and K–12 distance education. Several months ago, Mark Nichols asked me if I would be interested in putting some of the ideas that I discussed as a part of that August 2008 presentation into a manuscript for the Journal of Distance Learning. This paper represents my best efforts to summarise and expand on those ideas.

As in my 2008 keynote, I want to discuss three main themes …

Crossing Into Uncharted Territory: Developing Thoughtful, Ethical School Administrators, Jeanne L. Surface

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

In this distrustful, unstable, and ethically polarized era, there is a need to prepare school administrators to resolve a myriad of moral dilemmas. As professors of school administration, how can we make sure that our future leaders have the capacity to make thoughtful, ethical decisions? How do we prepare these leaders to develop, foster and lead tolerant and democratic schools? What follows is a small action research project aimed at elevating moral and ethical wherewithal among graduate students studying school administration. Ninety-Six percent of the students indicated that learning through dialogue or Socratic questioning, deepened their understanding of the topic. …