Education Commons^™

Creating Community Among Colleagues: A Call To Collaboration, Thomas J. Knapper

Master of Education Program Theses

Teaching has traditionally been a lonely enterprise. Working in isolation is commonplace. Collaboration among teachers is rare, particularly at the high school level. How can Christian high schools be more purposeful in developing an ethos in which collaboration among faculty is encouraged and expected? Teachers will need to be taught how to collaborate. Teachers will have to develop attitudes of openness and trust. Administrative leadership will need to implement structures and strategies that promote a collaborative environment. Christians are called to live in community with each other. To that end much can and should be done to promote collaboration among …

Gradual Release Of Responsibility Approach In Developing Synthesis In Primary-Aged Children, Michelle Te Grootenhuis

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research explored the effects of using the gradual release of responsibility instructional method (Harvey and Goudvis, 2000) to improve the synthesis abilities of fourteen second grade students who attend a small rural school. The specific treatment involved the students in modeled, shared, guided, and independent practice of the synthesis strategy using authentic children's literature. The DRA2 interpretation scores of the students were compared before and after the treatment. The results showed that twelve of the students scored within the independent or advanced level, one student improved from frustration to instructional level, and one student remained at the frustration …

Character Of Christ: A Proposal For Excellence In Christian Character Education, Lorraine A. Potter

Master of Education Program Theses

Moral teaching programs, such as character education, have been implemented nationwide in order to curb the growing trend of violence, abuse, and moral relativism within schools, both public and private. These programs represent a variety of moral training philosophies, and current research is revealing some "best practices" within the field. However, these programs do little to address the needs of distinctively Christian educators who seek to train their students toward the character of Jesus Christ. The research in this study promotes the development of a curriculum to meet this need. The following research indicates that character education's premise and many …

Are Teens Able To Articulate A Biblical Understanding Of Christianity?, Sheila L. Bruns

Master of Education Program Theses

The following study uses previous research about the religious and spiritual lives of American adolescents and their beliefs about the Christian faith to survey teenagers at a mid-western, Christian high school. The survey is given to find out what our young people know to be true about Christianity and if they can accurately articulate their beliefs based on Scripture and reinforced in the Heidelberg Catechism.

According to the research, the students surveyed are receiving the information they need to articulate a biblical definition of Christianity. They do, however, have their strengths and weaknesses. The weakest areas would be in the …

Teacher-To-Parent Communication: What Parents Want From Alternative Educators, Shelley A. Hoogers

Master of Education Program Theses

This study was conducted to determine teacher-to-parent communication preferences among parents of students, grades 9-12, attending a rural Iowa alternative education program. Thirty-seven parents were chosen to participate in the study. Twenty volunteered to complete the Parent Communication Survey (PCS). Data analysis of the PCS indicated most parents preferred regular progress updates to be sent bi-weekly via U.S. mail. Parents preferred that teachers contact them about more specific issues via phone call home. Over half of parents surveyed said they would read a classroom newsletter and website. An analysis of parent comments yielded four themes: honesty, timeliness, sensitivity, and partnership. …