Elementary Education Commons^™

Helping Early Readers With Dyslexia, Jessica Kathleen Klooster

Masters Projects

Dyslexia is a common learning disability that is difficult for educators to understand. Misconceptions and misinformation have led to teachers and schools lacking in identification, resources, and support that can be provided to children with dyslexia – specifically young children. This project examines the research of the adverse effects of dyslexia, lack of teacher knowledge regarding dyslexia, the identification of young children who may have dyslexia, and the best intervention practices for these children. In general, many teachers hold misconceptions about dyslexia, which prevents children who have the disability from receiving early intervention. The purpose of this project was to …

Assessing Higher Order Thinking In The New Jersey Social Studies Standards For Grades K-8 By Using Artificial Intelligence (Ai), Connie Sanchez

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

New Jersey consistently ranks as one of the top-performing states in the country when it comes to education. Most recently, it was ranked third in the nation. A look at the state standards in any subject shows the state works diligently to vertically align standards while also challenging students in order to better prepare them for the future and to be able to live in a global society. It is evident in looking at the New Jersey Department of Education’s standards that the planning they do is performed with an eye toward the future. The social studies standards are no …

Returning To School After A Pandemic: K-6 Education Teachers Perspectives On Low- Income Students Returning To School With Regard To Academic Achievement, Behavior, Mindset, And Social Connections, Sarah Orendorff

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine K-6 educators’ perceptions of the impact on low-income students returning to school after the trauma of a pandemic for 2 years with regard to behavior, academic achievement, mindset, and social connections.

Methodology: This qualitative study interviewed 12 K6 teachers who taught before, during, and after the pandemic in Orange County, CA. Semi-structured open ended interview questions was the main source of data collection with other sources including observations, and artifacts. Data was coded and the researcher analyzed the data for themes and patterns.

Findings: After analyzing data, codes, and themes …

Narrative Research: You Did What With Technology? Exploring Student Narratives Of Technology At A Research-Based University In The Southwest, Alma M. Sanchez

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This qualitative study examined the impact of high school instructional technology on college students' academic strategies. It examined the historical and modern advancements of technology in education, uncovering significant milestones in technology integration within classrooms in the United States. Using a narrative inquiry approach grounded in John Dewey's philosophy of experience, it centered on the narratives of students in their second and third semesters of college. The study highlighted the gap in understanding students’ personal experiences with technology and emphasized the role their narratives play in shaping future technology integration strategies.

The methodology involved utilizing digital surveys and online semi-structured …

An Evaluation Of The Factors That Lead To The Development Of Deferential Interactions Between Teachers And Students, Shondra Browne-Bolton

Dissertations

Schools have historically maintained a hierarchy with an expectation that students show deference. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors that caused students to treat teachers disrespectfully. This mixed-methods inquiry included K-12 teachers and administrators who responded to a social media post and participated in surveys and interviews. Based on my findings, the factors that led to the development of deferential interactions between teachers and students included establishing trusting relationships, reciprocated respect, clear schoolwide behavior expectations, positive communication with parents, and teachers' professional dress. My recommendations were for establishing clear schoolwide behavior expectations, for school districts to …

Mutualism As Mutual Trust: An Ethnographic Case Study On An Elementary-School Teacher-Team Participation In A Science Pd Program, Olga Gould-Yakovleva, Xiufeng Liu

The Qualitative Report

This grounded in social constructivism yearlong ethnographic case study was conducted at the final stage of a larger, longitudinal, multisite, and multi-year project. The current research focused on a group of urban public elementary schoolteachers who volunteered to participate in the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded interdisciplinary science and engineering partnership (ISEP) project. These teachers were enrolled in the professional development (PD) college courses in physics and engineering design, summer research in university laboratories, and interdisciplinary science inquiry (ISI) pedagogy sessions. This research sought to understand the factors which contributed to successful teamwork at the elementary school under investigation. Additionally, this …

Cultivating Massachusetts Public Elementary School Formal Teacher-Leadership, Amy Mitchell

Educational Studies Dissertations

In Massachusetts public elementary schools, teaching and leadership roles are perceived as mutually exclusive rather than interwoven. Despite credentials that would recognize Massachusetts public elementary school teachers as leaders beyond their classrooms, the leadership frame of reference attests that those who have the position, power and authority to lead (e.g., superintendents, directors, principals) are the leaders of schools and school districts. Because of this, the prospect of an expanded pathway for formal public elementary school teacher-leadership is challenged and there is a dearth of literature pertaining to formal teacher-leadership practices in public elementary schools. This study sought to understand this …

A Phenomenological Study On The Effectiveness Of Induction Programs To Prepare Second- And Third-Year Teachers To Meet The Needs Of All Students After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Mary Henschel

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative descriptive study was to identify and describe how second- and third-year elementary school teachers who participated in induction programs perceived the efficacy of the induction programs in preparing them to design and implement effective instructional programs to meet the needs of all students after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology: This phenomenological qualitative descriptive study explored and described second- and third-year teachers participating in induction programs to learn how the induction programs support new teachers after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using convenience sampling, structured interviews were held with 12 participants from Los Angeles County to learn …

Mindfulness: The Missing Link In Education, Ashley L. Baer

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Were you asked to pay attention or behave in school? As educators, we must stop expecting focus and self-regulation, and instead we must teach it. Learn how in this experiential session to connect and regulate students using the breathing ball, games, breath, and movement. Let’s practice!

Engaging Teacher-Student Relationships With All Students, Jess Teal

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Positive teacher-student relationships are essential for a safe classroom that promotes academic achievement and social/emotional development for all children. Teachers need specific practices and resources to support them in establishing positive teacher-student relationships with all their students. All students deserve a consistent adult connection and to call school a safe place to learn and grow.

Inclusive Settings In Belizean Primary Schools: A Focus On Teacher Practices, Katherine A. Curry, Jentre Olsen, Ed Harris, Candy Garnett, Dian Danderson

Journal of Global Education and Research

Educators in Belize are charged with ensuring that all Belizeans are given an opportunity to acquire a quality education that promotes personal development and productive citizenship. Consequently, Belizean law now requires all children from ages five through fourteen to attend at least eight years of primary school. Students with special needs have historically not received accommodations in the education system, so many teachers struggle with meeting the needs of students with learning disabilities in these inclusive settings. This qualitative case study explored teaching strategies and contextual factors in inclusive primary classrooms in Belize and was conducted in the form of …

Yosoy. Language Education Through Culture: A Project For Spanish-English Bilingual Children And Families., Maria Luisa Parra, Marcela Fritzler

11th National Symposium on Spanish as a Heritage Language (Archived)

About one-third, 17.9 million, of the nation’s Latina/o/e population is younger than 18 (Krogstad & Gonzalez-Barrera 2018), being the majority bilingual (Krogstad & Gonzalez-Barrera, 2015), with no access to quality bilingual education to address their strengths and needs (García 2014). Questions about this group’s future capabilities to speak Spanish are central to current theoretical and pedagogical inquiries, efforts, and research. The linguistic dynamism between Spanish and other languages that characterizes this group also raises essential questions about the intergenerational continuity of Spanish and its meaning for young Latina/o/e identities (Valdés 2015).

Many families experience interactions in Spanish with sentimientos encontrados …

Reflections Of “Use Of Comics In Social Studies Education” Course: The Opinion And Experiences Of Teachers, Genç Osman İlhan, Maide Şin

SANE journal: Sequential Art Narrative in Education

It is well known that a quality teacher education is necessary for qualified education. Teachers must be well-trained in multiple areas and have an open-minded structure. They must develop strategies based on the lesson and students, which needs effective material development and use. The materials to be used could be prepared by others and can be incorporated into the classroom setting or teachers could design and present them to students, which is essential for the quality of instruction. When a teacher creates and effectively employs instructional materials, his/her self-confidence will increase and teaching will be enriched and made easier. Comics …

Responding To Disruptive Behaviors In The Classroom, Tatum Bernet

ENGS 15.11: Design and Education

This lesson is designed to prepare Teaching Assistants to effectively respond to disruptive behaviors in the classroom with a 3-step evidence-based framework. It is centered around the overarching idea that all behaviors are a form of communication. The role of an educator is to create an environment that supports learning for all types of students and to teach children how to appropriately communicate their emotions/needs. The 3-step Behavioral Support framework is as follows: 1) Identify behavior 2) Identify the why 3) Identify intervention.

Understanding The Virginia Literacy Act, Candace Bechtold, Kimberly Bridges, David Naff, Joan A. Rhodes, Valerie Robnolt, Tara Davison, Suzanne Alexandre, Michael Crusco, Karli Johansen, Amber Butler, Allison Yandle, Jennifer Askue-Collins, Jean Samuel, Sharrie Merritte, Regina Frazier

MERC Publications

This research and policy brief from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) offers an overview of the Virginia Literacy Act. It is structured to explore the following questions: 1) What are the recent trends in reading achievement in Virginia? 2) What are the policy implications of the VLA for Virginia school divisions? 3) What does the research say about Science of Reading (SoR)? 4) What core instructional programs are approved to meet the VLA? It concludes with a series of key takeaways and recommendations.

Click here to listen to our podcast episode on the Virginia Literacy Act and click here …

Exploring Etymology Assignment Description, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

The English language is a borrowed language, a blend of words from many languages from around the world. We see this in the various ways sounds are represented by letters and letter combinations. In transparent or shallow orthographies, there is high predictability and consistent letter-sound correspondence whereas in opaque or deep orthographies, there are many ways to spell the same sound as well as there are many sounds for the same spellings (Burkins & Yates, 2021; Moats, 2020). This assignment description is a guided inquiry for preservice teachers to explore the concept of etymology by watching and reflecting on six …

Home Of The Brave Book Study Assignment Description, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

Individuals lead storied lives, and everyone has a story to tell. Our stories can be shared orally and documented in print. Often, learners are exposed to stories through novels and other trade books. Teacher educators may benefit from using the stories in novels and trade books as case studies in preservice teacher preparation course. This assignment description outlines how to use the novel, Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate, as a case study to contextualize and understand the lived story of an individual learning a second language and living in a new country. Through the novel, preservice teachers experience …

Fish In A Tree Book Study Assignment Description, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

Individuals lead storied lives, and everyone has a story to tell. Our stories can be shared orally and documented in print. Often, learners are exposed to stories through novels and other trade books. Teacher educators may benefit from using the stories in novels and trade books as case studies in preservice teacher preparation course. This assignment description outlines how to use the novel, Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, as a case study to contextualize and understand the lived story of an individual living and learning with dyslexia. Through the novel, preservice teachers experience the dilemmas faced and …

Moving Through: Supporting Preservice Teachers’ Transition Through College To The Profession Using Homerooms, David Wolff, Mark Diacopoulos, Alexis Durman, Alexis Monks, Madison Adamson, Kim Ballew

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

Preservice Teachers at Pitt State undergo a significant transition from student to professional. Faculty in the College of Education created a weekly Homeroom to support this shift, covering topics like goal setting, power dynamics, generational differences, self-care, identity charts, and time management. Preservice Teachers’ experiences will be shared.

Intentional Planning To Differentiate, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

The proficiency model expects all students to meet the same standards, regardless of their readiness nor ability. The essay discusses how Gentry’s (2014) 2 P’s, 2 C’s, and 2 F’s of Differentiation framework may help teachers plan lessons to meet the array of learning needs in their classroom.

Empowering Diverse Learners: A Comprehensive Approach To Differentiated Instruction (Di) And Culturally Responsive Teaching (Crt), Sujeong Lee

Education | Graduate Culminating Projects

Empowering Diverse Learners: A Comprehensive Approach to Differentiated Instruction (DI) and Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) explores the integration of DI and CRT to create inclusive and equitable educational environments. This project aims to transform classrooms into spaces celebrating students' cultural heritage and addressing diverse learning needs. The primary objectives are to develop inclusive classroom activities, curate practical resources, and design professional development modules. A central feature of this project is the interactive Padlet, "Teacher's Hub: Effective Teaching Resources", which provides a dynamic platform for educators to access and share valuable resources, lesson plans, and strategies for implementing DI …

Pennsylvania K-8 General Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of Preparedness For The Inclusion Of Students With Autism: A Mixed Methods Study, Erica Tate

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Abstract

This convergent mixed-methods study gathered insights from Pennsylvania kindergarten through eighth-grade general education teachers regarding their perceptions of preparedness for including students with autism. Utilizing Bandura's theory of self-efficacy (1962), which underscores the importance of continual opportunities for individuals to build confidence in their abilities, the study sought to understand teachers' viewpoints on their readiness for inclusion. To achieve educator insight, a combination of surveys and interviews was employed to understand better what preservice and in-service educators learned in their pre-professional and professional experiences. In the survey phase, (n=51) general educators responded to questions covering demographics, teacher education programming, …

Pk-12 Faculty And Staff Capacity To Support Student Mental Health, Chin-Chih Chen, David B. Naff, Xun Liu, Jennifer Murphy, Margaret Wallace, Sunny Shin, Kade Goldin, Shenita Williams, Caleb Armwood, Riley Jenkins, Marlene Gooding

MERC Publications

This report from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) depicts findings from a regional survey of PK-12 faculty and staff exploring their professional capacity to meet the mental health needs of their students. Based on responses from approximately 1,000 educators in the MERC region, there were six dimensions of capacity: mental health knowledge, mental health training and confidence, multi-tiered systems of support, positive mental health culture, supportive policies and practices, and responsibility and impact. Findings in the report include position comparisons along these six dimensions as well as an exploration of how capacity varies by school size and demographic composition. …

The Manifestation Of Elementary Teachers’ Mathematical Identities: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Study, Kyle Brun

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

In the most simplistic form, mathematical identities manifest in the statements, “I am good at math” or “I am not good at math”. Once established, individuals’ identities influence how they interact and approach mathematical problem-solving (Bishop, 2012; Boaler, 2013; Boaler & Selling, 2017). The purpose of this mixed-method explanatory sequential study is to explore a deeper understanding of how elementary teachers’ mathematical identities influence their beliefs about effective math instruction. Utilizing an explanatory sequential mixed-method design, a questionnaire was used for the initial quantitative analysis of teachers' mathematical identities. Analysis of survey submissions identified three unique mathematical identity profiles. Two …

A Study Of K-5 Teacher Perceptions Of Home Visits On Attitude, Belief, And Behavior, Dene E. Gainey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the qualitative descriptive study was to explore teacher perceptions of attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs as it pertained to home visits. The body of research available prior to the study focused on parent appreciation and takeaways from home visit experiences and/or students’ achievement as it pertained to having experienced a teacher coming into their home environments. Specifically, the researcher wanted to understand how K-5 teachers perceived their attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs prior to conducting home visits, during home visits and after the home visits were completed.

Through semi-structured interviews, participants were asked a series of questions that were …

5e Instructional Model: A Constructivist Approach To Teaching & Learning, Munira Amirali, Javed Ahmad, Shella Asad, Sadam Hussain, Syed Sardar Hussain, Tahira Jabeen, Tajun Nisa, Wahid Murad

Books

I taught ‘Curriculum Teaching and Learning’ as one of the master-level courses that enables course participants to broaden their understanding of curriculum models, teaching, learning and assessment approaches. The assignment required participants to choose a topic in their subject area, review relevant literature, and identify challenges faced by teachers and students during teaching and learning that topic.
In addition, course participants were asked to list misconceptions students possess regarding the relevant topics and explore possible solutions and recommendations to address the identified challenges and misconceptions. Thus, the course participants developed learning resources (lesson plans) using the 5E model (Engage, Explore, …

Language Learning Simulation Using Duolingo Assignment Description, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

It is likely that preservice teachers will work with students learning English as their second (third, fourth, etc.) language. For preservice teachers to better understand the language learning process, Duolingo was used to simulate the learning experience. The assignment description outlines how preservice teachers can reflection pre-simulation and post-simulation about what they learned about language learning.

Perceptions Of High Stakes Testing And Burnout As Predictors Of Quality Of Life Among Primary School Teachers In Trinidad And Tobago, Victoria Patricia Elder

Dissertations

Problem

This study explored how high-stakes testing (HST) and burnout affected the quality of primary school teachers in Trinidad and Tobago. HST refers to school exams often required by government agencies that are used to make key decisions pertaining to students, teachers, and schools (Embse & Hanson, 2012). Burnout is defined operationally as a psychological syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and impaired personal accomplishment induced by repeated workplace stressors (Maslach & Schaufeli, 2017). Quality of life (QoL) is the measure of an individual’s ability to function physically, emotionally, and socially within his/her environment at a level consistent with his/her own …

Exploring Elementary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Propensity For Teaching Stem, Ashley Wilkirson

Theses and Dissertations--Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education

The following research is conducted in the interest in exploring self-efficacy (or the lack of) in pre- and in-service elementary school teachers when it comes to teaching STEM. In order to explore the issue of self-efficacy for STEM in elementary schools, it comes to defining what STEM education is and what self-efficacy is. These definitions guide research collected in building these future and current teachers’ self-efficacy, with factors ranging from resources available, pre-service training, professional development, content area knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, perceptions of teaching STEM, and opportunities to collaborate with other teachers were listed as some of the reasons. These …

Virtual Learning Walks Assignment Description, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

Learning Walks are structured walkthroughs with the purpose of professional development and growth. Learning Walks include multiple people so that immediate reflections may occur through collaboration. In higher education, model classrooms are not readily available for preservice teachers to practice and apply coursework knowledge. Virtual Learning Walks are a creative approach to resolve this challenge. This assignment asks preservice teachers to watch a recorded lesson with the mindset that they are visiting a colleague’s classroom to observe them for professional growth. Students take notes during the observation then analyze the observation for their own growth.