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California State University, Monterey Bay

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Full-Text Articles in Elementary Education

Integrating Mindfulness Into School Classrooms, Crystal Chesshire Dec 2019

Integrating Mindfulness Into School Classrooms, Crystal Chesshire

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone research project examines how mindfulness could be integrated into the school classrooms through the use of literature review, interviews with elementary school teachers in the Monterey Bay area and surveys with several students along with one subject participant at the California State University Monterey Bay. As a result, the findings reveal that most students and teachers thought that mindfulness proved to be successful and useful when integrating it with the younger population to deal with their emotions.

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No Habla Espanol: Are Monolingual Teachers Getting The Support They Need?, Rosa I. Castillo-Rocha Dec 2019

No Habla Espanol: Are Monolingual Teachers Getting The Support They Need?, Rosa I. Castillo-Rocha

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this Capstone Project, the researchers investigated how monolingual teachers view the support and resources they received to teach English Language Learners (ELL) and what they thought could be done to improve their teaching effectiveness. An evidence-based argument is offered that monolingual teachers were not being provided with effective support and resources. More specifically, three themes emerged from an analysis of the data obtained from interviews of monolingual teachers and administrators. Based on the emergent themes, an action was undertaken to help monolingual teachers better address the needs of ELLs. This is an important issue for monolingual teachers because the …

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No Habla Espanol: Are Monolingual Teachers Getting The Support They Need?, Cristina Benavides Dec 2019

No Habla Espanol: Are Monolingual Teachers Getting The Support They Need?, Cristina Benavides

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this Capstone Project, the researchers investigated how monolingual teachers view the support and resources they received to teach English Language Learners (ELL) and what they thought could be done to improve their teaching effectiveness. An evidence based argument is offered that monolingual teachers were not being provided with effective support and resources. More specifically, three themes emerged from an analysis of the data obtained from interviews of monolingual teachers and administrators. Based on the emergent themes, an action was undertaken to help monolingual teachers better address the needs of ELLs. This is an important issue for monolingual teachers because …

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Gnome Waste Warriors: Waste Reduction Through Sustainability, Hayley E.R. Frost Rubino Dec 2019

Gnome Waste Warriors: Waste Reduction Through Sustainability, Hayley E.R. Frost Rubino

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project was on how waste and waste reduction could positively impact a community. Waste reduction is an important issue because the negative impacts of waste affect the whole planet. By educating Monterey Gnome School (MGS) about waste, changes in daily habits are intended to result in lasting change. An evidence-based argument is offered that waste is a global issue that negatively impacts the earth's landmasses, oceans, and human health. Both MGS staff and students were interviewed and surveyed, as their perspectives provide unique aspects of thinking about waste issues. The themes that emerged from an …

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Reading Rainbow: Give Hope To Struggling Readers, Celia Higer Dec 2019

Reading Rainbow: Give Hope To Struggling Readers, Celia Higer

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this Senior Capstone Project, the researcher investigated what stakeholders had to say about reading difficulties, the Irlen Method, and how to increase awareness and access to the Irlen Method in schools. Based on analysis of the data and the relevant research literature, the researcher used what she learned to formulate an action that responded to the focus issue. This is important to students and other stakeholders that have reading difficulties.

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No Habla Español: Are Monolingual Teachers Getting The Support They Need?, Natalie Correa Dec 2019

No Habla Español: Are Monolingual Teachers Getting The Support They Need?, Natalie Correa

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this Capstone Project, the researchers investigated how monolingual teachers view the support and resources they received to teach English Language Learners (ELL) and what they thought could be done to improve their teaching effectiveness. An evidence based argument is offered that monolingual teachers were not being provided with effective support and resources. More specifically, three themes emerged from an analysis of the data obtained from interviews of monolingual teachers and administrators. Based on the emergent themes, an action was undertaken to help monolingual teachers better address the needs of ELLs. This is an important issue for monolingual teachers because …

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Increasing Bullying Awareness In Elementary School Special Needs Students, Maria Olvera Dec 2019

Increasing Bullying Awareness In Elementary School Special Needs Students, Maria Olvera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Students with learning disabilities are two to three times more likely to be bullied than nondisabled peers (Banks, 2009). Students in special education need to be continually taught to identify the signs of being bullied and when to speak up to an adult if they are being bullied due to them being a hire target. It is important to teach students about expressing their feelings and identify common bully characteristics. Students with disabilities are already addressing challenges in the academic environment. There are many risks that can develop from a special needs child who is not reporting bullying at school …

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Cultural Representation In The Classroom, Priscilla R. Rodriguez May 2019

Cultural Representation In The Classroom, Priscilla R. Rodriguez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The purpose of this paper is to establish the importance of cultural-representation in schools where the majority of the students identify as Latino. The participants for the Capstone Project included a classroom of third-grade students in a public elementary school located on California’s Central Coast. The supporting literature provides additional information on why incorporating culturally-relevant literature is needed. The issue is what books are available to the students that talk about their culture. By providing culturally-relevant books to students in the classroom in hopes to promote a more positive relationship with reading and a personal relationship with attending school. For …

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Benefits Of Bilingual Education Programs For Elementary School Students, Jesica Moreno May 2019

Benefits Of Bilingual Education Programs For Elementary School Students, Jesica Moreno

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The benefits of bilingual education programs are endless; however, with Prop 227, students were disregarded the opportunity to learn in a more accepting, multicultural classroom environment. Now with the passage of the new Prop 58 in recent year, it is important for our community to become more familiar with the most effective bilingual education programs and their benefits on students. The purpose of this senior capstone is to examine the benefits of bilingual education programs on elementary school students through a literature review, interviews with teachers, and interviews with parents. The results reveal that the benefits of bilingual education programs …

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Teaching 4th Grade Students About Nutrition, Raquel Gaytan May 2019

Teaching 4th Grade Students About Nutrition, Raquel Gaytan

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Most children do not know how to make healthy food choices and understand why they have to have a good nutrition. It is important for children to know why having a good nutrition is important for their bodies and health. Without good understanding of nutrition, children are not able to care for their health. To address the children's’ lack of knowledge, I created a 3-day lesson on nutrition and delivered it to a 4th grade classroom in Del Rey Elementary in King City, California.

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Benefits Of Play For The Social And Emotional Development Of Children In Kindergarten, Chelsea Andrade May 2019

Benefits Of Play For The Social And Emotional Development Of Children In Kindergarten, Chelsea Andrade

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

There is an increasing push to focus on academics at a young age and take play out of learning. Research shows that play is beneficial for the social and emotional development of children. Play helps children to learn self-control, emotion-regulation, communication, conflict resolution, and so much more. This senior capstone project explored how play is beneficial for the social and emotional development of children in kindergarten. Through a literature review and surveys conducted with fourteen kindergarten teachers in Monterey County, results showed how beneficial play is for kindergarten students. The results from surveys also revealed how teachers in Monterey County …

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Effects Of Military Life On Children’S Academic Performance, Renee Marie Edwards May 2019

Effects Of Military Life On Children’S Academic Performance, Renee Marie Edwards

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Children with at least one military parent are in public classrooms all over the United States. The military lifestyle is one of a kind, and it is essential for educators to understand its effects. Through use of literature review and interviews with local elementary teachers, this capstone examines the effects of the military lifestyle on their children’s academic performance. Military life can cause some emotional, social and behavioral problems among children depending on what they are currently experiencing. It is important for educators to understand what military children are experiencing in order to best support them academically and emotionally.

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Importance Of Implementing Native American History In School Curricula, Kirsten Kite May 2019

Importance Of Implementing Native American History In School Curricula, Kirsten Kite

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Even though there is legislation in place to implement Native American History in schools such as Senate Bill 48, there is room to improve. This senior capstone examines the importance of implementing Native American history in school curricula through the use of literature review, teachers interview and student surveys. The finding revealed that teachers do not have sufficient materials or resources to teach Native American history, and students do not have an adequate understanding of its history as well prior to graduating high school. In addition, teaching Native American history from an unbiased perspective is both beneficial to Native American …

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Effects Of Bilingual Education Programs On Elementary Latino English Language Learners, Linda Pinon Gutierrez May 2019

Effects Of Bilingual Education Programs On Elementary Latino English Language Learners, Linda Pinon Gutierrez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Throughout time, bilingual education supports native language and transfers that knowledge to learn a new language. However, it has radically changed throughout the decades in the United States. Many researchers argued that bilingual education is effective, while others debated that it is not. This capstone research project examines the effects of bilingual education programs on elementary Latino English language learners through the use of literature review, interviews with principals and teachers and anonymous survey with students in the Monterey Bay area. While bilingual education has been controversial, the findings of this senior capstone reveal that bilingual education has positive effects …

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Importance Of Combining Physical Activity And Health And Wellness In To Physical Education Within Schools., Chandler Mckean May 2019

Importance Of Combining Physical Activity And Health And Wellness In To Physical Education Within Schools., Chandler Mckean

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone project brings to light the importance of physical activity and health and wellness education in connecting a child’s mind and internal body, to their physical outer body. This project examines the physical education curriculum in its entirety and displays the current pros and shortcomings in physical education within schools. Today, the education system strives to educate its students to the best of their abilities. This focus has begun to push away non-academic classes, such as physical education, to devote more time and resources in other areas, e.g. math, sciences, and language arts. Through the use of literature …

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Benefits Of After-School Programs On Elementary School Students, Cynthia Cramer May 2019

Benefits Of After-School Programs On Elementary School Students, Cynthia Cramer

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

As a prospective educator and mother of six children, I often ask myself, what specific benefits can my child obtain through an after-school program? What is the structure of the after-school program? Would my child get help with homework if he or she needs it? Would he or she be allotted time to read, and does the after-school program follow the mandated Common Core State Standards? Organizations such as The Youth Orchestra of Salinas (YOSAL) as well as those associated within our elementary schools offer additional support to help meet the needs and interests of all students, parents, educators and …

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Teaching In A Digital Age: Internet Safety Education, Christina Putnam May 2019

Teaching In A Digital Age: Internet Safety Education, Christina Putnam

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper is an exploration into internet safety education for elementary age students. The participants for this Capstone Project included 22 fourth-grade students that attend a free after school program, located in the Bay Area of California. This paper took a look at the issues that arise for children on the internet and what is important for them to know for their well being while using it. This Capstone will describe a four-week program created in effort to better educate students on how to stay safe and act appropriately while being a part of the online community. The findings that …

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Life Through Different Lenses, Teresa Morales Dec 2018

Life Through Different Lenses, Teresa Morales

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this capstone project, my partner and I were able to explore the lack of affordable housing for low-income families and the demonstrable effect on students academic achievement. Children whose families have a difficult time finding adequate housing, live in poor conditions that limits them to acquire their learning skills and abilities to succeed. The community partner we worked with was a local Family Resource Center that provides housing assistance and other social determinants. The purpose of this research was understand how low-income families deal with inadequate living conditions and the impacts of student academic success. Based on an analysis …

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Fostering The Concept Of Autonomy In School-Aged Children, Michelle Newcombe May 2018

Fostering The Concept Of Autonomy In School-Aged Children, Michelle Newcombe

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Studies show that autonomy in school-age children helps students in terms of academics and in becoming well-rounded members of the society (Bandura, 1993). This senior capstone explores how autonomy is taught successfully in Japanese schools, explains its structure, and how it can be facilitated. Through the use of literature review as well as surveys conducted with 12 Japanese exchange students and 15 Liberal Studies students, results were inconclusive and are premature to determine how the concept of autonomy is fostered in U.S school-aged children. However, the literature review found that in Japanese elementary schools, educators use the Self-Determination theory and …

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Academic And Social Effects Of Waldorf Education On Elementary School Students, Christian Zepeda May 2018

Academic And Social Effects Of Waldorf Education On Elementary School Students, Christian Zepeda

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

As society becomes more critical of public education, alternative education systems are becoming more popular. The Waldorf education system, based on the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, has increased in popularity and commonality each decade. Currently, 23 Waldorf institutions exist in California. With this increase in popularity, it is important to analyze and examine the effectiveness of this education philosophy. An examination of Waldorf education, through research and interviews of Waldorf teachers and administration, will provide parents and teachers with an understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, Waldorf education provides a positive environment for students, yielding positive effects but this …

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Benefits Of Educational Services For Students With Disabilities, Miguel Zazueta-Ruiz May 2018

Benefits Of Educational Services For Students With Disabilities, Miguel Zazueta-Ruiz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone research project examines the benefits of educational services that schools offer to students with disabilities for a smooth transition from elementary school level to middle school and high school level. Federal and state laws, e.g. the Re-authorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA) of 2004, ensure that students with disabilities receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) specifically designed to provide services to meet the needs of individual student with disabilities through the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Through the use of relevant literature review and surveys …

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Expanding Kindergarten Students’ Understanding Of Family Types, Kaitlyn Kroneman May 2018

Expanding Kindergarten Students’ Understanding Of Family Types, Kaitlyn Kroneman

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Today, family dynamics are drastically changing. Many children may not recognize the variances of family members and styles. To educate young students, I formulated a 3-session lesson to address different family dynamics with Kindergarten students at Dual Language Academy. My goal is to form an understanding among the students of diversity and inclusion within families.

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Moral Commitment And Ethical Action In The Classroom: Integrating Morality, Ethics, And Values Into Curriculum, Joseph Castillo May 2018

Moral Commitment And Ethical Action In The Classroom: Integrating Morality, Ethics, And Values Into Curriculum, Joseph Castillo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In this capstone project, I argue for the importance of incorporating the teaching of morals and ethics within the classroom. I ground this argument in a critical analysis of William Ayers’ Teaching Toward Freedom and a curriculum that links Ayers’ thesis with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birmingham Letter. The review of Teaching Toward Freedom is designed to elicit why this is a critical book for the field of teacher education. In particular, the analysis focuses on Ayers’ development of a philosophical argument about the need for public school educators to commit to “moral” and “ethical action” within the …

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Play It Forward: Cooperative Learning & Structured Play During Recess, Tyler Elwin, Mary Rossi Dec 2017

Play It Forward: Cooperative Learning & Structured Play During Recess, Tyler Elwin, Mary Rossi

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Cooperative learning and structured play (CLASP) are two things that have gone unappreciated in the modern educational setting. This is an important issue for many local low-income schools as the dropout rate is so high. CLASP ideals come with a wide array of positive outcomes that look to brighten the futures of affected youth. CLASP provides an incredible number of scholarly benefits: increased school involvement, higher GPA, improved interpersonal relationships, increased ability to work as a team, etc. This capstone identifies these critical benefits and addresses the best way to properly utilize CLASP within the school setting. The three primary …

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Slipping Through The Cracks: A Look Into Special Education Referrals, Courtney Musselman Dec 2017

Slipping Through The Cracks: A Look Into Special Education Referrals, Courtney Musselman

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Special Education is offered in many schools today and more and more students are being referred to this type of education. For this capstone project three local special education teachers were interviewed about the referral process and what could be done to improve it. This is an important issue because many students are slipping through the cracks when it comes to be identified and others are being overly identified. The referral process is important because it provides students with an equal opportunity for education. Findings from the interviews and information from a relevant literature review were used to develop an …

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Padres Activos, Ninos Creativos/Active Parents, Creative Children 2017, Judith Aguilera Dec 2017

Padres Activos, Ninos Creativos/Active Parents, Creative Children 2017, Judith Aguilera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

There is a high percentages of monolingual Spanish speaking parents who do not know how to navigate the school systems, especially in the East Salinas. Therefore, it is very difficult for parents to collaborate with schools without having the basic information that each parent must have in order to navigate the school systems. I did my capstone project at Building Healthy Communities in Salinas, CA. In 2009 Building Healthy Communities became one of The California Endowment’s 14 initiatives. BHC is a ten-year initiative with four focus campaigns where it collaborates directly with different non-profit organizations. BHC is committed to improve …

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Blooming Relationships: Increasing Communication Between Parents And Teachers, Jasmine Negrete Dec 2017

Blooming Relationships: Increasing Communication Between Parents And Teachers, Jasmine Negrete

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone project is on strengthening the communication between parents and teachers by providing an alternative method of communication that will suit both parties. Both parties have expectations for one another that need to be communicated in order to benefit the students. The primary stakeholder perspectives surveyed were the parents of the children and the teachers and administrators. Three action options emerged from an analysis of the data and were explored as ways to address the issue presented. Parents were provided with access to an application called Bloomz, which is accessible by smartphones, tablets and computers.

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Let's Talk: Increasing Communication With Dual- Immersion Parents, Carmina Tirado Dec 2017

Let's Talk: Increasing Communication With Dual- Immersion Parents, Carmina Tirado

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In 2016, California passed Proposition 58, which repealed Proposition 227. The latter proposition, passed in 1998, prohibited the use of non- English instruction in public schools across California. Since then, bilingual education programs such as dual- immersion, or two-way immersion programs have seen a rise in enrollment. Due to its novelty, parental involvement is crucial for the success of the program. This Capstone project focuses on understanding the obstacles that parents of second language learner students, specifically those in dual-immersion programs face when it comes to their involvement. Several factors such as language barriers, parent/teacher misunderstanding, and time restraints, can …

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Let’S Talk: Increasing Communication In The Dual-Immersion Setting, Iliana Izquierdo Dec 2017

Let’S Talk: Increasing Communication In The Dual-Immersion Setting, Iliana Izquierdo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In 2016, California passed Proposition 58, which repealed Proposition 227. The latter proposition, passed in 1998, prohibited the use of non- English instruction in public schools across California. Since then, bilingual education programs such as dual- immersion, or two-way immersion programs have seen a rise in enrollment. Due to its novelty, parental involvement is crucial for the success of the program. This Capstone project focuses on understanding the obstacles that parents of second language learner students, specifically those in dual-immersion programs face when it comes to their involvement. Several factors such as language barriers, parent/teacher misunderstanding, and time restraints, can …

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Reclaiming Childhood: Effects Of Homework On Elementary Students, Alyssa Bomarito Dec 2017

Reclaiming Childhood: Effects Of Homework On Elementary Students, Alyssa Bomarito

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone project is on homework and its effects on elementary students. This is an important issue because students are being placed under a great amount of pressure and are subject to unnecessary stress. An evidence based argument is offered that homework is not beneficial academically, mentally or emotionally for young students, and is therefore not justifiable for the stress and pressure it puts on them. The three primary stakeholder perspectives examined were those of teachers, students, and parents because of their relation to the issue and for the comparison of each participant's opinion. Scholarly literature was …

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