Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Shifting Beliefs About The Teaching Of Reading: Teacher Candidates’ Responses To The Book Whisperer, Kathleen M. Crawford, Michelle Reidel

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

In this document analysis, the authors explored if and how Miller’s (2009) The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child served as a symbolic model of a reading teacher who teaches her students not just the technical aspects of reading, but also how to enjoy reading. Drawing on social learning theory, the authors investigated how the selected text connected to elementary preservice teachers’ personal reading experiences with reading and learning to read, their preexisting beliefs about teaching reading, and their current observations of reading instruction in field placements. Written reflections, which served as the data source for this …

Differentiated Instruction And Kindergarten Through 5th Grade Teachers, Aslihan Unal, Zafer Unal, Yasar Bodur

Georgia Educational Researcher

The purpose of this article is to examine Kindergarten through 5th-grade teachers’ understanding of differentiated instruction and perception of their ability to implement differentiated instruction in their classrooms. Differentiated instruction is a critical factor for children’s success. Thirty-one K-5 teachers from the state of Georgia participated in this study. The teacher survey on differentiated instruction developed by Tomlinson (2001) and modified by Page (2007) was used in this study. The researchers also included two open-ended, differentiated instruction questions and seven demographic questions. Study results suggested that while teachers mostly agree that differentiation is an important instructional strategy, they are faced …

Student Achievement And Teacher Perceptions Of School Climate In Title 1 And Non-Title 1 Schools, Jennifer E. Pangle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a significant relationship between student achievement and teacher perceptions of school climate. An additional purpose of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference in teacher perceptions between Title 1 and non-Title 1 schools. The final purpose of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference in teacher perceptions of school climate among the schools according to overall student achievement. A series of Spearman’s Correlation analyses were used to analyze data to determine if there was a significant relationship between TVAAS composite …

A Phenomenological Study Of Contributing Factors And Common Trends Related To Teacher Attrition In Western North Carolina, Preston Clarke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A phenomenological approach was used to identify contributing factors and common trends related teacher attrition by conducting interviews with teachers who decided to exit a North Carolina School District located in Western North Carolina. A qualitative approach allowed the researcher to gain valuable insight into the decision-making process of the 15 research participants. Data collection involved conducting one on one telephone interviews with participants by asking a series of open-ended questions that allowed for probing and follow-up questions. Analysis of researcher notes, evaluation of textual data produced by interviews, and observations allowed the qualitative investigator to identify emerging themes and …

Virtual Literacy Coaching: A Response To Time, Space, And Resources, Kimberly Peters

Michigan Reading Journal

Athletes use video all the time to carefully breakdown their physical performance while also selecting areas to improve based on video footage. Why should teachers be any less engaged in their instructional performance? Applying these same principles in education has potential to create an awareness in a teacher’s literacy instructional performance. Virtual literacy coaching is a job embedded professional learning model and it was one rural educational district's answer to time, space, and resources.

Remote Learning - The Future Of Education: Effective Instructional Strategies Used By Parent Educators And Recommendations For Building Capacity, Raelene Ferguson Haugen

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods Delphi study was to identify the remote learning instructional strategies used by expert Southern California parent educators for implementing the anticipatory set, modeling, checking for understanding, and guided practice elements of Madeline Cheek Hunter’s Instructional Theory Into Practice (ITIP) framework. The study sought to identify how expert Southern California parent educators rated the effectiveness of the remote learning instructional strategies in the aforementioned elements of Hunter’s ITIP framework. Additionally, the purpose was to generate recommendations from expert Southern California parent educators to build capacity in the identified effective instructional strategies.

Methodology: The classical …

Perceptions Of Out-Of-School Reading Motivation For Female Middle School Students, Danielle Porch

Dissertations

Literacy engagement and motivation to read is lacking in middle school reading classrooms. Educators struggle with the challenge of motivating students to read and actively engage with text both inside and outside of school. Research indicates that female and male middle school students have unique characteristics and habits as readers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perspectives of female middle school students regarding their out-of-school recreational reading time, their attitudes towards reading, and their reading habits. The themes derived from this study indicated the students’ desires to have their reading instruction personalized and have their reading …

Creating Inclusive Differentiated Classrooms For English Language Learners, Jenifer Geisler

Graduate Teacher Education

There are many English language learner (ELL) students in United States schools. These students have varying needs and abilities, yet they legally and ethically have the right to an equal education. The purpose of this research was to find ways to best meet the needs of ELL students in inclusive classrooms. Research of fifteen studies related to this important topic have been analyzed and synthesized in order to better understand what schools and educators could do to meet the needs of ELL students. These studies included information on ELL family systems and mental health. The research continued with studies related …

Teaching With The Genius In Mind: Enacting Literacy As A Civil Right, Katie Glupker, Pam Gower, Angela Knight

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

Because literacy is a civil right, educators are responsible for designing and implementing literacy education that is designed with the excellence of all students in mind. In order to learn about ways to ensure that literary practices are equitable for all students, the authors joined an educators’ book club to read Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy by Gholdy Muhammad. Muhammad describes the Black literary societies of the past and challenges educators of today to enhance classrooms by upholding equity and excellence through a five-layered framework: Identity, Skills, Intellect, Criticality, and Joy.

We studied Muhammad’s …

Promoting Play-Based Learning Strategies In The Upper Elementary And Lower Middle School Classroom, Michelle L. Randall

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This white paper is framed by an understanding of the proposed influence play has on the process of supporting children’s developmental needs while simultaneously strengthening their ability to receive and recall academic content. The white paper is driven by a self-motivated desire to reimagine the ways in which teachers deliver and review content at the upper elementary and lower middle school level. By upper elementary, I am referring to the 4^th and 5^th grade classroom. By lower middle school, I am referring to the 6^th grade classroom.

The past decade of research regarding play-based pedagogy and play-based …

School Leadership Support: Understanding The Experiences Of Elementary-Level Teachers During A Global Health Pandemic, Kathleen M. Crawford, Pamela Wells, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Kristen N. Dickens, Katherine Fallon

School Leadership Review

The purpose of this study was to better understand how the current COVID-19 global health pandemic has professionally and emotionally impacted elementary-level teachers. Teachers experienced diverse challenges during this unprecedented time with a rapid shift from in-person to online learning. Two overarching themes emerged based on participant experiences: abandoning best practices and increased stress and emotional pain. Implications for practice included the need for school leaders to evaluate the current level of support being provided to teachers and assess areas of need to support professional and emotional growth with the backdrop of the pandemic. We encourage future research with all …

Assessment Of Teachers' Perception Of The Provision, Use, And Maintenance Of Information And Communication Technology Facilities (Ict) In Ekiti State Primary School Libraries In Nigeria, Mensah Prince Osiesi, Chigozie Celestina Oke Dr, Adejimi Oluwatobi Busiyi Mr, Adenike Lucia Arulebe Mrs, Nnaemeka Chijioke Okorie Mr, Onyiye Maureen Okoh Mrs

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study assessed teachers' perception of the provision, use, and maintenance of ICT facilities in Ekiti State Primary school libraries in Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive survey research type. The population of the study comprised all public primary school teachers in Ekiti State. The multistage sampling procedure was used in selecting the sample for the study. An instrument termed "Teachers' Perception of the Provision, Utilisation, and Maintenance of ICT Facilities in Primary School Libraries Questionnaire" was used for data collection, and was validated with its reliability ascertained. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency counts and percentages). …

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 …

Beyond Burnout: How Elementary Teachers Cope And Flourish In A Pandemic-Era School, Valerie Cherbero

Education | Master's Theses

Many studies describe the pervasiveness of burnout in underserved schools and the factors that lead to burnout, but those studies rarely utilize the voices and lived experiences of teachers (Camacho et al., 2021). Many studies also describe reasons why teachers leave the field, but few explore why teachers remain in the field and what coping strategies they use to persevere through burnout (Turner & Theilking, 2019). These gaps in the literature are particularly pressing as rates of teacher burnout and attrition have reached alarming levels (Kamenetz, 2022).

Through in-depth interviews with four teachers at an underserved school in the Bay …

Adults Perspectives Of Friendships And Social Interaction Between Students With And Without Complex Support Needs During A Pandemic, Jorden Morales

Special Education ETDs

Social interactions and friendships are important for all individuals including those with complex support needs (CSN). The voices of adults including parents/guardians, primary caregivers, teachers, and related service providers who responded to a survey provided insight into supporting social interactions and friendships for children with CSN during the Covid-19 pandemic This mixed methods study used thematic analysis to explore participants’ responses to open-ended questions while multiple choice questions were analyzed through descriptive statistics. Additionally, this study included a research narrative to speak to the various roles I hold related to this study (i.e., parent, educator, researcher). Three themes emerged from …

Trauma Healing With The Neurosequential Model Of Therapy And Bal-A-Vis-X, Becky Johnston

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Stigma related to childhood trauma is shifting with the help of advancements in the understanding of neurobiology and interventions that are proving to be effective for healing. There are immense costs and consequences for survivors of childhood trauma and their loved ones that were not so long ago considered irrelevant and the notion that kids bounce back from adversity was previously popular in the psychological community (Perry & Szalavitz, 2017). The broad strokes of Dr. Bruce Perry’s clinical intervention model, The Neurosequential Model of Therapy (NMT) describes a trauma-sensitive, sequential approach to changing the stress response within mental health counseling. …

Teaching Specials Teachers To Use Behavior Specific Praise In Elementary School, Elizabeth Rich

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Behavior-specific praise (BSP) has been shown to be an effective intervention across age groups for improving behavior in the school setting, including increasing on-task behavior, increasing engaged behavior, and reducing disruptive behavior. Following a review of the literature, the researcher selected tactile prompting paired with a visual prompt to increase specials teachers’ use of BSP. Using a multiple probe across participants design with an add-in component, this study investigated the effects of a visual prompt and a tactile prompt paired with a visual prompt to increase BSP use for two elementary school music teachers. Researchers also examined whether increasing BSP …

Leading With Heart: How Exemplary K-5 Principals Demonstrate Transformational Leadership Through Heart-Based Practices, Teresa Hubbard

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how exemplary K-5 principals in Southern California lead from the heart using Mark Crowley’s (2011) 4 principles (building a highly engaged team, connecting on a personal level, maximizing employee potential and valuing and honoring achievements) to accomplish extraordinary results in their schools.

Methodology: This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological methodology to study the behaviors of elementary principals. This study, due to current Covid restrictions, included virtual one-on-one interviews that were held via the Zoom online platform. The data collected included audio and video recordings, written transcripts, and artifacts from school …

Six Strategies For Classroom Success: Enhancing Teaching And Learning For English Learners In Diverse Content Areas, Scott Freiberger

Journal of English Learner Education

As a result of the pandemic, teaching and learning has changed drastically over the past few years (Dascalu et al., 2021). Planning for classroom success for English Learners (ELs) includes pivoting to using educational technology to keep students motivated with well-planned topics, thought-provoking discussions, and respectful yet probing questioning techniques (Freiberger, 2020). In addition to enhancing academic language, educators may also consider infusing various contemporary technologies to revamp vocabulary knowledge, uplift language and literacy, and polish academic performance. Here are six strategies for enhancing teaching and learning for ELs in diverse content areas.

When Teachers Are The Gatekeepers Of Gifted And Talented Programs: Potential Factors For English Learners' Underrepresentation And Possible Solutions, Isabel Haller-Gryc

Journal of English Learner Education

The inclusion of English learners (ELs) in gifted and talented (GT) programs is an issue needing attention as data reveal that this group is still disproportionately under-represented. This article discusses the concerns when the GT identification process is dependent upon general education teacher referrals. Teachers’ implicit biases, lack of familiarity with the knowledge and skills required to work with English learners, and a lack of understanding of what "gifted" looks like in diverse students are identified as potential contributors to an inequitable gifted identification process that many ELs experience. The author discusses perceived solutions to combat the under-representation that results …

Collaborative Writing With Young Multilingual Learners, Loren D. Jones, Luciana C. De Oliveira

Journal of English Learner Education

Effectively teaching writing to multilingual learners (MLs) has been identified as one of the most prominent challenges currently facing educators. Collaborative writing has been identified as one promising pedagogical practice that responds to this challenge; however, little of the existing research focuses on the elementary level. This study seeks to address this gap in the literature, describing a design-based research study focused on collaborative writing with MLs in a diverse first-grade classroom. This paper showcases two iterations of collaborative writing, closely examining the how-to and opinion texts that two focal MLs produced with their peers. The evaluation of students’ writing …

Closing The Opportunity Gap: A Story Of English Learners And Their True Ability, Natasa Karac

Journal of English Learner Education

When English learners (ELs) are presented with opportunities to participate in enrichment activities, their motivation to learn and their performance mimic those of their non-EL peers. Opportunities that offer authentic engagement and challenge student thinking bring together learners of all profiles to show that their true ability is more than that observed through a lens of standardized test scores. EL academic outcomes can be negatively impacted by limited opportunities offered within academic settings as a result of perceived differences. This text challenges the perspective of standard, remedial English learning program models and calls for a model that truly builds on …

The Impacts Of Cooperative Learning In Classrooms On Student Social Skills, Joseph Larson

Master's Theses

This mixed-methods action research study investigates potential effects of cooperative learning strategies on observed and self-reported student social skills in a fourth grade classroom. Baseline data is collected at a time when the classroom is predominantly whole-group and is then compared to ensuing data collected during and after cooperative learning interventions. Opportunities for students to work in interdependent partnerships and small groups ramps up gradually and culminates in a 3-week period which includes 3 different jigsaw-style lesson activities. Data suggests that students who are unaccustomed to working with peers may struggle to exhibit required social skills that make cooperative learning …

Use Of Encouragement In The Classroom To Help Students Succeed [2022], Erin Fieldhouse

Master's Theses

This case study is based on a one student study that used a mixed methods approach seeing the effects of encouragement in the classroom and how it might help a student socially and emotionally. Data was collected throughout a 12-week period based around the findings of field notes and a survey that was implemented into the classroom. Preliminary findings are inconclusive based on students having more difficulties that affect them in different ways. This paper will provided [sic] information about how to use encouragement in the classroom.

Teachers are always trying to find new methods to help their students. …

The Influence Of Short-Term Goal Setting On Student Performance And Motivation, Amber Lefever

Master's Theses

Student goal setting is one powerful tool that can influence students' attitudes and achievements. This mixed-methods study examines the effects of short-term goal setting on the performance and motivation of students in a fifth-grade classroom. Students set weekly goals and tracked their performance through daily self-reflection. The goal-setting intervention provided students an opportunity to gain success through intrinsic rewards and strengthen their self-efficacy skills. Data were collected and analyzed over a three-week time frame. This presentation provides details on the effectiveness of goal setting in the classroom and procedures for structuring goal-setting interventions for upper elementary students.

Collaborative Teaching And Inclusion In Northeast, Tn, Sherianne Pigeon

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Collaborative teaching is a commonly used, research-based method to support inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom. However, there is a lack of research describing current teachers’ experiences with and perceptions of collaborative teaching and inclusion. Results from a survey disseminated to teachers in Northeast TN school systems revealed that 64.3% of respondents have either never co-taught a class or have co-taught only one or two classes. Additionally, respondents agree that collaborative teaching is beneficial to support inclusion, enhance delivery of instruction, improve teacher relations and improve classroom management. However, teachers expressed collaborative teaching is more …

The Importance Of Parent-Teacher Communication And Collaboration And How To Enhance Them For Various Types Of Families, Madeleine O'Neil

Senior Honors Projects

An educator is defined as someone who provides instruction to others. What this definition does not include is how the role of a teacher or educator goes far beyond merely providing instructions and teaching others. In order to be effective, teachers must learn how to adequately communicate and collaborate with their students, other education professionals, and families. Especially in the education field, teachers must learn how to communicate and collaborate with each student’s family to help create positive, productive, and beneficial professional relationships.

Communication should be ongoing and should be carried out in a manner that works for both the …

Impact Of Positive Classroom Environment On Elementary School Students’ Learning, Marisa Contrada

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

When students are asked if they like school or not, their answer is typically negative for the reason that they don’t feel comfortable in the classroom. Classroom environment is where their mindset could be changed. Classroom environment has not been a prominent topic of discussion. This senior capstone research report was designed to shed light on the importance of classroom environment. Through the use of literature review, classroom observations, teacher interviews, and anonymous student survey, positive classroom environment has a tremendous impact on students learning. This senior capstone examines the importance of classroom environment as well as strategies in creating …

Phenomenon-Based Instruction In The Elementary Classroom: Impact On Student Engagement And Achievement In Science Content Learning, Chris Taylor

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Phenomenon-based teaching is a multidisciplinary instructional approach based on student inquiry and problem solving. Students investigate and solve their own questions by applying what topics are relevant to the problem. The goal of phenomenon-based learning is to prepare learners to solve problems in real life. Instead of passively learning abstract or disconnected concepts, phenomenon-based instruction provides student’s rich and meaningful context to the subject by actively engaging them to discover knowledge and skills required to solve the problems. Phenomenon-based instruction gives students the opportunities for discourse, argumentation-using claims with supporting evidence, and making sense of the material being covered, ultimately …

Curiosity, Motivation, Autonomy, And Lifelong Learning In Education And The United States Marine Corps, Cynthia Malmquist

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

Curiosity, intrinsic motivation, and autonomy-supportive teaching all promote lifelong learning in both the classroom and Marine Corps. Humans are all born with curiosity. Children inherently practice forms of intrinsic motivation. Most would agree that they do not like being micromanaged - they enjoy a sense of freedom when completing tasks. Despite this, many students learn in a controlling environment and many Marines work under controlling leaders. Though a large amount of time is spent on learning through the first 18 years of life, lifelong learning does not come naturally and is not commonly practiced. The research and ideas discussed below …