Elementary Education and Teaching Commons^™

Personality And Science Training As Predictors Of Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs, Holly Saint

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Various factors have been researched over the past decade related to teaching efficacy under NCLB. Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) guided this correlational study with 13 Alabama and 10 Tennessee public school districts to examine 114 K-4 teachers' personality measured by the Big Five Inventory (BFI) personality factors; science pre-service training and school-district professional development training measured by an unpublished Science Training Survey; and science teaching efficacy beliefs measured by the Science Teacher Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI). The BFI's personality factors and science training were examined in combination using a hierarchical linear regression in an eight-step model while controlling for …

Temperament In Early Childhood And Peer Interactions In Third Grade: The Role Of Teacher–Child Relationships In Early Elementary Grades, Kathleen Moritz Rudasill, Kate Niehaus, Eric S. Buhs, Jamie M. White

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Children’s interactions with peers in early childhood have been consistently linked to their academic and social outcomes. Although both child and classroom characteristics have been implicated as contributors to children’s success, there has been scant research linking child temperament, teacher–child relationship quality, and peer interactions in the same study. The purpose of this study is to examine children’s early temperament, rated at preschool age, as a predictor of interactions with peers (i.e., aggression, relational aggression, victimization, and prosociality) in third grade while considering teacher–child relationship quality in kindergarten through second grades as a moderator and mediator of this association. The …

Teachers' Perceptions Toward Implementing English As A Foreign Language At Kindergarten: What Can We Learn From The Case Of Kuwaiti Kindergarten Teachers?, Kawthar M. Habeeb

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The teaching of English as a foreign language has a promising outlook in the nation of Kuwait. Recent policy reflects language development theories that see early childhood as an especially good period for the learning of a foreign language. Thus, English is now taught at 30 public kindergartens in Kuwait. However, the program apparently was implemented quickly, with little consideration for how teachers and other stakeholders would respond to it. This paper explores that program in the context of the perceptions and views of teachers affected by it.

A review of the existing curriculum points towards deficiencies, and investigation of …

Factors That Contribute To Burnout Among Elementary School Counselors, Yesenia Lopez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between elementary school counselors' self-efficacy, counselor-to-student ratio, and employment in a Title I school and burnout on the dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. This study also investigated which factor(s) (i.e., self-efficacy, counselor-to-student ratio, or employment in a Title I school) predicts burnout on the dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment among elementary school counselors. Data collected from 84 elementary school counselors were used to test four hypotheses. A significant positive relation was found between elementary school counselors' self-efficacy and personal accomplishment. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were not related to elementary …

The Effects Of Summer Reading Programs On The Academic Achievement Of Elementary Students, Renee Deshommes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Children with weakened academic skills face the possibility of having less access to higher education, or advanced career opportunities later in life. Such disadvantages, if not addressed, may result in a series of diminished opportunities that may affect a child's overall quality of life. Several educational experts suggest that the negative effects of the academic achievement gap are cumulative, and many educational experts also believe that the achievement gap between high and low socioeconomic students continues to be a persistent problem for which few solutions have materialized. The potential for summer reading programs to be implemented as a mechanism to …

Landscapes To Learnscapes: Exploring Schoolyard-Based Education, Emily I. Palena, Caroline T. Spurgin

Pitzer Senior Theses

This thesis explores schoolyard-based education as a viable and necessary method for rectifying the shortcomings within the American public school system and the Nature-deficit Disorder epidemic. We argue that schoolyard-based education should be fully integrated into the school system, not in the sole form of popularized school gardens, but as a standard teaching method. We show this using extensive research and a case study of three elementary schools in Claremont, California.

Shaping Young Women For The Future: A Case Study Of A South African Girls’ School, Colleen Mcgeehan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project seeks to examine the place of private schools in preparing young women for a future in the new South Africa. Specifically, this project focuses on high school learners at South African Girls’ School (SAGS) in Durban, South Africa. By examining ways of learning, succeeding and fitting in at SAGS as well as perceptions of a democratic South Africa and how the learners at this school see themselves fitting into the future of their country, we gain a fuller understanding of what it means to be a citizen of this country for a group that is not often studied. …

Contextual Influences On Small Group Decision-Making: A Field Investigation, Sarah Kathryn Chorley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines small group decision-making among groups of educators in an elementary school through the Bona Fide Group Perspective, which focuses on a group and its relationships to elements in its context. Twenty-six faculty members were interviewed and 26 meetings were recorded; these were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results indicated contextual, relational, and discursive factors influenced the decision-making process. Most critically, power, status, overlapping group memberships, and competing Discourses shaped the group decision-making process.

Parent Involvement Plan For Lincoln Elementary, Michelle Kaune

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to create a parent involvement plan for Lincoln Elementary using research based information. The information gathered during the literature review will be used to gain a better understanding of parent involvement along with evidence based strategies to improve parent involvement. This plan will then be used by the school to work to increase the amount of involvement parents during the 2012-13 school year. Creating a strategy to increase parent involvement has been identified as a need by the school. It is also part of the school’s Adequate Yearly Progress plan which was submitted …

Guest Editors' Column: The Solo Librarian, Audrey Church, Frances Reeve

Education & Human Services Faculty Publications

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the guest editor discusses the various stories of solo school librarians in the U.S.

Morality, Mathematics, & Music Class: A Case Study Of A First Grade Vietnamese Classroom, Emma James

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For a Vietnamese child, first grade is their introductory gateway to society. It is the first time they will be working within a large group of people their own age, learning how to become an effective and contributing citizen to the community they’re within. Much of the first grade curriculum focuses on how students should behave not only in the classroom, but outside the school walls. This case study was conducted in the Le Loi Primary School in Hue, Vietnam. My goal was to uncover the main moral values instilled at the first grade level. For two weeks I observed …

Feeling, Experiencing, Learning: Environmental Education At Escola Vila, Isabelle Aida Heilman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Teaching children about the importance of the protecting environment is a key step in preparing future generations to solve environmental issues. The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze how Escola Vila in Fortaleza, Brazil integrates environmental education into its curriculum to promote positive environmental actions later in the children’s lives. Classroom observations revealed how environmental education is incorporated into the curriculum in an interdisciplinary way. Students at Escola Vila learn about the environment through creative projects, experiential learning, sustainable practices on the campus and human rights education. Interviews with alumni showed that these four ways that Escola …

The Status Of Students With Special Needs In The Instrumental Musical Ensemble And The Effect Of Selected Educator And Institutional Variables On Rates Of Inclusion, Edward C. Hoffman Iii

Glenn Korff School of Music: Dissertations, Theses, Student Creative Work, and Performances

The purpose of this study was to describe the current status of students with special needs in the instrumental musical ensemble and to examine the effect of selected educator and institutional variables on rates of inclusion. An online survey was designed by the researcher and distributed electronically to 600 practicing K-12 instrumental music educators in the states of Idaho, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Rhode Island. While 13.6% of the total school-aged population nationwide received special education services, demographic data provided by respondents revealed that students with special needs accounted for 6.8% of all students participating in bands, orchestras, …

“The Warm Heart Of Africa” Program Proposal For S.T.E.P Into The World, Adam Goldberg

Capstone Collection

This capstone paper introduces “The Warm Heart of Africa”, an education abroad program proposal for pre-service and in-service K-12 teachers designed for the newly formed organization, S.T.E.P (Supporting.Teachers.Educational.Progression) Into The World. “The Warm Heart of Africa” will offer a month-long intensive program in the African nation of Malawi during the summer of 2012 with the purpose of providing participants with training in intercultural communication alongside an unforgettable cultural immersion experience. With a base of experiential learning, “The Warm Heart of Africa” design focuses on providing participants with a strong foundation in cross-cultural competency and sensitivity as it combines service-learning projects, …

The Classroom Environment: The Silent Curriculum, Brittany Allen, Katie Hessick

Psychology and Child Development

This senior project focused on the physical environment of elementary school classrooms, with a particular emphasis on how environmental factors influence behavior and academic achievement. Such environmental factors included lighting, color, acoustics, temperature, seating arrangements, space and crowding, and living kinds such as plants and animals. Previous research has demonstrated a connection between student behavior and the classroom environment. Taylor and Vlastos (2009) developed a theory regarding the relationship between environment and design within the classroom. They referred to the physical environment of the classroom as the “silent curriculum” and hold strongly to the belief that understanding the physical environment …

“Los Esfuerzos Escolares En España Y El Papel De La Escuelita” - The Scholar Challenges In Spain And The Role Of “La Escuelita”, Adriana Barriga

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

I began volunteering in La Escuelita in March, and during my time there, I helped a class of children from La Paz with their homework and also played with them at the end of the day. After a few weeks, I developed an interest in the educational system in Spain, specifically related to children in primary education. I wanted to know more about some of the problems with the education in poor neighborhoods and how La Escuelita functions to help the children who are at a socioeconomic disadvantage to equalize their opportunity for educational success. In this paper, I address …

Teachers' Beliefs Towards Grade Retention In A Rural Elementary School, Sarah Elizabeth Terry

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examined the beliefs of kindergarten through fourth grade teachers regarding effects of retention on academic, emotional, and social areas, as well as alternative interventions to retention. The teachers were asked to take a web-based pre-survey on grade retention. After completing the initial survey they were then asked to watch a web-based PowerPoint presentation on research-based evidence regarding retention before taking a web-based postsurvey. The results of this study revealed that teacher‟s beliefs towards grade retention were not significantly changed when presented with a research-based PowerPoint presentation regarding the negative effects of retention practices, as measured by the pre …

Cultivating Knowledge In The School Garden: New Ways Of Teaching Literacy To Esl Students, Michele Durivage

MA TESOL Collection

My thesis project includes a combination of materials development and classroom-based research. In my paper, I explore existing garden-related curricula, and create original garden-based lesson plans to teach literacy to fourth grade ESL students. This curriculum development project contributes to the field of ESL in its innovative garden-based pedagogy. The field study took place during the spring semester of 2009 at Increase Miller Elementary School in Westchester County, New York. Using nature as inspiration for writing descriptive essays and poetry, the ESL students at Increase Miller produced imaginative writing pieces, using their own voices to express their thoughts. The students’ …

Incredible Years Dina Dinosaur Program Evaluation, Amanda Holzapfel

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this program evaluation was to determine the effectiveness of the Incredible Years (IY) Dina Dinosaur Child Training Program in the Early Childhood Special Education Classroom (ECSE) at the GFW Elementary School, a small town school. The Dina Dinosaur Program is designed to promote children’s social, emotional, behavior and academic skills through social skills and problem solving curriculum. This program has been found to be appropriate for children with ADHD, language and/or developmental delays and mild autism spectrum disorders, which were all present in the ECSE classroom at GFW Elementary. All of the ECSE teachers and paraprofessionals had …

Educators' Attitudes Toward Outdoor Classrooms And The Cognitive Benefits In Children, Carlie Speedlin

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

A case study was organized at a K-5 elementary school in Lincoln, Nebraksa. This school is Saratoga Elementary School and is a United States Title I Distinguished School1 under No Child Left Behind. It has a population of 266 students, with 47% being minority, 1% gifted, and 28% special education (LPS School Profile Brochure). 80% of the student population is eligible for free/reduced meals, implying that it’s a school with a lower socioeconomic status. At this school a garden space was constructed and an after school garden club was implemented for this case study. The club had been running since …

Exploring The Effectiveness Of School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports In The Elementary School Setting, Ashely Bryce Mcginnis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBS) is a heavily promoted area that focuses on promoting pro-social behavior and preventing misbehavior. Many schools are moving towards SWPBS as the universal level of support for behavior. With Response to Intervention (RtI) being at the forefront of educational reform, this type of universal support is strongly recommended for academic needs, as well as behavioral needs. Data were collected from 25 schools in the West Region of Kentucky that collaborate with the Kentucky Center of Instructional Discipline (KYCID). A series of t-tests were completed in order to examine the relationship between Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs), …

Curriculum Coherence: A Comparative Analysis Of Elementary Science Content Standards In People's Republic Of China And The Usa, Fang Huang

Dissertations

This study examines elementary science content standards curriculum coherence between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America. Three aspects of curriculum coherence are examined in this study: topic inclusion, topic duration, and curriculum structure. Specifically this study centers on the following research questions: 1) What science knowledge is intended for elementary students in each country? 2) How long each topic stays in the curriculum? 3) How these topics sequence and connect with each other? 4) And finally, what is the implication for elementary science curriculum development?

Four intended science curriculum frameworks were selected respectively for each …

Ua100/2/2 Training School & College High Departments, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Training School / College High departments which inlude Athletics, Classes, English, Library, Music and Theatre.

Exploring A Supplemental Educational Service Math Program: The Math Achievement Of Economically Disadvantaged Students And Teacher Professional Development, Vilma Caban-Vazquez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The No Child Left Behind education act mandates that school districts develop supplemental educational service programs for students not demonstrating mathematical proficiency on state standardized math assessments. Yet there is limited understanding of issues related to supplemental educational service math programs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate a local after school math program to offer insight on the low math achievement for economically disadvantaged students involved in the program. Constructivist theories of math reform and education for economically disadvantaged students and English language learners guided this study of 10 teachers and 15 of their students in a …

Using Contentdm To Compliment K-12 Curriculum: Southern Nevada--The Boomtown Years, Cory K. Lampert

Library Faculty Presentations

Setting the Stage for Boomtown

•2006, Libraries revamp digitization program and begin staff reorganization

•2007-2008 Implement Digitization Advisory Committee and Project Teams Launch Nevada Test Site Oral History Project: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp/

•2008 awarded $95,000 LSTA grant to create large hybrid collection on Southern Nevada during 1900-1925

Getting Boys To Read: A Look At The Research And The Books They Love, Carrie Lynn Cooper, Kathy Cox Watson

Library Faculty and Staff Papers and Presentations

This session focuses on what the research says about males as readers and introduces the audience to great boy books and other types of text that appeals to male readers. The presenters have chosen titles from the Kentucky Bluegrass Awards program that are of interest to young male readers. Presenters also introduce and promote Kentucky’s children’s choice reading program, the Kentucky Bluegrass Awards. To misquote George Ella Lyon, the presenters would like to get boys to "shake hands with a book."

The Relationship Between Parental Involvement And Student Achievement In Three Working Class Elementary Schools, Laurie Zickler-Bandlow

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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School, Home, And Community: A Symbiosis For A Literacy Partnership, Karen C. Waters

Education Faculty Publications

With the belief that fertile ground for a literate environment is created through lots of oral language, ancestral anecdotes, and reading a variety of genre in fiction and nonfiction, it is possible to link home and school literacy communities. This chapter describes the connection between district literacy events and functional home activities as the basis for a partnership in developing higher level thinking that transcends the classroom. At monthly get-togethers, families were encouraged to participate in the very activities that were used in the classroom as part of the district's literacy block. In helping families acquire a few basic strategies …

Comparing Rural Parent And Teacher Perspectives Of Parental Involvement: A Mixed Methods Study, Ann C. Stout

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parents and teachers have differing perspectives of parental involvement which presents a barrier to the development of effective parental involvement. This mixed-method, sequential, exploratory study of parents and teachers in rural school districts sought to identify, compare, and analyze these divergent parental involvement perspectives. A sample of 122 parents and 21 certified teachers from 3 rural elementary schools were first surveyed using parallel questions from Epstein's School and family partnerships parent (or teacher) questionnaire (SFP). Independent-sample t-tests of SFP scales confirmed parental involvement perspectives of parents and teachers differed significantly. Survey data was analyzed descriptively and identified 5 specific topics …

Survey Study Of The Relationship Between Parents' And Teachers' Perceptions Of What Constitutes Effective School -To -Home Communications, Jill L. Murphy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Even though guidelines at a suburban elementary school in Georgia were in place for teachers regarding frequency and methods of parent communication, it was unclear if these methods were being used consistently and effectively. Research has shown that effective communication increases student achievement, but there is a lack of research examining communication preferences of teachers and parents. Therefore, this study evaluated current practices by comparing parents' and teachers' perceptions of what constitutes effective school-to-home communications. The researcher administered questionnaires to a random sample of teachers and parents of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students to compare their perceptions of the …