Elementary Education and Teaching Commons^™

Resilient Teachers: A Qualitative Study Of Six Thriving Educators In Urban Elementary Schools, Paul Giroux

Dissertations

This qualitative research study used elements of phenomenological and narrative research methodology to explore the common characteristics and experiences of a sample of resilient elementary teachers working in urban schools. The six research subjects in this study’s sample each had at least eight years of teaching experience, and each participated in a cycle of three in-depth interviews designed to determine their degree of resilience and to develop a portrait of their personal and professional characteristics, experiences, attitudes and beliefs. Once the data collection phase was complete, data was coded and then analyzed to identify which of the characteristics and experiences …

Leadership-Influenced Practices That Impact Classroom Instruction Related To Writing: A Case Study Of A Successful Elementary School, Barb Johnson

Dissertations

This research studied the practices of educators at an ethnically diverse suburban elementary school which had demonstrated success in the area of student writing, even among at-risk students. The overall research goal was to examine to what extent and how leadership-related practices impacted classroom instruction in a manner that helped produce successful writing scores. A case study approach was used to explore four key leadership-related practices (supervision, curriculum, professional development, and knowledgeable leaders) and their impact on classroom literacy-based instructional strategies.

The study participants included two leaders and fourteen teachers from a single elementary school located in a metropolitan Michigan …

Michigan Elementary School Facility Quality And Its Impact On Student Achievement, Brett A. Geier

Dissertations

Studies on school facility quality and its impact on student achievement have been conducted throughout the nation with varying results. Some studies conclude a significant relationship exists between facility condition and student achievement, while others refute this potential phenomenon. Much of the research concludes that not enough analyses have been conducted to make appropriate generalizations. This research study focused on the condition ofelementary schools in Michigan and utilized the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (M.E.A.P.) examinations in reading and mathematics at the third, fourth and fifth grade levels as the dependent variable to assess the relationship between building condition and student …

The Design And Implementation Of An International Day Project To Foster Cultural Awareness And A Global Perspective In Tukwila Elementary School, Zakariya Salim Palsha

All Graduate Projects

The primary purpose of this project was to successfully design and implement cultural awareness and a global perspective at Tukwila Elementary School utilizing an International Day project, as there are a large number of ethnic groups and various cultures represented in the school. This provided students and parents from different cultures with an avenue to celebrate their own cultural heritage while simultaneously they learned about and celebrated the diverse cultures of the entire school community. The project had five components, which included: 1) a flag ceremony that included forty-nine different flags; 2) cultural dances (performed by students, parents, and community …

Homework: A Nightly Ritual Beginning In The Elementary Grades, Ann-Marie N. Skaggs

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Homework has become an accepted staple within education in the United States. However, little is acknowledged regarding the influences homework has on students. The purpose of this extended literature review is to look at the influences of homework on students in the elementary grades. The following research on homework was found through books, peer-reviewed journal articles, government reports, magazine articles, and interviews. Within the research, educational, socioeconomic, and parental factors show the largest influence, both positive and negative toward homework. The author discusses future implications to better improve homework's influence on students in the elementary grades. These implications include a …

Children’S Hopes And Fears, Bernadette L. Dean, Shazia Solangi

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Character Education On A Third Grade Inclusion Classroom, Christina M. Barbato

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to implement a character education program with a third grade inclusion classroom at Cooper's Poynt School in Camden, New Jersey. This study was conducted in efforts to improve relationships and interpersonal skills using qualitative action research. Character education is a concept that describes implementing moral conduct in schools in order to encourage positive behaviors. Several benefits to character education programs include reduced negative behaviors, a more positive school environment conducive to learning, and higher academic achievement. This study conducted discusses the impacts of a character education program initiated in a third grade inclusion classroom. …

How To Establish And Maintain Positive Parent-Teacher Relationships, Tracy Cwiakala

Theses and Dissertations

Studies and literature have shown that when parents and teachers possess a positive relationship, students will be more successful and show an increase in academic achievement. The purposes of this research study were to (a) determine how to establish a positive parent-teacher relationship and (b) ascertain the most effective and ineffective methods, approaches and utilizations for maintaining a positive parent-teacher relationship. Teachers and parents defined what a parent-teacher relationship means to them as well as what roles they play within the relationship. Different obstacles and barriers encountered are discussed in addition to the best ways to approach them in order …

Students As Agents Of Change, Meghan Lynch

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how literacy instruction encouraged students to think of themselves as agents of change. Using a qualitative design, a case study examined the effect literacy instruction had on students' perceptions of themselves as agents of change. The study took place in a fifth grade inclusion classroom of twenty three students. Journal prompts and class discussions were utilized to gather data. The data collected was analyzed and categorized according to student responses. Significant findings pointed that students were willing to think of themselves as agents of change.

Student Perceptions Regarding The Use Of Rubrics In Writing Assignments, Lindsay C. O'Neill

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore student perceptions regarding the use of rubrics in writing assignments. This qualitative research study was conducted with 16 students in a first grade classroom. I have conducted 4 mini-lessons on different writing components with the class. As a class we created a scoring rubric that includes important parts of the assignment and a number scale to further weigh the importance. The students were a part of creating the rubric and were given the rubric prior to their writing assignment. During the assignment I observed how the students use their knowledge of the …

What Is The Result When Responsive Classroom Techniques Are Used As Both A Classroom Management And Character Education Program Without Implementing The Whole Approach?, Lisa Jewell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if six Responsive Classroom techniques can be used as a classroom management system and character education program, without implementing the entire approach. The six approaches used were class meetings, stress the deed not the doer, time-outs, voices of authority, social conferences and logical conferences. The research was conducted in the researcher's co-teach classroom in a suburban elementary school. A researcher's journal, teacher and aide interviews, teacher reflections and student surveys were used to collect data. Results are aligned with the literature on the subjects of character education and classroom management and the …

A Guidebook Of Resources And Interactive Literacy Activities For Use By Parents With Primary Students, Cheryl Ann Youngblood

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to create a home Literacy Guidebook to increase children's reading and writing skills. By encouraging parental support at home through the use of children's literature and relevant activities, the lessons are intended to make learning fun and meaningful for children and their parents. Research reviewed supported the significance of the parents' role in literacy development at home and at school. Parents who read to their children and practice related activities contribute to their children's success in school. The guidebook includes children's literature selections, book lists for future readings, step-by-step instructions to guide parents through …

Handwriting: Should Formal Instruction In Handwriting Be Taught To Elementary Students?, Cathleen Rutter

Education 589 Projects

Having taught students Language Arts from 2nd grade through sophomore year of high school, I have encountered numerous samples of handwriting, with great variance in their legibility. It has caused me frustration as a beginning teacher trying to decipher what has actually been written and just what the student was trying to convey to myself, as their teacher. In some cases I have graded a spelling test, marked words incorrect because I could not read the letters in the word. But then, because I felt that the student has mastered the spelling of a given word, I had the student …

An Opportunity Gap: Focusing On The Issue Of Boys’ Underachievement In School Literacy, Whitney Ann Cromwell

All Graduate Projects

Male students statistically have not been as successful as females on standardized test scores or literacy activities. The discrepancy between literacy achievement between boys and girls at the elementary level is cause for concern. This gap between the literacy achievement of girls and boys will continue unless we change the way we teach. "All educators share the common goal of providing equitable learning opportunities for every student in the classroom. Providing equitable opportunities for girls is a familiar topic; providing them for boys is a relatively recent issue, but one that is appearing with increasing urgency on education agendas around …

Promoting Student Self-Efficacy Through Assessment, Meredith Leigh Mcgrath

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the impact of using alternate assessment methods as a means of promoting student self-efficacy. The study was conducted in a preK-8 public school located in Camden, NJ. The participants were 18 fourth grade students from a co-taught inclusion classroom. Two units of study were taught - one using traditional assessment methods, and one using alternate assessment methods. Students completed self-efficacy surveys before and after each unit, and were interviewed individually to obtain data about their opinions regarding the various alternate assessment techniques used. Student commentary and researcher observations were also analyzed …

An Exploratory Investigation Of Third Graders' Perceptions Of Bullying, Laura N. Burns

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate students' views regarding a variety of topics related to bullying. Different methods were used to gather information regarding the students' opinions. The students shared their ideas through the use of surveys, writing samples, and interviews. This study's results determined students' beliefs about bullying as well as their awareness of its occurrence. Students were able to provide accurate definitions of bullying. Students were also able to discuss several appropriate ways to react to bullying. Results of this study contribute more to the understanding of students' perspectives about the topic of bullying in the …

A Student-Driven Approach To Reduce Bullying In Elementary School Classrooms, Jennifer Lee Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to see if a student-driven approach reduced bullying episodes in two elementary school classrooms. The subjects for this study are thirty-seven fifth grade students at the Thomas E. Bowe School in Glassboro, New Jersey. This study used two anonymous surveys, audio-taped discussions with small groups of students, students' projects and artifacts, and a teacher research journal to develop and access a student-driven approach to reduce bullying in elementary school classrooms. A qualitative and quantitative approach was utilized to analyze the data, which showed a decrease in the frequency of bullying episodes in these two …

Strategies To Teach Character Education Through Children's Literature, Rebecca Quinn

Theses and Dissertations

A fourth-grade reading class was taught a unit in character education to determine if there was increase in knowledge from the pre-test to the post-test after using children's literature and other supplemental activities. The unit was broken up into six different traits; fairness, trustworthiness, responsibility, respect, caring, and citizenship. Each trait was taught over the course of a week while integrating two children's books highlighting the particular trait of focus for the week. The children were also taught using activities, worksheets, journal prompts, awards, and discussions. A teacher journal was also kept to note important findings. The students pre-tests indicate …

Creating And Implementing An Effective Behavior Management Strategy In A Second Grade Classroom, Kristen M. Geary

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to ascertain the effectiveness of creating and implementing a self-management behavior system in a second grade classroom. Different types of behavior management were researched through journals discussing behavior management as well as interviews with classroom teachers. Self-management was determined to be a successful behavior management system and was thus chosen to be implemented in this classroom. An additional goal of this study is also to contribute more knowledge to the field of self-management research. This thesis will combine research, student and teacher questionnaires, focus group interviews and a classroom journal in order to determine …

Experiences Of Michigan Elementary National Board Certification Candidates, Kristen L. Dewitt

Dissertations

Since 1987, over 55,000 teachers have achieved National Board Certification (NBC), which is claimed to be the highest symbol of teaching excellence and an identifier of accomplished teaching. To become certified, teachers must demonstrate a clear understanding of rigorous standards as defined by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

This phenomenological study examined ten Michigan elementary National Board Certified Teachers and candidates in hopes of better understanding the roles that motivation, support and pressure played in their decisions to seek NBC, and the influence the process had on their teaching. Four critical findings were identified.

The first critical finding …

Schools’ Participation In Great Conversation: A Proposal For School Improvement In Pakistan, Zubeda Bana

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This paper proposes the value of building social relations through critical conversation in schools in developing countries and particularly in Pakistan. The current climate in most of the schools in these countries reflects “apathy” and “ignorance”. It is argued that schools posses a capacity for wisdom if they develop a habit of engaging themselves into critical discourse. Schools can be personified as human beings to speak and open their minds and hearts in front of their stakeholders and share their successes and challenges to form a real sense of school community. The paper also shares an example of one of …

The Role Of Schooling In Constructing Gendered Identities, Bernadette L. Dean, Rahat Joldoshalieva, Abid Hussainy

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Many research studies show that schools play an important role in constructing gendered identities of girls and boys in western contexts. In Pakistan, there are research studies on the construction of gender in textbooks but studies on the role of schools are either unreported or unavailable. To address this gap in the literature, an exploratory study was carried out in public sector schools in the urban and semi-urban areas of Karachi. The findings indicate that the inter-relationship of the structure of schools, the official curriculum, teaching and learning practices and teacher beliefs result in a gendered division of labor, gendered …

Assessing Formatively In The English Language Classroom, Sherwin Rodrigues

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

The area of ‘assessment’ – and particularly that of ‘formative assessment’ – has attracted the increasing attention of educational researchers within the last decade. This article presents the findings of a qualitative research study that was conducted in a primary school in Oxford, UK. Data were gathered through classroom observations that were videotaped. The assessment strategies used by the teacher were the foci of observations. It was found that questioning and feedback were two key elements characteristics of a teacher’s formative assessment practice in the English Language primary classroom. Extensive questioning for assessment purposes invited pupils to contribute ideas, checked …

Improving Consistency In Teacher Judgements : An Investigation For The Department Of Education, Victoria, Marion Meiers, Clare Ozolins, Phillip Mckenzie

School and system improvement

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) was commissioned by the Department of Education in Victoria to undertake an investigation of current best-practice approaches to ensuring consistency of teacher judgements against P-10 state-wide standards.

The investigation encompassed national and international approaches that had been implemented or were under development. A key objective of the investigation was that the approaches identified should be based on current information, research and best practice, and that they should be supportive of the continued development of a learning and assessment culture in Victorian schools. The report of the investigation was required to provide key baseline …

Art History With A Click Of A Mouse Or A Flip Of A Page?, Richard Herzog

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to explore the impact of three research methods. It examined online materials, as well as contextual research based on printed texts in the elementary population. The researcher sought to determine what the most effective method is for helping students to learn art history content, whether it is in the virtual environment of the Internet, the confines of various textbooks, or a combination of both technology-based and text-based research. The subjects of the study were fifth grade students who attended Bells Elementary School, Turnersville, NJ, in the fall of 2006.

The researcher used multiple …

The Learning Space: A Study Of The Suggested Principles And Practices In Designing The Classroom Environment, Theodore J. Colanduno

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated learning space design and its suggested effect upon the learning process. The study also evaluated and compared existing classrooms in the southern New Jersey area by looking for the presence or absence of certain elements of design. Data were collected by reviewing previous research on the topic of classroom design and student achievement, and in field testing at eight educational facilities in southern New Jersey. Research has shown that the design of learning spaces has a direct influence upon students' attitudes towards learning and positive outcomes are attributed to these designs. Field testing, using a sound level …

Being Visually Impaired In An Elementary Art Classroom: A Case Study, Kristina Benton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of a visually impaired student during art instruction. The data was collected using observations of the subject during art class and a series of one-on-one interviews. The subject of the study was a male, second grade, visually impaired student. His optical disorder is known as Micro-Opthalmia/Cataract Syndrome and is a rare condition. Data was interpreted using coding and transcription based on the themes that developed throughout the course of the study. The findings of the study were (a) that the subject has a high level of self-esteem and view …

Interactive And Textbook Lessons In Science Instruction: Combining Strategies To Engage Students In Learning, Christina Puentes

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Students in elementary classrooms are not receiving science instruction that is engaging and challenging. The review of the literature indicates that the way that the information is presented has more of an impact on the students than simply whether they comprehend the information. Studies show that hands-on science instruction allows success beyond the classroom, hands-on activities excite students about leaning and science in general, and that the hands-on activities create confidence in the children. Research also indicates that students who receive textbook based lessons earn scores similar to students who learn through hands-on lessons. This study explores the effects of …

Associations Between Age At School Entry And Academic Performance: Using Data From A Nationally Representative, Longitudinal Sample, Dawn Fleischman

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between age at school entry and academic performance in kindergarten through the fifth grade. The study utilized the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K) dataset that includes a nationally representative sample that was collected over a six year period and compiled by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES).
Even when controlling for the variables of gender, race, socioeconomic status, and disability, the analyses revealed that the youngest students did not perform as well in reading and math as their school entry peers through the fifth grade. …

Least Common Multiple Of Teacher Leadership Styles: Implication For Classroom, Khalid Mahmood

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

In a school, a teacher, as a leader, interacts directly with the students to develop their cognition for a desired outcome. At the same time s/he also forms a caring relationship with them not only to guide them academically but also socially and spiritually. Students also have certain capacity for their own learning. This capacity to large extent influences by teacher’s role in the classroom. Hence three factors have major influence to shape effectiveness of a classroom. In the study reported in this paper, combinations of these factors were sought and presented in three dimensional models. Eight different combinations (models) …