Elementary Education and Teaching Commons^™

Shifting Views, Shaping Outcomes: Exploring Relations Between Educators’ Neurodiversity-Affirming Perceptions And Their Autistic Students’ School Experiences, Josh Yen-Ho Chou

Graduate Masters Theses

School environments frequently serve as a source of socialization but also stigma and socioemotional distress for autistic students. Against this backdrop, teachers can be crucial sources of neurodiversity-affirming views and support. Teachers’ perceptions of students can also shape the quality of their relationships with students and students’ emotional and behavioral adjustment in school. This study focused on understanding how general education teachers perceive autistic students and how these perceptions shape their students’ school experiences. This study sought to investigate the degree to which teachers endorsed three dimensions of neurodiversity-affirming perceptions of their autistic students: (a) strength/deficit-based, (b) holistic/reductionist, and (c) …

Using Improvement Science To Examine The Effects Of The Eureka Math On Teacher Perceptions And Student Achievement In Grades 3–5, Latishia Ptomey

Education Theses and Dissertations

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) investigates teacher perceptions of implementing Eureka Math TEKS Edition in grades three through five within a rural Central Texas district and the resulting impact on student achievement. The study employed a mixed methods design incorporating surveys, observations, and performance data collected over two academic years (2023-2025). Participants over the two years included 16 teachers, one instructional coach, and one principal at a campus of approximately 500 students in grades three through five. Teacher perceptions were analyzed to understand factors influencing curriculum fidelity, instructional practices, and classroom implementation. Concurrently, student mathematics performance was monitored …

Teachers' Beliefs Expressed As Personal Practice Theories: A Touchstone And Tool To Navigate First Year Teaching Challenges, Sera Shimakura, Tara Barnhart

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This study examined how early-career teachers utilize Personal Practical Theories (PPTs)—core beliefs about teaching and learning—to navigate first-year challenges. PPTs represent convictions about pedagogy, engagement, and classroom management that teachers develop throughout their preparation. This two-year longitudinal study followed credential program students through training and into their first year of service, replicating and extending Levin et al. (2013).

During preparation, participants engaged in reflection to develop coherent PPTs guiding future practice. Through self-studies, peer discussions, and faculty mentorship, they assessed congruence between stated beliefs and actual implementation, creating a baseline understanding of pedagogical identity. PPT enactment during the first teaching …

Once Upon An Early Writing Experience: Connecting Memory With Literacy Instruction In Pre-Service Teacher Education, Jue Wang, Jingru Lu

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

Through a narrative-based case study design, this research connects pre-service teachers’ early writing memories with their studies in writing instruction to explore how multi-layered and multi-faceted writing experiences across time and space influence teaching beliefs and practices. This article invites audiences to vicariously experience these pedagogical encounters, reflect on journeys to becoming writing teachers, and shed light onto the implications of teaching early writing. Comic artifacts and interview data were collected from nine pre-service teachers who learned to teach early writing/language arts in a four-year public university in the Inland Northwest. Based on the participants’ comics and narratives, four themes …

Preparing Confident Elementary Mathematics Teachers: Addressing Anxiety, Building Fluency, And Strengthening Practice., Amber Diamond Pendleton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation, presented in three articles, examines how elementary preservice teachers (PSTs) experience and develop as mathematics learners and future educators when methods coursework deliberately integrates mathematical reasoning with affective supports. Collectively, the studies investigate how research-informed instructional design may help address mathematics anxiety (MA), mathematics teaching anxiety (MTA), procedural fluency, and instructional practice. The first article, written for practitioners and elementary mathematics teachers, illustrates how well-established instructional routines, such as number talks and student work analysis, can be facilitated to support procedural fluency in multiplication. Using classroom vignettes, this article highlights instructional moves that make structure visible, promote strategy …

What Will It Take To Keep You? A Phenomenological Investigation Of Teacher Career Decisions In Title I Elementary Schools., Tonya Nicole Holt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the factors influencing teachers’ decisions to remain in or leave Title I elementary schools in Kentucky. Grounded in Herzberg’s Motivation–Hygiene Theory, the study examined the interplay of intrinsic motivators and extrinsic conditions that shape teacher satisfaction, commitment, and attrition. Twelve current Title I teachers participated in semi-structured interviews designed to capture their lived experiences and perceptions of work in high poverty contexts. Analysis revealed a balance of pull factors—such as purpose, relationships, and supportive leadership—and push factors—including workload, resource limitations, and inadequate administrative support. Leadership quality emerged as the central variable mediating these forces. Teachers …

Exploring Teacher Beliefs And Perceptions About Teaching Reading, And Self-Efficacy For Implementing Reading Instructions, Richmond Osei Amakye

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reading proficiency among learners at the elementary school level remains a national concern despite several decades of research, investments, and policy reforms aimed at improving literacy outcomes. The Science of Reading (SoR) framework, grounded in decades of interdisciplinary research, emphasizes explicit, systematic, and evidence-based instruction across five core components — phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. This study examined elementary teachers’ beliefs about teaching reading, perceptions of the SoR, and self-efficacy in implementing reading instruction. Quantitative data were collected from teachers in west-central Indiana via an online survey that measured their beliefs about teaching reading, perceptions of SoR, self-efficacy …

Do They Matter? What Role Do 5th-12th Grade Teachers' Attitudes Have In The Academic Success Of Black Girls In Classrooms?, Kamita R. Thigpen

Dissertations

There is a recognized need to focus on the intersectionality of race and gender to determine the specific needs of Black girls in education and for them to gain more academic success. This study set out to determine teachers' attitudes towards Black girls in the post-racial era. A combined quantitative and qualitative methodological approach was used to determine if the attitudes of teachers towards Black girls maintain racial barriers that have been found in education.

Tennessee K-3 Teachers’ Perceptions Of Structured Literacy Curriculum Based On The Science Of Reading: A Phenomenological Approach, Amy L. Reece Townsend

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to explore the perceptions and knowledge of Tennessee kindergarten, first-grade, second-grade, and third-grade teachers regarding early literacy and science-based curricula that incorporate the science of reading. This study examined the experiences of kindergarten through third-grade teachers in a Tennessee school district as they transitioned to a structured literacy approach grounded in the science of reading. The goal was to understand how teachers adapted to the new methods, what helped them succeed, and what challenges they faced during the change.

Data collection included in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Analysis of data occurred in three phases: (a) categorization …

Investigating Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Stem Teaching Self-Efficacy And Goal Orientation, Derek Scott Cox

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

In the context of teacher education, self-efficacy and goal orientation can have an impact on one’s motivation, desire to improve, and maintaining a growth mindset in teachers. This study utilized an explanatory mixed methods design to investigate how and why preservice elementary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers’ confidence and views on competency changes after completing an array of courses built around integrated STEM.

Sixty-five preservice teachers participated in the pre- post-test quantitative data collection to determine changes in integrated STEM self-efficacy and achievement goal orientations (mastery-approach, mastery-avoidance, performance-approach, performance-avoidance). Data collection measures include Self-Efficacy for Teaching Integrated STEM …

Behavioral Manifestations Of Childhood Abandonment: African-American Men's Reflections And Strategies To Support Teenage Boys In K-12 Education, Jarmel Bell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the behavioral manifestations of childhood abandonment as reflected in the lived experiences of African-American men and to identify strategies that may support African-American boys in K–12 educational settings. Although there has been limited documentation regarding the direct connection between childhood abandonment and behavioral challenges in school environments, this study seeks to address that gap by capturing the reflections of African-American men who experienced abandonment during their formative years. These reflections provide insight into how abandonment may shape behavior in educational spaces and what types of interventions or supports might have made a …

Educator Perceptions Of Mindfulness Education In Rural Elementary Schools In Tennessee, Mary C. Shepherd-Mcgown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine educator perceptions of mindfulness instruction and the alignment of school policies in rural elementary schools in Tennessee. Despite growing interest in mindfulness in education, few studies have investigated how these practices are experienced and implemented within under-resourced, rural contexts.

Guided by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (SLT) and framed conceptually by the Whole-School Mindfulness (WSM) model, the study explored how social, organizational, and policy factors influence the adoption of mindfulness practices. SLT provided a theoretical lens for understanding how educator behaviors are shaped through observation, modeling, and reinforcement, while the WSM framework …

Perceptions Of Practitioners: An Examination Of Practices For Retention And Support Of Special Education Teachers, Megan L. O'Dell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teacher attrition remains a critical challenge in public education, particularly among special education teachers who face unique legal, instructional, and emotional demands. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of current and former K–5 special education teachers to better understand the practices and resources that influence their decision to remain in or leave the profession. The central research question investigated how leadership, professional learning, and working conditions shape teacher sustainability in special education roles. Twelve participants, including six currently employed special education teachers and six who had exited the profession, participated in semi-structured interviews. Data analysis revealed five major themes: …

Teacher Leadership And Specially Designed Instruction: A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Teacher Leaders And Special Education Teachers In Elementary Settings, Tangie M. Rahming

Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of teacher leaders and special education teachers as they implemented Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) in elementary school settings. Despite SDI being a federally mandated component of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), research consistently shows wide variation in how teachers interpret, deliver, and sustain SDI in real classrooms. Limited professional development, inconsistent coaching structures, and varying understandings of SDI across schools contribute to persistent gaps in implementation fidelity. To address these challenges, this study explored how teacher leaders support SDI implementation and how special education teachers make meaning of their instructional …

Response To Intervention Implementation With Culturally Diverse Students, Alysia R. Chatman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative descriptive study examined how elementary educators implement response to intervention (RTI) and multitiered systems of support with culturally and linguistically diverse students. Drawing on self-determination theory and culturally relevant pedagogy, the researcher conducted semistructured interviews with five participants, three classroom teachers, one interventionist, and one campus administrator from three Title I elementary schools in a large suburban Texas district. Transcripts were analyzed through thematic coding. Four themes emerged: (1) training and preparedness for RTI implementation, (2) administrator support and follow-through, (3) understanding and application of culturally responsive teaching, and (4) RTI meeting structure and process. Participants reported a …

Universal Design For Learning: Practical Implications For Christian Educators, Hannah S. Kennedy, Kate Scarborough, Bryan Gill, Lisa L. Beckham

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

The Universal Design for Learning framework, designed by David Rose and Anne Meyer (2002) is an evidence-based approach to teaching that proactively targets learner variability and meets the unique needs of all students in the classroom. This framework aligns with our faith-based mission as we are called to the Christ centered belief that all people were made in the image of God. The three guiding principles of Universal Design for Learning are: multiple means of representation, multiple means of engagement, and multiple means of action/expression. By adopting the principles of universal design for learning, educators can proactively plan, implement, and …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Educator Well-Being Through Teaching Sel: A Classroom Pilot, Laticia Follansbee, Madison Reid Reid, Chanda Murphy, Allison Henry

River Cities Industrial and Organizational Psychology Conference

Early childhood educators are expected to teach social emotional learning (SEL) in their classrooms, while educators themselves are in need of SEL as much as their students due to stress and burnout in this occupation being at an all-time high. We ran a small pilot study of a mindfulness, audio-based SEL tool (Moshi) to see whether brief daily use leads to easier implementation of SEL in the classroom and, in turn, relates to better educator well-being. In this qualitative study, we analyzed 12 transcripts from interviews and focus groups with 16 educators from 12 elementary schools after at least six …

Developing A Classroom To Support Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Culturally Responsive Aspiring Teacher Assignment, Steven K. Sharp, David L. Conrad

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Following the development of the [State] Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards (CRTL), one University teacher preparation program created an assignment to challenge aspiring educators to think critically about culturally responsive teaching. With structural challenges such as tracking and culturally biased standardized testing, the program needed to evaluate how aspiring teachers would address those challenges while delivering a diverse curriculum, connecting with home and families, and valuing different linguistic backgrounds. Within a course on cross-cultural education, we developed a four-part assignment aligned with the course textbook by Nieto and Bode (2018). First, candidates created a reasonably diverse classroom to simulate …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

The Effect Of Perceived Principal Leadership Styles And School Type On Elementary Teacher Self-Efficacy, Karen M. Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of perceived principal leadership styles and school type on elementary teachers’ self-efficacy. The study examined two research questions. The first examined differences between teachers’ self-efficacy in Title 1 and non-Title 1 schools, and the second examined differences in teacher self-efficacy and perceived principal leadership styles (authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire). The convenience sample included 129 elementary teachers from social media teacher groups that taught in various Title 1 and non-Title 1 school districts. I used a quantitative, causal-comparative method to collect data and survey questionnaires that identified trends in leadership styles …

Mental Health Awareness For Teachers: A Review Of The Literature, Jerry Burkett

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Mental health is a state of wellbeing in which an individual realizes their abilities and can cope with the normal stresses of life (Bohare & Tiwari, 2020). These individuals are productive in their work, life, and communities. These people can manage their mental health challenges which can range from high to low (MHFA, 2020). Research is showing a growing need for expanding mental health support in K-12 schools. Schools are in a unique position to address today’s mental health crisis among members of the education community. (Mcluckie et al., 2014; National Association of School Psychologists, 2015; Ormiston et al., 2021). …

The Role Of Peer Networks In Elementary Teacher Preparation Programs, Bayan Alnaim

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research provided insight into how peer networks related to the professional learning of TC as they moved through an elementary teacher preparation program. These formal and informal peer networks helped nurture collegiality among TCs to aid learning and provide emotional support, which allowed an edge toward forming an identity. This study examined the particular role of teacher networks in TCs’ learning (Al Sultan, 2021; Anderson et al., 2022). The study applied Social Constructivism and Communities of Practice frameworks to analyze the influence of peer networks on the development of teaching skills and professional identities. Data from TCs participating in …

Longitudinal Case Studies: Using Pat Data To Inform Teaching And Learning, Shani Sniedze, Marc Kralj

Assessment and Reporting

The ACER Progressive Achievement approach includes PAT assessments that measure what students know, understand, and can do across the domains of Reading, Spelling, Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation, Maths, Science, Inquiry and Problem Solving in STEM Contexts, and Critical Reasoning. The results of PAT assessments are available immediately to schools. This helps schools diagnose student needs and implement teaching and learning strategies in a timely manner. If PAT assessments are used at recommended intervals, schools can also see student learning growth over time. This collection of Progressive Achievement Test (PAT) case studies conducted across 2022–2024, demonstrates how PAT assessments are used …

Rethinking Civic Education. A Review Of Education For Liberal Democracy: Using Classroom Discussion To Build Knowledge And Voice, Jordan Garner, Colton Morton, Palak Shah

Democracy & Education

In his book Education for Liberal Democracy: Using Classroom Discussion to Build Knowledge and Voice, Walter Parker (2023) takes a centrist approach to redesigning civic education. Throughout the book, Parker provides valuable strategies teachers can implement into the K–12 social studies classroom to teach for democracy. While we believe Parker's instructional strategies lay the groundwork for reshaping civic education, we contend that the book does not adequately address issues of inequality and inequity. We would also challenge Parker to think about how teachers can educate for democracy outside of the social studies curriculum in the United States and globally. …

Orientation Toward Consensus—The “Safest” Path For Teachers To Choose? A Response To “Agreement And Disagreement In Teachers Talk”, Stine Johansen Utler

Democracy & Education

In “Agreement and Disagreement in Teachers Talk” the author shows how Norwegian initial education teachers (Grades 1–4) are consensus-oriented in their facilitations of classroom deliberations. The author emphasizes what teachers say and do when they guide their pupils toward consensus, but reflections on why teachers are consensus-oriented are less prominent. In this response to “Agreement and Disagreement in Techers Talk,” I point to conditions and factors in the Norwegian society and the Norwegian educational context that might explain why a consensus orientation is prevalent among the teachers.

Embedding Social And Emotional Learning Into Educator Preparation Programs: An Alternative Certification Perspective, Valerie Flanagan, Lisa Fulks, Wanetta Morrow

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This study discusses the impact of integrating social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum into alternative certification educator preparation programs (EPPs), in response to prior research indicating the lack of SEL strategies in schools. It offers a review of educator preparation students’ thoughts concerning SEL implementation, as well as their selection of and reflection upon embedding SEL skills into lessons. Participants serving as teachers of record during their coursework reported positive outcomes in the classroom resulting from lessons including SEL content. Given the increasing importance of SEL in addressing students’ diverse developmental, behavioral, and academic needs, preparation for educators must go …

Developing Civic Competence With Educative Curriculum Materials Featuring A Historical Photograph Of Antarctica, Cory Callahan

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Here the author advocates for an innovative teaching approach synthesizing three research-based, instructional strategies: promoting civic competence within international and global contexts, planning with educative curriculum materials, and exploring historical photographs for higher-order thinking. He traces the crafting of an exemplary lesson through this approach and discusses its underpinning rationale. The lesson helps students and teachers think deeply about land claims and resource disputes in Antarctica while addressing a persistent value conflict throughout history: balancing national sovereignty and international law. A teacher-friendly narrative constitutes the lesson plan; however, it is not teacher-proof, as teachers are encouraged to make instructional decisions …

Whose Histories Will A Genai Tool Generate? Prompting Chatgpt-4 For Diverse History Lesson Plans For The Cold War Space Race, Robert W. Maloy, Sai Gattupalli, Torrey Trust

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This paper explores strategies for teachers to use in prompting ChatGPT-4 to develop diverse history lesson plans for the Cold War Space Race. Prior research showed that when given a single, broadly phrased “design a lesson plan” prompt, chatbots are less likely to generate material about experiences of African Americans, women, and other historically marginalized groups. We tried two alternative prompting strategies: a) Change the wording of the prompt to incorporate James Banks’ Levels of Multicultural Content Model, and b) Change the source of the content for the prompt by using teacher-curated materials from an open online wikispace, resourcesforhistoryteachers that …

Teaching Inquiry: A Guiding Template Fosters Critical Thinking, Barbara D. O'Donnell, Abigail C. Schwent

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This article provides a supportive way to address the marginalization of social studies by teaching inquiry through the use of a template. Inquiry based learning encourages students to make real-world connections by engaging in problem solving and exploration through research. It fosters higher level skills like critical thinking, evaluation, and synthesis of knowledge through experiential learning (Bell, Urhahne, Schanze and Ploetzner 2009). Using inquiry to investigate social studies topics encourages the use of sources from diverse perspectives to understand the complete picture of the event being researched. Teaching social studies through inquiry is a daunting task due to multiple obstacles …

The Teaching And Learning International Survey 2024: Non-Response Bias Analysis Report For Australia, Katherine Dix, Toby Carslake

OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)

This report considers potential non-response bias in the 2024 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS). Analysis in this report demonstrates that Australia’s ISCED 1 and ISCED 2 respondents are representative of the broader school and teacher populations, strongly supporting a ‘Fair’ rating for data quality, particularly given the high in-school principal and teacher responses rates.