Elementary Education and Teaching Commons^™

Self-Regulated Strategy Development: A Cognitive Strategies Approach To Persuasive Writing, Amy I. Bennet

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not the application of Self- Regulated Strategy Development model of writing instruction will improve the writing of persuasive compositions in seven 4th grade students. Self-Regulated Strategy Development pairs mnemonics representing the parts of different genres of writing with self-talk statements used by the students to "think" through the writing process. The students in this study were introduced to these strategies through small group instruction that took place during the regular school day. Through conferencing with the students, and by comparing the compositions written before the SRSD instruction to compositions written …

Gesture: Nonverbal Communication Between Teachers And Students, Christina Roviello

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers convey nonverbal messages to their class using gestures, body language, tone and physical body placement. Research shows that nonverbal messages can be very powerful tools with students. Research has also shown that nonverbal gestures paired with verbal communication enhance comprehension. This study's purpose is to find evidence that using nonverbal gestures in the classroom improves teacher direction and class attention and understanding. Data analysis shows that particular students benefit from emblems gesture in the classroom setting. Conclusions and implications of this study suggest that nonverbal communication has an influence on the classroom environment; however, further investigation is required.

Looking At The Impact Of Parental Involvement On Student Learning, Carly H. Oliver

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study focuses on parental involvement in schools, in particular, the over involvement of some parents. Major themes covered include parent-teacher communication, appropriate involvement in and out of the classroom, and parental interference. Research was conducted by surveying two hundred fifty parents and sixty teachers in one elementary school in conjunction with follow-up interviews and the researcher's field notes. The response rates were low and respondents may share many characteristics, skewing the results. Questions on the surveys were categorized into themes to look for trends. The results find that some parents do interfere with the educational process and children …

Parent-Teacher Communication Methods: Which Ones Do Teachers Utilize, And Why?, Jennifer Ann Clipper

Theses and Dissertations

Studies have shown that parental involvement has positive effects on education. Further, parents are more likely to become involved if they are kept up-to-date with student progress; however, in order for parents to know this information, effective communication needs to be maintained. This study used a survey instrument with open-ended and closed-ended responses (Likert scale) as well as teacher interviews. The sample included fifty teachers in an upper elementary school in southern New Jersey. These respondents' answers helped to determine which methods of home-school communication are currently in use, which are perceived as most effective, and how much time is …

Examining Factors That Influence Elementary Teachers' Dress Habits, Jill K. Camburn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that impact the attire that elementary teachers choose to wear to work. This study was conducted in an upper elementary school (grades three through five) in a large K-12 public school district in Camden County, New Jersey. The participants were 44 elementary, special education, and special area teachers whose teaching experience varied. Participants completed surveys in which they used a Likert-type attitude scale to assign ratings to various possible factors. Data from the surveys was recorded in percentages and organized into groups according to years of experience. Interviews were also …

The Effect Of Different-Sex And Same-Sex Cooperative Learning Groups On Achievement, Jennifer L. Olshefski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of different-sex and same-sex cooperative learning groups on the achievement of fourth grade students. The subjects for this study are nineteen fourth grade students in a regular education classroom in a southern New Jersey elementary school. The students worked in cooperative learning groups during science period. The academic performance of the same-sex cooperative learning groups and the different-sex cooperative learning groups was assessed through student artifacts/work, anecdotal notes/observations, teacher research journal, and a student end-of-study questionnaire. A qualitative approach was used to analyze the data, which revealed that students in …

The Effect Of Graphic Organizers On The Academic Achievement Of Fourth Grade Students, Stephanie Kirschbaum

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that graphic organizers have on the academic achievement of fourth grade students. The sample was a fourth grade classroom in an elementary school in southern New Jersey. The researcher taught the students two different social studies chapters. The researcher collected data by giving the students two tests for each of the two chapters taught. There were a total of four tests given. These tests were similar in that they were the exact same difficulty level. However, in each chapter there was one test that was constructed using graphic organizers, and …

A Comparison Study Of The Stress Levels Between English Language Learner Students And Native English Language Speaking Students, Christine J. Desrochers

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to find whether students who are English Language Learners showed significantly higher stress levels than students who spoke English as their native language. A survey was administered to both groups to determine which group showed higher levels of stress. The total sample size was 24 students, with 12 students belonging in each respective group. An independent sample t-test was used to analyze the data. After analysis the study found that there was a significantly higher level of stress found in English Language Learners than there was in Native English Language Speaking students.

The Effectiveness Of Instruction In A Third Grade Classroom Utilizing The Theory Of Multiple Intelligence, Matthew W. Whitaker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of utilizing Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligence in a third grade classroom. An experimental group (n = 21) received the treatment teaching method over a two week period. A control group of students (n = 20) was instructed the same unit over the same two week period utilizing a traditional teaching method. Both groups were intact classes prior to the research beginning. A pretest and posttest were administered and a t-test for independent samples was employed to determine if there was a significant difference in achievement between …

Role Of The New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards In The 4th Grade Classrooms Of Salem County, Nj, J. Michael Mcqueston

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to examine the role that the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards are playing in the 4^th grade classrooms of Salem County, New Jersey. Through surveying the teachers of Salem County, the researcher was able to assign a level of comfort and usage of the NJCCCS for each school district and compare that level with student achievement on the 2003 NJASK assessment. Additionally the issues of clarity and parsimony of the standards, alignment to the assessment and professional development opportunities available to teachers were also studied. The hypothesis of the study was that …

Flexible Reading Groups For Literacy In A First Grade Classroom, Sharon Ann Parker

All Graduate Projects

The professional literature on the configuration of flexible reading groups for reading instrnction in a regular first grade classroom was examined to determine if flexible grouping yields any benefit to students who have been assessed to be below grade level in reading. The research showed support for the idea that flexible, fluid grouping is an accelerant to producing higher levels of reading improvement. As a result, an instructional handbook was created to aid educators in the implementation of flexible reading group instruction.

At-Risk Students: Teacher Perception Of Literacy And Criminal Behavior, Traci Jo Ann Reiter

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Future At Risk: Child Labour, Bernadette L. Dean

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Paul Laurence Who? Invisibility And Misrepresentation In Children's Literature And Language Arts Textbooks, Mary Jackson Scroggins, Jane M. Gangi

Education Faculty Publications

This article is a call-and-response-type conversation between two women—educators, mothers, lovers of words—on the representation of books about children of color in literature and language arts textbooks for preservice teachers. Scroggins shares anecdotes on the experience and real-life effects of invisibility, misrepresentation, and underrepresentation; her comments are italicized. Gangi reviews select textbooks and booklists. Both comment on the state of multiculturalism in children's literature.

Parts of this article were presented at the conference "Color, Hair, and Bone: The Persistence of Race into the 21st Century," held at Bucknell University on September 27, 2002. Other parts are adapted from Encountering Children's …

First-Year Teacher Perceptions Of Classroom Experiences And Teacher Induction In A Midwestern School District, Cheryl Torok Fleming

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study was to discover first-year teacher perceptions of their experiences with classroom teaching and teacher induction in a midwestern school district.

Method. This qualitative study sought to discover how new teachers build knowledge of the context and culture of teaching. Purposeful sampling techniques were used. Participants were delimited to practicing K-6 educators in an Indiana urban school district, completing their first year of experience as classroom teachers. Data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews. The questions focused upon the development process of beginning teachers, and how an induction program contributed to their development. The …

The Effects Of The Teacher's Use Of Guided Inquiry In The Fifth Grade Classroom, Deborah Strickland Spiess

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED THE EFFECTS OF THE TEACHER'S USE OF GUIDED INQUIRY IN A FIFTH GRADE SCIENCE CLASSROOM. INQUIRY IS SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL(2000), AND INDICATES THAT ALL STUDENTS SHOULD DEVELOP THE ABILITIES NECESSARY TO DO SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY AND DEVELOP UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY (P.21). THIS STUDY WAS A QUALITATIVE ACTION RESEARCH DESIGN, FOCUSING ON SEVENTEEN STUDENTS AND THEIR RESPONSES TO A GUIDED INQUIRY METHOD OF SCIENCE INSTRUCTION ON MATTER, ENERGY AND MOTION, AND EARTH AND SPACE. AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS' PERFORMANCE AND STUDENTS' ATTITUDES ABOUT SCIENCE IN THE CLASSROOM WAS CONDUCTED ABOUT EACH UNIT OF INSTRUCTION. THE …

Effects Of Bullying On Student Attendance, Michelle Clark

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Program Assessment Of A Suburban School District's Literacy Leaders Paradigm, Howard B. Schechter

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Impact Of Direct Reading Instruction For Middle School Students At Newfield Middle School, Newfield, New York, Robert R. Ike

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Impact Of An Intensive Literacy Program On The Sustained Reading Achievement Of Second Grade Students, Rita Cestaro Meehan

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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A Study Of Teachers' Perceptions Of The Impact Of New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standard 3.2 On Writing Instruction In Third And Fourth Grade Classrooms In Morris County, New Jersey, Kathleen Holup Sleezer

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Ability Of The Urban Teacher Selection Interview To Identify Teachers Who Are Likely To Be Retained In The Buffalo Public Schools, Patricia Frey

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The rate of teacher turnover appears to be higher than employee turnover in many other occupations. What is currently perceived as a teacher shortage may in reality be a problem of teacher retention. This study examined the use of the Urban Teacher Selection Interview, developed by Martin Haberman, Ph.D., as a tool for choosing teachers for urban districts. Almost 36% of those teachers eligible for employment in Buffalo refused employment. This compares favorably with a national average of 40% of teachers who choose not to teach. In general, the higher the interview scores the longer a teacher was retained in …

Glimpses Of The Impact Of Pdts In The Osh Region, Kyrgyzstan, Sadyk Ysmaiylov, Rahat Joldoshalieva, Gulnara Abdieva

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

This an interactive poster that presents findings of the Professional Development Teachers (PDTs) from Osh, Kyrgyzstan, in the field of teaching and learning English, as well as professional development of teachers that was carried out by them since they graduated from Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED). This presentation will consist of three parts. The first part will describe findings from the professional development programme, which has been carried out by the English Language Programme (ELP) at the faculty of World Languages at Osh State University. The second part will reveal changes that have been made in the …

An Integrated Approach To School Development In Northern Areas Of Pakistan, Mola Dad Shafa

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

I started my career as a primary school teacher working for the Aga Khan Education Service in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. I was one of AKU-IED’s first-cohort Professional Development Teachers (PDTs), and was the only course participant from the Northern Areas of Pakistan in the first MEd course. Having completed the MEd degree from AKU-IED, I went back to my parent institution and was assigned the management of 30 schools. My post-MEd work, which reflects an integrated approach to school development, ranges from conducting professional development programmes for teachers and head teachers, increasing students’ voice in school improvement-related decisions, …

The Status Of Female Education In Rural Balochistan, Samina Naz

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

Balochistan is the largest province in Pakistan, occupying almost 43% of the country’s land area and is approximately the size of France. It is also the least populated province with only about 5% of the population residing there, 80% of whom are scattered in small villages. These villages have remained largely untouched by the advances of the modern age, and largely ignored by the central authorities. Very few resources have been made available to these rural areas with the unfortunate result that education for all is extremely under-funded, and the most seriously affected by this neglect are the women and …

Achievements And Challenges In Chitral, Zulfiqar Ali, Jalal Wali, Mohammad Ismail, Muhammad Khan, Zubaida Khanum

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

So far eight teachers of Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan (AKES,P), Chitral, have graduated from the AKU-IED and are performing different roles under various capacities. The AKES,P runs 51 schools for girls and provides technical support to more than 30 community-based schools in District Chitral. It has one Regional Education Office and four field offices to facilitate educational activities. Professional Development Teachers (PDTs) play diverse roles such as training officer, education officer, field operations officer, and head teacher and teacher educator. The management of the AKES,P determines roles for the PDTs according to the needs of the system. Their roles …

Learning To Teach Science Using A New Strategy: A Case Study Of A Primary Science Teacher, Nelofer Halai

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

Constructivism has emerged as the dominant learning model in science educational reform. Despite this, there is a paucity of research studies on instructional strategies that might help the construction of knowledge that is in consonance with the established body of science. The use of activities based on discrepant events in teaching science at the primary level is seen as one way of encouraging this construction. Hence, Science Teachers enrolled in science methods courses / programmes at AKU-IED are exposed to this instructional strategy. The four-member team of science teacher educators, teaching on an eight-week in-service programme, chose to look at …

Hands-On Manipulative Use In Science Instruction, Bianca Lee Domenico

Theses and Dissertations

This study tested the use of physical manipulatives during science instruction – in conjunction with the traditional, textbook-oriented approach – and determines whether manipulatives create more significant learning experiences than text generates alone. The subject sample consisted of 20 third-grade students from a suburban New Jersey elementary school classroom. All subjects functioned at least on a third-grade level in all subjects with the exception of three students, who participated in the Talented and Gifted Program. Subjects from the experimental group and the control group completed a science content pretest of thirteen open-ended cognition questions. Both groups completed assigned activities, and …

The Effects Of Grouping Fourth Grade Students Into Cooperative Learning Groups By Learning Patterns, Kelly A. Hamlet

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of fourth grade students working in cooperative learning groups. Students worked in three cooperative learning groups in order to determine whether grouping students heterogeneously into cooperative learning groups based on individual students' learning pattern would have a positive correlation with group and individual success. First students were grouped randomly and then homogeneously by learning pattern, and lastly heterogeneously by learning pattern. During each cooperative learning experience groups were expected to complete in-class group work. Students were then given a quiz and a test on the material covered during their cooperative …

Elementary School Meets University, Rachel M. B. Collopy, Patsy Bowman

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

When school districts and universities combine their strengths, both benefit. Like teaching hospitals associated with medical schools, professional development schools (PDSs) train future practitioners, develop state-of-the-art practices, and nurture professional growth. Schools benefit from sustained professional development focused on their unique needs. Teacher preparation programs benefit from exemplary placements for student teachers and the wisdom of current practitioners. Both gain from joint research into innovative practices and the cross-fertilization of ideas.