Elementary Education and Teaching Commons^™

Elementary Teacher Education In Pakistan: What Is Needed, Yatta Kanu, Muhammad Memon

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Attitudes Of Elementary Principals Toward Parent Involvement In Schools In The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Linda V. Brittle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the attitudes of principals toward parent involvement in schools. The population for the study consisted of all public school elementary principals in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A random sample procedure was employed and an instrument was developed specifically for the study. An initial and second mailing resulted in an overall response rate of 53%. Factor analysis identified 5 groupings in parent involvement. Factors were labeled: Decision-Making, Policy-Making, Home Tutor/Co-Learner, Socio-Economic Status, and Parent Desire and Expertise. Seven null hypotheses were formulated and tested for the study. It was found that …

The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction And Social Network Characteristics Of Elementary School Principals, Lisa R. Gentry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of social communication networks and to determine the levels of job satisfaction of public elementary school principals in Northeast Tennessee. Relationships between social communication network characteristics and job satisfaction were described. Information from the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ) and the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) was used to identify characteristics of social networks and levels of job satisfaction. Data was used to investigate relationships between social network characteristics and job satisfaction scores. Data gathered included principals' gender, age, school size, years of experience, education level, ethnicity, community setting, marital status, tenure …

The Perceptions Of Career Ladder I, Career Ladder Ii, And Career Ladder Iii Elementary Principals Regarding Instructional Leadership, Brenda T. Gulledge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if Career Ladder I, Career Ladder II, and Career Ladder III Tennessee Elementary Principals perceived differently their role as instructional leaders. The amount of time principals spent in six identified dimensions of instructional leadership was examined. The study examined selected independent variables, such as, grade level configuration of the school, years of experience as a principal, number of years of classroom experience, and gender for any effect on the Career Ladder I, Career Ladder II, and Career Ladder III elementary principals' perceptions of their instructional leadership role. The research design included three …

Principal And Teacher Perceptions Of School Climate Related To Value-Added Assessment And Selected School Contextual Effects In The First Tennessee District, Diann B. Casteel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem related to this study was to develop a clearer understanding of organizational climates in K-8 schools in Tennessee and the relationship that climate has to school performance, as measured through value-added assessment. The purpose of this study was to identify relationships between dimensions of school climate and student achievement as measured by mandated value-added assessment at the third grade level in Tennessee. The study attempted to determine if there was a significant difference between principal and teacher perceptions of school climate and if a relationship existed between the school climate and value-added assessment. The study also endeavored to …

Preservice Elementary Education Students’ Beliefs Regarding The Teaching And Learning Of Mathematics, Elsa L. Geskus

Dissertations

This dissertation analyzes the entering and exiting beliefs of preservice elementary education students in three domains. The domains are: (1) the nature of teaching mathematics, (2) the nature of learning mathematics, and (3) the nature of the underlying source of their success or failure in mathematics. The data collection for this study was comprised of two questionnaires. The first questionnaire with 72 items used a five point Iikert scale. The second questionnaire took 10 of the Iikert items and formatted them as an open-ended response questionnaire. Students were to respond favorably or negatively to the statements and provide support for …

Children's Safety Zone And Gateways To Life-Long Learing, Anne J. Mcdonough

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

The major purpose of this thesis is to examine the relationship between a psychologically safe environment, which the author has termed Children's Safety Zone, and positive learning structures. Together they can of a practical new model for decentralized teaching. Educators create the conditions in which learning discoveries can be made; therefore, an exploration into children's motivations, achievements, learning abilities, intelligences, and values can affect how to effectively approach their learning discoveries. It is the assumption of this thesis that education needs to produce learners who have encountered and acquired a sense of responsibility and control of their own learning. Motivating …

Critical Thinking In Elementary Science Instruction Using Portfolios And Cooperative Learning, Lisa A. Hayes

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Elementary science education often does not reflect the processes used n professional science. Students are instructed in a recipe-oriented way to follow predetermine procedures in order to come to predetermined results. The embedding of critical thinking skills instruction into science curriculum makes it possible for science instruction to more closely resemble professional science. This curriculum development thesis utilizes critical thinking skills and instructional strategies as a basis for embedding critical thinking skills instruction into a series of lessons on the topic of sound. Each lesson includes objectives for science content and thinking skills, a motivational activity, use of portfolios for …

Identification Of Tennessee Teacher And Principal Beliefs About National Standards And National Goals In Education, Shirley R. Ellis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the beliefs of Tennessee principals and teachers in relation to national standards and national goals. This was a descriptive study, which utilized a survey methodology. The population under study was limited to 232 principals and 268 teachers randomly selected from the 1992-1993 membership of the Tennessee Education Association. The instrument, developed by the researcher for this study, was the National Standards/National Goals Questionnaire. The 32 item instrument was designed to determine the level of belief of national goals and national standards. Descriptive statements were used to analyze the data gathered from the …

Salute To Kitty Stone Scrapbook, Martha Stillwell

Alabama History & Culture

Kitty Stone, wife of JSU President Emeritus Ernest Stone, was a longtime educator who worked to improve standards in the Jacksonville School System and the State of Alabama. She began her career in Jacksonville in the 1940s as a first grade teacher at what was then known as Jacksonville Elementary Laboratory School, which was an extension of Jacksonville State Teachers College. Stone went on to serve as director of the laboratory school and JSTC's student teacher program, and later principal of the school until her retirement on 30 September 1971. The school was later named Kitty Stone Elementary School in …

Occasional Papers: On Collaboration In Education, Janice Rowan

Hollybush Series

Volume 4 of The Hollybush Series contains 11 faculty essays on collaboration in education, with artwork from students at John Fenwick School and Elmer School.

Faculty authors are: Jane Sullivan, Carl Calliari, Sharon Davis-Bianco, Donna Hathaway, Jody Blohm, Christine Johnston, Gary Dainton, Charles Ivory, Christy Faison, Peggy Beck, David Kapel, Carol Sharp, Janet Moss, Edith Thompson, and Brenda Benson-Burrell.

Writing Mathematics, E. G. Bernard

Humanistic Mathematics Network Journal

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of The Reading Recovery Program At Main Street School In Shelbyville, Illinois, Leslie L. Hohenstein

Masters Theses

Traditional solutions to reading problems have not adequately addressed reading difficulties. Many students in the lower 20% of the reading level of their class have far reaching academic and social problems that lead to dropping out of school, entering special education classes, becoming frustrated, and possibly becoming discipline problems. This study examined the Reading Recovery Program at Main Street School in Shelbyville, Illinois. Specific study objectives were measurements of student test data and progress for the 1992-1993 school year. Measurements were performed using a pre- and post-testing method. A survey questionnaire was used to gather data from Reading Recovery teachers. …

Educational Service Center #17'S Fy92 Scientific Literacy Program, Marilyn Holt

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate Illinois Educational Service Center #17's Scientific Literacy Program for FY92. Objectives utilized to address this problem were:

1. To determine the effectiveness of the staff development delivered in FY92 which emphasized hands-on approaches to teaching physics concepts to students in grades K-8.

2. To determine the effectiveness of the staff development delivered in FY92 which emphasized hands-on approaches to teaching mathematic concepts to students in grades K-6.

3. To determine the effectiveness of the staff development delivered in FY92 which emphasized hands-on approaches to teaching science process concepts to students in grades …

Spreading Technology Around: An Investment In Tomorrow, Domenick Pinto, Babu George

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

Sacred Heart University, a private, liberal arts university in southwestern Connecticut has, over the past fourteen years through the Faculty of Science, Mathematics, and Computer Science established partnerships with various educational institutions and school systems for both teacher and student enhancement in the science and technology areas. Those who have benefited include teachers grades K-12, senior citizens, corporate and municipal employees in the community, and students in inner city, private, and suburban settings in grades 2-12.

This paper was presented at the 1994 CAUSE Annual Conference held in Orlando, FL, November 29- December 2, and is part of the conference …

Creating A Collaborative Culture In A National Schools Project School., John Rooney, Alastair Drew

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The school's desire to be a part of the National Schools Project arose from its local circumstances. Situated in the northern suburbs of AdelaIde, Salisbury North Primary School caters to a highly disadvantaged community. Over 80 per cent of students are from households whose income is low enough to qualify for government assistance. This figure has been steadily rising over the last few years. The student population is also remarkably diverse. Of an enrolment of 280 children in year levels 3-7, thirty percent are of non-English speaking background, twenty five percent are part of a new arrivals program, and over …

The Relationship Of Right Brain/Left Brain Hemispheric Dimensions Of Cognitive Style Between Teachers And Principals In Northeast Tennessee, Thomas S. Little

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Problem of this study was to determine if the cognitive style of elementary school principals affects the principal's evaluation of a teacher when there is a match or mismatch between the principal's and teacher's cognitive style. Using the Productivity Environmental Preference Survey, the dimensions of right brain/left brain hemispheric dimensions of cognitive style were measured for the sample population. The sample population included 40 elementary school principals and 120 elementary school teachers. The 120 teachers were made up of teachers selected by each of the 40 principals as the most effective teachers in the school. The statistical analysis of …

Analysis Of Mccarthy Learning Styles And Integration Of Critical And Creative Thinking, Lucille Nancy Maugeri Mckain

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Bernice McCarthy has devised an instructional and organizational model that has been used in the United States since 1979. The model addresses an experiential cycle of learning that takes one from personal meaning to creativity. The use of this model helps people to understand and respect others, to communicate, and to think at higher levels.

This thesis offers the McCarthy model as a foundation for structuring learning experiences. It begins with a literature review which discusses the theoretical origins of McCarthy's model. In evaluating this model for its inherent critical and creative thinking skills, however, the author finds several areas …

The Effects Of Two Motivational Factors On Accuracy And Persistence For Second Graders, Jesse D. Baker

Dissertations

Promoting and maintaining motivation in elementary students is an ongoing problem. This study hypothesized that (a) feedback has a greater motivational effect on persistence and on accuracy for second graders than does no feedback, and (b) knowledge of results feedback has a greater motivational effect than does pleasant feeling tone feedback. Evidence from the study showed mixed support for the hypotheses.

The study compared two forms of feedback and the absence of feedback. One group received praise in the form of general, positive statements—classified as feeling tone—about their work while completing mathematics computational portions of the second grade 1989 Stanford …

Reading: The Conferences, Kathryn Kinnucan-Welsch

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

The theme of this issue of Reading Horizons is exemplary practice, and as I recall, several of the sessions from the annual conference of the International Reading Association it becomes clear how central the concept of teacher as professional is to exemplary practice. One session in particular — Teacher Preparation and Staff Development: Lessons from New Zealand — presented by Debra Elliot and colleagues provided some food for thought in considering the teacher as professional. In discussing current models of student teaching, which is of course a critical component to the development of the teacher as professional, Stephanie Steffey from …

Adapting To Retention: A Naturalistic Study Revealing The Coping Resources Of Nonpromoted Students And Their Parents, Robbie J. Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to uncover the feelings and reactions of students and their parents in regard to the nonpromotion experience. Families with children who had been retained at least once in grades one through eight were purposefully selected as units of study from one of four area school systems. A total of 52 family members from 22 family units participated in 46 separate, qualitative interviews. The information collected from the interviews was inductively analyzed. Building upon Schlossberg's theory for human adaptation to transitions, seven factors or coping resources emerged from the data that affected the adaptation of …

Nova University Graduate Education Module (Gem) Master's And Educational Specialist Degrees: Elementary Education 1993, Nova University

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice College Archive

No abstract provided.

Children Learning To Write: A Progression Through Predictable Stages, Shirley D. Vestal

Masters Theses

A first-grade teacher documents her students' progression through predictable stages as they learn to write: distinct units of scribbling and/or ground line and profile in drawing, letters, words, sentences, story structure (character, setting, problem, solving the problem, and ending the story/telling how the characters felt), and conventions (capital letters, punctuation, and conventional spelling).

Criteria based on readability at each stage by a knowledgeable and sensitive reader are an important aspect of this study.

The class writes every day using a five-day story format:

Day One: Character Pink paper

Day Two: Setting Blue paper

Day Three: Problem Yellow paper

Day Four: …

Metacognition In The Elementary Classroom: An Exploration, Terri Anne Caffelle

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Metacognition is a practice which enables students to monitor their thought processes in order to think critically. Research indicates that when students are aware of their thinking they become better thinkers. The purpose of this thesis is to encourage teachers to give more attention to metacognition in the classroom. A review of the literature on metacognition is given. Next, classroom lessons are outlined which introduce fourth grade students to metacognition in the context of math problem solving. Finally, an initial assessment is given of how students' metacognitive and problem solving abilities have changed as a results of the curriculum. Before …

The Effects Of Retention In Elementary School On Subsequent Academic Performance And Instructional Practices, Janie H. Snyder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of retention on the academic performance of students retained in the third and fifth grade during the 1985-86 school year. A follow up study was used to analyze changes in academic test results. Another purpose was to interview teachers who had retained students and teachers who had taught the children the next school year to determine what changes occurred in instructional practices. Forty retained students of Northeast Tennessee were matched according to sex and similar scaled scores on the Stanford Achievement Test. Scores were compared by grade and by year …

Building A Home For Thinking Transfer, Margaret M. Burke

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Thinking skills development is an important educational goal if students are expected to cope with the challenges of today's rapidly changing world. Teachers attempt to build the foundation for thinking by applying innovative programs that introduce and reinforce critical and creative thinking skills. Yet, educational practitioners and experts in the critical thinking field recognize that even those students who demonstrate mature thinking in school frequently fail to transfer thinking skills outside the classroom. To maximize the possibility for transfer two approaches to thinking skills development were chosen for this thesis. First, methods employed in the classroom included direct instruction in …

Critical And Creative Thinking And Humor, Regina Temple

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Schools need to be more creative in helping students devise adaptive methods so as the ability to analyze, compare/contrast, and evaluate, and creative thinking behaviors, such as fluency, flexibility, and originality, are needed to solve the complex problems which students face in today's world. This thesis suggests the idea that humor, particularly humor resulting from the recognition and resolution of incongruity, found in jokes, puns, metaphors and visual representations, is related to and can facilitate the basic processes of critical and creative thinking, and hence facilitate complex problem solving. This thesis examines the importance of finding ways to initiate humor …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Self-Concept And Heterogeneous And Homogeneous Grouping Procedures With Seventh-Grade Students, Wanda Hughes Johnson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Homogeneous grouping, a technique which assigns learners by ability levels into class sections for instruction, has undergone considerable controversy. This study investigated the relationship between global self-concept and two procedures used to group seventh-grade students for instruction. The two procedures were heterogeneous and homogeneous grouping The Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Inventory Scale was administered to 76 heterogeneously grouped students and 70 homogeneously grouped students. A T-Test was applied to study the data by total groups. It was concluded that there was insufficient evidence to reject the hypothesis that there was no difference between the two groups.

Creative Problem Solving: Nine Model Lessons On The Rainforest, Christine Morton

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

The need for imparting critical and creative thinking skills to students has never been greater. No longer can students be expected to absorb passively each aspect of their education without the means of understanding more fully the nature and content of the learning experience. The amount of information currently available for teaching purposes alone is truly staggering. Just as the instructor must choose the most appropriate material for a curriculum, so too must the student decide what will be the moist useful to study from this endeavor. Teachers need to become developers of critical and creative thinking skills, and advocates …

Learning With Personal Computers: Issues, Observations And Perspectives, Helga A.H. Rowe, Irene Brown, Isabel Lesman

Digital learning research

The empirical study discussed in this book was conducted in the Sunrise classrooms at Coombabah State School, Queensland in 1991-92, in which each student had their own laptop computer. Part I provides a theoretical framework for learning and teaching with computers. Part II deals with issues relating to the acquisition of computer literacy. Part III describes the empirical study conducted with 115 Year 6 and Year 7 students, and Part IV deals with issues relating to the professional development of teachers who teach students with computers and with the evaluation of computer software by teachers.