Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons^™

Universal Design For Learning (Udl) In Inclusive Preschool Science Classrooms, Marla J. Lohmann, Katrina A. Hovey, Ariane N. Gauvreau

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Science instruction is a critical aspect of early learning. Teachers can support young children’s learning about scientific concepts through the use of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, which is a proactive approach to instructional planning that helps ensure success for all learners. This teaching techniques article offers preschool teachers practical solutions for implementing in the UDL framework for science instruction in their classrooms.

A Snapshot Of Ece Apprenticeship Programs, Emily Sharrock, Annie Schaeffing, Lily Rosenthal, Thelma Wong

Bank Street Education Center

This publication offers a closer look at the key features of existing apprenticeship programs across the United States—such as the diversity and range of approaches to credentials, partnership models, funding, and how programs deliver quality mentoring and/or coaching support—to reimagine how program quality can be strengthened to deepen learning for participants.

General Education Preschool Teachers' Preparedness To Teach Students With Disabilities Within A General Education Preschool Setting, Mary-Margaret Satterfield

Ed.D. Dissertations

Since Congress passed amendments in 1997 to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), there has been an emphasis on instruction to students with disabilities in the general education classroom, especially with preschool students. The significant increase of students with disabilities in general education classrooms precipitated the need for general education teachers to have knowledge and skills about special education to support and provide instruction to students with disabilities. The purpose of this basic, interpretive qualitative study was to investigate how general education preschool teachers in a large school district in Tennessee felt prepared by their preservice, in-service, and continuing education …

A Novel Jazz Music Curriculum For Young Children: Results Of A Pilot Study, Jazmin D. Ghent

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Jazz improvisation is known as the highest-known art form concerning improvisation due to its frequency and development of creative ideas (Feldman 1964). Research shows that the art of spontaneous creation can contribute to children’s ability to problem-solve, social and emotional well-being, and academic success into adulthood (Biasutti, 2017; Heble & Laver, 2016; Kiehn, 2003; Kuzmich, 1980; Solis, 2009). Improvisation is crucial for developmentally comprehensive music programs; however, improvisation is scarce in elementary music classrooms and curricula. For this pilot study, a group of 31 children aged 5-8 and considered at-risk participated in a study where they were randomly assigned to …

Remembering The Ladies! A Decision-Making Activity For Teaching The American Revolution, Presley Shilling, Jeffrey Byford, Deanna Owens-Mosby

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This content-centered American Revolution activity encourages students to utilize Robert Stahl’s rank-order approach to promote decision-making in the social studies classroom. The incorporation of women’s contributions in the years leading up to the American Revolution influences students to analyze various perspectives surrounding this historical event. Employing Robert Stahl’s four phases of decision-making, students examine a situation and rank-order the efforts of the daughters of liberty, while investigating the political, economic, and social causes of the American Revolution. Students, individually or in groups, determine which of the seven solutions will be most effective in undermining the British and King George III’s …

Creating Law And Order: A Content-Centered Manifest Destiny Activity, Presley Shilling, Jeffrey Byford, Alisha Milam

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This content activity shows how Robert Stahl’s negotiation activity approach can promote decision-making in the social studies classroom. The effects of the activity on students’ ability to replicate the actions of settlers taking the journey to the western territories in search of gold. Incorporating Robert Stahl’s four decision-making phases, students negotiate social, political, and economic issues associated with the mining town of Bodie, California. In doing so, students must, individually or in small groups, decide and prioritize a series of proposals to better the living conditions, economic struggles, and social problems that have plagued Bodie for some time.

A Culturally Responsive And Sustaining Pre-School: Collaborative Approaches To Curriculum In An Underserved Florida Community, Dana R. Roberts

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The early childhood education and childcare (ECE&C) sector in America “is a textbook example of a broken market” (Yellen, 2021) that operates as a “non-system” (Berlin, 2021). This manifests itself through the low-quality of its teaching cadre (Cassidy et al., 2019). This failure hits disadvantage families hardest (Chafouleas et al., 2016) - a reality that is particularly apparent in St. Petersburg, Florida’s Midtown neighborhoods where one out of every two children attending ECE programs are not meeting State school readiness standards (Florida OEL, 2020). In this study, I propose a culturally-responsive (Gay, 2018), culturally sustaining (Ladson-Billings, 2021c), and equity-based continuous …

Beyond Certification: Innovative Strategies To Tackle The Teacher Shortage, Abbigail Lp Morris

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

This article challenges educational leaders to look beyond alternative routes for teaching certification and more towards an increased collaboration between districts and universities to help alleviate the teacher shortage issue in Kentucky. It specifically highlights the works of Omaha Public School District and the University of Nebraska Omaha as a model for proactive teacher pipeline.

A Program Evaluation Of Prekindergarten Program In One School District, Alicia Eubank

Dissertations

I explored the potential impact of position and salary change on prekindergarten teachers in a public-school district in a southern state. I provided an educational, economic, political and moral/ethical analysis in partial support of this change for the district.

The current policy in the district is that the school year prekindergarten teaching positions are considered non-instructional. However, the summer prekindergarten program teachers are certified teachers as per state requirements. The new policy will make all prekindergarten teaching positions require state certification. This change would give them the financial pay and benefits included with the position change and keep them in …

Identity, Access, And Equity: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study Of Mathematics Identity And Socialization In Pre-Service Teachers, Ashley Renaire Davis

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Teaching practices in early childhood through post-secondary learning settings continue to reproduce inequities in mathematics education despite recognition of math’s utility and its necessity for competitiveness in the global economy. For reform efforts to be successful, teachers must change the way mathematics is presented in classrooms where students often experience differences in exposure to mathematics content and time spent covering particular mathematics topics. Therefore, teachers represent a critical component in the cycle of reproduction of unequal access to mathematics. This mixed-methods study examined the processes of mathematics identity formation and mathematics socialization in a diverse sample of pre-service elementary and …

Overview Of The Proceedings Of The 2022 Inclusion In Science, Learning A New Direction, Conference On Disability (Island), Cary A. Supalo, Jasodhara Bhattacharya, Daniel Steinberg

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

The 13th annual Inclusion in Science, Learning a New Direction, Conference on Disability was hosted by the Princeton Center for Complex Materials (PCCM), a National Science Foundation funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC), and Princeton University on September 16-17, 2022 at Bowen Hall. This annual conference included presentations that featured innovative research done by science educators in formal and informal education contexts, ranging from pre-K-12 to higher education, and science education researchers, access technology developers, and others interested in the full inclusion of persons with disabilities into the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce. The 2022 ISLAND …

From The Editors..., Todd Pagano

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

How Doctoral Students In A Formal Leadership Program Conceptualize Followership: A Mixed-Methods Study, Katy J. Johnson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory mixed-methods study was to determine how doctoral students in a formal leadership program conceptualize followership. The methods used to conduct this analysis included distributing a Qualtrics (released in August 2022) survey and conducting one-on-one interviews with a sample of degree-seeking doctoral students within a formal leadership program. The researcher collected quantitative and qualitative data addressing students’ followership style, leadership attitudes and beliefs, and perceptions of followership. These data were analyzed concurrently using a triangulation design. A total of 67 students completed the survey, and seven students were interviewed. The findings revealed that the participants employ …

Reflecting On Ecse Parent Coaching: Integrating High Leverage Practices 2, 11 And 16 With Parents Of Children Birth Through Age 2, John Muhlenpoh

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to gather information on Early Intervention (EI) practices and the implementation of the Special Education High Leverage Practices (HLPs) with parents and children ages birth through age two. In the past, EI staff took the lead as they provided a medical model of services where the staff went into the homes of parents and “fixed” problems the child was having, essentially leaving the parent out of the equation (NICHCY, 2022). The programs involved parents, but many of the parents seemed to take a back seat and watch what was going on with their child …

Black Fatherhood: A Critical Component For Urban African American Student Success, Cameron Steel

Honor’s College Freeman Research Journal

A multitude of studies express that father involvement has an impact on student achievement and learning outcomes for urban African American students (Palm & Fagan, 2008). Although biological fathers are extremely vital to our community, a biological connection between a parental figure and their student is not essential to these correlational outcomes. The absence of fathers in the urban African American community has had a negative impact on students' self-esteem, academic efficacy, and general livelihood. Realistically, it is not a viable solution to place fathers in homes or force them to stay and remain active participants in their child's K-12 …

Opportunities For Reflective Practice In Early Childhood Apprenticeships, Emily Sharrock, Courtney Parkerson

Bank Street Education Center

This resource offers insights about the components, purpose, costs and related implementation considerations needed to design a system of high-quality job-embedded support in residency or apprenticeship programs. It is intended for early childhood leaders to facilitate the design or enhancement of this critical investment for our early childhood workforce.

When The Odds Are Against You: A Critical Literature Review Of The Pedagogical Implications Of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Cynthia Ochoa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Exceling in formal education is one way to improve a personâ??s social mobility and life chances (McMahaon & Oketch, 2013). However, there is a long line of educational inequity in the United States from the founding of the nation to the present. People of color and minorities have fought long and hard for educational equity, with the most effective approaches being grassroots mobilization and court battles (Lopez & Burciaga, 2014). This includes examples such as California schools denying entrance to Chinese American children to enter schools based on their ancestry in the 1800s; the arrest of Margaret Douglass for teaching …

Reflections On Pre-Kindergarten Pedagogical Practices For Latine Preschoolers: An Autoethnography, Cynthia Chavez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This personal reflexive account of my experiences as a Latine Pre-K teacher and Instructional Coach represents the adversities that many early childhood education public school teachers face within marginalized public-school campuses. Using myself as the subject and researcher within the context of area public school districts provided the drive to seek social justice for disadvantaged Latine preschoolers in their quest for an equitable footing in public school offerings. Through the participant's lens, I chronicle my experiences as a prekindergarten public-school teacher and later as a multi-district instructional coach using the qualitative methodology of both emotive and analytical/interpretive viewpoints. This genre …

A Systematic Compilation Of The Diversity, Equity, And Social Justice In Education (Desje) Program, Cynthia Ochoa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Exceling in formal education is one way to improve a personâ??s social mobility and life chances (McMahaon & Oketch, 2013). However, there is a long line of educational inequity in the United States from the founding of the nation to the present. People of color and minorities have fought long and hard for educational equity, with the most effective approaches being grassroots mobilization and court battles (Lopez & Burciaga, 2014). This includes examples such as California schools denying entrance to Chinese American children to enter schools based on their ancestry in the 1800s; the arrest of Margaret Douglass for teaching …

Building Anger Management Skills In Preschoolers, Manuelita Valdez Aceves

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many young kids have not yet developed social-emotional skills, which prevents them from controlling their feelings and emotions. When children do not learn to regulate their emotions, anger, frustration, and aggression issues are more likely to arise. However, when they do develop these skills, children can build self-awareness and confidence, increase empathy for others, and build positive relationships. Therefore, to support young children in developing self-regulation skills and dealing with feelings, I created a three-day lesson for teaching anger management skills to preschool children at Migrant Seasonal Head Start in Gonzales, California.

Increasing Science Curriculum In Preschool, Sandra Rogel

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Early preschool curriculum often needs more attention to science. When the science curriculum is missing from the preschool curriculum, children may not recognize early science concepts, develop little interest in scientific concepts, and lack sufficient skills for kindergarten readiness. When preschool children are exposed to a science curriculum, they begin to apply scientific concepts, acquire scientific language, and develop scientific thinking. Therefore, to address the insufficiency of science in the preschool curriculum, I developed a three-day lesson for 3 to 5-year-olds at MCOE Early Learning Program at Creekside in Salinas, California.

Development Of A Sustainable Social Emotional Learning Workshop Series For Kindergarten To Second Grade Teachers, Claire Reyes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

In this project, I propose a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) workshopseries for kindergarten through second-grade teachers. In the recent decade, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on mental health, SEL programs have gained attention, and many have recognized the need for these programs in the classroom (Katz,2020). Early integration of SEL (e.g., in early childhood and elementary school classrooms) is essential to lifelong social and emotional development and positive outcomes (Mondi et al., 2021). However, SEL may feel difficult for teachers to incorporate in the classroom; teachers may learn about SEL broadly and inconsistently; thus, they feel …

Taking Science Museums To The Edge: How Science Museums Can Advocate For Social Justice, Education And Inclusivity Through Their Exhibits, Sasha C. Naples

Museum Studies Theses

Science museums have often associated affluent populations and quality education with access to scientific material and content. While these institutions have become more accessible in many ways, they can and should increase their efforts to include BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities and individuals. As the need grows for diversity in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields so does the demand for science museums to include these communities’ needs and wants. This thesis discusses the need for and importance of BIPOC representation in science museums and what museums have already done to include them in their programming and …

Kindergarten Readiness: Best Paractices, Patricia Faye Mccoy

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Patricia Faye McCoy on April 17, 2023.

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Addressing Sensory Needs And Fine Motor Development Through Teacher Training, Kennedy M. Morgan

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone was completed through a partnership with The Early Learning Center at Middle Tennessee Christian School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. MTCS provides a faith-based, college preparatory education for students in grades PK3 – 12. High academic standards, a Christian-centered environment, and opportunities for creative and social development help our students become well-rounded, self-disciplined, responsible individuals who make good life choices and contribute to the growth and development of their family, church, and community. One of the primary foci of this project was to create a handbook to introduce the topic of The Zones of Regulation. Another primary focus of …

Subjective Well-Being Of Teachers In K-12 Christian Schools, Julianne Rettig

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This non-experimental, quantitative study aimed to examine the factors that influence the self-perceived well-being of teachers in K-12 Christian schools. The sample for this study was convenient, non-probable, and purposive and comprised of 81 teachers from one Christian school system in Florida. The measurement tool used in this study is based on Seligman’s (2011) work on well-being. The Workplace PERMAH Profiler is a valid and reliable (α = .94) instrument that measures flourishing in terms of six domains: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment, and health. The internal reliability of study participant responses to survey items associated with the construct …

How Prepared Are Educators To Work With Students Of Color, Ja're Thorn

Dissertations

From what I have experienced, there has been a lack of preparation when it comes to preparing educators to work with students of color. This research aimed to explore the importance of early childhood teachers’ cultural preparation programs when it comes to working effectively with students of color. Most of the time, teachers teach to the common core standards set in place by the state. They also implement a curriculum that is considered “best practices” for students instead of paying attention to and considering the individual student’s specific culture, family, and community values and ways of life before planning (Spies, …

Interventions To Improve Teacher Self-Efficacy Beliefs About Writing And Writing Instruction: Lessons Learned And Areas For Exploration, Jadelyn Abbott, Tracey Hodges, Sherry Dismuke, Katherine Landau Wright, Claire Schweiker

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

The present study explores the findings of a systematic literature review of research about teachers’ self-efficacy for writing and writing instruction to demystify what is known and what remains unknown. We analyzed the pool of research on self-efficacy for writing and writing instruction from January 1992 to August 2020. Our final inclusion of articles resulted in 22 articles that examine teacher self-efficacy for writing and writing instruction while meeting our standards of examining changes in self-efficacy. We examined how shifts in self-efficacy are measured, specific interventions that increase teachers’ self-efficacy for writing and writing instruction as well as interventions that …

Alternative Techniques For Blind Low Vision Students Enrolled In Coding Courses, Robert Jaquiss

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

BLV (blind low vision) students face difficulties when taking coding classes. Individual Development Environments (IDE) can be inaccessible which make it difficult if not impossible for BLV students to complete coursework. Alternative techniques are described which will allow a BLV student to successfully complete coursework. The author has found the Command Line Interface (CLI) is often a recommended alternative to a Windows based IDE interface. Many blind computer programmers use the Windows and Linux command interfaces which are described as part of this discussion.

Staying “Above The Fray” With Julia B. Lindsey’S Insights On Effective Reading Instruction, Troy Hicks, Emma Chappel, Kirstin Fish, Anne Hosking, Jill Johnston, Jodi Juergens, Georgianna Murray, Lindsay Picarski, Heidi Turchan, Meghan K. Block, Chad Waldron

Michigan Reading Journal

In this crowdsourced, collaborative book review, participants in an online book club share their insights on Julia B. Lindsey's 2022 Scholastic Professional text, Reading Above the Fray.