ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
More than Just Play: Enhanced Teacher Preparation through Authentic Learning
Author: Myers, H. Nicole
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teacher Education,Developmental Disabilities,Play,Preservice Teachers,Teaching Methods,Case Studies,Student Surveys,Parent Surveys,Student Needs,Student Satisfaction,Experiential Learning,Program Effectiveness,Graduate Students,Children,Early Adolescents,Skill Development

This article describes the research behind and development of Play Lab, a play-based authentic learning environment for university students learning to teach children with developmental disabilities and the case study analysis from the Play Lab's first year of implementation. Data from (a) pre-development surveys which were triangulated with (b) parent and university student surveys, including questions about needs, knowledge, comfort level in working with children with developmental disabilities, (c) university student reflections and survey questions about satisfaction with the course; (d) feedback from parents during Parent Night; and (e) a review of university student projects describe Play Lab's authentic learning environment as reported by the university students.
The Teaching Philosophy: An Opportunity to Guide Practice or an Exercise in Futility?
Author: Stribling, Stacia M.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Philosophy,Teacher Attitudes,Elementary Secondary Education,Beliefs,Decision Making,Educational Practices,Educational Attitudes,Expectation,Faculty Development,Reflective Teaching,Position Papers,Likert Scales,Teacher Surveys,Discourse Analysis,Graduate Students,Teachers,Masters Programs

This conceptual essay explores the role a teaching philosophy plays in the experiences of K-12 classroom teachers who are firmly established in a school context. We draw on our experiences as in-service teacher educators and K-12 teachers to examine the extent to which teachers make decisions that are grounded in a well-thought out and clearly articulated belief system about teaching and learning. We argue that there are often tensions and disconnections between teachers' fundamental beliefs about teaching and learning and the realities of current mandates and imposed expectations.
Strong School-Community Partnerships in Inclusive Schools Are &quot;Part of the Fabric of the School... We Count on Them&quot;
Author: Gross, Judith M. S.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Community Relationship,Inclusion,Focus Groups,Student Needs,Partnerships in Education,School Culture,Academic Achievement,Disabilities,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students,Trust (Psychology),School Business Relationship,Social Services,Nonprofit Organizations,Municipalities,Interviews,Observation

School-community partnerships play an essential role in successful schools, often providing supports and resources to meet staff, family, and student needs that go beyond what is typically available through school. Reciprocally, community partners benefit from their relationships with schools, including learning about schools' inclusive culture. To better understand strong community partnerships and what fosters their development, we conducted focus groups with community partners of five schools. The first main finding presented in this article is that these schools have a variety of partners and partnerships, but all partnerships are reciprocal in that they are mutually beneficial. The second set of findings presented include the school factors that were facilitators of successful school-community partnerships: strong school leadership, an inviting school culture, educator commitment to student success, and the ability to collaborate and communicate with community partners. The community partners in many of these schools emphasized how the culture of including all students and providing all students with an excellent education profoundly influenced how they perceived disability and how they used their new knowledge in other settings. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Parental Involvement as a Mediator of Academic Performance among Special Education Middle School Students
Author: Flores de Apodaca, Roberto
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Parent Participation,Academic Achievement,Middle School Students,Disabilities,Special Education,Charter Schools,Urban Schools,Grades (Scholastic),Parents,Expectation,Grade Point Average,Resource Room Programs,Self Contained Classrooms,Comparative Analysis,Parent School Relationship,Intelligence Tests,Children,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Middle School Teachers

This study examined parental involvement as a mediator of the academic performance of middle school students with special needs. The study built on the different types of parental involvement theorized by Epstein and colleagues (2002) and studied empirically by Fan and Chen (2001). Using a specially developed questionnaire, a sample of 82 parents (representing all children enrolled in a special education program in a charter middle school in a diverse, urban environment) reported on the nature and extent of their involvement in their children's schoolwork. These ratings were then compared with their children's actual grades in four core classes over the course of the academic year. Echoing earlier findings with general population students, a significant relationship was found between parental expectations and overall GPA. Since Resource Room students had significantly lower grades than Special Day students (those in a self-contained, noninclusive classroom), parental communication and general involvement were negatively associated with academic performance in this sample, as had been the case earlier with similar groups of struggling students. Findings revealed a more complex relationship between parental involvement and academic achievement for special education students. These outcomes suggest that parental involvement with other student groups, grade levels, disabilities, and strengths may also be associated differently with other aspects of parental involvement and merit further study.
Perceptions of School Experiences during the First Semester of Middle School
Author: Buehler, Cheryl
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle School Students,Student Attitudes,Educational Experience,Student Experience,Student Satisfaction,Educational Environment,School Safety,Learner Engagement,Predictor Variables,Gender Differences,Teacher Student Relationship,Racial Differences,Grades (Scholastic),Academic Achievement,Grade 5,African American Students,Hispanic American Students,White Students,Questionnaires,Student Behavior,Measures (Individuals),Profiles,Structural Equation Models,Regression (Statistics),Ethnicity,Teacher Expectations of Students

Symbolic interaction and stage-environment fit theories were used to examine associations between several aspects of the perceived school environment and youths' school-related experiences during the first semester of middle school in a sample of 390 youth living in a southeastern U.S. county. Perceived school environment included learning climate, academic rigor, teacher support, and school safety. School-related experiences included school satisfaction, engagement in school, and successful efforts to avoid getting into trouble at school. School satisfaction was predicted by a positive learning climate, teacher support, and school safety. Engagement was predicted by a positive learning climate and teacher support. Trouble avoidance was predicted by school safety. Some of these associations differed by prior grades, for boys and girls, and for Black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White youth. The findings provide important information that can guide development of support systems for youth as they enter middle school.
Consultation in Bullying Prevention: An Elementary School Case Study
Author: Morrow, Michael T.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Bullying,Prevention,Consultation Programs,Public Schools,Elementary Schools,Program Evaluation,Interviews,Observation,Models,Positive Behavior Supports,Consultants,Teacher Role,Training,Social Support Groups,Program Effectiveness,Elementary School Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Victims,Discipline,Referral,Archives,Semi Structured Interviews,Peer Mediation

This manuscript outlines a consultation with a public elementary school that was aimed at assessing and strengthening the school's antibullying programs. We gathered consultation data through interviews and observations and also reviewed existing program evaluation data. We evaluated these data in light of current research on bullying prevention to identify the school's strengths in addressing bullying and to develop recommendations to fill any gaps in its antibullying efforts. An overarching strength of the school's model was its integration of a bullying prevention program within an existing behavioral management system. Our suggestions to the school span multiple levels of bullying prevention, including assessment, implementation, and specific programming. This manuscript highlights the role for professional consultants in collaborating with school communities in the prevention of bullying and provides a model for this consultation process.
Exploring a School-University Model for Professional Development with Classroom Staff: Teaching Trauma-Informed Approaches
Author: Anderson, Elizabeth M.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Faculty Development,Poverty,Workshops,Trauma,Stress Variables,Student Needs,Needs Assessment,Educational Environment,Educational Strategies,Work Environment,Barriers,Teacher Aides,Paraprofessional Personnel,Teaching Assistants,Models,Program Descriptions,Elementary Schools,Surveys,Focus Groups

Schools serving communities with high rates of poverty face the profound challenge of meeting the needs of students who are often exposed to significant family and environmental stressors and trauma. Classroom staff are vital members of school communities who often work closely with students with the highest needs, but they are typically not provided with professional development opportunities to develop skills for social-emotional learning intervention. This study, conducted in three parts, describes (1) a needs assessment with classroom staff to determine their learning needs, (2) the development and implementation of a series of professional development workshops that incorporated findings from the needs assessment, and (3) post-workshop surveys and focus groups to assess the impact of the workshops and identify ongoing professional development needs. Findings include themes of continuing concern regarding learning, school climate, and the need to address stress and trauma in students' lives. Additionally, findings point to the workplace environment as creating barriers for classroom staff to implement new strategies and make use of the knowledge and skills gained in the workshops. Implications for building or enhancing a trauma-informed school community are discussed.
Assessment Literacy for Teacher Candidates: A Focused Approach
Author: Gareis, Christopher R.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Evaluation,Teacher Competencies,College Faculty,Preservice Teachers,Teacher Educators,Knowledge Level,Standards,Concept Formation,Assignments,Test Construction,Preservice Teacher Education

The assessment of student learning has always been an integral element of the craft of teaching; however, contemporary demands for demonstrable student growth and teacher accountability have heightened the importance of this domain of professional responsibility. Additionally, there is evidence that many novice and experienced teachers tend to be relatively weaker in this domain as compared to other areas of professional practice, such as instructional planning, instructional delivery, and classroom management. This article describes an approach to developing the assessment literacy of teacher candidates in a nationally accredited, public university. A definition of assessment literacy and a conceptual framework for the foundational knowledge and skills of assessment literacy are presented and explained within the context of a focused, one-credit course for pre-service general education teachers. Evidence of impact is provided, as are limitations and cautions. The article concludes with grounded insights into the need to develop the assessment literacy of teacher candidates.
Developing Transformative Schools: A Resilience-Focused Paradigm for Education
Author: Nicoll, William G.
Date: 2014-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Change,Resilience (Psychology),Social Environment,School Effectiveness,Academic Achievement,Social Adjustment,Guidelines,Family Environment,Teaching Methods,Transformative Learning,Emotional Adjustment,Educational Quality,Physiology,Neurology

For the better part of the past century, the field of education has witnessed repeated calls and initiatives for change, reform and improvement of our schools. Yet today, the problems of improving academic achievement and social adjustment among youth continue unabated. An explanation for this &quot;change without change&quot; phenomenon is offered which differentiates innovative change from transformative change processes. A review of the research evidence regarding resilience and positive youth development, both academically and socially, is utilized to formulate a conceptual framework for guiding educators in creating resilience-focused, transformative schools. Specific attention is addressed to the application of such concepts as mindsets, resilience, social emotional competencies, and supportive social environments (family and school) in adopting a new, transformative paradigm for developing more effective schools and more capable youth.
Teacher Change and Development during Training in Social and Emotional Learning Programs in Sweden
Author: Kimber, Birgitta
Date: 2013-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Development,Emotional Development,Teacher Improvement,Teacher Education,Foreign Countries,Daily Living Skills,Classroom Environment,Faculty Development,Program Descriptions,Mental Health,Program Implementation,Elementary Secondary Education,Diaries

The paper presents the results from a thematic analysis of the process diaries of teachers involved in teacher training in social and emotional learning (SEL) in Sweden. Twenty-nine out of the 122 diaries available were analyzed until saturation was reached. The following themes and sub-themes were extracted: development (professional and personal, and classroom climate), and concomitants of development (need for collaboration and unease). The themes and sub-themes are related to theoretical aspects of specialised teacher education and to the debate in Sweden on how to proceed with SEL programs, and more generally with life skills programs. The results suggest that training generates both general teacher improvement and better implementation of SEL programs.
Families and Educators Supporting Bilingualism in Early Childhood
Author: Rodríguez, M. Victoria
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Bilingualism,Spanish,English,Hispanic Americans,Case Studies,Language Maintenance,Early Childhood Education,Parents,Ethnography,Observation,Audio Equipment,Interviews,Family Characteristics,Barriers

This article explores the strategies that three Latino families in the U.S. employed in raising their children bilingually in Spanish and English. It also looks at their rationale for bilingualism as well as the challenges the parents failed to anticipate in implementing their strategies. The data were gleaned from comparative case studies over a three year period. The families wanted their children to be bilingual because they believed in the cognitive and economic advantages of bilingualism and that bilingualism would help maintain the families' roots. To maintain the native language, the families planned to speak and support the Spanish language at home and relegated the teaching of English to the school. While two of the families expressed concerns about their children not being proficient in English by the time they entered school, only one of the families anticipated some of the challenges that their daughter would face in learning and maintaining Spanish. In fact, the results of the study indicated that attaining productive bilingualism (the ability to speak the minority language) presented the three young girls with more difficulties than being proficient in English. Recommendations for parents and schools are provided.
Listening to Parents' Narratives: The Value of Authentic Experiences with Children with Disabilities and Their Families
Author: Collier, Margo
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Parent Attitudes,Disabilities,Special Education,Teacher Competencies,Parent Teacher Cooperation,Family School Relationship,Partnerships in Education,Experiential Learning,Teacher Education Programs,Graduate Study,Questionnaires,Pretests Posttests,Student Attitudes,Surveys,Teaching Methods,Home Visits,Individual Characteristics,Reflection,Program Effectiveness,Graduate Students,Likert Scales

A serious gap exists within special education preparation programs; many neglect to adequately prepare teacher candidates to engage with parents of children with disabilities to create effective family-school-community collaboration. The following article describes the impact on the practices and dispositions of teacher candidates resulting from the implementation of a program called Families as Faculty (FAF), which was collaboratively designed and implemented by a university in the southwestern United States and the statewide Parent Training and Information Center. Teacher preparation programs providing students with authentic experiences to work collaboratively with parents can influence perceptions teacher candidates have toward parent involvement and collaboration. The present study was designed to examine the impact that the implementation of FAF in a graduate teacher preparation course had on teacher candidates' dispositions toward home-school collaboration. Data were collected during the course through teacher candidates' reflection papers and pre- and post-questionnaires. Additionally, the teacher candidates were administered a follow-up survey three years after they completed the course. Teacher candidates reported an increase in their understanding and appreciation of home-school collaboration following their experiences in FAF. Participants in the follow-up survey also indicated that these experiences continued to have long-lasting, positive impacts on their teaching practices and the school--family relationships they have formed with parents of children with disabilities.
What Strategies Do Chinese Immigrant Parents Use to Send Their Children to High-Performing Public School Districts?
Author: Liang, Senfeng
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Chinese Americans,Immigrants,Parents,School Districts,Qualitative Research,School Choice,Public Schools,Parent Attitudes,Family Attitudes,Housing,Neighborhoods,Family Income,Elementary School Students,Secondary School Students,Interviews,Geographic Location

This qualitative study examines how Chinese immigrant parents perceive the importance of sending their children to a &quot;good&quot; school district and analyzes their strategies in doing so. Nine families from different economic and educational backgrounds participated in the study. Results show that some parents were not satisfied with children's previous schools and decided to move to higher performing school districts. Parents had different levels of economic preparation and thus used different strategies to achieve their goal. Higher income families chose to purchase homes in &quot;good&quot; school districts. In order to live in a &quot;good&quot; school district, lower income families' strategies included: purchasing a house and renting out a bedroom to reduce the economic burden, renting an affordable apartment, and living with relatives or friends. This study contributes to a better understanding of factors contributing to Chinese American students' educational experiences.
Beyond the Greatest Hits: A Counterstory of English Learner Parent Involvement
Author: Baird, Ashley Simpson
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Parent Participation,English Language Learners,English (Second Language),Literature Reviews,Family School Relationship,Parent Child Relationship,Interpersonal Relationship,Cultural Influences,Coding,Research Methodology,Partnerships in Education,Cooperative Planning,Elementary Secondary Education,Search Strategies

Over the past 20 years there have been significant policy, research, and social emphases placed upon the importance of parent involvement in U.S. schools as a means for improving student achievement. This has resulted in an implicit definition of what constitutes involvement for all parents rather than an inductive understanding of what is occurring in families, particularly for those who are culturally and linguistically diverse. The purpose of this review is to present a counterstory (Yosso, 2006) to widely held notions about parent involvement in U.S. public schools through examining the ways that research has documented English learners' (EL) parent involvement &quot;in situ.&quot; I review 31 research studies that use inductive methods to define and describe parent involvement with EL families. Findings reveal that EL parents' involvement is centered around three key relationships: between families and schools, between parents and children, and among families. These relationships exist along a continuum from school-directed to parent-led. Additionally, they present a counterstory to the standard practices that define parent involvement and instead reveal that EL parents' involvement is characterized by dynamic processes.
Integrated School-Family Partnerships in Preschool: Building Quality Involvement through Multidimensional Relationships
Author: Nitecki, Elena
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Partnerships in Education,Family School Relationship,Preschool Education,Family Involvement,Case Studies,Montessori Schools,Early Childhood Education,Suburban Schools,Action Research,Qualitative Research,Interviews,Teacher Attitudes,Parent Attitudes,Educational Environment,Interpersonal Relationship,Participatory Research,Observation

The purpose of this study is to examine a preschool program with a high level of quality family involvement. Since family involvement during the early years has been linked to achievement and success in school, it is important to examine how such partnerships can be fostered in a meaningful way. The study employs an inductive qualitative approach, including observation and interviews. The integrated school-family partnerships existing at this suburban preschool are attributed to three main factors: the multidimensional nature of the relationships, a welcoming environment, and an effort to enhance parents' cognitions about school. This case study, which addresses contextual gaps in the parent involvement literature, could serve as a generative paradigm for facilitating meaningful school-family partnerships in preschool, which is an important part of a child's educational foundation.