An Evaluation of Elementary School Mathematics Programs Utilizing the Mini-Calculator.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Patricia; Virgin, A. E.

The purpose of this study was to compare the achievement, attitudes, and teaching/learning experiences in mathematics programs of two groups of elementary-school students in grades 5 and 6. Approximately 150 students in each of two elementary schools were given as a pretest a standardized mathematics achievement test and a questionnaire regarding…

Self-Efficacy, Attachment Style and Service Delivery of Elementary School Counseling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ernst, Kimberly; Bardhoshi, Gerta; Lanthier, Richard P.

2017-01-01

This study explored the relationships between demographic variables, self-efficacy and attachment style with a range of performed and preferred school counseling activities in a national sample of elementary school counselors (N = 515). Demographic variables, such as school counselor experience and American School Counselor Association (ASCA)…

Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Jeffrey R.

2006-01-01

This abstract covers a one hour presentation on Space Exploration. The audience is elementary students; therefore there are few words on the slides, mostly pictures of living and working in space. The presentation opens with a few slides describing a day in the life of a space explorer. It begins with a launch, discussions of day-night cycles, eating, exercising, housekeeping, EVA, relaxation, and sleeping. The next section of the presentation shows photos of astronauts performing experiments on the ISS. Yokomi Elementary School launched this fall with the most advanced educational technology tools available in schools today. The science and technology magnet school is equipped with interactive white boards, digital projectors, integrated sound systems and several computers for use by teachers and students. The only elementary school in Fresno Unified with a science focus also houses dedicated science classrooms equipped specifically for elementary students to experience hands-on science instruction in addition to the regular elementary curriculum.

Discussing Princess Boys and Pregnant Men: Teaching about Gender Diversity and Transgender Experiences within an Elementary School Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Caitlin L.; Patraw, Jasmine M.; Bednar, Maree

2013-01-01

This study shares the experiences and outcomes of teaching about gender diversity in an elementary school classroom. It outlines how an urban public school teacher included discussions of transgender and gender-nonconforming people within the curriculum and documents the ways in which her students responded to those lessons. By making discussions…

The Association between Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) and School Success in Elementary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blodgett, Christopher; Lanigan, Jane D.

2018-01-01

We explored the feasibility of using school personnel as reporters to examine the relationship between the level of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) exposure in a nonclinical sample of public elementary schoolchildren and academic risk. We selected a random sample of 2,101 children from kindergarten through 6th grade classroom rosters at 10…

Listen to the Fans: Elementary School Teachers Can Pique Students' Interest in Music

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

deVries, Peter

2004-01-01

This article outlines how fandom for popular music can he used to enhance students' music experiences in and out of the classroom. Examples are given from the author's own teaching in elementary school and from an ongoing study he has been conducting with preservice teachers undertaking teaching practicum experiences in schools where there is a…

Teenagers to Younger Kids: Don't Smoke!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arrigoni, Edward

1973-01-01

An innovative program is in operation involving high school students to educate elementary school students against smoking. Practical demonstrations, exhibition of infected tracheae and lungs, posters etc., are viewed by elementary school students. The children also perform experiments. (PS)

Comparing Beginning and Experienced Teachers' Perceptions of Classroom Management Beliefs and Practices in Elementary Schools in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unal, Zafer; Unal, Aslihan

2009-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to investigate whether a difference in teachers' classroom management styles exists based on years of teaching experience. Data were collected from 282 elementary school teachers employed by 11 elementary schools in Turkey. The Attitudes and Beliefs on Classroom Control Inventory was used to collect the…

Impact of Experience Corps(®) participation on school climate.

PubMed

Parisi, Jeanine M; Ramsey, Christine M; Carlson, Michelle C; Xue, Qian-Li; Huang, Jin; Romani, William A; McGill, Sylvia; Seeman, Teresa E; Tanner, Elizabeth K; Barron, Jeremy; Tan, Erwin J; Gruenewald, Tara L; Diibor, Ike; Fried, Linda P; Rebok, George W

2015-07-01

We examined the impact of the Experience Corps(®) (EC) program on school climate within Baltimore City public elementary schools. In this program, teams of older adult volunteers were placed in high intensity (>15 h per week), meaningful roles in public elementary schools, to improve the educational outcomes of children as well as the health and well-being of volunteers. During the first year of EC participation, school climate was perceived more favorably among staff and students in EC schools as compared to those in comparison schools. However, with a few notable exceptions, perceived school climate did not differ for staff or students in intervention and comparison schools during the second year of exposure to the EC program. These findings suggest that perceptions of school climate may be altered by introducing a new program into elementary schools; however, research examining how perceptions of school climate are impacted over a longer period is warranted.

Impact of Experience Corps® Participation on School Climate

PubMed Central

Parisi, Jeanine M.; Ramsey, Christine M.; Carlson, Michelle C.; Xue, Qian-Li; Huang, Jin; Romani, William A.; McGill, Sylvia; Seeman, Teresa E.; Tanner, Elizabeth K.; Barron, Jeremy; Tan, Erwin; Gruenewald, Tara L.; Diibor, Ike; Fried, Linda P.; Rebok, George W.

2015-01-01

We examined the impact of the Experience Corps® (EC) program on school climate within Baltimore City public elementary schools. In this program, teams of older adult volunteers were placed in high intensity (>15 hours per week), meaningful roles in public elementary schools, to improve the educational outcomes of children as well as the health and well-being of volunteers. During the first year of EC participation, school climate was perceived more favorably among staff and students in EC schools as compared to those in comparison schools. However, with a few notable exceptions, perceived school climate did not differ for staff or students in intervention and comparison schools during the second year of exposure to the EC program. These findings suggest that perceptions of school climate may be altered by introducing a new program into elementary schools; however, research examining how perceptions of school climate are impacted over a longer period is warranted. PMID:25708453

An Overview of Elementary Education in the United States: Past, Present, and Future with Its Organization, Nature of Program and Teaching Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aksoy, Naciye

Overwhelming scientific and anecdotal evidence indicates that the elementary school experience significantly shapes children's lives. This report examines the history of elementary education, and describes alternatives such as nongraded schools. The first part of the report describes the roots of elementary education in the United States,…

Wanted: A Revolution in Elementary Science Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education, College Park, MD.

Children come to school with a foundation for formal learning from their early experiences with interactions of the natural and technological world. Failure of elementary schools to build on this experience can discourage children, especially those who do not identify readily with the science establishment (girls, blacks, Hispanics, and the…

"We Get To Learn!": Building Urban Children's Sense of Future in an Elementary School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinney, David A.

Students' experiences of daily classroom activities and the larger school context were studied at the Robert W. Coleman Elementary School, Baltimore (Maryland). Coleman is an inner-city school serving about 500 African American children in prekindergarten through grade 5. The school is organized into three campuses--primary, "Coleman"…

Access to Qualified Special Educators across Elementary Neighborhood and Exclusionary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason-Williams, Loretta; Bettini, Elizabeth; Gagnon, Joseph Calvin

2017-01-01

In this study, we investigate the distribution of qualified special educators across elementary neighborhood schools and exclusionary public and private special education schools. Using the 2011-2012 Schools and Staffing Survey, we provide a descriptive analysis of measurable teacher qualifications (e.g., years of experience, preparation type,…

Science as Experience, Exploration, and Experiments: Elementary Teachers' Notions of "Doing Science"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Ashley N.; Luna, Melissa J.; Bernstein, Malayna B.

2017-01-01

Much of the literature on science teaching suggests that elementary teachers lack relevant prior experiences with science. This study begins to reframe the deficit approach to research in science teaching by privileging the experiences elementary teachers have had with science--both in and out of schools--throughout their lives. Our work uses…

Playing with Moon Sand: A Narrative Inquiry into a Teacher's Experiences Teaching Alongside a Student with a Chronic Illness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Beth; Murphy, M. Shaun

2016-01-01

This paper inquires into the experiences of an early childhood educator named Claire who taught a young girl with a chronic illness at East Willows Elementary School, a western Canadian elementary school. Using narrative inquiry as the methodology, Claire's experiences in her curriculum making alongside Madeline a young girl with Turner syndrome…

Association of caries experience and dental plaque with sociodemographic characteristics in elementary school-aged children: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Bashirian, Saeed; Shirahmadi, Samaneh; Seyedzadeh-Sabounchi, Shabnam; Soltanian, Ali Reza; Karimi-Shahanjarini, Akram; Vahdatinia, Farshid

2018-01-10

Dental caries among Iranian elementary school children aged 6-12 years continue to rise. To estimate treatment needs and guide health initiatives, current epidemiologic data are required. Such data are currently unavailable for dental health. The purpose of this study was to assess caries experience, dental plaque, and associated factors in elementary school-aged children from Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 988 elementary school children aged 7-12 years were selected by multistage cluster sampling. Dental caries was studied using the WHO criteria, dental plaque was examined according to O'Leary index. Data on parental education and occupation, living district, dental pain within the past year, and tooth brushing habits under parental supervision were collected through interviews based on questionnaire. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and logistic and linear regression. The mean (SD) age of the elementary school children was 9.64 (1.73) years. The highest dmft was seen in elementary school children aged 7-8 years 6.53 (4.37) and the highest DMFT and dental plaque was in 12 year olds recorded as 1.17 (1.77) and 51.97 (25.86), respectively. The proportion of decayed teeth in 7 years old elementary school based on dmft index was 80.36%, moreover, the proportion in 12 years old elementary school was 40.17% based on the DMFT index. Age, gender, and dental pain within the past year were significantly associated with DMFT and dmft. The odds of developing dental caries (DMFT) was 1.70 times higher in girls than in boys (p < 0.001) and 1.72 times higher in the students that reported dental pain frequently than in those who did not (p = 0.005). The chance of developing dental caries (dmft) was 0.47 times lower in girls than boys (p < 0.001). Age was significantly correlated with dental plaque such that Plaque Index increased by 2.44 times per one year increase in age (p < 0.001). Results indicated that dental caries experience and plaque formation among elementary school children in Hamadan were high and they were influenced by their sociodemographic factors. The associations found can be used as a helpful guide for planning accurate preventive programs for elementary school children in this region.

Elementary Teachers' Experiences of Departmentalized Instruction and Its Impact on Student Affect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minott, Robert Charles

2016-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative dissertation was to explore the lived experiences of departmentalized elementary teachers, Grades 1-3, and how they addressed their students' affective needs. The main research question of the study was how do elementary school teachers perceive departmentalized instruction and describe their experiences of this…

Multiple Victimization Experiences of Urban Elementary School Students: Associations with Psychosocial Functioning and Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holt, Melissa K.; Finkelhor, David; Kantor, Glenda Kaufman

2007-01-01

Objective: This study explored the victimization experiences of urban elementary school students to determine whether subsets of youth emerged with similar victimization profiles (e.g., no victimization, multiple types of victimization). It also evaluated whether multiple victimization was associated with greater psychological distress and lower…

The Experiences of Teacher-Assistant Principals in Catholic Elementary Schools: Boundary Spanners and Player Managers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beltramo, J. Luciano

2014-01-01

This article presents a phenomenological study of teacher-assistant principals (teacher-APs) in Catholic elementary schools. Drawing from player manager and role theories, this article describes the lived experiences of these individuals, particularly how they perceive the benefits and constraints of their unique role in both faculty and…

Bullying Prevention as a Social Justice Issue: Implications with Asian American Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Cixin; Wang, Weimeng; Zheng, Lianzhe; Atwal, Kavita

2016-01-01

This study examined Asian American elementary students' experience with victimization. Data were collected from 313 fourth and fifth graders from an ethnically diverse elementary school in southern California. Most participants self-identified as Asian/Asian American and spoke an Asian language at home. Results indicated that Asian American…

Science for the Elementary School. Third Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Victor, Edward

This book has been revised to reflect changes that have taken place in elementary science and to present the latest thinking and philosophy for teaching science in the elementary school. The book is intended to be useful for both prospective and experienced teachers to organize and conduct meaningful science learning experiences in the elementary…

Teachers' Experiences with the Data-Driven Decision Making Process in Increasing Students' Reading Achievement in a Title I Elementary Public School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atkinson, Linton

2015-01-01

This paper is a research dissertation based on a qualitative case study conducted on Teachers' Experiences within a Data-Driven Decision Making (DDDM) process. The study site was a Title I elementary school in a large school district in Central Florida. Background information is given in relation to the need for research that was conducted on the…

Teacher Candidates and Latina/o English Learners at Fenton Elementary School: The Role of Early Clinical Experiences in Urban Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nasir, Ambareen; Heineke, Amy J.

2014-01-01

This study investigates how early clinical experiences impact teacher candidates' learning and experiences with Latina/o English learners in a field-based program housed in a multilingual, urban elementary school. We draw on multiple-case study design and use discourse analysis to explore cases of three candidates. Findings reveal exploration of…

Teachers and Testing: Mentor Teachers Share Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franklin, Cheryl A.; Snow-Gerono, Jennifer

2005-01-01

This article reports research conducted to describe the perceptions of mentor teachers in elementary schools who work with preservice teachers in local school-university partnerships. Teachers shared how their lives in elementary schools/classrooms have changed as a result of new standardized testing requirements. Results focus on how…

A Trial of PBL Education with Emphasis on Improving Practical Competence of Engineering Students-A Trial Connected with the Support for Science Education in Elementary School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsutsumi, Hirotaka; Nikkuni, Hiroyuki; Kitakoshi, Daisuke; Yasuda, Toshitaka; Kikuchi, Akira; Mitani, Tomoyo

Recently Colleges of technology as well as universities have some experience-oriented classes in sciences for elementary school students. These have proved to be successful as good motivation for students in the primary education to be engineers. This research has tried the PBL education, which combined the Support of Science Education in Elementary School and the improvement of students‧ practical competence in their careers. The support of science education in elementary school was carried out by using LEGO blocks, widely utilized in the educational researches of robots, and was conducted in the practical class with the autonomous robots. Finally, the method for the class was evaluated by the elementary school students on the basis of the questionnaire.

The Awareness of Risky Peer Group Behaviors on School Grounds as Predictors of Students' Victimization on School Grounds: Part I--Elementary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Astor, Ron Avi; Benbenishty, Rami; Marachi, Roxana; Haj-Yahia, Muhammad M.; Zeira, Anat; Perkins-Hart, Suzanne; Pitner, Ronald O.

2002-01-01

Examined the effects of awareness of peers' risky behaviors on elementary students' experiences of school victimization. Surveys of Arab and Jewish students indicated that students' awareness of risky peer behaviors in school was one of the strongest predictors of their own personal victimization at school, controlling for gender, ethnicity, and…

Schools and Staffing Survey, 1999-2000: Overview of the Data for Public, Private, Public Charter, and Bureau of Indian Affairs Elementary and Secondary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gruber, Kerry J.; Wiley, Susan D.; Broughman, Stephen P.; Strizek, Gregory A.; Burian-Fitzgerald, Marisa

2002-01-01

Provides an overview of 1999-200 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) data and describes selected findings on school safety, class size, school programs, teacher salaries, prior teaching experience of principals, professional development, and school library media specialists. The SASS is the most extensive survey of elementary and secondary schools…

A Phenomenological Study of Transformational and Transactional Leadership Behaviors of Principals in Highly Rated Louisiana Schools Serving Elementary through High School Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juneau, Cassidy

2014-01-01

The purpose of this phenomenological narrative was to examine the experiences of principals in highly rated schools serving elementary through high school grades in central and southwest Louisiana in regards to transformational and transactional leadership. Highly rated schools are defined as schools achieving an A or B rating under the Louisiana…

The Effects of School Gardens on Children's Science Knowledge: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Low-Income Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, Nancy M.; Myers, Beth M.; Todd, Lauren E.; Barale, Karen; Gaolach, Brad; Ferenz, Gretchen; Aitken, Martha; Henderson, Charles R.; Tse, Caroline; Pattison, Karen Ostlie; Taylor, Cayla; Connerly, Laura; Carson, Janet B.; Gensemer, Alexandra Z.; Franz, Nancy K.; Falk, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

This randomized controlled trial or "true experiment" examines the effects of a school garden intervention on the science knowledge of elementary school children. Schools were randomly assigned to a group that received the garden intervention (n?=?25) or to a waitlist control group that received the garden intervention at the end of the…

Effects of Applying Blogs to Assist Life Education Instruction for Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lou, Shi-Jer; Kao, Mei-Chuan; Yen, Hsiu-Ling; Shih, Ru-Chu

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study aims to explore the effects of applying blog-assisted life education instruction to fifth grade elementary school students. The subjects were 30 fifth-grade students from southern Taiwan. The teaching experiment lasted 10 weeks with three sessions conducted each week. In the experiment, instructional effectiveness and the…

Identifying Instructor's Experiences Who Teach Using the Individual Education Approach at an Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Alexandra

2017-01-01

This study focused on discovering what instructors' experiences help elementary school students develop not only academically but also socially. This qualitative multiple case study method was guided by Yin, and the purpose of the study was to investigate effective instruction strategies from the perspective of instructors who worked in an…

Experiences of sexual harassment among elementary school students in Taiwan: implications for school nurses.

PubMed

Chang, Yu-Ting; Hayter, Mark; Lin, Mei-Ling

2010-04-01

Sexual harassment is a significant issue in the lives of students. Understanding how young adolescents feel about sexual harassment and their coping strategies is a central element to guide school nursing interventions promoting sexual health. This study explored the sexual harassment experiences of young adolescents in Taiwan. A qualitative research design was employed using focus groups to collect data from 47 elementary students, 10 and 12 years of age. Three themes emerged from the data analysis: "experiences of physical harassment," "experiences of verbal harassment," and "coping with harassment." The potential for school nurses to influence students' behavior, improve sexual health instruction, and create a healthy school environment is significant. School nurses should participate in sexual health education classes actively to advance the sexual health behaviors of school children.

How African-American Elementary Students in High-Poverty Schools Experience Creative Expression: A Case Study Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Belinda F.

2016-01-01

Literature that addresses how the arts enhance student learning through creative expression is minimal. This is especially true for African-American elementary students from high-poverty backgrounds. The purpose of this study was to employ a case study design to explore how African-American elementary students in high-poverty schools experience…

Confronting Barriers to Teaching Elementary Science: After-School Science Teaching Experiences for Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cartwright, Tina; Smith, Suzanne; Hallar, Brittan

2014-01-01

This qualitative study examines the transition of eight elementary preservice teachers into student teaching after participating in a science methods course that included a significant amount of teaching after-school science to elementary grade students. These eight participants had a chance to practice teaching inquiry-based science and to reform…

Using Smart Boards and Manipulatives in the Elementary Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Susan F.; Shaw, Edward L., Jr.; Daughenbaugh, Lynda

2014-01-01

This study summarizes the results of a survey administered to 48 elementary schools in the largest school district in a southeastern U.S. state, conducted by university faculty to evaluate the use of SMART Boards and hands-on experiences, the objectives of which were to identify preparedness of elementary classroom teachers in teaching elementary…

An Exploration of How Elementary School Principals Approach the Student Retention Decision Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez-Hicks, Laura M.

2012-01-01

This is a constructivist grounded theory study investigating how elementary principals approach the student retention decision process in their schools. Twenty-two elementary principals participated in the study using a selective or snowball sampling method. Principals worked in one of three districts in a mid-Atlantic state and had experience as…

Creative Pedagogies and Collaboration: An Action Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuntz, Aaron M.; Presnall, Marni M.; Priola, Maria; Tilford, Amy; Ward, Rhiannon

2013-01-01

This action research study involves nine elementary school teacher-researchers, one university faculty member, and one graduate student engaged in developing creative pedagogical practices in one elementary school in an urban school in Alabama, USA. Participants found that a teacher's experience of agency and their ability to work creatively…

Homelessness in the Elementary School Classroom: Social and Emotional Consequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chow, Kirby A.; Mistry, Rashmita S.; Melchor, Vanessa L.

2015-01-01

This study examined elementary school teachers' experiences working with homeless students. Specifically, we focused on the psychosocial impacts of homelessness on students and their teachers. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 teachers who worked at designated public schools for family homeless shelters. A prominent…

PLANNING THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PLANT. SCHOOL PLANT PLANNING SERIES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utah State Board of Education, Salt Lake City.

CAREFUL PLANNING FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MAXIMIZES THE USE OF SPACE TO PROVIDE CHILDREN WITH FREQUENT CHANGES IN ACTIVITY AND A WIDE VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES. IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, SPECIAL CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO LONG RANGE DEVELOPMENT THUS PREVENTING OVERBUILDING AND UNDERBUILDING. THE PLANT SHOULD FIT, THROUGH INCREASING UTILITY BY…

Teacher Resistance to Improvement of Schools with Diverse Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Kathryn Bell; Scheurich, James Joseph

2008-01-01

Two university researchers who have considerable practitioner and research experience in urban schools conducted an interventionist action research project in collaboration with the professional staff of a diverse urban elementary school. The goal was to collaborate with the administration, faculty and staff in an average urban elementary school…

Video-Mediated Physics Instruction from Preservice Teachers to Elementary Students: Experiences and Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laherto, Antti; Laherto, Jussi

2018-01-01

Addressing the widely reported deficiencies in elementary teachers' competence in technology use and in inquiry-based science instruction, we present and assess a novel teaching experiment conducted in a university-school collaboration. Preservice elementary teachers planned and produced teaching videos in which they gave instructions on…

Transitioning from Elementary School to Middle School: The Ecology of Black Males' Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mundy, Alma Christienne

2014-01-01

The purpose of this mixed method study is to explain the ecology Black males experience as they transition from elementary school to middle school in terms of behavior. The Black male graduation rate is well below 50% nationally (Orfield, Losen, Wald, & Swanson, 2004; Schott Foundation for Public Education, 2010). Graduating from high school…

Educators' Perceptions of a School-Based Antibullying Program in an Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sims-Jones, Jacquelyn

2018-01-01

Bullying is a problem experienced in schools across the country including in the ABC Elementary School in Georgia, where the No Place for Hate antibullying program is in place to address this problem. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand educators' perspectives on their experiences implementing the program. Bandura's social…

A Case Study Exploring the Identity of an In-Service Elementary Science Teacher: a Language Teacher First

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marco-Bujosa, Lisa; Levy, Abigail Jurist; McNeill, Katherine

2018-01-01

Teachers are central to providing high-quality science learning experiences called for in recent reform efforts, as their understanding of science impacts both what they teach and how they teach it. Yet, most elementary teachers do not enter the profession with a particular interest in science or expertise in science teaching. Research also indicates elementary schools present unique barriers that may inhibit science teaching. This case study utilizes the framework of identity to explore how one elementary classroom teacher's understandings of herself as a science specialist were shaped by the bilingual elementary school context as she planned for and provided reform-based science instruction. Utilizing Gee's (2000) sociocultural framework, identity was defined as consisting of four interrelated dimensions that served as analytic frames for examining how this teacher understood her new role through social positioning within her school. Findings describe the ways in which this teacher's identity as a science teacher was influenced by the school context. The case study reveals two important implications for teacher identity. First, collaboration for science teaching is essential for elementary teachers to change their practice. It can be challenging for teachers to form an identity as a science teacher in isolation. In addition, elementary teachers new to science teaching negotiate their emerging science practice with their prior experiences and the school context. For example, in the context of a bilingual school, this teacher adapted the reform-based science curriculum to better meet the unique linguistic needs of her students.

Viewpoint 1. Superbaby Syndrome Can Lead to Elementary School Burnout.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elkind, David

1987-01-01

Maintains that there is a danger that prekindergarten and kindergarten children may experience learning problems (stress and "educational burnout") in elementary school if they are exposed to developmentally inappropriate teaching methods in early childhood programs. (BB)

Ecological School Counseling in High-Poverty Elementary Schools: Counselors' Backgrounds and Perceptions Regarding the Effects of Poverty, Importance of Advocacy and School-Based Mental Health Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, La Vera C.

2016-01-01

Elementary school counselors working in high-poverty schools experience several challenges due to the multiple barriers associated with serving children from low-SES families. Research shows that children from low-SES families are at risk of adverse consequences to their developmental and psychological progress due to negative environmental…

Bringing Science Public Outreach to Elementary Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Lucas; Speck, A.; Tinnin, A.

2012-01-01

Many science "museums” already offer fantastic programs for the general public, and even some aimed at elementary school kids. However, these venues are usually located in large cities and are only occasionally used as tools for enriching science education in public schools. Here we present preliminary work to establish exciting educational enrichment environments for public schools that do not easily have access to such facilities. This program is aimed at motivating children's interest in science beyond what they learn in the classroom setting. In this program, we use the experience and experiments/demonstrations developed at a large science museum (in this case, The St. Louis Science Center) and take them into a local elementary school. At the same time, students from the University of Missouri are getting trained on how to present these outreach materials and work with the local elementary schools. Our pilot study has started with implementation of presentations/demonstrations at Benton Elementary School within the Columbia Public School district, Missouri. The school has recently adopted a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) centered learning system throughout all grade levels (K-5), and is therefore receptive to this effort. We have implemented a program in which we have given a series of scientific demonstrations at each grade level's lunch hour. Further enrichment ideas and plans include: addition demonstrations, hands-on experiments, and question and answer sessions. However, the application of these events would be to compliment the curriculum for the appropriate grade level at that time. The focus of this project is to develop public communications which links science museums, college students and local public schools with an emphasis on encouraging college science majors to share their knowledge and to strengthen their ability to work in a public environment.

Teachers' Perspectives and Experiences of the Contexts of Social Inclusion within Elementary School Classrooms in Canada and China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyson, Lily

2014-01-01

This study examined the contexts of social inclusion within elementary school classrooms in Canada and China. Based on interviews, classroom teachers in two metropolitan cities in Canada and China reported their perspectives and experiences with regard to: (a) the state of social inclusion in general; (b) places where social inclusion took place…

Timonium Elementary School Solar Energy Heating and Cooling Augmentation Experiment. Final Engineering Report. Executive Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AAI Corp., Baltimore, MD.

This report covers a two-year and seven-month solar space heating and cooling experiment conducted at the Timonium Elementary School, Timonium, Maryland. The system was designed to provide a minimum of 50 percent of the energy required during the heating season and to determine the feasibility of using solar energy to power absorption-type…

Shoring Up Math and Science in the Elementary Grades: Schools Enlist Specialists to Teach Science Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Linda

2004-01-01

As science gets squeezed in the elementary curriculum, at least two Florida districts are trying a new approach to keeping hands-on lessons a part of pupils' experiences. This article reports how Broward and Palm Beach county districts have increased the number of science specialists working in their elementary schools--teachers who, like physical…

Integral Education for the Integral Child: A Qualitative Study of One Contemporary Experiment in Integral Elementary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barket, Ann-Terese

2012-01-01

A growing interest among educators, families, and students to personalize education and nurture the development of whole child has led to a new movement in elementary education: integral education. This qualitative study reported on the work of one school in that movement, the Integral Elementary School in La Jolla, California, to illuminate what…

Desegregation and Black Students' Experiences in Two Rural Southern Elementary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goetz, Judith Preissle; Breneman, E. Anne Rowley

1988-01-01

Uses Boocock's model of the social context of education to compare divergent climates for Black students in two rural southern elementary schools. In both schools Black and White teachers and students use an assumed color blindness and a preoccupation with subject matter to mask differential treatment of Black students. (SKC)

The Application of Optimal Defaults to Improve Elementary School Lunch Selections: Proof of Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loeb, Katharine L.; Radnitz, Cynthia; Keller, Kathleen L.; Schwartz, Marlene B.; Zucker, Nancy; Marcus, Sue; Pierson, Richard N.; Shannon, Michael; DeLaurentis, Danielle

2018-01-01

Background: In this study, we applied behavioral economics to optimize elementary school lunch choices via parent-driven decisions. Specifically, this experiment tested an optimal defaults paradigm, examining whether strategically manipulating the health value of a default menu could be co-opted to improve school-based lunch selections. Methods:…

Instructional Materials Commonly Employed by Foreign Language Teachers at Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çakir, Ismail

2015-01-01

This study aimed to determine the teachers' choices of instructional materials in teaching English at elementary schools. The reasons behind preferring or not preferring some certain instructional materials specified within the research were analysed. To this end, during the course of School Experience, 68 prospective English teachers observed 38…

Changes in Student Science Interest from Elementary to Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coutts, Trudi E.

2012-01-01

This study is a transcendental phenomenological study that described the experience of students' interest in science from elementary school through middle school grades and the identification of the factors that increase or decrease interest in science. Numerous researchers have found that interest in science changes among children and the change…

Transformation through Language Use: Children's Spontaneous Metaphors in Elementary School Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jakobson, Britt; Wickman, Per-Olof

2007-01-01

This article examines the role elementary school children's spontaneous metaphors play in learning science. The data consists of tape recordings of about 25 h from five different schools. The material is analysed using a practical epistemology analysis and by using Dewey's ideas on the continuity and transformation of experience. The results show…

Factors Affecting Underweight and Obesity Among Elementary School Children in South Korea.

PubMed

Lee, GyuYoung; Ham, Ok Kyung

2015-12-01

The purpose of the study was to determine factors associated with underweight and obesity in elementary school children in Korea. Study participants included 4,895 children attending 59 elementary schools across Korea. Children were grouped into underweight [< 5% body mass index (BMI)-for-age], normal weight (5%-85% BMI-for-age), and overweight/obese (≥ 85% BMI-for age). The questionnaire included demographic characteristics, health status, and diet and exercise behavior of children, and environmental characteristics of schools. Twelve percent of the children were overweight or obese. The results showed that demographic (age and gender), health status (atopic dermatitis and poor subjective health), and the characteristics of diet and exercise (unbalanced diet and diet experiences) were associated with underweight (p < .05), while demographic (age and gender), health status (poor subjective health), behavioral characteristics (fast food consumption and diet experiences), and school environmental characteristics (rural area) were associated with overweight/obesity (p < .05). Programs and interventions to reduce underweight and overweight/obesity in Korean elementary schools must consider behavioral and environmental characteristics of children. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

An examination of key experiences which contribute to a positive change in attitude toward science in two elementary education teacher candidates at the University of Wyoming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cason, Maggie A.

This investigation utilized life history methodology (Armstrong, 1987; Bogdan & Biklen, 1998; Lawrence-Lightfoot, 1977; Marshall & Rossman, 1995; Patton, 1987; Taylor & Bogdan; 1984) to examine lifelong science experiences of two elementary education teacher candidates at a land grant institution with a large, undergraduate teacher education program. Purposive sampling techniques (Bogdan & Biklen, 1998) led to the selection of two teacher candidates who reported high science anxiety when they began university coursework. The investigation focused on five broad questions: (a) What were key experiences in the elementary teacher education program which contributed to a positive change in attitude toward science? (b) What science experiences, in and out of school, did the teacher candidates encounter while they were in elementary school, junior high school, high school, and college? (c) How did the elementary education program's science course structure, professors, and field experiences contribute to the change in attitude toward science? (d) How much time was involved in the change in attitude toward science? and (e) What were the effects of the change in attitude on the teaching of science in the elementary classroom? Each candidate completed approximately twenty hours of interviews yielding rich descriptions of their lifelong science experiences. Data also included interviews with science and science education professors, journaling, and observations of student teaching experiences. Data analysis revealed four over-arching themes with implications for teacher educators. First, data showed the importance of relationship building between professors and teacher candidates. Professors must know and work with teacher candidates, and provide a structure that encourages question asking. Second, course structure including hands-on teaching strategies and students working in small groups over an extended period of time was vital. Third, integrating language arts with science proved important because the generally high comfort level experienced by elementary teacher candidates toward language arts may be extended to the teaching of science. Teacher candidates realize the benefits for both teaching and learning when the two subjects are integrated. Last, the study revealed the powerful effects of field experiences which include teaching science in the public schools and demonstrated the drawbacks of field experiences which do not include teaching science.

"La Chanson de Roland" in the Elementary School Classroom: A Case for Medieval Literature and Young Language Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petry, Karla L.

1981-01-01

Describes successful experiment in teaching of medieval literature to elementary French language classes in the Cincinnati public schools. Purpose was to strengthen linguistic awareness and expand social studies unit on medieval France. (BK)

The Human-Animal Bond and the Elementary School Counselor.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nebbe, Linda Lloyd

1991-01-01

Discusses research on the significance of the human-animal relationship among various populations (elderly, children, business executives, displaced children, institutionalized children, juvenile offenders, and emotionally disturbed children). Describes experiences of incorporating the human-animal bond into an elementary school guidance and…

Teachers' Learning While Constructing Technology-Based Instructional Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polly, Drew

2011-01-01

Grounded in a constructionist paradigm, this study examined elementary school teachers' learning while creating technology-rich instructional materials. Sixteen teachers at an elementary school were interviewed about their experience. Using the components of Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge as an analytical framework, inductive…

Religious Education and the Media in the Elementary School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riordan, Sister Mary

1981-01-01

This discussion of positive and negative aspects of media in religious education is based on Church documents, including and following the Documents of Vatican II, and on the author's own experiences as an elementary school teacher. Eleven references are listed. (Author/LLS)

Preparing perservice teachers to teach elementary school science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Amy D.

The development of scientifically literate citizens begins in the elementary school. Yet elementary school teachers are ill prepared to teach science (Trygstad, Smith, Banilower, Nelson, & Horizon Research, Inc., 2013). The research base on teacher preparation finds that programs designed to prepare elementary teachers are inadequate in providing both the content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge necessary to teach science effectively (Baumgartner, 2010; Bodzin & Beerer, 2003; Bulunuz & Jarrett 2009). This mixed methods study examined what happened when a science methods course was interactively co-taught by an expert in elementary teaching methods and a physics expert. This study also aimed to discover what aspects of the curriculum pre-service teachers (PSTs) said helped them in developing their understanding of science content and scientific reasoning, and how to implement inquiry practices to teach science. A nested case study of three PSTs provided descriptive portraits of student experiences in the class. A whole class case analysis was used to examine what PSTs learned in terms of science, scientific reasoning skills, and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) from their experiences in the course. It was found that students often conflated science content with the experiences they had in learning the content. Although PSTs felt the interactive co-teaching model effectively created a balance between theory and practice, it was their experiences doing science--conducting physical experiments, developing and discussing scientific models, and the use of inquiry-based instruction--that they credited for their learning. Even with careful curriculum planning, and a course purposely designed to bridge the theory to practice gap, this study found one semester-long methods course to be insufficient in providing the vast content knowledge and PCK elementary school science teachers need.

A comparison of two differential methods for nutrition education in elementary school: lecture-and experience-based learning program.

PubMed

Jung, Lan-Hee; Choi, Jeong-Hwa; Bang, Hyun-Mi; Shin, Jun-Ho; Heo, Young-Ran

2015-02-01

This research was conducted to compare lecture-and experience-based methods of nutritional education as well as provide fundamental data for developing an effective nutritional education program in elementary schools. A total of 110 students in three elementary schools in Jeollanam-do were recruited and randomly distributed in lecture-and experience-based groups. The effects of education on students' dietary knowledge, dietary behaviors, and dietary habits were analyzed using a pre/post-test. Lecture-and experience-based methods did not significantly alter total scores for dietary knowledge in any group, although lecture-based method led to improvement for some detailed questions. In the experience-based group, subjects showed significant alteration of dietary behaviors, whereas lecture-based method showed alteration of dietary habits. These outcomes suggest that lecture-and experience-based methods led to differential improvement of students' dietary habits, behaviors, and knowledge. To obtain better nutritional education results, both lectures and experiential activities need to be considered.

Leland Melvin Meets with Elementary Students

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-08

Leland Melvin, NASA Associate Administrator for Education and former space shuttle astronaut, far right, answers questions from students about his experience as an astronaut on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, at Ferebee-Hope Elementary School in Washington, DC. Ferebee-Hope Elementary School, in collaboration with Reading is Fundamental (RIF), hosted this event in honor of Black History Month, and to highlight the importance of reading. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Leland Melvin Meets with Elementary Students

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-08

Leland Melvin, NASA Associate Administrator for Education and former space shuttle astronaut, speaks to students about his experience as an astronaut on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, at Ferebee-Hope Elementary School in Washington, DC. Ferebee-Hope Elementary School, in collaboration with Reading is Fundamental (RIF), hosted this event in honor of Black History Month, and to highlight the importance of reading. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Leland Melvin Meets with Elementary Students

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-08

Leland Melvin, NASA Associate Administrator for Education and former space shuttle astronaut, answers questions from students about his experience as an astronaut on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, at Ferebee-Hope Elementary School in Washington, DC. Ferebee-Hope Elementary School, in collaboration with Reading is Fundamental (RIF), hosted this event in honor of Black History Month, and to highlight the importance of reading. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Leland Melvin Meets with Elementary Students

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-08

Leland Melvin, NASA Associate Administrator for Education and former space shuttle astronaut, center, speaks to students about his experience as an astronaut on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, at Ferebee-Hope Elementary School in Washington, DC. Ferebee-Hope Elementary School, in collaboration with Reading is Fundamental (RIF), hosted this event in honor of Black History Month, and to highlight the importance of reading. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Comparing Digital Badges-and-Points with Classroom Token Systems: Effects on Elementary School ESL Students' Classroom Behavior and English Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Homer, Ryan; Hew, Khe Foon; Tan, Cheng Yong

2018-01-01

This paper reports the findings of a field experiment that gamified the classroom experience of elementary school ESL students by implementing digital badges-and-points which students could earn by achieving specific behavioral and learning goals. Altogether, 120 children in eight different classes participated in this study. Four of the classes…

Classroom Music Experiences of U.S. Elementary School Children: An Analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study of 1998-1999

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miksza, Peter; Gault, Brent M.

2014-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to describe the music experiences elementary school children in the United States receive in the academic classroom setting. The data were drawn from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study of the Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K), a nationally representative study that followed kindergarteners through…

Stronger vection in junior high school children than in adults.

PubMed

Shirai, Nobu; Imura, Tomoko; Tamura, Rio; Seno, Takeharu

2014-01-01

Previous studies have shown that even elementary school-aged children (7 and 11 years old) experience visually induced perception of illusory self-motion (vection) (Lepecq et al., 1995, Perception, 24, 435-449) and that children of a similar age (mean age = 9.2 years) experience more rapid and stronger vection than do adults (Shirai et al., 2012, Perception, 41, 1399-1402). These findings imply that although elementary school-aged children experience vection, this ability is subject to further development. To examine the subsequent development of vection, we compared junior high school students' (N = 11, mean age = 14.4 years) and adults' (N = 10, mean age = 22.2 years) experiences of vection. Junior high school students reported significantly stronger vection than did adults, suggesting that the perceptual experience of junior high school students differs from that of adults with regard to vection and that this ability undergoes gradual changes over a relatively long period of development.

Educational Field Trips for Disadvantaged Pupils in Nonpublic Schools. Evaluation of ESEA Title I Projects in New York City, 1967-68.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenthal, Harvey M.

This Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I project was developed in order to provide educationally enriching experiences to New York City elementary school students in disadvantaged non-public schools by means of field trips to places of civic and cultural interest. The 182 schools chosen were in designated poverty areas. Evaluation of…

The influence inquiry-based science has on elementary teachers' perception of instruction and self-efficacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Felecia J.

The nature and purpose of this study was to examine the self-efficacy of teachers who use an inquiry-based science program to provide authentic experiences within the elementary school setting. It is essential to explore necessary improvements to bring about effective science education. Using a mixed methods study, the researcher conducted interviews with elementary teachers from five elementary schools within the same school district. The interviews focused on the teachers' experiences with inquiry-based science and their perceptions of quality science instruction. The Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale was used to collect quantitative data regarding the teachers' perception of instructional practice and student engagement. The study revealed that limited science content knowledge, inadequate professional development, and a low sense of self-efficacy have a substantial effect on teacher outcomes, instructional planning, and ability to motivate students to participate in inquiry-based learning. It will take a collective effort from administrators, teachers, parents, and students to discover ways to improve elementary science education.

The impact of science methods courses on preservice elementary teachers' science teaching self-efficacy beliefs: Case studies from Turkey and the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bursal, Murat

Four case studies in two American and two Turkish science methods classrooms were conducted to investigate the changes in preservice elementary teachers' personal science teaching efficacy (PSTE) beliefs during their course periods. The findings indicated that while Turkish preservice elementary teachers (TR sample) started the science methods course semester with higher PSTE than their American peers (US sample), due to a significant increase in the US sample's and an insignificant decline in the TR sample's PSTE scores, both groups completed the science methods course with similar PSTE levels. Consistent with Bandura's social cognitive theory, describing four major sources of self-efficacy, the inclusion of mastery experiences (inquiry activities and elementary school micro-teaching experiences) and vicarious experiences (observation of course instructor and supervisor elementary teacher) into the science methods course, providing positive social persuasion (positive appraisal from the instructor and classmates), and improving physiological states (reduced science anxiety and positive attitudes toward becoming elementary school teachers), were found to contribute to the significant enhancement of the US sample's PSTE beliefs. For the TR sample, although some of the above sources were present, the lack of student teaching experiences and inservice teacher observations, as well as the TR samples' negative attitudes toward becoming elementary school teachers and a lack of positive classroom support were found to make Turkish preservice teachers rely mostly on their mastery in science concepts, and therefore resulted in not benefiting from their science methods course, in terms of enhancing their PSTE beliefs. Calls for reforms in the Turkish education system that will include more mastery experiences in the science methods courses and provide more flexibility for students to choose their high school majors and college programs, and switch between them are made. In addition to the mastery experiences contributing to the PSTE beliefs, this study reported that preservice elementary teachers' unawareness of their science misconceptions also results in enhancing their self-efficacy, which is troublesome. Revisions in science content courses to employ inquiry activities, designed for addressing and correcting students' misconceptions, are recommended to overcome teacher candidates' lack of science competency and negative attitudes toward science.

Understanding, Experiencing, and Appreciating the Arts: Folk Pedagogy in Two Elementary Schools in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Yu-Ting; Walsh, Daniel J.

2008-01-01

Drawing on Bruner's notion of folk pedagogy, this research explores how Chinese aesthetic education is perceived and valued at two elementary schools in Taiwan. Using qualitative methods, the research explores how arts teachers guide children to experience arts through the arts curricula in school and the local culture. The study reveals that the…

Effects of Multiple Context and Cumulative Stress on Urban Children's Adjustment in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morales, Julie R.; Guerra, Nancy G.

2006-01-01

Using longitudinal data collected over 2 years on a sample of 2,745 urban elementary school children (1st-6th graders, ages 6-11 years) from economically disadvantaged communities, effects of stressful experiences within 3 contexts (school, family, neighborhood), cumulative stress, and multiple context stress on 3 indices of children's adjustment…

Shock, Chaos, and Change: An Elementary School Turned Upside Down

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cantú, Yvette; Rocha, Patricia; Martinez, Melissa A.

2016-01-01

The following case is inspired by real-life events that the authors experienced while working in the K-12 public school system. This case describes the experiences of Mrs. Hodge, a seasoned assistant principal who was unexpectedly assigned to be principal of her elementary school. The case follows Mrs. Hodge through her first 3 years as the…

Korean Elementary School Students' English Learning Demotivation: A Comparative Survey Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Tae-Young

2011-01-01

This study explores Korean elementary school students' decreased motivation for English learning by analyzing the questionnaire data obtained from 6,301 students in a large city in South Korea. The students' school grades and their prior experience in private institutes were considered as the major factors behind the decrease in their motivation.…

Preservice Elementary and Middle School Teachers' Conceptions of Algebra Revealed through the Use of Exemplary Curriculum Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stump, Sheryl; Bishop, Joyce

One of the greatest challenges for mathematics teacher educators committed to reforming and improving mathematics education is to help preservice elementary and middle school teachers develop an appreciation for algebraic reasoning. Preservice teachers' views of algebra are typically derived from their experiences in middle school and high school…

Looking back and moving forward: A mixed methods study of elementary science teacher preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hulings, Melissa

This study sought to understand how science learning experiences, and their potential influence, had on preservice elementary teachers' self-efficacy and perceptions of science teaching and learning at the beginning of their science methods course. Following an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, this study first involved the collection of quantitative data and then the collection of more in-depth qualitative data. In the first phase, the quantitative data included the Draw-a-Science-Teacher-Test Checklist (DASTT-C) and the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI-B) of preservice elementary teachers (n = 69). Findings from this phase indicated preservice elementary teachers had a higher level of belief in their abilities to teach science (PSTE subscale) than to affect student outcomes in science (STOE subscale). However, the STOE was not found to be a reliable measure for this group of preservice elementary teachers and was not included in any further analysis. Findings from the DASTT-C images indicated the majority of these drawings could not be classified as student-centered. In the second phase of this study, the researcher explored selected science autobiographies written by these same preservice elementary teachers (n = 19), based on extremely high or low scores on the PSTE subscale and DASTT-C. Analysis of the science autobiographies revealed commonalities and differences. Commonalities included (a) the difficulty in remembering science from elementary school; (b) a mixture of positive and negative experiences in secondary school and college science classes; (c) the descriptions of good science days and good science teachers; and (d) the descriptions of bad science days and bad science teachers. Differences included (a) the people who influenced their attitudes toward science; (b) the types of experiences, when remembered, from elementary school; and (c) visions of their future classrooms. Based on these findings, these preservice elementary teachers used their past experiences with science as a foundation for how they perceived science and its instruction in the elementary classroom. Overall, it appears preservice elementary teachers have a desire to make the elementary experience a positive one for their future students.

Inquire Learning Effects to Elementary School Students' Nanotechnology Instructions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Yueh-Yun; Lu, Chow-Chin; Sung, Chia-Chi

2012-01-01

Nanotechnology is an emerging science that involved in different fields. This research inquired elementary school students' learning effect by using quasi-experiment, expositive-teaching and experiential-teaching methods for nanotechnology in the microcosmic world. By utilized the pretest "Nanotechnology Situational Questionnaire (NSQ)",…

The Space between: Women Teachers as Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Podjasek, Heidi L.

2009-01-01

This qualitative, phenomenological study focused on listening to the voices of women teacher leaders regarding their leadership experiences within one elementary school. The question guiding this dissertation was "How do women elementary school teacher leaders perceive leadership?" Within the stories of the participants, two essential theme…

The Elementary School Experience of Children from Mexico.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strom, Robert D.; Johnson, Aileen

1981-01-01

Presents instructional aspects of elementary education classrooms in Mexico. Topics addressed are conditions of instruction, instructional priorities, types of instruction, evaluation of instruction, teacher-pupil relationships, and home-school relationships. Implications are given for teachers in the United States who teach transfer students from…

Principal Leadership and Its Link to the Development of a School's Teacher Culture and Teaching Effectiveness: A Case Study of an Award-Winning Teaching Team at an Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hsin-Hsiange; Li, Mao-neng Fred

2015-01-01

This study aimed 1) to describe a school principal's leadership and the context of the school's overall teacher culture that cultivated an award-winning team at an elementary school; 2) to analyze the award-winning team's learning behaviors, shared goals, values, beliefs, mutual interactions or dialogues, and sharing of experiences; and 3) to…

The Effect Teaching Experience Has on Perceived Effectiveness of Interactive Television as a Distance Education Model for Elementary School Science Teacher's Professional Development: Another Digital Divide?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annetta, Leonard A.; Minogue, James

2004-01-01

The first year of a 5 year professional development project for elementary teachers in two mid-western states integrated a bridge of two distinctly different distance education networks (T-1 and fiber optics) to provide science professional development for elementary school teachers in rural communities. "Interactive television" (ITV), the title…

Comprehending Elementary School Teachers' Classroom Management Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Ali E.

2015-01-01

This study intends to determine elementary school teachers' degree of classroom control, which constitutes the consistency in their classroom management and discipline-related behaviour. The major research question was as follows: Is the control approach adopted by teachers related to certain variables (gender, age, subject area, experience)? The…

Visual Arts and Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Marcia A.; Larson, Meredith A.

2007-01-01

The focus on academic performance testing in elementary schools has caused a decrease in student experience in the arts. Visual arts (drawing, painting, sculpture, and collage) have been minimized in elementary schools. Without exposure to the special avenues of cognitive development and personal expression nurtured by visual arts, students are…

Elementary School Counselors' Collaboration with Community Mental Health Providers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moran, Kristen; Bodenhorn, Nancy

2015-01-01

Perceptions and experiences of elementary school counselors' collaborative efforts with community mental health providers are examined through this exploratory phenomenological study. Ten participants engaged in two in-depth interviews. Collaboration was considered an effective way to increase services to students and their families. Six themes…

Parental Experiences Related to an Intra-District Boundary Adjustment Transition at the Elementary School Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schockaert, Frederik

2014-01-01

School districts at times need to implement structural and programmatic changes requiring students to attend a different school, which tends to elicit strong parental emotions. This qualitative study analyzes how parents in one suburban Rhode Island district responded to a large-scale redistricting at the elementary level in order to (a) attain a…

PACER Model: Skills and Personal Characteristics of Alternative Elementary Free School and Open School Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wardle, Francis

This essay outlines the skills and qualities that an alternative, open, elementary school teacher should possess. These criteria are based on the PACER model of 30 students, age 4 to 12, learning in an ungraded, unstructured environment. (The PACER model adheres to the idea that all experiences and all learning situations are of equal importance.)…

Teachers' Perceptions and Experiences Consulting with School Counselors: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cholewa, Blair; Goodman-Scott, Emily; Thomas, Antoinette; Cook, Jennifer

2016-01-01

School counselor-teacher consultation is an efficient strategy for school counselors to indirectly serve students on their caseload. Teachers' perceptions are crucial in examining this consultation process. This qualitative study examined elementary school teachers' perceptions and experiences of school counselor-teacher consultation. The…

Exploring the impact of an industrial volunteer/school science partnership on elementary teaching strategies and attitudes about future science study: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Michael Robert

This study reports the results of research designed to explore the impact of industrial volunteer/school partnerships on elementary science teaching behaviors and students' attitudes about future science study. Since these partnerships involved teachers and students in hands-on or laboratory-type science experiences, the study will add an elementary school component to a series of other studies conducted through the Science Education Program at Temple University that have addressed how to improve the learning outcomes from these experiences. Three suburban elementary schools were randomly selected by a single school district's science supervisor to be involved in this study. Two of the buildings were designated as the experimental schools and teachers worked directly with the researcher as an industrial partner. The third school served as a control with no organized industrial partner. An additional school building in a second suburban school district was selected to serve as a comparison school and a second scientist participated as an industrial volunteer. Unlike the researcher, this scientist had no formal training in science education. Each phase of the study included instruments piloted and reviewed by experienced elementary teachers for appropriateness or by objective experts in the field of education. A student attitude survey and selected tasks from the Inventory of Piagetian Developmental Tasks were administered to all students involved in the study. Empirical data collected through videotaped analysis using the validated Modified-Revised Vickery Science Teacher Behavior Inventory led to the development of a pattern of the most frequently used behaviors during elementary science instruction. A profile of each participating teacher was developed through the use of a validated attitude survey, notes taken during classroom interactions and from information collected during ethnographic interviews. A major conclusion drawn from this study is that neither type of partnership influenced the types of teaching behaviors used by elementary teachers during science instruction. Especially significant is that neither questioning wait-time nor level of questions asked was affected by the partnership experience. Furthermore, the partnership did not lead to teachers exhibiting a more constructivist-oriented approach to science instruction. However, teacher members of both partnerships expressed a strong wish for the partnership activities to continue.

School-based interventions for elementary school students with ADHD.

PubMed

DuPaul, George J; Gormley, Matthew J; Laracy, Seth D

2014-10-01

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience significant difficulties with behavior, social functioning, and academic performance in elementary school classrooms. Although psychotropic medication may enhance classroom behavior, pharmacologic treatment is rarely sufficient in addressing the many challenges encountered by individuals with ADHD in school settings. This article describes 3 evidence-based strategies including behavioral, academic, and self-regulation interventions. Future directions for research on school-based interventions are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Play Therapy in Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landreth, Garry L.; Ray, Dee C.; Bratton, Sue C.

2009-01-01

Because the child's world is a world of action and activity, play therapy provides the psychologist in elementary-school settings with an opportunity to enter the child's world. In the play therapy relationship, toys are like the child's words and play is the child's language. Therefore, children play out their problems, experiences, concerns, and…

Free Teaching Materials: Classroom and Curriculum Aids for Elementary School Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raimist, Roger J.; Mester, Rose A.

Free teaching materials suitable for elementary school science available from 168 agencies and companies are listed. Materials include booklets, teacher's source books and guides, charts and posters, and concrete materials such as mineral samples. Suggestions and materials for student activities range from experiments to song sheets. Topics…

Popularization of Chemistry through Ecological Topics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perina, I.

1982-01-01

After providing information on elementary schooling in Yugoslavia, discusses ecological topics and activities used to raise the awareness of elementary school students about the level of pollution in the environment and the dangers of an increasingly polluted environment. Students' keen interest in chemistry and the chemical experiments was noted.…

Blending In

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Jesse; Kruse, Jerrid; Clough, Michael

2017-01-01

Even though many educators are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), science often does not receive the attention in elementary school that it should. One way to ensure that elementary school children have the science experiences they need and deserve is to use it as a context to teach…

Teaching Experimental Design to Elementary School Pupils in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karampelas, Konstantinos

2016-01-01

This research is a study about the possibility to promote experimental design skills to elementary school pupils. Experimental design and the experiment process are foundational elements in current approaches to Science Teaching, as they provide learners with profound understanding about knowledge construction and science inquiry. The research was…

Gelingende Integration? Anmerkungen zur Studie von D. Katzenbach u.a. uber den Hamburger Schulversuch "Integrative Grundschule" in ZfPad. 45 (1999), S. 567-590 (Successful Integration? Remarks on the Study by D. Katzenbach et al. on the Hamburg School Experiment "Integrative Elementary School" in ZfPad. 45 (1999), S. 567-590).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roeder, Peter Martin

1999-01-01

Critiques two normative premises that guide the researchers' interpretation of results from the Hamburg School Experiment, an empirical study that focused on mainstreaming elementary students diagnosed as needing special education: (1) integrating these children in normal classrooms is legitimated; and (2) social integration should not preclude…

Elementary Science Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Science Review, 1972

1972-01-01

Six new experiments are described for use in elementary school classrooms. Phenomena explored include friction, mass of air, kinetic energy, air condensers, and hot-air balloons. Instructions are explicit. (PS)

The Preparation Experiences of Elementary Mathematics Specialists: Examining Influences on Beliefs, Content Knowledge, and Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swars, Susan L.; Smith, Stephanie Z.; Smith, Marvin E.; Carothers, Jody; Myers, Kayla

2018-01-01

Many in the field of mathematics education call for elementary schools to have elementary mathematics specialists (EMSs) who provide needed mathematical expertise and support for children and teachers. EMSs serve as a reasonable, immediate alternative to the challenges generated by elementary teachers needing improved mathematical knowledge for…

Attitudes and Perspectives of Teacher Performers on Pedagogy and Perceived Student Learning in the Elementary and Secondary School Music Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vitale, John L.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the lives of three active music teacher performers and how their performing experience impacted pedagogy and perceived student learning in the classroom. At the time of data collection, one participant was a full-time elementary school music teacher, and the other two participants were full-time secondary school music…

Resiliency and School Counseling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akos, Patrick

2003-01-01

Using his experience as an elementary school and middle school counselor, as well as his background in counselor education, Dr. Akos provides a look at the integration of resiliency into school counseling.

Stronger vection in junior high school children than in adults

PubMed Central

Shirai, Nobu; Imura, Tomoko; Tamura, Rio; Seno, Takeharu

2014-01-01

Previous studies have shown that even elementary school-aged children (7 and 11 years old) experience visually induced perception of illusory self-motion (vection) (Lepecq et al., 1995, Perception, 24, 435–449) and that children of a similar age (mean age = 9.2 years) experience more rapid and stronger vection than do adults (Shirai et al., 2012, Perception, 41, 1399–1402). These findings imply that although elementary school-aged children experience vection, this ability is subject to further development. To examine the subsequent development of vection, we compared junior high school students' (N = 11, mean age = 14.4 years) and adults' (N = 10, mean age = 22.2 years) experiences of vection. Junior high school students reported significantly stronger vection than did adults, suggesting that the perceptual experience of junior high school students differs from that of adults with regard to vection and that this ability undergoes gradual changes over a relatively long period of development. PMID:24971067

Do Professional Development Schools Reduce Teacher Attrition? Evidence from a Longitudinal Study of 1,000 Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latham, Nancy I.; Vogt, W. Paul

2007-01-01

This article describes the findings from a study of professional development schools (PDS) and traditional student teaching elementary education graduates between 1996 and 2004. Specifically, the effects of teacher preparation experiences on persistence in elementary education employment were examined. The study involved mining previously…

The Physically Handicapped and Health Impaired Children: Do They Prosper in Regular Toronto Elementary Schools?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larter, Sylvia E.

The experience of 88 physically handicapped and health impaired (PH/HI) children attending Toronto, Canada, regular elementary schools in either regular classes or "integrated" special education classes was assessed with regard to their academic, social, emotional, medical, and physical needs. The integrated classification meant they…

HOMEMAKING IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, A RESOURCE GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM TEACHERS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

SICKLER, SUZANNE

THIS GUIDE PROVIDES BASIC INFORMATION ON ORGANIZATION, OPERATION, CURRICULUM, FACILITIES, AND RESOURCES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HOMEMAKING EXPERIENCE-CENTERED PROGRAM IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. IT MAY BE USED BY A HOMEROOM TEACHER WITH A VISITING HOMEMAKING TEACHER CONSULTANT OR BY A HOMEMAKING TEACHER IN SCHEDULED CLASSES. IT WAS DEVELOPED BY A…

Change in Elementary School Students' Misconceptions on Material Systems after a Theoretical-Practical Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cañada-Cañada, Florentina; González-Gómez, David; Airado-Rodríguez, Diego; Melo Niño, Lina Viviana; Dávila Acedo, María Antonia

2017-01-01

Students get to Elementary School with a series of misconceptions which are not necessarily in agreement with the scientific knowledge. Misconceptions result from the student's attempts to understand their previous experiences resulting from their interaction with their environment and they must be taken into account in educational practice to…

"A Library They Deserve": The Baltimore Elementary and Middle School Library Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheldon, Steven B.; Davis, Marcia H.; Connolly, Faith

2014-01-01

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation has partnered with Baltimore Education Research Consortium (BERC) to complete a series of reports examining the implementation and impact of the Baltimore Elementary and Middle School Library Project (Library Project). This report on the first year of the project examines the experiences of the…

A Phenomenological Study on Reflective Teaching Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Disu, Abimbola

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of teachers who engage in reflective teaching practice. This study was conducted at two elementary urban charter schools in New York City (NYC). A phenomenological research design was used to investigate the perspectives of twenty-one elementary school teachers who use reflective…

Threats and Strategies to Counter Threats: Voices of Elementary School Foreign Language Learniers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenbusch, Marcia Harmon; Sorensen, Laurie

2004-01-01

The experience described by Kay Hoag, Advocacy Chair of the National Network for Early Language Learning (NNELL), exemplifies the threat of program elimination and/or cutbacks that elementary school foreign language programs across the nation experienced with increased frequency during the 2002-2003 academic year. Reports of these threats…

Changes in Body Mass Index during a 3-Year Elementary School-Based Obesity Prevention Program for American Indian and White Rural Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogeltanz-Holm, Nancy; Holm, Jeffrey

2018-01-01

Background: Childhood obesity is a significant but largely "modifiable" health risk, disproportionately affecting socioeconomically disadvantaged, racial/ethnic minority, and rural children. Elementary school-aged children typically experience the greatest increases in excess weight gain and therefore are important targets for reducing…

The Implications of Cognitive-Developmental Theory for Law Related Curriculum in the Elementary School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Peggy

Law-related education programs for elementary school should be based on children's perceptions of reality. Psychologist Jean Piaget's studies of cognitive development indicate that children constantly reconstruct reality as they undergo new experiences. Children at early developmental stages may not be capable of understanding the origin and…

A Case Study of Why Teachers Write Office Discipline Referrals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etheridge, Derek A.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand why 12 teachers write office discipline referrals for elementary school students in a Title I elementary school located in the Southwestern United States. This study explored the experiences of 12 teachers using the following research questions: (1) What classroom management approaches…

The Notion of Proof in the Context of Elementary School Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stylianides, Andreas J.

2007-01-01

Despite increased appreciation of the role of "proof" in students' mathematical experiences across "all" grades, little research has focused on the issue of understanding and characterizing the notion of proof at the elementary school level. This paper takes a step toward addressing this limitation, by examining the characteristics of four major…

Asperger Syndrome and the Elementary School Experience: Practical Solutions for Academic & Social Difficulties.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Susan Thompson.

This book provides educators with an understanding of Asperger syndrome (AS) and how it affects a student academically and socially, and provides specific strategies for helping elementary school students with AS function successfully. Following an introductory chapter, chapter 2 presents the major areas of difficulty for individuals with AS with…

Seeking Restorative Experiences: Elementary School Teachers' Choices for Places that Enable Coping with Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gulwadi, Gowri Betrabet

2006-01-01

Teacher stress and coping research and restorative environments research were converged in this study to explore how elementary school teachers in Chicago seek out everyday places in their milieu to implement restorative coping strategies. Seventy-one survey responses revealed that teachers' spontaneous place choices are related to sources of…

Title I Elementary Schools and Parental Involvement: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bettencourt, Alisha J.

2017-01-01

The purpose for this dissertation was to gain a better understanding of the educational involvement experiences of lower socioeconomic parents within Title I elementary schools. This study investigated the attitudes, beliefs, and perspective of Title I parents. It also analyzed an investigation into the barriers and motivations of parents. It used…

Cultural Astronomy in Elementary and Secondary School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jafelice, Luiz Carlos

2015-07-01

This work is addressed to educators and geography, science, biology and physics teachers who deal with elementary, middle and high school education. It discusses the importance of adopting the anthropological perspective regarding issues that are considered within the astronomy area. It also presents practical proposals for those who intend to introduce cultural astronomy in elementary, middle and high school education - from the beginning of the 1st grade in Elementary school to the end of the 3rd grade in Secondary school, in formal as well as in informal education. This work is proposed within the context of the holistic and transdisciplinary environmental education. Our approach values above all the experience and aims at a humanistic education that includes epistemological and cultural diversities. The suggested practical proposals can be also beneficially used to address works that include contents related to Brazilian indigenous and Afro-descent cultures in the school curriculum, as the new law requires. The guidelines presented here were tested in real school situations.

Parental involvement in elementary school-aged child’s creativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suparmi; Suardiman, S. P.; Kumara, A.

2018-01-01

This study aims at describing the parental involvement in cultivating elementary school-aged child’s creativity. The qualitative research was designed with multidisciplinary study approach. Eight students and some parents from public elementary schools of Ngawen 4th of Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta, and 4 students from an elementary school in Sleman, Yogyakarta were involved in the process of collecting the data. In-depth interview, observation, and documentation were used simultaneously to collect the data. The results showed that: 1) the subject had a level of intelligence quotient; the intelligence of verbal creativity above the average level, and creative behaviour on average, 2) interaction of parents and child-related discussions, experiences, and plans, academic problems in school were needed to boost the students’ creativity, 3) interactions of parents and school-related participations in school were also encouraged to implant students’ social awareness, 4) interaction among parents communicated each other to have a better result of academic awareness, and 5) Parents should install family norms to cultivate children’s intelligence quotient.

Children's Talking and Listening within the Classroom: Teachers' Insights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosacki, Sandra; Rose-Krasnor, Linda; Coplan, Robert J.

2014-01-01

Research suggests that social communication (verbal and non-verbal) plays a key role in students' and teachers' elementary-school experiences. Within the framework of sociocognitive developmental theory, this qualitative study investigates teachers' experiences and perceptions of children's talking and listening habits within the elementary-grade…

Effects of a Movement Integration Program on Elementary School Children's Physical Activity, Fitness Levels, and On-Task Behavior and Teachers' Implementation Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goh, Tan Leng

2014-01-01

Physical inactivity is an increasing problem among children and adolescents. The TAKE 10!® program, which integrates physical activity (PA) into academic subjects, was implemented in one elementary school in Magna, Utah to increase children's daily in-school PA. A three-study approach was used to examine: (a) effects of TAKE 10!® on elementary…

Economic Education Experiences of Award Winning Alaska Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Monica, Ed.

Award-winning economic education projects devised by Alaska teachers included three elementary (K-6) projects and three second level (7-12) ones. Faith Greenough's students (Chinook Elementary School, Anchorage) compared Tlingit traditional and market economies in Alaska, so economics became an integrated part of elementary instruction. Marie…

The Fluid Infusion of Musical Culture: Embodied Experiences in a Grade One Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffin, Shelley M.

2017-01-01

Children's daily, embodied music experiences are integral to how children live and function in the world. Growing out of a line of work focusing on the interplay between elementary children's daily experiences of music, both in- and out-of-school and the impact on elementary music education curriculum, this research is nested within the…

Sexual harassment of girls in elementary school: a concealed phenomenon within a heterosexual romantic discourse.

PubMed

Gådin, Katja Gillander

2012-06-01

The aim of this study was to enhance the understanding of young girls' experiences of peer sexual harassment in elementary school and of normalizing processes of school-related sexualized violence. Six focus group interviews with girls in Grade 1 through 6 were carried out in an elementary school in the northern part of Sweden. A content analyses showed that young girls experienced verbal, nonverbal, and sexual assault behaviors at school. Sexual harassment as a concealed phenomenon and manifest within a romantic discourse were themes found in the analysis. A conclusion is that schools have to acknowledge behaviors related to sexual harassment as a potential problem even in young ages and develop methods to approach the subject also for this age group.

Arts Integration: What Is Really Happening in the Elementary Classroom?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaJevic, Lisa

2013-01-01

Researching how Arts Integration is practiced in a primary school, this article explores how elementary teachers understand, implement, and experience Arts Integration. Weaving together personal experiences, teacher interviews, focus group sessions, classroom observations, and written texts, I investigate how the arts are often devalued in Arts…

Prospective Elementary Teachers' Aesthetic Experience and Relationships to Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Rong-Ji

2017-01-01

Previous research has adopted various approaches to examining teachers' and students' relationships to mathematics. The current study extended this line of research and investigated six prospective elementary school teachers' experiences in mathematics and how they saw themselves as learners of mathematics. One-on-one interviews with the…

Graduate Student Outreach: Model of a One-Day "Chemistry Camp" for Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houck, Joseph D.; Machamer, Natalie K.; Erickson, Karla A.

2014-01-01

One-day chemistry camps, managed by graduate students from the Departments of Chemistry at the Universities of Virginia (UVA) and Vermont (UVM), have proven successful as an outreach initiative. The camp model engages kindergarten through fifth grade elementary school students in hands-on, inquiry-based science experiments to educate and excite…

Teaching in Elementary School: Perceptions of Foreign-Trained Teacher Candidates on Their Teaching Practicum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myles, Johanne; Cheng, Liying; Wang, Hong

2006-01-01

The Alternative Teacher Accreditation Program for Teachers with International Experience (ATAPTIE) is a special Bachelor of Education program funded by the Ontario government in Canada to provide new immigrants with the skills and knowledge needed to re-certify and find jobs in Ontario elementary schools. This paper presents interview data that…

The Achievement Checkup: Tracking the Post-Elementary Outcomes of Baltimore Need-Based Scholarship Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuh, Alex

2015-01-01

This study examined the high school experiences, graduation rates and post-secondary attendance rates of students who received need-based scholarships to attend private elementary schools from the Children's Scholarship Fund Baltimore (CSFB). CSFB provides funds to students from low-income families in the Baltimore area to attend the private or…

An Experimental Evaluation of New Measures of Cognitive and Non-cognitive Performance for Elementary School Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emrick, John A.

Two experiments to develop psychometric and administrative data on instruments designated for a testing program with disadvantaged elementary school children were undertaken. These instruments provide measures of growth and development in such diverse areas as verbal expressiveness (the ITPA and the Hertzig/Birch scoring of the PSI), problem…

Developing Writing Competencies through Education in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zuckerman, G. A.; Obukhova, O. L.

2015-01-01

D. Elkonin's thesis that thinking is much more closely related to writing than to oral speech formed the basis of our three-year formative experiment at the elementary school level. In order to test this idea, second-graders through fourth-graders were given a few assignments in which they were asked to exchange thoughts in writing with their…

Promoting Science Outdoor Activities for Elementary School Children: Contributions from a Research Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boaventura, Diana; Faria, Claudia; Chagas, Isabel; Galvao, Cecilia

2013-01-01

The purposes of the study were to analyse the promotion of scientific literacy through practical research activities and to identify children's conceptions about scientists and how they do science. Elementary school children were engaged in two scientific experiments in a marine biology research laboratory. A total of 136 students answered a…

A Solar Energy Curriculum for Elementary Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Six. Field Test Copy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lampert, Seymour; And Others

Presented is the field test version of an elementary school solar energy curriculum consisting of nearly 50 activities and demonstration experiments. Developed by a team of teachers and subject matter specialists, these materials are grouped under seven content area headings: (1) Scientific Method; (2) Energy and Life; (3) Sun and Light; (4)…

Effect of an Arabic Program of Direct Instruction for Phonological Awareness on Phonological Awareness Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elhoweris, Hala; Alsheikh, Negmeldin; Al Mekhlafi, Abdurrahman; Alhosani, Najwa; Alzyoudi, Mohammad

2017-01-01

Reading in Arabic is a vital skill for academic success and progress in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) elementary schools and beyond. However, there is substantial evidence to suggest that a significant number of UAE children in lower elementary grades experience difficulties in reading school-related materials. Research in reading has clearly…

Washington Elementary Schools on the Slow Track under Standards-Based Reform. Making Standards Work, 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, Maria S.

This study examined the experiences of 15 elementary schools in Washington state demonstrating relatively slow improvement on the reading and mathematics sections of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. Since the passage of educational reform legislation in 1993, Washington has undertaken a systematic overhaul of its K-12 public school…

Achievement Goals Influence Mastery Experience via Two Paths in Digital Creativity Games among Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeh, Y. -c.; Lin, C. S.

2018-01-01

Although cultivating creativity is greatly emphasized in elementary school education and that digital games can be a promising tool for improving creativity, little research has been conducted to identify and explore how player-related factors might influence the learning outcomes of digital creativity games. This study identifies 3 individual…

Integrating Music into the Elementary Classroom. Fourth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, William M.; Lawrence, Joy E.

This book emphasizes the importance of enriching children's lives by making music a central part of the elementary school curriculum. The book provides guidelines for elementary teachers with limited experience as well as music specialists. The book is comprehensive, covering music fundamentals as well as materials and methods for teaching music…

Design Practices of Preservice Elementary Teachers in an Integrated Engineering and Literature Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wendell, Kristen Bethke

2014-01-01

The incorporation of engineering practices and core ideas into the "Next Generation Science Standards" at the elementary school level provides exciting opportunities but also raises important questions about the preparation of new elementary teachers. Both the teacher education and engineering education communities have a limited…

Wonder as a Tool to Engage Preservice Elementary Teachers in Science Learning and Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbert, Andrew; Byers, Christie C.

2017-01-01

This exploratory project considers the use of "wonder" as a pedagogical tool with preservice elementary teachers (PSETs). An ongoing vexation facing science teacher educators is helping future elementary teachers overcome anxiety and negative associations with science due to their own school science experiences, while simultaneously…

Practical Lessons To Promote a Global Perspective in Elementary Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarchow, Elaine, Ed.; Midkiff, Ronald, Ed.; Pickert, Sarah, Ed.

This book for elementary school teachers presents a rationale for developing a global perspective, providing sample lesson plans and a curriculum resource guide. Chapter 1, "Promoting a Global Perspective in Elementary Education" (Ronald G. Midkiff), uses stories from one teacher's global experiences to offer a rationale for promoting…

High School Students' Experiences in School Toilets or Restrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norling, Maja; Stenzelius, Karin; Ekman, Nina; Wennick, Anne

2016-01-01

Previous research about school toilets is based on studies of children in elementary school. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the experiences when using the school toilets reported by students aged 16-18 years. Qualitative interviews with 21 students were conducted and analyzed using content analysis. The data revealed that the toilets…

Students' Experiences of Home--School Dissonance: The Role of School Academic Culture and Perceptions of Classroom Goal Structures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Revathy

2006-01-01

This paper examines stability and change during the elementary-to-middle school transition, focusing on adolescents' experiences of home--school dissonance because of real or perceived differences between home/self and values within the school context. Relationships were hypothesized between exacerbation and amelioration of dissonance, middle…

Will Choice Hurt? Compared to What? A School Choice Experiment in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Põder, Kaire; Lauri, Triin

2014-01-01

This article presents the empirical analysis of the effects of a school choice policy in Estonia. The article shows that relying on markets and giving autonomy to the schools over student selection will produce admission tests, even at the elementary school level. This article's contribution is to show that a school choice policy experiment with…

Students Feeling Unsafe in School: Fifth Graders' Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Gloria; Riesch, Susan K.; Temkin, Barbara Myers; Kedrowski, Karen M.; Kluba, Nina

2011-01-01

Children of late elementary school age (fifth grade) provide evidence that many do not feel safe in their schools. The purpose of this study was to examine how children express their experiences of feeling unsafe in school. Questions guiding the study were What percentage of children in this sample report feeling unsafe at school? What are the…

School Social Workers' Experiences with Youth Suicidal Behavior: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer, Jonathan B.; Slovak, Karen

2011-01-01

No published studies have explored school social workers (SSWs) experiences with, or beliefs and attitudes about, working with suicidal youths at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. The authors surveyed SSWs (N = 399) who were members of the 11-state Midwest Council on School Social Workers. Results indicated significant SSW…

The Impact of School Design and Arrangement on Learning Experiences: A Case Study of an Architecturally Significant Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Churchill, Deirdre Lyne

2014-01-01

This qualitative study examined the impact of architectural design and arrangement on the learning experiences of students. Specifically, it examined how school design and arrangement foster interactions and relationships among students and adults relevant to integral learning experiences. This case study was limited to the breadth of knowledge…

Astronomy in the early years of elementary education: a partnership between university and school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barai, A.; Carvalho Neto, J. T.; Garrido, D.; Ityanagui, G.; Navi, M.

2016-12-01

This paper describes the interaction and partnership experience between a school and one of the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar)campi, both located in Araras, SP, aiming to teach and promote astronomy and astronautics knowledge among students of the first five years of Elementary Education. This initiative made use of Brazilian Olympiad of Astronomy and Astronautics as a motivating event for the theme exploration. The actions were divided into two fronts: an improvement course for the school teachers conducted by university professors and lectures for students by UFSCar students under the guidance of university teachers and the school coordinators. By the observed results, we noticed the importance of narrowing the distance school-university, promoting learning for both institutions and helping to raise the level of education from elementary school to college.

Learning to Teach Elementary Students in Democratic Field Placements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Payne, Katherina A.

2013-01-01

This multicase study employs sociocultural theories to analyze the learning to teach process and identity development of six novice elementary school teachers, who were immersed in a semester-long democratic field placement. Broadly, this study explored the field experience as part of democratic teacher education, and how the field experience can…

Metaphors Reveal Preservice Elementary Teachers' Views of Mathematics and Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cassel, Darlinda; Vincent, Daniel

2011-01-01

Typically, experiences shape one's attitudes toward the "thing" that is being experienced, whether it is a person, pet, movie, etc. Classroom experiences also shape one's attitudes toward a subject, teacher, learning, and so forth. Studies have shown that attitudes become more negative as students move from elementary to secondary schools.…

Teacher Experiences in Elementary Word Study Instruction: A Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mihalik, Gregory Stephen

2017-01-01

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experience of integrating word study spelling programs for second grade teachers across six elementary schools in Northern Virginia. Word study is a developmental spelling approach that can be used by teachers to differentiate instruction and meet student needs. Despite the growing…

Perceptions of Pre-Service Teachers on Mentor Teachers' Roles in Promoting Inclusive Practicum: Case Studies in U.S. Elementary School Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maddamsetti, Jihea

2018-01-01

This case study examines a Chinese and Korean-Chinese pre-service teachers' perceptions of their mentor teachers' role in supporting inclusive practicum experiences in USA elementary school contexts. The findings demonstrate that a mentor teacher's open conversations and willingness to host those students bring positive influence on their learning…

Social Justice Leadership: Advocating Equity, Access and Opportunity for Black Students Attending Urban High-Poverty Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pounders, Cherise

2017-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and describe the lived experiences and perspectives of 4 elementary school principals and 4 instructional leaders committed to social justice practices who have improved and sustained grade level performance in reading with Black students for the duration of 3 consecutive years.…

Effects of the Digital Game-Development Approach on Elementary School Students' Learning Motivation, Problem Solving, and Learning Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chu, Hui-Chun; Hung, Chun-Ming

2015-01-01

In this study, the game-based development approach is proposed for improving the learning motivation, problem solving skills, and learning achievement of students. An experiment was conducted on a learning activity of an elementary school science course to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach. A total of 59 sixth graders from two…

Word Processing with the Elementary School Student--A Teaching and Learning Experience for Both Teachers and Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacoby, Adrienne

Using word processing in the elementary school writing curriculum is advantageous for both students and teachers. Word processors motivate students to spend more time on task, encourage changes and rewriting, and eliminate concern for neatness and the tedium of writing (and rewriting) by hand. Teachers can see that students using the word…

Madres Para Niños: Engaging Latina Mothers as Consultees to Promote Their Children's Early Elementary School Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knotek, Steven E.; Sánchez, Marta

2017-01-01

The Madres para Niños (MpN) program uses consultee-centered consultation as a vehicle to help immigrant Latino parents focus and reframe their preexisting child advocacy skills toward their children's successful transition into elementary school in a new geographic and cultural context. This article describes the Latina mother's experience as…

An Elementary School Environmental Education Field Trip: Long-Term Effects on Ecological and Environmental Knowledge and Attitude Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmer, James; Knapp, Doug; Benton, Gregory M.

2007-01-01

Using phenomenological analysis, the authors examined the long-term effects of an environmental education school field trip on fourth grade elementary students who visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The authors' findings suggest that one year after the experience, many students remembered what they had seen and heard and had developed a…

What Difference Does Art Make in Science? A Comparative Study of Meaning-Making at Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jakobson, Britt; Wickman, Per-Olof

2015-01-01

Here we examine the role art activities play in aesthetic experience and learning of science. We compare recordings of two sequential occurrences in an elementary school class. The purpose of the first sequence was scientific and involved the children in observing leaves with magnifiers. The second sequence had an artistic purpose, where the…

Elementary School Teachers' Experiences in a Professional Learning Community Addressing the Gender Gap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyles, Glenda F.

2011-01-01

International research and academic performance measures indicate that boys are scoring lower on standardized tests than girls in reading and writing. At the time of this study, boys had lower standardized test scores than girls in an elementary school in a southeastern state in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to…

Exploring the Role of Elementary Parent Involvement Coordinators in a North Georgia Title I Charter School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elrod, Philip

2015-01-01

This study explored the role of elementary parent involvement coordinators (EPIC) in a Northeast Georgia Title I Charter School District. EPICs were charged with facilitating programs designed to build social capital and network closure for families. This nested case study explored the experiences of five EPICs, each located in one of the five…

Story Bound, Map Around: Stories, Life, and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Ulyssa; Nolte-Yupari, Samantha

2015-01-01

In this article, the authors discuss mixed-media projects done with elementary students in a summer art camp and preservice elementary teachers taking Visual Arts in the Elementary Classroom, illustrating their consideration of how stories carry the curricular potential to bring students' out-of-school experiences into the classroom. In order…

Developing a Vision for the Common Core Classroom: What Does Elementary Social Studies Look Like?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Britt, Judy; Howe, Mandi

2014-01-01

In each edition of their book "Doing History: Investigating with Children in Elementary and Middle Schools", Levstik and Barton (2011) encourage us to take a mental journey to imagine classrooms where students regularly "do history" (xi). The social studies experiences that many educators envision for elementary classrooms…

The Costs of Experience Corps[R] in Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frick, Kevin D.; McGill, Sylvia; Tan, Erwin J.; Rebok, George W.; Carson, Michelle C.; Tanner, Elizabeth K.; Fried, Linda P.

2012-01-01

Objective: To describe the annual operational costs of a mature Experience Corps[R] program in elementary schools in the Baltimore City Public School System. Methods: Systematic records of expenditures kept by the community partner, Greater Homewood Community Corporation, to be reported to funders were made available for analysis. Expenditures…

Cafeteria factors that influence milk-drinking behaviors of elementary school children: grounded theory approach.

PubMed

Connors, P; Bednar, C; Klammer, S

2001-01-01

This study was conducted to identify factors that influenced milk-drinking behaviors of elementary school children in North Texas. Ten focus groups with a total of 41 children aged 6 to 11 years were conducted using a grounded theory approach. Based on the principles of Social Learning Theory, milk preferences and health beliefs were identified as personal factors that influenced drinking. Cafeteria rules, milk flavor, product packaging, modeling by adults, and shared experiences were environmental factors. The data suggest that school cafeterias can capitalize on their unique position to offer milk-drinking opportunities that children can share to combine nutrition education with sensory experience.

Science as experience, exploration, and experiments: elementary teachers' notions of `doing science'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Ashley N.; Luna, Melissa J.; Bernstein, Malayna B.

2017-11-01

Much of the literature on science teaching suggests that elementary teachers lack relevant prior experiences with science. This study begins to reframe the deficit approach to research in science teaching by privileging the experiences elementary teachers have had with science - both in and out of schools - throughout their lives. Our work uses identity as a lens to examine the complexities of elementary teachers' narrative accounts of their experiences with science over the course of their lives. Our findings identify components of teachers' science-related experiences in order to lay the groundwork for making connections between teachers' personal experiences and professional practice. This work demonstrates that teachers' storied lives are important for educational researchers and teacher educators, as they reveal elements of teaching knowledge that may be productive and resourceful for refining teachers' science practice.

Students' personal traits, violence exposure, family factors, school dynamics and the perpetration of violence in Taiwanese elementary schools.

PubMed

Chen, Ji-Kang; Astor, Ron Avi

2011-02-01

School violence has become an international problem affecting the well-being of students. To date, few studies have examined how school variables mediate between personal and family factors and school violence in the context of elementary schools in Asian cultures. Using a nationally representative sample of 3122 elementary school students in Taiwan, this study examined a theoretical model proposing that negative personal traits, exposure to violence and parental monitoring knowledge have both direct influences as well as indirect influences mediated through school engagement, at-risk peers and poor student-teacher relationships on school violence committed by students against students and teachers. The results of a structural equation modeling analysis provided a good fit for the sample as a whole. The final model accounted for 32% of the variance for student violence against students and 21% for student violence against teachers. The overall findings support the theoretical model proposed in this study. Similar findings were obtained for both male and female students. The study indicated that to reduce school violence more effectively in the context of elementary schools, intervention may exclusively focus on improving students' within-school experiences and the quality of the students' relationships with teachers and school peers.

ABCs of Early Mathematics Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hensen, Laurie E.

2005-01-01

Children begin to develop mathematical thinking before they enter school. Art, baking, playing with blocks, counting numbers, games, puzzles, singing, playing with pretend money, water play all these early mathematical experiences help the children to learn in the elementary school years.

Strategies for Teaching Elementary and Junior High Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Consuegra, Gerard F.

1980-01-01

Discusses the applications of Piaget's theory of cognitive development to elementary and junior high school science teaching. Topics include planning concrete experiences, inductive and hypothetical deductive reasoning, measurement concepts, combinatorial logic, scientific experimentation and reflexive thinking. (SA)

Development of ACTION! Wellness Program for Elementary School Personnel.

PubMed

Webber, Larry S; Johnson, Carolyn C; Rose, Donald; Rice, Janet C

2007-11-01

The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased dramatically in the adult population over the past 2 decades. Almost two-thirds of the adult population works outside the home; thus, interventions implemented at the worksite are viable for obesity reduction. Elementary schools are worksites that have a number of resources that can encourage a healthy lifestyle. The purpose of this paper is to describe the formative research activities and how these were used to design the ACTION! Wellness Program for Elementary School Personnel. Formative data were collected using focus groups, a school survey, and an environmental audit. Focus groups were conducted in three elementary schools, whereas the school survey and environmental audit were collected in 24 elementary schools. The intervention was then tested as a pilot study in one school to determine feasibility and receptivity and refine its components. Participants in the focus groups indicated that most had experience with trying to lose weight, some had positive social support, and most had little free time at school; however, most were very receptive to having a weight control intervention program at their school. Eighteen (75%) of the schools had snack vending machines on the school site, and all had cold drink machines. All 24 schools had at least one indoor site that could be used for physical activity programs. All schools were in neighborhoods conducive for walking. ACTION! will take advantage of the school resources in implementing an environmental intervention to reduce overweight and obesity. This paper describes the progression of events that led to the final trial.

Taking Risks with a Growth Mindset: Long-Term Influence of an Elementary Pre-Service after School Science Practicum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cartwright, T. J.; Hallar, B.

2018-01-01

In this study, we present the long-term influence of an after school science practicum associated with an elementary science methods course. The practicum or field experience could be considered a community-based service learning programme as it is situated both within and for the community. Study participants included eight third- and fifth-grade…

The Effect of Three Levels of Inquiry on the Improvement of Science Concept Understanding of Elementary School Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Artayasa, I. Putu; Susilo, Herawati; Lestari, Umie; Indriwati, Sri Endah

2018-01-01

This research aims to compare the effect of the implementation of three levels of inquiry: level 2 (structured inquiry), level 3 (guided inquiry), and level 4 (open inquiry) toward science concept understanding of elementary school teacher candidates. This is a quasi experiment research with pre-test post-test nonequivalent control group design.…

A Study of the Effects of a Structured Curriculum in Piagetian Type Operations on the Cognitive Coping of Elementary School Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breidenbaugh, Barry Ellis

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the Material Objects Unit of the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) on the cognitive operations and academic achievement of elementary school children. The Material Objects Unit was designed to give experiences and explorations in the mental operations of classification,…

It's Not a Math Lesson--We're Learning to Draw! Teachers' Use of Visual Representations in Instructing Word Problem Solving in Sixth Grade of Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boonen, Anton J. H.; Reed, Helen C.; Schoonenboom, Judith; Jolles, Jelle

2016-01-01

Non-routine word problem solving is an essential feature of the mathematical development of elementary school students worldwide. Many students experience difficulties in solving these problems due to erroneous problem comprehension. These difficulties could be alleviated by instructing students how to use visual representations that clarify the…

The Lived Experiences of Leading Edge Certified Elementary School Teachers Who Use Instructional Technology to Foster Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Creativity, and Communication in Their Classrooms: A Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruddell, Natalie

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of current and former Leading Edge Certified (LEC) elementary school teachers regarding instructional technology practices that facilitate students' development of critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity (4Cs) in one-to-one computer…

"When Mathematical Activity Moves You": An Exploration of the Design and Use of Purposefully Embodied Mathematical Activities, Models, Contexts, and Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, William James

2017-01-01

This dissertation describes a mathematics curriculum and instruction design experiment involving a series of embodied mathematical activities conducted in two Colorado elementary schools Activities designed for this experiment include multi-scalar number line models focused on supporting students' understanding of elementary mathematics. Realistic…

Exploring the Role of Flow Experience, Learning Performance and Potential Behavior Clusters in Elementary Students' Game-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsieh, Ya-Hui; Lin, Yi-Chun; Hou, Huei-Tse

2016-01-01

Well-designed game-based learning can provide students with an innovative environment that may enhance students' motivation and engagement in learning and thus improve their learning performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among elementary school students' flow experience and learning performances. We also…

Elementary School Teachers' Experience of Professional Workload and Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crotwell, Wendy Goodale

2011-01-01

There is a lack of understanding of what is involved in the work of elementary teachers, specifically how these teachers experience their work and organize their time. The increase of workload for teachers in context of limited time and resources has led many to choose a different career path. The conceptual framework for this study is Apple's…

The Fragility of Ecological Pedagogy: Elementary Social Studies Standards and Possibilities of New Materialism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonu, Debbie; Snaza, Nathan

2015-01-01

The greatest challenge facing the field of environmentalism includes ontological questions over the human subject and its desensitization from landscapes of experience. In this article the authors draw from field experiences in New York City elementary schools (such as observations of teachers, NYS Scope and Sequence Standards for Social Studies,…

Transitioning to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics: A Mixed Methods Study of Elementary Teachers' Experiences and Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swars, Susan Lee; Chestnutt, Cliff

2016-01-01

This mixed methods study explored elementary teachers' (n = 73) experiences with and perspectives on the recently implemented Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-Mathematics) at a high-needs, urban school. Analysis of the survey, questionnaire, and interview data reveals the findings cluster around: familiarity with and preparation…

Orienteering Map and Compass: A Guide and Outline to Its Science and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Mel; Burton, VirLynn

This orienteering manual is used to teach map and compass skills to elementary school students on an overnight outdoor experience administered by volunteers. Although the experience is aimed at elementary students, student teachers have the opportunity to participate as instructors. After a few words to the volunteers on maximizing learning among…

What Are the Effects of Teaching Experience on In-Service Elementary Science Teachers' Conceptions of the Nature of Science?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akarsu, Bayram

2007-01-01

This study investigates relationships between understanding of nature of science and four key factors elementary science teachers possess, which are: (1) Their specializations in different science areas (Physics, chemistry, and biology), (2) Gender issues, (3) How long they have been teaching in elementary school environments, (4) Their…

Success, Difficulty, and Instructional Strategy to Enact an Argument-Based Inquiry Approach: Experiences of Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Aeran; Klein, Vanessa; Hershberger, Susan

2015-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the successes and difficulties that teachers perceived as they enacted an argument-based inquiry approach; and instructional strategies that teachers used within an argument-based inquiry approach. Nineteen elementary teachers from 14 Midwestern elementary schools were enrolled in an intensive 2-week professional…

Elementary Classroom Teachers and Physical Education: Change in Teacher-Related Factors during Pre-Service Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fletcher, Tim; Mandigo, James; Kosnik, Clare

2013-01-01

Background: In many contexts, elementary physical education (PE) classes are taught by the classroom teacher rather than by a PE specialist. Elementary classroom teachers often cite negative attitudes resulting from experiences as school pupils and inadequate pre-service PE teacher education as barriers to teaching a quality PE programme. Purpose:…

Supporting Pre-Service Elementary Teachers in Their Understanding of Inquiry Teaching through the Construction of a Third Discursive Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greca, Ileana M.

2016-01-01

Several international reports promote the use of the inquiry teaching methodology for improvements in science education at elementary school. Nevertheless, research indicates that pre-service elementary teachers have insufficient experience with this methodology and when they try to implement it, the theory they learnt in their university…

Transforming Beliefs and Practices: Elementary Teacher Candidates' Development through Shared Authentic Teaching and Reflection Experiences within an Innovative Science Methods Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naidoo, Kara

2013-01-01

Elementary teachers are criticized for failing to incorporate meaningful science instruction in their classrooms or avoiding science instruction altogether. The lack of adequate science instruction in elementary schools is partially attributed to teacher candidates' anxiety, poor content and pedagogical preparation, and low science teaching…

Determining significant material properties: A discovery approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karplus, Alan K.

1992-01-01

The following is a laboratory experiment designed to further understanding of materials science. The experiment itself can be informative for persons of any age past elementary school, and even for some in elementary school. The preparation of the plastic samples is readily accomplished by persons with resonable dexterity in the cutting of paper designs. The completion of the statistical Design of Experiments, which uses Yates' Method, requires basic math (addition and subtraction). Interpretive work requires plotting of data and making observations. Knowledge of statistical methods would be helpful. The purpose of this experiment is to acquaint students with the seven classes of recyclable plastics, and provide hands-on learning about the response of these plastics to mechanical tensile loading.

Experiences of Sexual Harassment among Elementary School Students in Taiwan: Implications for School Nurses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Yu-Ting; Hayter, Mark; Lin, Mei-Ling

2010-01-01

Sexual harassment is a significant issue in the lives of students. Understanding how young adolescents feel about sexual harassment and their coping strategies is a central element to guide school nursing interventions promoting sexual health. This study explored the sexual harassment experiences of young adolescents in Taiwan. A qualitative…

Elementary Teacher Candidates' Understanding of the No Child Left Behind Legislation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeder, Stacy; Utley, Juliana

2008-01-01

Within the next decade teacher preparation programs will be replete with teacher candidates who have experienced the implementation of the No Child Left Behind legislation in their K-12 schooling experience. However, most current teacher candidates graduated from their K-12 schooling experience before the legislation was implemented in schools.…

Elementary and middle school science improvement project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcguire, Saundra Y.

1989-01-01

The Alabama A and M University Elementary and Middle School Science Improvement Project (Project SIP) was instituted to improve the science knowledge of elementary and middle school teachers using the experimental or hands-on approach. Summer workshops were conducted during the summers of 1986, 1987, and 1988 in the areas of biology, chemistry, physics, and electricity, and magnetism. Additionally, a manual containing 43 lessons which included background information, experiments and activities for classroom and home use was provided to each teacher. During the course of the project activities, the teachers interacted with various university faculty members, scientists, and NASA staff. The administrative aspects of the program, the delivery of the services to participating teachers, and the project outcome are addressed.

Promoting Multi-Site Collaborative Inquiry: Initial Efforts and Challenges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rafferty, Cathleen D.

This paper explores perspectives, issues, and experiences related to initiating collaborative inquiry across multiple levels and sites, based on school-university partnerships developed between Indiana State University (ISU) and 10 professional development schools (five elementary schools, one middle school, and four high schools). Principles…

Geological field study for science education on Elementary and Junior high school student, in Shimane prefecture, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsumoto, I.

2011-12-01

The importance of learning at field has been increasing in the elementary and the junior high school in Japan. And, an environmental education is one of the important subjects even in the school education, too. It was important, as for science education, understanding with actual feeling and learning were specified as for the Teaching outlines (the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) of the new science textbook of the elementary and the junior high school as well. However, It is a little actual situation that there is in an opportunity for the field learning enforced in the school lesson by the investigation of JST (Japan Science and Tecnology Agency). This tendency is strong as much as school of the city and that circumference. I have this cause think that there are a few suitable places for learning to observe geological and biological field near school. In addition, below two is pointed out as a big problem to obstruct the execution of field learning. 1) A natural experience isn't being done sufficient as much as a teacher can teach to the student. 2) It doesn't have the confidence that a teacher teaches a student geology and biology at the field. I introduce the practical example of geological field learning at the public elementary school of the Shimane prefecture by this research. Though it is the place where nature is comparatively rich even in Japan, it can't be said that field learning is popular in Shimane prefecture. A school teacher has to learning experience at field, and he must settle confidence to guide a student at the field. A specialist in the university and the museum must support continuous learning for that to the school teacher.

Dimensions of school climate: teachers' or principals' power styles and subjects' propensities to be climate vigilant as related to students' perceptions of satisfaction and of peers' abusive behavior.

PubMed

Verhoek-Miller, Nancy; Miller, Duane I; Shirachi, Miyoko; Hoda, Nicholas

2002-08-01

Two studies investigated teachers' and principals' power styles as related to college students' retrospective ratings of satisfaction and peers' abusive behavior. One study also investigated retrospective self-perception as related to students' sensitivity to the occurrence of physical and psychological abuse in the school environment. Among the findings were positive correlations between subjects' perceptions that their typical elementary school teacher used referent, legitimate, or expert power styles and subjects' reported satisfaction with their elementary school experience. Small but statistically significant correlations were found suggesting that principals' power style was weakly associated with ratings of psychological abuse in elementary school and physical abuse in middle school. Also, students who rated themselves as intelligent, sensitive, attractive, and depressive had higher ratings of perceived psychological and physical abuse at school. It was concluded that parameters of leaders' power styles and subjects' vigilance might be useful for understanding school climates. Experimentally designed studies are required.

School Personnel's Knowledge and Perceptions of School Wellness Policy Implementation: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harriger, Diane; Lu, Wenhua; Lisako, E.; McKyer, J.; Pruitt, B.; Outley, Corliss; Tisone, Christine; McWhinney, Sharon L.

2014-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe a school district's experience of implementing its School Wellness Policy (SWP) and examine school personnel's knowledge and perceptions of the SWP implementation. Methods: Thirty-one school personnel from five elementary schools in a school district in Texas were recruited, including…

Solar Heating Proof-of-Concept Experiment for a Public School Building. Report for the Period 15 Jan. 1974 to 15 May 1974. No. ER-7934.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AAI Corp., Baltimore, MD.

In the middle of January 1974, AAI Corporation received a contract to conduct a solar heating proof-of-concept experiment (POCE) for a public school building. On March 1, 1974, the experiment began as Timonium Elementary School, in Maryland, became the first school in the United States to be heated by solar energy. In this brief period, the…

From Lived Experiences to Game Creation: How Scaffolding Supports Elementary School Students Learning Computer Science Principles in an After School Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Her Many Horses, Ian

2016-01-01

The world, and especially our own country, is in dire need of a larger and more diverse population of computer scientists. While many organizations have approached this problem of too few computer scientists in various ways, a promising, and I believe necessary, path is to expose elementary students to authentic practices of the discipline.…

Does Food Insecurity at Home Affect Non-Cognitive Performance at School? A Longitudinal Analysis of Elementary Student Classroom Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Larry L.

2011-01-01

This paper estimates models of the transitional effects of food insecurity experiences on children's non-cognitive performance in school classrooms using a panel of 4710 elementary students enrolled in 1st, 3rd, and 5th grade (1999-2003). In addition to an extensive set of child and household-level characteristics, we use information on U.S.…

Expanding Horizons and Encouraging New Perspectives through Myths: Experiments in Interactive Storytelling in an Elementary School Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giffard, Sue

2016-01-01

The scenario that the author encountered when she began working in her present position was not unusual for an elementary school library: the students study a culture, and the librarian reads the stories of that culture to them to enrich the study and to make the culture come alive. The fourth-graders studied the Maya in the fall and the ancient…

"Snapshots" of the Classroom: Autobiographies and the Experience of Elementary Education in the Madras Presidency, 1882-1947

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Catriona

2011-01-01

This article looks at the remembered experiences of children who went to school in the late colonial period and examines the extent to which these memories relate to the official literature of the time and the historiographical debates surrounding education. The precise focus is memories of formal elementary education in the Madras Presidency…

Measuring Elementary Teacher Stress and Coping in the Classroom: Validity Evidence for the Classroom Appraisal of Resources and Demands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert, Richard G.; McCarthy, Christopher; O'Donnell, Megan; Wang, Chuang

2009-01-01

The Classroom Appraisal of Resources and Demands (CARD, elementary version) was used to investigate teacher stress among a sample of elementary teachers (n = 521). The CARD measures teacher stress by examining the subjective experience of both classroom demands and resources provided by the school, and thereby attempts to capture the situationally…

Gender Will Find a Way: Exploring How Male Elementary Teachers Make Sense of Their Experiences and Responsibilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashcraft, Catherine; Sevier, Brian

2006-01-01

In recent years, public discussions over the socialization of boys have increased dramatically. These concerns have fueled a number of proposed remedies, one of which has been a push to increase the presence of men in elementary schools. To date, however, this call for increased male participation in elementary education has focused primarily on…

Embedded Experiences, Critical Conversations: Learning about Teaching in a Professional Development School Cohort Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuchart, Daphne

2012-01-01

Using qualitative research techniques, the researcher explored preservice teacher learning among traditional college-age students engaged in a semester-long early field experience in an urban elementary school within a Literacy Education Professional Development School (LEPrDS) cohort setting. The purpose of this study was two-fold: (a) to explore…

Family Experiences of Transition from Child Care to School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Alison

A study traced the experiences of Australian working families as their children started formal schooling. Each family faced the prospect of moving their child or children from the intimate environment of a child care center that operated from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to a large elementary school with a 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. school day. The study focused on:…

Reducing School Mobility: A Randomized Trial of a Relationship-Building Intervention

PubMed Central

Fiel, Jeremy E.; Haskins, Anna R.; López Turley, Ruth N.

2013-01-01

Student turnover has many negative consequences for students and schools, and the high mobility rates of disadvantaged students may exacerbate inequality. Scholars have advised schools to reduce mobility by building and improving relationships with and among families, but such efforts are rarely tested rigorously. A cluster-randomized field experiment in 52 predominantly Hispanic elementary schools in San Antonio, TX, and Phoenix, AZ, tested whether student mobility in early elementary school was reduced through Families and Schools Together (FAST), an intervention that builds social capital among families, children, and schools. FAST failed to reduce mobility overall but substantially reduced the mobility of Black students, who were especially likely to change schools. Improved relationships among families help explain this finding. PMID:25346541

Learning from the best: Overcoming barriers to reforms-based elementary science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banchi, Heather May

This study explored the characteristics of elementary science teachers who employ reforms-based practices. Particular attention was paid to the consistency of teachers' practices and their beliefs, the impact of professional development experiences on practices, and how teachers mitigated barriers to reforms-based instruction. Understanding how successful elementary science teachers develop fills a gap in the science reforms literature. Participants included 7 upper elementary science teachers from six different schools. All schools were located within two suburban school districts in the south-Atlantic United States and data was collected during the spring of 2008. Data collection included use of the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) to evaluate the level of reforms-based instruction, as well as 35 hours of classroom observation field notes and 21 hours of audio-taped teacher interviews. The variety of data sources allowed for triangulation of evidence. The RTOP was analyzed using descriptive statistics and classroom observations and interview data were analyzed using Erickson's (1986) guidelines for analytic induction. Findings indicated (a) reforms-based elementary science teaching was attainable, (b) beliefs and practices were consistent and both reflected reforms-based philosophies and practices, (c) formal professional development experiences were limited and did not foster reforms-based practices, (d) informal professional development pursued by teachers had a positive impact on practices, (e) barriers to reforms-based instruction were present but mitigated by strong beliefs and practical strategies like curriculum integration. These findings suggest that there are common, salient characteristics of reforms-based teachers' beliefs, practices, and professional development experiences. These commonalities contribute to an understanding of how reforms-based teachers develop, and inform efforts to move all elementary teachers in the direction of reforms-based science teaching.

Charter Schools: An Experiment in School Reform. ASPIRA Issue Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dittmar, Belinda Corazon; And Others

Charter schools incorporate the focus of magnet schools but often go beyond their academic specialization to more social goals. They can operate at both elementary and secondary levels, although they are always quite small. The greatest difference, however, between charter schools and other public schools is their status as a bridge between public…

Relations between Student Perceptions of Their School Environment and Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gietz, Carmen; McIntosh, Kent

2014-01-01

This study examined student perceptions of their school environment (specifically, safety and inclusion in the school, experiences being bullied, and clear expectations for behaviour) and their relation with academic achievement at the school level. Participants were students in 969 elementary schools and 73 middle schools who took part in a…

Student Perceptions of a Summer Robotics Camp Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrad, James; Polly, Drew; Binns, Ian; Algozzine, Bob

2018-01-01

Research on the effectiveness of STEM-focused (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-focused) schools and other learning experiences (e.g., short-term camps) on student outcomes is sparse. This study documented perceptions of STEM content and careers for elementary, middle, and secondary school students participating in…

Examining Curricular Coherence in an Exemplary Elementary School Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ennis, Catherine D.

2008-01-01

A coherent curriculum is characterized by visible connections between purposes and experiences so that students acknowledge the content's immediate value. This study examined an exemplary elementary physical education curriculum for coherence components. Research questions examined the role of coherence in connecting and engaging students…

Elementary Science Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Science Review, 1973

1973-01-01

Ideas for elementary school teachers are proposed. Demonstration experiments include thermal conductivity of gases, wetting power of detergents, external pressure effects on boiling point of water, frequency-wavelength relations, density of hot and cold water. Other useful tips are given for protecting wall charts and making descriptive labels.…

An Examination of Cooperating Teachers' Observations of Their Student Teachers in the Areas of Personal, Teaching, and Musical Skills in the Elementary Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Mark R.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine the observations of elementary school music teachers regarding the level of preparation of their most recent student teachers at the beginning of their student teaching experience. Twenty-seven elementary music teachers participated in a survey rating the preparedness of their student teacher in…

Stories we live, identities we build: how are elementary teachers' science identities shaped by their lived experiences?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avraamidou, Lucy

2018-02-01

The aim of this multiple case study was to uncover a series of critical events and experiences related to the formation of the science identities of four beginning elementary female teachers, through a life-history approach and a conceptualization of teacher identity as lived experience. Grounded within the theoretical framework of Figured Worlds, the study used qualitative, interpretive methods for data collection (interviews, biographies, teaching philosophies) and analysis. The analysis shed light on the ways in which various experiences situated within different Figured Worlds (science, family and childhood, schooling, out-of-school, university, professional) impacted the participants' identity trajectories. The findings provided three main insights that contribute to science identity research and have implications for elementary teacher preparation: (a) science teacher identity is multidimensional and extends beyond cognitive domains of becoming to include affective dimensions; (b) science teacher identity is relational, linked and shaped by various other constructs or sub-identities; (c) place and time, defined as a space with meaning created by experiences, and science teacher identity are inextricably bound to one another.

Taking risks with a growth mindset: long-term influence of an elementary pre-service after school science practicum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartwright, T. J.; Hallar, B.

2018-02-01

In this study, we present the long-term influence of an after school science practicum associated with an elementary science methods course. The practicum or field experience could be considered a community-based service learning programme as it is situated both within and for the community. Study participants included eight third- and fifth-grade teachers who had participated in elementary science methods courses; four of these teachers participated in the after school teaching practicum while four participants experienced a more traditional observation-based elementary science practicum. All of these teachers were in their second or third year teaching which was 3-4 years after taking the methods course. Investigation methods included questionnaires, field observations and semi-structured, individual interviews. Teachers more regularly utilised reform-based teaching strategies and cited the after school teaching practicum as preparing them to use these strategies in their own classrooms. All teachers exhibited a growth mindset to some degree, but the after school practicum participants did demonstrate a wider use of reformed-based teaching strategies and a higher growth mindset. Elementary teachers perceive risk associated with these key aspects of instruction: (1) managing instruction and classroom management, (2) teaching science through guided inquiry, and (3) overcoming adoptions in other 'mandated' curriculum like math and reading.

Want Success in School? Start with Babies!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lally, J. Ronald

2012-01-01

Much of what gets in the way of learning in elementary, middle, and high schools has to do with lessons missed, skills undeveloped, and experiences in the world that have shaped the early development of the brain. Neuroscience tells people that early experience, even experience in the womb, is the soil in which the young brain grows and that early…

Intercultural Manifestations of Racial, Language, and Class Privilege in Schooling: An Autoethnographic Tale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marx, Sherry

2017-01-01

In this autoethnographic tale, I tell the story of my own family's experience with race, class, and language privilege. In particular, I focus on my children's experience with elementary schooling in the United States and Hungary. Their intercultural education experience vividly illuminates the socially and culturally constructed nature of race,…

Social class and mathematics school knowledge of two private schools in Banten Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siahaan, M. F.

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study was to identify school mathematics topics and mathematics learning experiences of two elementary schools in contrasting social class settings under an umbrella of one institution. A case study research methodology was used to examine data collected from those two Elementary schools. The data revealed that there were similarities in curriculum framework, curriculum materials but there were also significant differences in what was taught and what was experienced in those two schools. The data suggested that word problem and a pedagogy of critical thinking were implemented in one of the schools. The differences were assessed in terms of theoretical and social implications. It was concluded that social stratification of mathematical knowledge occurred

Preparing Pre-Service School Librarians for Science-Focused Collaboration with Pre-Service Elementary Teachers: The Design and Impact of a Cross-Class Assignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rawson, Casey H.

2015-01-01

Numerous authors in the library and information science (LIS) field have called for more authentic collaborative experiences for students in school librarian education programs, particularly experiences that partner school library students with pre-service teachers to collaboratively design instruction. The first-iteration, design-based study…

The Effects of School Vouchers on College Enrollment: Experimental Evidence from New York City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chingos, Matthew M.; Peterson, Paul E.

2012-01-01

In the first study, using a randomized experiment to measure the impact of school vouchers on college enrollment, Matthew Chingos and Paul Peterson, professor of government at Harvard University, examine the college-going behavior through 2011 of students who participated in a voucher experiment as elementary school students in the late 1990s.…

Writing with Parents in Response to Picture Book Read Alouds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeFauw, Danielle L.

2017-01-01

High-quality writing instruction needs to permeate elementary students' in- and outside-of-school experiences. The aim of this research was to explore how teaching writing to parents may support home-school literacy connections. This qualitative case study explored parents' experiences in interactive writing sessions. The descriptive coding and…

Bullying Experiences, Anxiety about Bullying, and Special Education Placement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saia, Danielle M.; Saylor, Conway F.; Allen, Ryan A.; Arnau, Penny L.

2009-01-01

Bullying experiences and self-reported anxiety about bullying and were compared in 72 elementary and middle school students including 16 in self contained (SC) special education classes, 20 receiving resource or consultation (RC), and 36 matched peers. Individually administered Bully Victimization Scale and School Violence Anxiety Scale scores…

Architectural Heritage: An Experiment in Montreal's Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leveille, Chantal

1982-01-01

A museum program in Montreal encourages elementary and secondary school students to examine their surroundings and neighborhoods. Units focus on stained glass windows, houses, history of Montreal, the neighborhood, and architectural heritage. (KC)

Execution of Educational Mechanical Production Programs for School Children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itoh, Nobuhide; Itoh, Goroh; Shibata, Takayuki

The authors are conducting experience-based engineering educational programs for elementary and junior high school students with the aim to provide a chance for them to experience mechanical production. As part of this endeavor, we planned and conducted a program called “Fabrication of Original Magnet Plates by Casting” for elementary school students. This program included a course for leading nature laws and logical thinking method. Prior to the program, a preliminary program was applied to school teachers to get comments and to modify for the program accordingly. The children responded excellently to the production process which realizes their ideas, but it was found that the course on natural laws and logical methods need to be improved to draw their interest and attention. We will continue to plan more effective programs, deepening ties with the local community.

Social Network Implications of Normative School Transitions in Non-Urban School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temkin, Deborah A.; Gest, Scott D.; Osgood, D. Wayne; Feinberg, Mark; Moody, James

2018-01-01

This article expands research on normative school transitions (NSTs) from elementary to middle school or middle to high school by examining the extent to which they disrupt structures of friendship networks. Social network analysis is used to quantify aspects of connectedness likely relevant to student experiences of social support. Data were…

Invisible Barriers: The Loneliness of School Principals at Turkish Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korumaz, Mithat

2016-01-01

School principals fulfil unique and crucial roles, drawing on their respective experience to react to an increasing number of challenges. They must carry out their roles as school leaders within a context highly charged with emotion. The loneliness of principals at schools urgently requires investigation. Limited details can be found in current…

Schooling as a Knowledge System: Lessons from Cramim Experimental School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, David

2010-01-01

This article describes an experiment utilizing a research and development strategy to design and implement an innovative school for the future. The development of Cramim Elementary School was a joint effort of researchers from Tel-Aviv University and the staff of the school. The design stage involved constructing a new theoretical framework that…

The Model Technology School: Toward Literacy through Technology. Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Raymond J.

This paper describes one Florida school's experience with the Model Technology Schools (MTS) pilot program, and proposes a poetry curriculum for K-12 education that incorporates laserdisc technology for student presentations. Webster Elementary School in St. Augustine was the smallest of five schools chosen for the MTS program to demonstrate the…

Evaluating Computer Technology Integration in a Centralized School System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eteokleous, N.

2008-01-01

The study evaluated the current situation in Cyprus elementary classrooms regarding computer technology integration in an attempt to identify ways of expanding teachers' and students' experiences with computer technology. It examined how Cypriot elementary teachers use computers, and the factors that influence computer integration in their…

The Neurosequential Model in Education and School Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walter, Shawna Lee

2016-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative research assignment was to explore experiences with the early implementation stages of the Neurosequential Model in Education (NME) in an elementary classroom setting. Data gathered from four participant interviews, three elementary teachers and one educational assistant, revealed three categories surrounding the…

Manhattan Country School: An Urban School in the Catskills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southern, Jane; Plummer, James

1978-01-01

This school integrates an outdoor, farm experience with an urban school curriculum. Elementary students spend increasing lengths of time working on a country farm as a mandatory requirement. Activities include farm chores, nature hikes, household chores, and practical crafts. Students come from a wide range of backgrounds and incomes. (MA)

The Waldorf School Approach to History. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glas, Werner

This publication presents parents, teachers, and educational policy-makers with an account of history instruction in Waldorf schools. An introduction outlines the theoretical content of the Waldorf School movement, the school's emphasis on creating a unity of experience, and the evolution of history instruction through the elementary grade…

School Mental Health's Response to Terrorism and Disaster.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weist, Mark D.; Sander, Mark A.; Lever, Nancy A.; Rosner, Leah E.; Pruitt, David B.; Lowie, Jennifer Axelrod; Hill, Susan; Lombardo, Sylvie; Christodulu, Kristin V.

2002-01-01

Explores the response of school mental health to terrorism and disaster, reviewing literature on child and adult reactions to trauma, discussing the development of crisis response teams, and presenting strategies for schools to respond to crises and disaster. One elementary school's experiences in response to the September 11th attacks are…

The Governing Board.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Martin

In late spring of 1967, the New York City Board of Education recognized an experimental school district, comprised of two junior high schools and six elementary schools, in the Ocean Hill-Brownsville area of New York City. The prime impetus for this experiment in community involvement in decentralized school administration stemmed from a coalition…

34 CFR 300.13 - Elementary school.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2011-07-01 2010-07-01 true Elementary school. 300.13 Section 300.13 Education... DISABILITIES General Definitions Used in This Part § 300.13 Elementary school. Elementary school means a nonprofit institutional day or residential school, including a public elementary charter school, that...

Personality and learning predictors of adolescent alcohol consumption trajectories.

PubMed

Peterson, Sarah J; Davis, Heather A; Smith, Gregory T

2018-05-31

In a sample of 1,897 youth studied across the last year of elementary school to the second year of high school, we identified five trajectories of drinking frequency. Three of those (nondrinkers, middle onset, and late onset drinkers) were not drinking in elementary school; two others (moderate drinkers and early high drinkers) were. Among originally nondrinking groups, multiple impulsigenic traits and the acquired preparedness risk model predicted membership in groups that subsequently began drinking. Membership in trajectory groups characterized by drinking during this age period was associated with (a) the experience of alcohol-related problems and (b) further increases in both impulsigenic traits and alcohol expectancies. Youth vary considerably in the development of drinking behavior across the transitions from elementary to high school. Harms associated with early drinking involve both problems from drinking and increases in high-risk personality traits. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Elementary Teacher's Conceptions of Inquiry Teaching: Messages for Teacher Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ireland, Joseph E.; Watters, James J.; Brownlee, Jo; Lupton, Mandy

2012-02-01

This study explored practicing elementary school teacher's conceptions of teaching in ways that foster inquiry-based learning in the science curriculum (inquiry teaching). The advocacy for inquiry-based learning in contemporary curricula assumes the principle that students learn in their own way by drawing on direct experience fostered by the teacher. That students should be able to discover answers themselves through active engagement with new experiences was central to the thinking of eminent educators such as Pestalozzi, Dewey and Montessori. However, even after many years of research and practice, inquiry learning as a referent for teaching still struggles to find expression in the average teachers' pedagogy. This study drew on interview data from 20 elementary teachers. A phenomenographic analysis revealed three conceptions of teaching for inquiry learning in science in the elementary years of schooling: (a) The Experience-centered conception where teachers focused on providing interesting sensory experiences to students; (b) The Problem-centered conception where teachers focused on engaging students with challenging problems; and (c) The Question-centered conception where teachers focused on helping students to ask and answer their own questions. Understanding teachers' conceptions has implications for both the enactment of inquiry teaching in the classroom as well as the uptake of new teaching behaviors during professional development, with enhanced outcomes for engaging students in Science.

[Opportunities and Obstacles: Implementing Stimulus-Funded School Improvement Grants in Maryland, Michigan, and Idaho. Idaho Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Caitlin; McMurrer, Jennifer; McIntosh, Shelby

2012-01-01

Two schools in Idaho received ARRA SIG (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act School Improvement Grants) funds to enable them to implement improvement efforts. This paper describes the outcomes of these two ARRA SIG recipient schools: (1) Jefferson Middle School; and (2) Lakeside Elementary School. The experiences of this non-recipient school is…

A Comparison of Concerns of Secondary and Elementary Student Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahan, James M.

Elementary and secondary school student teachers were tested before, during, and after their teaching experiences to determine if there were changes in their concerns about teaching. Three categories of concerns, each with eight items, were ranked: methods concerns, pertaining to instructional skills and content knowledge; cultural concerns,…

Enhancing Elementary Teacher Practice through Technological/Engineering Design Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deck, Anita S.

2016-01-01

As widespread as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) initiatives and reforms are today in education, a rudimentary problem with these endeavors is being overlooked. In general, education programs and school districts are failing to ensure that elementary teachers who provide children's early academic experiences have the appropriate…

Teaching about the Child and World Environment: Elementary Teacher's Kit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Donald M.

Three environmental education units relating environmental concerns to elementary school students' own experiences are described in this materials packet. Emphasis is on helping students become more sensitive to human and personal dimensions of environmental upset. Designed to teach children about themselves and their air, water, and land…

Creating Digital Authors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zoch, Melody; Langston-DeMott, Brooke; Adams-Budde, Melissa

2014-01-01

Elementary students find themselves engaged and learning at a digital writing camp. The authors find that such elementary students usually have limited access to technology at home and school, and posit that teachers should do all they can to give them more access to and experience in digital composing. Students were motivated and learned to use…

Imagery Teaches Elementary Economics Schema Efficiently.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Gary R.

In a complex domain such as economics, elementary school students' knowledge of formal systems beyond their immediate experience is often too incomplete, superficial, and disorganized to function as schema or model. However, visual imagery is a good technique for teaching young children a network of 10 to 20 propositions and the relationships…

Teaching Choice Making to Elementary Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cote Sparks, Shannon; Cote, Debra L.

2012-01-01

Typically developing children make choices daily. As they transition throughout school, they learn to evaluate the outcomes of their choices. However, elementary-age children with disabilities often experience difficulties in developing choice-making skills. Some of the barriers that impede the development of these skills include poor…

Children's Environmental Identity and the Elementary Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tugurian, Linda P.; Carrier, Sarah J.

2017-01-01

This qualitative research explores children's environmental identity by describing how fifth grade children view their relationship with the natural world alongside their experience of elementary school science. Qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 17 grade 5 children was supported with a survey that included responses to open-ended…

Parental Experiences of Children's Disabilities and Special Education in the United States and Japan: Implications for School Social Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kayama, Misa

2010-01-01

Cultural beliefs about disability and related systems of special education affect the experience of children with disabilities and their parents. This article reviews research on the perceptions and experiences of parents who have preschool or elementary school-age children with disabilities in the United States and Japan. Parents' experiences…

Changing Kindergartens: Four Success Stories.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goffin, Stacie G., Ed.; Stegelin, Dolores A., Ed.

This document relates the experiences of individuals who have embraced the concept of developmentally appropriate practice in kindergarten and made the effort to translate their understandings into practice in public school settings. The book's primary authors are a kindergarten teacher, an elementary school principal, a school superintendent, and…

Making Sense of Social Justice Leadership: A Case Study of a Principal's Experiences to Create a More Inclusive School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeMatthews, David

2015-01-01

Social justice leadership in high-poverty urban schools is complex. Principals experience a range of feelings and emotions while practicing social justice leadership with implications on their leadership. This article presents a qualitative case study of an elementary school principal in an urban setting and how she led to create a more inclusive…

Playing fair: the contribution of high-functioning recess to overall school climate in low-income elementary schools.

PubMed

London, Rebecca A; Westrich, Lisa; Stokes-Guinan, Katie; McLaughlin, Milbrey

2015-01-01

Recess is a part of the elementary school day with strong implications for school climate. Positive school climate has been linked to a host of favorable student outcomes, from attendance to achievement. We examine 6 low-income elementary schools' experiences implementing a recess-based program designed to provide safe, healthy, and inclusive play to study how improving recess functioning can affect school climate. Data from teacher, principal, and recess coach interviews; student focus groups; recess observations; and a teacher survey are triangulated to understand the ways that recess changed during implementation. Comparing schools that achieved higher- and lower-functioning recesses, we link recess functioning with school climate. Recess improved in all schools, but 4 of the 6 achieved a higher-functioning recess. In these schools, teachers and principals agreed that by the end of the year, recess offered opportunities for student engagement, conflict resolution, pro-social skill development, and emotional and physical safety. Respondents in these four schools linked these changes to improved overall school climate. Recess is an important part of the school day for contributing to school climate. Creating a positive recess climate helps students to be engaged in meaningful play and return to class ready to learn. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Learning Experiences for Mentally Handicapped Students in a School Store.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

David, Carol

A supermarket chain supplies a small grocery store in an elementary school in Jefferson County, Kentucky. The store program seeks to provide learning experiences for students, as they make selections, spend their earnings, and save for later purchases. Students with multiple handicaps and students with severe/profound handicaps shop in the store…

Transitioning from Teacher Leader to Administrator in Rural Schools in Southwestern Ontario

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohner, Julie; Riveros, Augusto

2017-01-01

This study investigates the experiences of a group of classroom teachers who transitioned into administrative roles as vice-principals in a rural schoolboard in southwestern Ontario. We included both elementary and secondary former teacher leaders who moved into the school administration and explored the aspects of their leadership experience that…

Cinema Experiences at School: Assemblages as Encounters with Subjectivities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Infante, Marta

2018-01-01

The aim of this article is to analyse how 15 students at a public elementary school detach from immobile representations of identity through aesthetic self-expressive work with cinema. Drawing on Deleuze and Guattari's concept of assemblage, I interrogate students' experiences of discrimination and challenge their processes of developing a short…

An Education Foundations Course and Teacher Research: Addressing the Impact of Local Homelessness on Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smart-Morstad, Karla; Triggs, Sara; Langlie, Teri

2017-01-01

Homeless education is studied through qualitative teacher research. This article reports the perspectives and experiences of a school administrator, social worker, teacher, and Family Shelter school-to-shelter liaison in describing their experiences with homeless elementary students and their parents. College faculty did the research to prepare…

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A "NEW CAREERS" PROGRAM IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

PRUGER, ROBERT

UNDER THE NEW CAREERS PROGRAM 16 LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS SELECTED FROM 175 APPLICANTS, WERE TRAINED AS SCHOOL-COMMUNITY WORKERS (SCW) AND ASSIGNED TO VARIOUS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA. THE JOB REQUIREMENTS WERE--(1) HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR EXPERIENCE IN A DIRECT, PERSON-TO-PERSON RELATIONSHIP IN SCHOOL OR IN SOCIAL SERVICE RELATED…

Children of Abuse and School Discourse: Implications for Teachers and Administration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haeseler, Lisa Ann

2006-01-01

The intention of this article is to illuminate the developmental coping experiences of children of domestic violence abuse whether observed and/or experienced, and the impact upon school discourse at the elementary school level. It is aimed at providing school professionals with insights into their roles and responsibilities in the area of…

Toward Increased Involvement of Public Schools in Teacher Preparation Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavins, David A.; Carr, David S.

This article describes a project conducted by an elementary school district in Illinois, in which public school personnel played a major role in the development of prospective teachers by designing training procedures with direct applicability to classrooms within the local schools. More emphasis was placed on classroom experience for the…

Elementary School-Located Influenza Vaccine Programs: Key Stakeholder Experiences from Initiation to Continuation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Valerie; Rousculp, Matthew D.; Price, Mark; Coles, Theresa; Therrien, Michelle; Griffin, Jane; Hollis, Kelly; Toback, Seth

2012-01-01

This study examined the initiation and logistics, funding, perceived barriers and benefits, and disruption of school activities by school-located influenza vaccination (SLIV) programs conducted during the 2008-2009 influenza season. Seventy-two interviews using a structured protocol were conducted with 26 teachers, 16 school administrators, and 30…

Assessing Parent Perceptions of School Fit: The Development and Measurement Qualities of a Survey Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahena, Sofía; Schueler, Beth E.; McIntyre, Joseph; Gehlbach, Hunter

2016-01-01

Students whose school environment fits their developmental needs also typically experience academic success and increased motivation. Most investigations of school fit, which focus on teachers' and students' perceptions, have found a general decline in fit across the transition from elementary to middle school. However, little research has…

Being Muslim and American: Turkish-American Children Negotiating Their Religious Identities in School Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isik-Ercan, Zeynep

2015-01-01

Religious diversity in schools is a growing interest among educational researchers. This qualitative case study examines how 15 Turkish-Muslim children in elementary and middle school negotiated their religious identities as they responded to various experiences in American schools and in their communities. Unlike some earlier studies that…

Exploring the Evolving Professional Identity of Novice School Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bamgbose, Olamojiba Omolara

2017-01-01

The study employed a grounded theory approach to explore the evolving professional identity of novice school counselors. Participants, who are currently employed as school counselors at the elementary, middle, or high school level with 1-4 years' experience, were career changers from other helping professions and graduates from an intensive school…

School Transition from Elementary to Secondary School: Changes in Psychological Adjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lohaus, Arnold; Ev Elben, Cornelia; Ball, Juliane; Klein-Hessling, Johannes

2004-01-01

School transition is a critical life event for many children. However, the effects of school transition on children's stress experiences reported in the literature have been inconsistent. The present study with 564 third- to sixth-graders compared the changes in experienced stress level and in somatic and psychological symptoms during the…

Tangled Narratives and Wicked Problems: A Complex Case of Positioning and Politics in a Diverse School Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Thu Suong Thi; Scribner, Samantha M. Paredes; Crow, Gary M.

2012-01-01

The case of Allen Elementary School presents tangled narratives and wicked problems describing the multidimensionality of school community work. Using multiple converging and diverging vignettes, the case points to the distinctiveness of individual experience in schools; the ways institutionalized organizational narratives become cultural…

From School Libraries to School Media Centres: Experiences, the Present Situation and Possible Improvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Paris (France). Div. of Educational Sciences, Contents & Methods of Educ.

This report presents case studies of the role of school libraries and their transformation into school media centers in elementary and secondary schools in Serbia, Croatia, and Hungary. It is noted that the school media center is not conceived of as a simple mechanism for storing books and audiovisual aids, but as an active center for…

[Opportunities and Obstacles: Implementing Stimulus-Funded School Improvement Grants in Maryland, Michigan, and Idaho. Michigan Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Caitlin; Dibner, Kenne

2012-01-01

Two schools in Michigan received ARRA SIG (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act School Improvement Grants) funds to enable them to implement their improvement efforts. This paper describes the outcomes of these two ARRA SIG recipient schools: (1) Phoenix Elementary-Middle School; and (2) Arthur Hill High School. The experiences of these…

[Opportunities and Obstacles: Implementing Stimulus-Funded School Improvement Grants in Maryland, Michigan, and Idaho. Maryland Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMurrer, Jennifer; McIntosh, Shelby

2012-01-01

Two schools in Maryland received ARRA SIG (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act School Improvement Grants) funds to enable them to implement their turnaround efforts. This paper describes the outcomes of these two ARRA SIG recipient schools: (1) G. James Gholson Middle School; and (2) Commodore John Rodgers Elementary School. The experiences of…

Wishing on a Star: Many Are Homeless. A Third Are Learning English as a Second Language. Most Are Growing Up amid Poverty. At an Anchorage Elementary School Where Students Face Extraordinary Challenges, Teachers Focus on Writing as a Skill That Can Transform Lives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weeks, Denise Jarrett

2002-01-01

The "6+1" model of writing assessment, which identifies six traits of good writing, is applicable to any language. In an Anchorage (Alaska) elementary school with a high proportion of English language learners, homeless children, and other disadvantaged youth, the model helps students write about their own ideas and experiences, thereby…

Using Science and the Internet as Everyday Classroom Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mandel, Eric

1999-01-01

The Everyday Classroom Tools project developed a K-6 inquiry-based curriculum to bring the tools of scientific inquiry, together with the Internet, into the elementary school classroom. Our curriculum encourages students and teachers to experience the adventure of science through investigation of the world around us. In this project, experts in computer science and astronomy at SAO worked closely with teachers and students in Massachusetts elementary schools to design and model activities which are developmentally appropriate, fulfill the needs of the curriculum standards of the school district, and provide students with a chance to experience for themselves the joy and excitement of scientific inquiry. The results of our efforts are embodied in the Threads of Inquiry, a series of free-flowing dialogues about inquiry-inspiring investigations that maintain a solid connection with our experience and with one another. These investigations are concerned with topics such as the motion of the Earth, shadows, light, and time. Our work emphasizes a direct hands-on approach through concrete experience, rather than memorization of facts.

African Studies in French for the Elementary Grades: Phase II of a Twinned Classroom Approach to the Teaching of French in the Elementary Grades. Volume II, Tapescripts and Essays.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonas, Sister Ruth

This experiment examines a new psychological approach to foreign language study at the elementary school level. A principal objective is to determine the nature and importance of second language learning motivation in monolingual societies devoid of the daily living example of the target language and culture. A five-year French language sequence,…

African Studies in French for the Elementary Grades: Phase II of a Twinned Classroom Approach to the Teaching of French in the Elementary Grades. Volume I, Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonas, Sister Ruth

This experiment examines a new psychological approach to foreign language study at the elementary school level. A principal objective is to determine the nature and importance of second language learning motivation in monolingual societies devoid of the daily living example of the target language and culture. A five-year French language sequence,…

National Science Resources Center Project for Improving Science Teaching in Elementary Schools. Appendix A. School Systems With Exemplary Elementary Science Programs. Appendix B. Elementary Science Network

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-12-01

Department Campbell, Judy S., Principal Seedling Mile Elementary School Campbell, Kelly, Vice President International Services, Inc. Campbell, Larry...Agency #5 Coverdale, Miles , Principal Baxter Coveyou, Tony, Cowan, Ann, Education Specialist Hanford Science Center Cowan, Margaret, Cowan, Peggy...Science State Department of Education Ezell, James, No. 92 Elementary School Ezzell , Effie, No. 45 Elementary School 09/03/88 NSRC Elementary Science

Posttraumatic symptoms in elementary and junior high school children after the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami: symptom severity and recovery vary by age and sex.

PubMed

Iwadare, Yoshitaka; Usami, Masahide; Suzuki, Yuriko; Ushijima, Hirokage; Tanaka, Tetsuya; Watanabe, Kyota; Kodaira, Masaki; Saito, Kazuhiko

2014-04-01

To measure psychiatric symptoms exhibited by children in Ishinomaki City, Japan, an area severely damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, at 8 and 20 months post-tsunami to investigate differences in symptom severity and recovery rate by age, sex, and degree of trauma experienced. Prospective data were collected from children in elementary school (5th and 6th grades) and junior high school (8th and 9th grades). Students completed the Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms for Children-15 (PTSSC-15) survey. Trauma severity was scored according to experiences of bereavement, home damage, and evacuation. In total, 3795 PTSSC-15 surveys were analyzed, yielding total scores, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) factor subscores, and depression factor subscores, which were analyzed according to grade group, sex, and degree of trauma (trauma dose). In the elementary school children, mean total PTSSC-15 score, PTSD factor score, and depression factor score were significantly improved at 20 months post-tsunami compared with 8 months (P < .0001 for all), whereas there were no significant improvements in the junior high school children. In females of the older group, the depression factor score at 20 months post-tsunami was significantly higher than at 8 months (P < .01). Elementary school and junior high school children living near the epicenter of the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami exhibited marked differences in PTSD and depressive symptoms. The mental health status of elementary school children improved, whereas that of junior high school children did not. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Case Study of a Southern California Elementary School District's Comprehensive School Safety Plan: Experiences and Perceptions of School Leaders and Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Favila, Marisela

2013-01-01

For children to be successful, schools must provide a safe and secure environment in which teachers can teach and students can learn (Skiba & Sprague, 2008). In California, state regulations require that schools maintain an appropriate school climate on campus, in classrooms, and at school sponsored events (California Education Code 35294).…

Profile of elementary school science teacher instruction in disaster risk reduction: case study of volcano disaster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pujianto; Prabowo; Wasis

2018-04-01

This study examined the profile of science' teacher instruction in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), as a feature of instructional quality, on students’ learning experiences. A qualitative study was done to observe teacher activities in teaching of disaster preparedness. Science teacher and 14 students at grade 4 of SDN (elementary school) Kiyaran 2 are involved as the subject of this study. Teacher’ instruction was coded with regard to preparation, action, and evaluation using observation sheets and documentation. Data analysis results showed a positive significant effect of the readiness during preparation on learning process of disaster risk reduction and an indirect effect of teacher’ action on students’ learning experiences. There is a lack of teaching materials about volcano disaster in the elementary school. Teacher found difficulties on evaluation of student achievement in disaster preparedness. These findings highlight the importance of DRR in uphold science teachers’ education. Items of teachers’ skill in preparing of DRR may be used to offer model of concrete instruction situation during university workshop for maintain teacher education.

The Influence of Different Representations on Solving Concentration Problems at Elementary School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chia-Ju; Shen, Ming-Hsun

2011-10-01

This study investigated the students' learning process of the concept of concentration at the elementary school level in Taiwan. The influence of different representational types on the process of proportional reasoning was also explored. The participants included nineteen third-grade and eighteen fifth-grade students. Eye-tracking technology was used in conducting the experiment. The materials were adapted from Noelting's (1980a) "orange juice test" experiment. All problems on concentration included three stages (the intuitive, the concrete operational, and the formal operational), and each problem was displayed in iconic and symbolic representations. The data were collected through eye-tracking technology and post-test interviews. The results showed that the representational types influenced students' solving of concentration problems. Furthermore, the data on eye movement indicated that students used different strategies or rules to solve concentration problems at the different stages of the problems with different representational types. This study is intended to contribute to the understanding of elementary school students' problem-solving strategies and the usability of eye-tracking technology in related studies.

Reigniting Writers: Using the Literacy Block with Elementary Students to Support Authentic Writing Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanch, Norine; Forsythe, Lenora C.; Van Allen, Jennifer H.; Roberts, Sherron Killingsworth

2017-01-01

Given the importance of writing, especially in light of college and career readiness emphasis, and the observations that time spent writing in context diminishes over a student's years in school, this article proposes to reignite writing instruction in elementary classrooms through three practical approaches for supporting students in authentic…

Elementary Second-Stage Teachers: Exploring Career Decisions and the Conditions That Influence Those Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nolan, Elizabeth A.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore elementary second-stage teachers' (4-10 years experience) career decisions and the teaching and working conditions associated with those decisions. Retaining teachers is of extreme importance to public schools because chronic turnover is financially, organizationally, and instructionally costly. The study…

Playing Golf Is Elementary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldman, Jill S.; Pfluge, Kevin F.

2010-01-01

Golf is a lifelong activity that people of all ages can enjoy if they experience success and have fun. Early involvement in the sport facilitates the development of the ability to strike an object with an implement. Striking with implements can be challenging for young children and teachers, but golf can be taught in all elementary school settings…

Elementary Preservice Teachers' and Teacher Educators' Perceptions of Financial Literacy Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henning, Mary Beth; Lucey, Thomas A.

2017-01-01

The authors conducted an online survey of elementary teacher education programs within a large midwestern state to assess preservice teachers' and teacher educators' beliefs about and preparedness to teach financial literacy. Very few preservice teachers had meaningful experiences with personal finance in high school, college, or personal decision…

Past, Present, Future: Stories of Identity in an Elementary Art Room

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellish, Jodie

2012-01-01

Students' knowledge, memories, and experience could be valuable sources for narrative artmaking and identity formation beginning in elementary school. The process of understanding the self is powered in part by each person's unique perception of the world, which strongly depends on "individual abilities as well as particular socio-cultural…

Prospective Elementary Teachers' Misunderstandings in Solving Ratio and Proportion Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monteiro, Cecilia

2003-01-01

This study explores difficulties that prospective elementary mathematics teachers have with the concepts of ratio and proportion, mainly when they are engaged in solving problems using algorithm procedures. These difficulties can be traced back to earlier experiences when they were students of junior and high school. The reflection on these…

Elementary Teacher's Conceptions of Inquiry Teaching: Messages for Teacher Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ireland, Joseph E.; Watters, James J.; Brownlee, Jo; Lupton, Mandy

2012-01-01

This study explored practicing elementary school teacher's conceptions of teaching in ways that foster inquiry-based learning in the science curriculum (inquiry teaching). The advocacy for inquiry-based learning in contemporary curricula assumes the principle that students learn in their own way by drawing on direct experience fostered by the…

Elementary Students' Accounts of Optimal Challenge in Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mandigo, James L.; Holt, Nicholas L.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine elementary school students' accounts of optimal challenge. Twenty-seven children (aged 7-9 years) participated in semi-structured interviews during which they were shown a video-recording of their participation in a physical education class and invited to describe their experiences of optimally challenging…

Converting Sunlight to Mechanical Energy: A Polymer Example of Entropy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathias, Lon J.

1987-01-01

This experiment/demonstration provides elementary through high school science students with hands-on experience with polymer entropy. Construction of a simple machine for converting light into mechanical energy is described. (RH)

Language experience narratives and the role of autobiographical reasoning in becoming an urban science teacher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera Maulucci, Maria S.

2011-06-01

One of the central challenges globalization and immigration present to education is how to construct school language policies, procedures, and curricula to support academic success of immigrant youth. This case-study compares and contrasts language experience narratives along Elena's developmental trajectory of becoming an urban science teacher. Elena reflects upon her early language experiences and her more recent experiences as a preservice science teacher in elementary dual language classrooms. The findings from Elena's early schooling experiences provide an analysis of the linkages between Elena's developing English proficiency, her Spanish proficiency, and her autobiographical reasoning. Elena's experiences as a preservice teacher in two elementary dual language classrooms indicates ways in which those experiences helped to reframe her views about the intersections between language learning and science learning. I propose the language experience narrative, as a subset of the life story, as a way to understand how preservice teachers reconstruct past language experiences, connect to the present, and anticipate future language practices.

The Fast Track to Sustainable Turnaround

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fullan, Michael; Pinchot, Michelle

2018-01-01

School change expert Michael Fullan and principal Michelle Pinchot collaborated on an experiment: As Pinchot tackled her first years turning around the culture of Heritage Elementary School in California--using ideas Fullan has promoted about school culture and leveraging teachers' power--she and Fullan checked in every few months on how the work…

Log on to the Future: One School's Success Story.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hovenic, Ginger

This paper describes Clear View Elementary School's (California) successful experience with integrating technology into the curriculum. Since its inception seven years ago, the school has acquired 250 computers, networked them all on two central file servers, and computerized the library and trained all staff members to be proficient facilitators…

Making Presentation Software Accessible to High School Students with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doyle, Mary Beth; Giangreco, Michael F.

2009-01-01

As students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities transition from inclusive elementary and middle schools to high schools, they deserve similar opportunities for inclusive educational experiences at this next level--namely to participate in general education classes and other activities (e.g., co-curricular) with their classmates…

Firsthand Nature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gostev, Moses; Weiss, Francesca Michaelides

2007-01-01

It's no secret that many school programs don't give children enough opportunity to explore the natural world--i.e., to "mess about" and to have firsthand experience with nature and animals. Not so at the Muscota New School in New York City! This innovative public elementary school actively promotes inquiry-based learning and encourages…

Leadership Metaphors: School Principals' Sense-Making of a National Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schechter, Chen; Shaked, Haim; Ganon-Shilon, Sherry; Goldratt, Miri

2018-01-01

During reforms, principals often experience ambiguity, contradicting demands, and lack of information. As critical change agents and system players, principals interpret reform demands and translate them into school practices through a process of sense-making. The current qualitative research explored 59 elementary school principals' sense-making…

Academic Achievement of Children in China: The 2002 Fulbright Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phelps, LeAdelle

2005-01-01

The 2002 Fulbright team, led by Zheng Zhou of St. John's University, consisted of 12 professionals in the fields of education, counseling psychology, and school psychology. Spending one month visiting elementary schools, universities, governmental bodies, hospitals, and private schools throughout China, the Fulbright team had an opportunity to…

Druthers! A Collection of Viable Ideas from Rural Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Richard D., Comp.

An individualized junior high school, a youth resources program that interweaves high school with supervised work experiences, multi-aged elementary family groupings that mainstream EMR (educable mentally retarded) children, and a single library room transformed into seven optional learning stations using a multi-channel audio system are real…

Student/Patient: The School Perceptions of Children with Cancer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boles, Jessika C.; Winsor, Denise L.; Mandrell, Belinda; Gattuso, Jami; West, Nancy; Leigh, Laurie; Grissom, Shawna M.

2017-01-01

Childhood cancer incidence is rising, affecting a growing proportion of elementary school students. For most of these children, school attendance can be limited by hospitalisations, treatments and side effects. However, little is yet known about the educational needs and experiences of this population. This phenomenological study explored the…

Best Leadership Practices for High-Poverty Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyman, Linda L.; Villani, Christine J.

2004-01-01

This book presents both the practice and theory of best leadership practices in high-poverty schools. Authors Linda Lyman and Christine Villani take a unique approach by inviting readers into two high-poverty elementary schools where they will experience, through in-depth case studies, how two extraordinary principals model and practice their…

An Approach to Energy Education for High School, Junior High School and Elementary School Students at Aichi Institute of Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yukita, Kazuto; Ichiyanagi, Katsuhiro; Mori, Tsuyoshi; Goto, Yasuyuki

This paper discusses the methods of implementation and improvement adopted in the energy education program of “Marugoto Taiken World” (“Total Experience World”) at Aichi Institute of Technology. The program, which is aimed at high school, junior high school and elementary school students, has been carried on at Aichi Institute of Technology for a number of years now, and the authors have been involved in the energy education project for the past four years. During that time, the following four courses have been held : 1) Let's use wind power to generate electricity, 2) Let's use flowers to build a solar battery, 3) Let's use bottles to build a fuel cell battery, 4) Let's make all sorts of batteries.

A Quasi-Experimental Analysis of Elementary School Absences and Fine Particulate Air Pollution

PubMed Central

Hales, Nicholas M.; Barton, Caleb C.; Ransom, Michael R.; Allen, Ryan T.; Pope, C. Arden

2016-01-01

Abstract Fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) has been associated with many adverse health outcomes including school absences. Specifically, a previous study in the Utah Valley area, conducted during a time with relatively high air pollution exposure, found significant positive correlations between school absences and air pollution. We examined the hypothesis that ambient PM2.5 exposures are associated with elementary school absences using a quasi-natural experiment to help control for observed and unobserved structural factors that influence school absences. The Alpine, Provo, and Salt Lake City school districts are located in valleys subject to daily mean PM2.5 concentrations almost twice as high as those in the Park City School District. We used seminonparametric generalized additive Poisson regression models to evaluate associations between absences and daily PM2.5 levels in the 3 districts that were exposed to the most pollution while using Park City absences as a quasi-control. The study covered 3 school years (2011/12-2013/14). School absences were most strongly associated with observed structural factors such as seasonal trends across school years, day-of-week effects, holiday effects, weather, etc. However, after controlling for these structural factors directly and using a control district, a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with an approximately 1.7% increase in daily elementary school absences. Exposure to ambient air pollution can contribute to elementary school absences, although this effect is difficult to disentangle from various other factors. PMID:26945391

Sleep Habits of Elementary and Middle School Children in South Texas

PubMed Central

Surani, Salim; Hesselbacher, Sean; Surani, Saherish; Sadasiva, Sreevidya; Surani, Zoya; Surani, Sara S.; Khimani, Amina; Subramanian, Shyam

2015-01-01

Background. Sleep difficulties, including insufficient sleep and inadequate sleep hygiene, have been prevalent among children. Sleep deprivation can lead to poor grades, sleepiness, and moodiness. We undertook this study to assess the prevalence of sleep abnormalities among elementary and middle school students in South Texas and how the groups compare with one another. Method. After approval from the appropriate school district for a sleep education program, a baseline survey was taken of elementary and middle school students, using the Children's Sleep Habit Questionnaire-Sleep Self-Report Form, which assessed the domains of bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, sleep anxiety, sleep duration, night awakening, and daytime sleepiness. Results. The survey was completed by 499 elementary and 1008 middle school children. Trouble sleeping was reported by 43% in elementary school, compared with 29% of middle school children. Fifty percent of middle school children did not like sleeping, compared with 26% in elementary school. Bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, and nighttime awakening were more common among elementary school students. Daytime sleepiness was more common among the middle school children when compared to elementary school children. Conclusions. Sleep abnormalities are present in elementary school children with changes in sleep habits into middle school. PMID:26770835

Sleep Habits of Elementary and Middle School Children in South Texas.

PubMed

Surani, Salim; Hesselbacher, Sean; Surani, Saherish; Sadasiva, Sreevidya; Surani, Zoya; Surani, Sara S; Khimani, Amina; Subramanian, Shyam

2015-01-01

Background. Sleep difficulties, including insufficient sleep and inadequate sleep hygiene, have been prevalent among children. Sleep deprivation can lead to poor grades, sleepiness, and moodiness. We undertook this study to assess the prevalence of sleep abnormalities among elementary and middle school students in South Texas and how the groups compare with one another. Method. After approval from the appropriate school district for a sleep education program, a baseline survey was taken of elementary and middle school students, using the Children's Sleep Habit Questionnaire-Sleep Self-Report Form, which assessed the domains of bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, sleep anxiety, sleep duration, night awakening, and daytime sleepiness. Results. The survey was completed by 499 elementary and 1008 middle school children. Trouble sleeping was reported by 43% in elementary school, compared with 29% of middle school children. Fifty percent of middle school children did not like sleeping, compared with 26% in elementary school. Bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, and nighttime awakening were more common among elementary school students. Daytime sleepiness was more common among the middle school children when compared to elementary school children. Conclusions. Sleep abnormalities are present in elementary school children with changes in sleep habits into middle school.

Bullying victimization and student engagement in elementary, middle, and high schools: Moderating role of school climate.

PubMed

Yang, Chunyan; Sharkey, Jill D; Reed, Lauren A; Chen, Chun; Dowdy, Erin

2018-03-01

Bullying is the most common form of school violence and is associated with a range of negative outcomes, including traumatic responses. This study used hierarchical linear modeling to examine the multilevel moderating effects of school climate and school level (i.e., elementary, middle, and high schools) on the association between bullying victimization and student engagement. Participants included 25,896 students in 4th to 12th grades from 114 schools. Results indicated that, after controlling for student and school demographic factors, positive school climate was associated with higher behavioral/cognitive and emotional engagement of students across all grades. This highlights the critical and fundamental role of positive school climate in bullying prevention and intervention, among students across all grade levels, including those with frequent bullying victimization experience. Results also showed that negative associations between student-level bullying victimization and engagement were intensified in more positive school climates. This finding suggests that, in comparison with students in schools with less positive school climates, the engagement of bullying victims in schools with a more positive school climate might be more negatively influenced by their victimization experience. Additionally, the relation between student-level bullying victimization and emotional engagement was significantly different across middle and high schools. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Self-Reported Frequency and Perceived Severity of Being Bullied Among Elementary School Students.

PubMed

Chen, Li-Ming

2015-09-01

This study reports students' perspectives on the frequency and perceived severity of being bullied. A sample of 1816 elementary school students completed self-report surveys of perceived severity and frequency of being bullied. A Rasch technique aligned different victimized behaviors on interval logit scales. A 4-fold schema was used to identify the intersection between the perceived severity and frequency of being bullied. There was not a statistically significant correlation between the 2 measures (r = .02). Behaviors that included being hit and kicked, being cursed at, being ostracized, being threatened, being shoved or tripped, having one's friendship ruined, and being spoken ill of in public were perceived as severe and frequent bullying experiences. While boys reported more frequent experiences of being bullied, girls perceived bullying to have greater severity. Self-reported frequency does not necessarily correspond to the perceived severity of school bullying, a finding with implications for prevention and intervention initiatives designed or carried out by researchers and school psychologists. © 2015, American School Health Association.

Third Grade Emergent Bilinguals' Voices and Experiences Learning English Literacies in School: A Post-Intentional Phenomenological Exploration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauer, Rebecca Lee

2016-01-01

This study explored the lived experiences of three third grade emergent bilinguals learning English literacies such as speaking, reading, and writing in school using a post-intentional phenomenological approach (Vagle, 2014). Learning what is unfamiliar, especially academics can be challenging for emergent bilinguals. Young elementary children are…

The Impact of Years of Teaching Experience on the Classroom Management Approaches of Elementary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unal, Zafer; Unal, Aslihan

2012-01-01

This study provided a basis for answering the following essential question: Does the years of experience affect teachers' classroom management approaches? Data were collected from 268 primary school teachers. The findings of this study demonstrated that experienced teachers are more likely to prefer to be in control in their classrooms than…

Old Math, New Math: Parents' Experiences with Standards-Based Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Remillard, Janine T.; Jackson, Kara

2006-01-01

We focus on how African American parents in a low-income neighborhood experience, interpret, and respond to current reform efforts as implemented in their children's school. As part of a larger project on parent-child numeracy connections in an elementary school, we interviewed 10 parents and held 2 focus group meetings, during which parents…

MANUAL OF LECTURE DEMONSTRATIONS, LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS, AND OBSERVATIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR TEACHING ELEMENTARY METEOROLOGY IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NEUBERGER, HANS; NICHOLAS, GEORGE

INCLUDED IN THIS MANUAL WRITTEN FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL AND COLLEGE TEACHERS ARE DESCRIPTIONS OF DEMONSTRATION MODELS, EXPERIMENTS PERTAINING TO SOME OF THE FUNDAMENTAL AND APPLIED METEOROLOGICAL CONCEPTS, AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING SIMPLE WEATHER OBSERVATIONS. THE CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF TOPICS WERE EASE AND COST OF CONSTRUCTING APPARATUS AS WELL…

Arts Integration as School Reform: Exploring How Teachers Experience Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lackey, Lara; Huxhold, Dianna

2016-01-01

This article reports on the perceptions and experiences of general elementary educators as they engage in a school reform process that requires them to learn and implement an arts infused curriculum intended to raise student achievement on standardized tests in non-arts subjects. This qualitative study reveals not only how one arts-based school…

Disengagement, Intervention, and Dropout: Exploring the Lived Experiences of Students, a Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fink, Jeffrey A.

2014-01-01

Throughout the process of schooling from elementary through the end of high school; several points exist when students disengage from the process leading to dropout. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to identify the reasons for disengagement and dropout through the perceptions of the lived experiences of students. The…

Faculty Prayer in Catholic Schools: A Survey of Practices and Meaning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayotte, Gail

2010-01-01

This article presents a research study that utilized a web-based survey to gather data about the communal prayer experiences of faculty members in Catholic elementary and secondary schools in the United States and the meaning that such prayer holds to its participants. Key findings show that faculty prayer experiences take place readily, though…

Just How Much Can School Pupils Learn from School Gardening? A Study of Two Supervised Agricultural Experience Approaches in Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okiror, John James; Matsiko, Biryabaho Frank; Oonyu, Joseph

2011-01-01

School systems in Africa are short of skills that link well with rural communities, yet arguments to vocationalize curricula remain mixed and school agriculture lacks the supervised practical component. This study, conducted in eight primary (elementary) schools in Uganda, sought to compare the learning achievement of pupils taught using…

Blue Valley School District: Kansas District Extends Growth Measurement to the Early Grades, Experiences Measurable Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Evaluation Association, 2016

2016-01-01

Blue Valley, the fourth largest school district in Kansas, covers 91 square miles. More than 20,000 K-12 students attend its 34 schools ( five high schools, nine middle schools, and 20 elementary schools). Of the district's students, 8% qualify for free and reduced lunch and about 3% are English Language Learners. Blue Valley began using Measures…

Achievementrap: How America is Failing Millions of High-Achieving Students from Lower-Income Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyner, Joshua S.; Bridgeland, John M.; DiIulio, John J., Jr.

2007-01-01

This report chronicles the experiences of high-achieving lower-income students during elementary school, high school, college, and graduate school. Millions of high-achieving lower-income students are found in urban, suburban, and rural communities all across America, reflecting the racial, ethnic, and gender composition of the nation's schools,…

In the Beginning of the Middle: Curriculum Considerations for Middle School General Music

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giebelhausen, Robin

2015-01-01

Middle school general music is an experience that numerous music educators feel underprepared to teach. Because many undergraduate programs spend little time on this teaching scenario and because the challenges of middle school general music are different from those of elementary general music or middle school ensembles, teachers often lack the…

Talk about a Racial Eclipse: Narratives of Institutional Evasion in an Urban School-University Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phelps Moultrie, Jada; Magee, Paula A.; Paredes Scribner, Samantha M.

2017-01-01

During a student teaching experience, teacher education candidates affiliated with an urban School of Education school-university partnership witnessed a disturbing interaction between an early career White male teacher and a first-grade Black male student at an assigned elementary school. The subsequent interactions among the teacher, principal,…

WCPSS Student Survey Results: 2013-14. Measuring Up. D&A Report No. 14.08

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Townsend, Megan

2014-01-01

Each spring, the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) surveys 4th, 7th, and 10th grade students about their perception of various aspects of their school experience, measuring students' impressions of their school, school safety, teachers, academics, future ready skills, and technology. The 2013-14 results indicate that elementary school…

Life histories of female elementary teachers and their science/teacher role construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramseur, Aletha Johnson

The research conducted in this study focuses on life histories of female elementary teachers and their science/teacher role construction. Identity theorists argue that the self consists of a collection of identities founded on occupying a particular role. Who we are depends on the roles we occupy. These roles are often referred to as "role identities". In the case of these participants, many role identities (mother, wife, sibling, and teacher) exist. This study focuses primarily on their (science) teacher role identity. Literature on women's lives, as learners and teachers, suggest that women's experiences, currently and throughout history influenced their teacher role construction. There is however, little knowledge of women's lives as elementary teachers of science and the affect of their experiences, currently and throughout history, on their (science) teacher identity construction. Schools delineated by race, class, and gender relations, are similar to other sectors of society's, social and cultural spheres within which race, class, and gender identities are constructed. Using in-depth-interviews female elementary teachers were encouraged to actively reconstruct their life and work-life experiences focusing on family, school and science interactions. They addressed the intellectual and emotional connections between their life and work experiences by focusing on details of their past and present experiences and examining the meaning of those experiences. It was the scrutiny of these connections between their life and work experiences, the meaning derived from them and historical events, and the constraints imposed on their personal choices by broader power relations, such as those of class, race, and gender that informed why we teach, how we teach, and what we teach.

Obesity Prevention Practices of Elementary School Nurses in Minnesota: Findings from Interviews with Licensed School Nurses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison-Sandberg, Leslie F.; Kubik, Martha Y.; Johnson, Karen E.

2011-01-01

Elementary schools are an optimal setting to provide obesity prevention interventions, yet little is known about the obesity prevention practices of elementary school nurses. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into current obesity-related school nursing practice in elementary schools in Minnesota, opinions regarding school nurse-led…

Teaching science in a poor urban school in pakistan: Tensions in the life history of a female elementary teacher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upadhyay, Bhaskar; Calabrese Barton, Angela; Zahur, Rubina

2005-09-01

In this paper, we draw from a narrative life history approach to report in depth on the experiences of one teacher, Shagufta, in a high-poverty urban elementary school in Lahore, Pakistan. The purpose of reporting Shagufta's story is twofold. First, we want to make sense of her role as a science teacher - what should the children in her school learn in science, and why, if these children are expected by Pakistani society to leave formal education before the eighth grade? Second, what core tensions mark Shagufta's story as she has tried to craft her science teaching practice?

Children's agenda-based regulation: The effects of prior performance and reward on elementary school children's study choices.

PubMed

Lipowski, Stacy; Ariel, Robert; Tauber, Sarah K; Dunlosky, John

2017-12-01

The main goal of the current experiments was to examine the influence of monitoring and reward on elementary school children's study decisions. First and third graders studied names for 10 animals (e.g., "The elephant's name is Suzy") and then were given a cued recall test on which they were shown the animal and needed to recall the name. Next, they were given an opportunity to restudy the animal-name pairs, and some of these pairs were slated to earn a reward (a sticker) if correctly recalled. In Experiment 1, both groups of children were (a) more likely to restudy previously unrecalled pairs than previously recalled pairs and (b) more likely to restudy pairs that were slated to receive a reward. In Experiment 2, we further explored children's use of reward using a forced-choice selection task. Namely, during selection, pairs were presented in dyads where one pair was slated for a reward and the other pair was not, and the children could choose only one pair from each dyad for restudy. Both first and third graders chose to restudy pairs slated for a reward. Thus, even young elementary school children consider both rewards and performance monitoring when regulating their learning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expanding School Resources and Increasing Time on Task: Effects of a Policy Experiment in Israel on Student Academic Achievement and Behavior. NBER Working Paper No. 18369

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lavy, Victor

2012-01-01

In this paper, I examine how student academic achievements and behavior were affected by a school finance policy experiment undertaken in elementary schools in Israel. Begun in 2004, the funding formula changed from a budget set per class to a budget set per student, with more weight given to students from lower socioeconomic and lower educational…

Changes in Student Science Interest from Elementary to Middle School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coutts, Trudi E.

This study is a transcendental phenomenological study that described the experience of students’ interest in science from elementary school through middle school grades and the identification of the factors that increase or decrease interest in science. Numerous researchers have found that interest in science changes among children and the change in interest seems to modulate student motivation, which ultimately leads to fewer children choosing not only science classes in the future but science careers. Research studies have identified numerous factors that affect student interest in science; however, this study incorporated the lived experience of the child and looked at this interest in science through the lens of the child. The study design was a collective cross-case study that was multi-site based. This study utilized a sample of children in fifth grade classes of three different elementary schools, two distinct seventh grade classes of different middle schools, and ninth grade children from one high school in the State of Illinois. The phenomenon was investigated through student interviews. The use of one-on-one semi-structured interviews limited to 45 minutes in length provided the researcher with data of each child’s description of science interest. All interviews were audio- recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data was collected and analyzed in order to identify themes, and finally checked for validity. The most significant findings of this study, and possible factors contributing to science interest in children as they progress from elementary to high school, were those findings relating to hands-on activities, the degree to which a student was challenged, the offering of new versus previously studied topics in the curriculum, the perceived relevance of the curricular materials to personal life, and the empowerment children felt when they were allowed to make choices related to their learning experiences. This study’s possible implications for practitioners, specifically the findings of this study’s relation to the 2011 National Research Council Science Framework and the forthcoming Common Core Science Standards, were examined. This study concluded with discussion of its limitations, a summary of the results, and recommendations for additional areas of investigation of the subject matter.

Why Do They Stay? Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of Job Satisfaction and Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perrachione, Beverly A.; Rosser, Vicki J.; Petersen, George J.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify intrinsic and extrinsic variables that influence teacher job satisfaction and retention. A survey was sent to 300 randomly selected Missouri public elementary school teachers in grades K-5 having 5 or more years of teaching experience. The results from 201 respondents suggest that three intrinsic…

Activity Approach to the Formation of the Method of Addition and Subtraction in Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maksimov, L. K.; Maksimova, L. V.

2013-01-01

One of the main tasks in teaching mathematics to elementary students is to form calculating methods and techniques. The efforts of teachers and methodologists are aimed at solving this problem. Educational and psychological research is devoted to it. At the same time school teaching experience demonstrates some difficulties in learning methods of…

The Children Left Behind: Memories of Promoting Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laczynski, Adela R.

2006-01-01

The author of this article is a young elementary teacher at Rosado Elementary in Richmond, California, on the eastern shore of the San Francisco Bay. She writes this article as a moving memoir describing her experiences as a tutor in literacy programs developed by low-income schools. In order for their students to remember their lessons, they have…

Elementary Principals' Perceptions of Visionary Leadership, Self-Efficacy, and Professional Development in Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Karen L.

2015-01-01

This quantitative research was conducted as a means of examining the relationship between elementary school principals' use of a Technology Action Plan and (a) gender, (b) age, (c) years of administrative experience, (d) perceptions of professional development in technology, and (e) perceptions of self-efficacy in technology. Also examined was the…

The Integrated Elementary Classroom: A Developmental Model of Education for the 21st Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charbonneau, Manon P.; Reider, Barbara E.

Targeting the elementary school-age child, 5 to 12 years old, this book sets forth an integrated approach to developing classroom experiences, supporting a holistic curriculum intended to stimulate learning and social and emotional gains. The integrated approach has at its hub a child-centered classroom where students' individual needs form the…

The Information-Seeking Behavior of Intrinsically Motivated Elementary School Children of a Collectivist Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crow, Sherry R.

2015-01-01

This study, conducted in June 2014 in Kampala, Uganda, is a follow-up to a similar study conducted in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2008. The basic research question addressed is: "What are the experiences in the lives of upper elementary-aged Ugandan children that foster an intrinsic motivation to seek information?" A secondary…

Infusing Science, Technology, and Society Into an Elementary Teacher Education Program: The Impact on Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henning, Mary Beth; Peterson, Barbara R.; King, Kenneth Paul

2011-01-01

In an effort to improve science and social studies instruction, preservice teachers developed original science, technology, and society units to teach in elementary and middle school classrooms during their clinical field experience. Data revealed that the preservice teachers fell into categories of being skeptics, open-minded instructors, or…

The Pros and Cons of Individualized Programmed Instruction for Indian Students. A Position Paper....

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corcoran, Bert W.

Based on observations and experiences in a Title III (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) project to individualize instruction in the ungraded Rocky Boy Elementary School (grades 1-6, Rocky Boy Indian Reservation, Box Elder, Montana), this position paper considers the problem of finding a suitable or workable curriculum and classroom climate…

Identification of Elementary Teachers' Risk for Stress and Vocational Concerns Using the National Schools and Staffing Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert, Richard G.; McCarthy, Christopher J.; Fitchett, Paul G.; Lineback, Sally; Reiser, Jenson

2015-01-01

Transactional models of stress suggest that elementary teachers who appraise classroom demands as higher than classroom resources are more vulnerable to stress and likely to experience vocational concerns. Previous research using the Classroom Appraisal of Resources and Demands (CARD), a measure designed to assess teacher perceptions of classroom…

A National Sample of Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Special Education Services and Parent Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bitterman, Amy; Daley, Tamara C.; Misra, Sunil; Carlson, Elaine; Markowitz, Joy

2008-01-01

The Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS) examines the preschool and early elementary school experiences of a nationally representative sample of 3,104 children ages 3-5 with disabilities from 2004 through 2009. This paper describes the special education and related services received by a subsample of 186 preschoolers with autism…

The Elementary School Guidance Counselor: A Developmental Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gum, Moy F.

The position taken is that elementary schools need a guidance program and an elementary school guidance counselor who is a regular member of a given school staff. However, it is advocated that elementary guidance should not be merely an extension of the secondary guidance program. The viewpoint taken here is that elementary guidance should be…

The Multifaceted Impact of Peer Relations on Aggressive-Disruptive Behavior in Early Elementary School

PubMed Central

Powers, Christopher J.; Bierman, Karen L.

2013-01-01

Following a large, diverse sample of 4096 children in 27 schools, this study evaluated the impact of three aspects of peer relations, measured concurrently, on subsequent child aggressive-disruptive behavior during early elementary school – peer-dislike, reciprocated friends' aggressiveness, and classroom levels of aggressive-disruptive behavior. Teachers rated child aggressive-disruptive behavior in first and third grade, and peer relations were assessed during second grade. Results indicated that heightened classroom aggressive-disruptive behavior levels were related to proximal peer relations, including an increased likelihood of having aggressive friends and lower levels of peer-dislike of aggressive-disruptive children. Controlling for first grade aggressive-disruptive behavior, the three second grade peer experiences each made unique contributions to third grade child aggressive-disruptive behavior. These findings replicate and extend a growing body of research documenting the multifaceted nature of peer influence on aggressive-disruptive behavior in early elementary school. They highlight the importance of the classroom ecology and proximal peer relations in the socialization of aggressive-disruptive behavior. PMID:22545840

Impacts of the Retired Mentors for New Teachers Program. REL 2017-225

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeCesare, Dale; McClelland, Abby; Randel, Bruce

2017-01-01

This study evaluates the impact of the Retired Mentors for New Teachers program, a two-year mentoring program at the elementary school level developed by Aurora Public Schools in Colorado. Many of the district's schools serve a large percentage of economically disadvantaged children, experience high teacher turnover, and hire newer, less…

Factors Affecting Children's Judgement of Culturally Deviant Acts: Findings from an International School in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kutsuki, Aya; Tanaka, Yumi

2016-01-01

This study explored the relationship between perceptions of culturally deviant acts and multicultural experiences of elementary-school children attending an international school in Japan. Findings indicated that children judged a Japanese harsher than a foreigner, irrespective of the children's age. It was also found that younger children were…

The Awareness of Risky Peer Group Behaviors on School Grounds as Predictors of Students' Victimization on School Grounds: Part II--Junior High Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Astor, Ron Avi; Benbenishty, Rami; Haj-Yahia, Muhammad M.; Zeira, Anat; Perkins-Hart, Suzanne; Marachi, Roxana; Pitner, Ronald O.

2002-01-01

Examined how risky peer group behaviors at school impacted junior high students' experience of victimization, extending findings from an earlier study of elementary students. Surveys of Arab and Jewish Israeli junior high students indicated that risky peer behaviors in school were one of the strongest predictors of victimization in both elementary…

Explore engineering with solar energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davidson, J.H.

1995-11-01

An outreach program was initiated at the University of Minnesota by faculty and student members of the Society of Women Engineers in the spring of 1994 to interest students in 3rd through 9th grade, particularly girls, in careers in engineering. Interaction with elementary and junior high students focuses on hands-on experiences with portable solar devices. This paper reports progress of the program including descriptions of the solar devices, their use in visits to local schools, day visits to the University, and week-long summer camps, and continuing education programs for elementary and secondary school teachers.

ESEA Title I. Anatomy of an Elementary Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Peter A.

School districts in New York State have been engaged in developing E.S.E.A. Title I projects since 1965. This document represents an attempt to formulate some aspects of this experience in a form useful for project directors. The content of this report is based on the recorded experiences of one school district during the summer of 1970 in running…

Bullying of Students by Teachers and Peers and Its Effect on the Psychological Well-Being of Students in Jamaican Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pottinger, Audrey M.; Stair, Angela Gordon

2009-01-01

In this study, 225 Jamaican university students were asked to recall their bullying experiences at elementary and high schools. Being verbally humiliated, robbed, and beaten were the top three frequently-occurring experiences. Acts of bullying by peers and educators were compared for their impact on students' psychological well being. Educator but…

How Parents View the Importance of 17 Food Activities Performed by Children: Multidimensional Scaling Analyses of Paired Comparison Judgments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maretzki, A.; Shimabukuro, S.

Nutrition curriculum design research was undertaken to address the issue of linkage between school food experiences and home food experiences of elementary school children in Hawaii. One hundred and forty-four parents judged the relative importance of seventeen food-related activites. The sample consisted of Asian, Caucasian, and Polynesian…

Teachers, Leaders, and Social Justice: A Critical Reflection on a Complicated Exchange

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Cody

2017-01-01

Cody Miller was asked to present on a panel with a fellow doctoral student and a current principal at a local elementary school for a social justice and diversity in school leadership course. Miller's experience on the panel became an informal type of capstone experience as he found himself having to argue and defend social justice teaching…

What Works Clearinghouse Quick Review of the Report "Evaluation of Experience Corps: Student Reading Outcomes"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2010

2010-01-01

This study examined whether the "Experience Corps" program improved the reading skills of elementary school students who were at risk of academic failure. Nearly 900 first through third grade students in 23 schools in Boston, New York City, and Port Arthur, TX participated in the study. These students were randomly assigned to either a…

ScienceFEST: Preservice Teachers link Math and Science in Astronomy Lessons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeMuth, N. H.; Kasabian, J.

2005-05-01

Funded by the National Science Foundation, Science FEST (Science for Future Elementary School Teachers) aims to develop the science content and pedagogy for project participants by connecting their college coursework to the science they will eventually teach. Working individually and in pairs, future elementary and middle school teachers design a comprehensive module in astronomy that is inquiry-based and reflects the national and state science standards. Project participants then teach their modules in local elementary or middle school classrooms. Science FEST project participants report gaining a deep understanding of the science they are teaching, learning to engage all students to explore science concepts, and reflecting on their teaching and how it can be improved. The session presenters will share some of the instructional materials developed by the college students and how their experiences in Science FEST have enhanced their pre-professional development. The project's website can be found at www.science-fest.org.

Animal Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanCleave, Janice

2001-01-01

Presents a set of hands-on, outdoor science experiments designed to teach elementary school students about animal adaptation. The experiments focus on: how color camouflage affects an insect population; how spiderlings find a home; and how chameleons camouflage themselves by changing color. (SM)

Experimental Probability in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrew, Lane

2009-01-01

Concepts in probability can be more readily understood if students are first exposed to probability via experiment. Performing probability experiments encourages students to develop understandings of probability grounded in real events, as opposed to merely computing answers based on formulae.

"Dans le sillon des voyageurs": Thunder Bay's Experiment in French Community Television

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, David W. P.

1976-01-01

Thunder Bay French Television was begun as an experiment in amateur community television designed to appeal to francophones, elementary school pupils, students, and the public at large. Organization and programming are described. (RM)

Perceptions of Elementary Teachers on the Instructional Leadership Role of School Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yavuz, Mustafa; Bas, Gokhan

2010-01-01

In this research, elementary school principals' instructional leadership behavior was evaluated based on the perceptions of elementary school teachers. The research is believed to contribute to the development of instructional leadership behavior of elementary school principals for the development of school organization. A "semi-structured…

Being a Scientist While Teaching Science: Implementing Undergraduate Research Opportunities for Elementary Educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hock, Emily; Sharp, Zoe

2016-03-01

Aspiring teachers and current teachers can gain insight about the scientific community through hands-on experience. As America's standards for elementary school and middle school become more advanced, future and current teachers must gain hands-on experience in the scientific community. For a teacher to be fully capable of teaching all subjects, they must be comfortable in the content areas, equipped to answer questions, and able to pass on their knowledge. Hands-on research experiences, like the Summer Astronomy Research Experience at California Polytechnic University, pair liberal studies students with a cooperative group of science students and instructors with the goal of doing research that benefits the scientific community and deepens the team members' perception of the scientific community. Teachers are then able to apply the basic research process in their classrooms, inspire students to do real life science, and understand the processes scientists' undergo in their workplace.

Using Mother Nature to Subdue Energy Costs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fickes, Michael

1997-01-01

Describes a Kansas City elementary school's successful energy conservation via its environmental design that includes the use of ground source heat pumps and computer energy management systems. Also discusses how this design concept contributes to the educational experience of the school's students. (GR)

Primary Five Pupils' Cooperative Behaviours and Perceptions of the Use of Cooperative Learning in Social Studies Classes in Singapore.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hing, Tey Sau; Lee, Christine Kim-Eng; Ng, Maureen; Chew, Joy

A study recorded the experiences of elementary school students with cooperative learning in two schools in Singapore. The students worked cooperatively in various assigned social studies tasks through the process of social interaction and sharing with their peers. One school was used as the experimental school while the other served as the…

Gender Issues in Technology Use: Perceived Social Support, Computer Self-Efficacy and Value Beliefs, and Computer Use beyond School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vekiri, Ioanna; Chronaki, Anna

2008-01-01

In this study, we examined relations between outside school computer experiences, perceived social support for using computers, and self-efficacy and value beliefs about computer learning for 340 Greek elementary school boys and girls. Participants responded to a questionnaire about their access to computer use outside school (e.g. frequency of…

Relationships between traumatic symptoms and environmental damage conditions among children 8 months after the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami.

PubMed

Usami, Masahide; Iwadare, Yoshitaka; Kodaira, Masaki; Watanabe, Kyota; Aoki, Momoko; Katsumi, Chiaki; Matsuda, Kumi; Makino, Kazunori; Iijima, Sonoko; Harada, Maiko; Tanaka, Hiromi; Sasaki, Yoshinori; Tanaka, Tetsuya; Ushijima, Hirokage; Saito, Kazuhiko

2012-01-01

To evaluate relationships between traumatic symptoms and environmental damage conditions among children who survived the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. The subjects were 12,524 children in kindergartens, elementary schools, and junior high schools in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms for Children 15 items (PTSSC-15), a self-completion questionnaire on traumatic symptoms, was distributed to the children and a questionnaire regarding environmental damage conditions affecting the children was distributed to their teachers. Of 12,524 questionnaires distributed, an effective response was obtained from 11,692 (93.3%). The PTSSC-15 score was significantly higher in females than in males among 4(th) to 6(th) grade students in elementary schools and among junior high school students. In terms of traumatic symptoms and environmental damage conditions, with the exception of kindergartners, children who had their houses damaged or experienced separation from family members had a significantly higher PTSSC-15 score than children who did not experience environmental damage. Except for kindergartners and 4(th)- to 6(th)-grade elementary school students, children who experienced evacuation had a significantly higher PTSSC-15 score. This study demonstrated relationships between traumatic symptoms and environmental damage conditions in children who had suffered from the disaster. Factors examined in studying the relationship between environmental damage conditions and traumatic symptoms were gender, age, house damage, evacuation experience, and bereavement experience. It was critical not only to examine the traumatic symptoms of the children but also to collect accurate information about environmental damage conditions.

Relationships between Traumatic Symptoms and Environmental Damage Conditions among Children 8 Months after the 2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

PubMed Central

Usami, Masahide; Iwadare, Yoshitaka; Kodaira, Masaki; Watanabe, Kyota; Aoki, Momoko; Katsumi, Chiaki; Matsuda, Kumi; Makino, Kazunori; Iijima, Sonoko; Harada, Maiko; Tanaka, Hiromi; Sasaki, Yoshinori; Tanaka, Tetsuya; Ushijima, Hirokage; Saito, Kazuhiko

2012-01-01

Background To evaluate relationships between traumatic symptoms and environmental damage conditions among children who survived the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Methods The subjects were 12,524 children in kindergartens, elementary schools, and junior high schools in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms for Children 15 items (PTSSC-15), a self-completion questionnaire on traumatic symptoms, was distributed to the children and a questionnaire regarding environmental damage conditions affecting the children was distributed to their teachers. Of 12,524 questionnaires distributed, an effective response was obtained from 11,692 (93.3%). Results The PTSSC-15 score was significantly higher in females than in males among 4th to 6th grade students in elementary schools and among junior high school students. In terms of traumatic symptoms and environmental damage conditions, with the exception of kindergartners, children who had their houses damaged or experienced separation from family members had a significantly higher PTSSC-15 score than children who did not experience environmental damage. Except for kindergartners and 4th- to 6th-grade elementary school students, children who experienced evacuation had a significantly higher PTSSC-15 score. Conclusions This study demonstrated relationships between traumatic symptoms and environmental damage conditions in children who had suffered from the disaster. Factors examined in studying the relationship between environmental damage conditions and traumatic symptoms were gender, age, house damage, evacuation experience, and bereavement experience. It was critical not only to examine the traumatic symptoms of the children but also to collect accurate information about environmental damage conditions. PMID:23209817

High Hopes--Few Opportunities: The Status of Elementary Science Education in California. Summary Report & Recommendations. Strengthening Science Education in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd, 2011

2011-01-01

This report summarizes research findings on science education in California's elementary schools from multiple sources of data collected during 2010-11, specifically, surveys of district administrators, elementary school principals, and elementary school teachers; case studies of elementary schools; analysis of statewide secondary data sets; and…

Scotts Bluff County Nebraska Juniors Educated in Class I Elementary Schools v. Juniors Educated in Class II or Class III Elementary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Boskirk, La Rita

In Nebraska, where nearly 70% of elementary school districts are rural, there is much debate about whether students from small rural schools have educational opportunities equal to those of students from town or city schools. This paper compares the performance, participation, and behavior of high school juniors who attended elementary schools in…

PERCEPTIONS OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELOR.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BRADEN, BILLY; AND OTHERS

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROLE AND FUNCTION OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELOR AS THEY WERE PERCEIVED BY SELECTED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELORS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, COUNSELOR EDUCATORS, AND STATE SUPERVISORS IN THE SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION FOR COUNSELOR EDUCATION AND SUPERVISION (SACES) REGION WERE IDENTIFIED. THREE INSTRUMENTS WERE…

Prioritizing Elementary School Writing Instruction: Cultivating Middle School Readiness for Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciullo, Stephen; Mason, Linda

2017-01-01

Helping elementary students with learning disabilities (LD) prepare for the rigor of middle school writing is an instructional priority. Fortunately, several standards-based skills in upper elementary school and middle school overlap. Teachers in upper elementary grades, specifically fourth and fifth grades, have the opportunity to provide…

Behaviour of Turkish Elementary School Principals in the Change Process: An Analysis of the Perceptions of Both Teachers and School Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gokce, Feyyat

2009-01-01

Technological and economic changes affect societies, and consequently bring about change in education. Elementary school principals in Turkey spend considerable time and effort managing change in their schools. This study contributes to the better management of Turkish elementary schools by determining the behavior of elementary school principals…

Teaching science as argument: Prospective elementary teachers' knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barreto-Espino, Reizelie

For the past two decades there has been increasing emphasis on argumentation in school science. In 2007, the National Research Council published a synthesis report that emphasizes the centrality of constructing, evaluating, and using scientific explanations. Participating in argumentation is seen as fundamental to children's science learning experiences. These new expectations increase challenges for elementary teachers since their understanding of and experiences with science are overwhelmingly inconsistent with teaching science as argument. These challenges are further amplified when dealing with prospective elementary teachers. The current study was guided by the following research questions: (1) What are the ways in which preservice elementary teachers appropriate components of "teaching science as argument" during their student teaching experience? (2) To what extent do components from prospective elementary teachers' reflections influence planning for science teaching? (3) What elements from the context influence preservice elementary teachers' attention to teaching science as argument? This study followed a multi-participant case study approach and analyses were informed by grounded theory. Three participants were selected from a larger cohort of prospective elementary teachers enrolled in an innovative Elementary Professional Development School (PDS) partnership at a large Northeast University. Cross-case analysis allowed for the development of five key assertions: (1) The presence of opportunities for interacting with phenomena and collecting first hand data helped participants increase their emphasis on evidence-based explanations. (2) Participants viewed science talks as an essential mechanism for engaging students in the construction of evidence-based explanations and as being fundamental to meaning-making. (3) Participants demonstrated attention to scientific subject matter during instruction rather than merely focusing on activities and/or inquiry processes. (4) Scaffolded protocols positively influenced participants' attention to having students construct evidence-based explanations during science planning and teaching. (5) Teachers' beliefs about children's science capabilities influence their attention to and adoption of practices associated with teaching science as argument. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for teacher education, such as the use of coherent conceptual frameworks to guide coursework and field experiences and the development of video-based cases that represent "images of the possible" associated with challenging reform-oriented teaching practices.

Elementary school secretaries' experiences and perceptions of administering prescription medication.

PubMed

Price, James H; Dake, Joseph A; Murnan, Judy; Telljohann, Susan K

2003-12-01

This study assessed elementary school secretaries' (n = 385) experiences and perceptions with student prescription medication. Sixty-nine percent (n = 246) reported dispensing student medication, and this group represents the focus of this study. One in four secretaries reported not receiving any training regarding administration of student medication. Of those who were trained, 28% received training of less than one hour, and 24% received training of one to two hours duration. Secretaries generally disliked the responsibility of dispensing medication to students, but felt prepared to do so. Most (63%) administered student medication five days per week. The most commonly administered categories included attention deficit/hyperactivity medication (92%), asthma medication (87%), and antibiotics (68%). Most (85%) reported they had made no medication errors during the past year.

Conversations on Reading.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowler, Dottie; Parker, Emelie; Cuda, Suzanne

1999-01-01

Three highly acclaimed teachers from Virginia elementary schools reflect on how they have put research into practice to the benefit of their students, discussing their experiences in teaching reading and presenting information on how their school encourages the type of professional-development activities that provide for the careful examination of…

A Victorian Experiment in Economic Efficiency in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rapple, Brendan A.

1992-01-01

There are numerous historical precedents for today's demands for economic efficiency and accountability in schools. This paper examines comprehensive nineteenth-century accountability system ("Payment by Results") that endured in English and Welsh elementary schools from 1862 until 1897. The amount of the yearly governmental grant…

Factors Affecting Elementary School Students' Participation in Sports.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Sam T.

1991-01-01

Reviews research on motivation to participate in youth sports. An athlete with self-perceived ability is motivated to participate. Feedback from coaches can encourage such perceptions. Athletic participation may positively influence moral development if the experience is interpersonal. Athletic participation combined with school service can…

Teach Democracy through Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penning, Nick; Hunter, Bruce, Ed.

1987-01-01

To help public schools produce well-educated citizens, the Center for Civic Education (originating at UCLA in 1965) works with elementary and secondary school students and teachers to promote better understanding of such basic democratic principles as due process, federalism, and judicial review. The process transforms student interactions while…

Influence of Joyful Learning on Elementary School Students’ Attitudes Toward Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anggoro, S.; Sopandi, W.; Sholehuddin, M.

2017-02-01

This study investigated the effects of joyful learning approach on elementary school students’ attitudes toward science. The method used is quasy experiment with the participants were divided into two groups. Thirty three of 4th grade students volunteered as an experimental group, and the other forty two act as a control group. The data was collected by questionnaire that are given before and after the lesson, observation sheet, and interview. The effect of joyful learning on students’ attitude was obtained by determining the n-gain and independent t-test. Observation and interview results were used to triangulate and support the quantitative findings. The data showed that the gain scores of the experimental group students’ attitudes toward science were significantly higher than the gain scores of control group. In addition, the experimental group made significantly greater progress in their cognitive, affective and conative experiences. Interviews and observations indicated that their attitude toward science changed over the intervention. This indicated that joyful learning approach can enhance the elementary school students’ attitudes toward science. According to these findings, it can be concluded that joyful learning approach can be used as an alternative approach to improve student’s attitude toward science.

Can Experiential Education Strategies Improve Elementary Science Teachers' Perceptions of and Practices in Science Teaching?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sindel, Kasey D.

2010-01-01

This study was prompted by the growing amount of research that is in support of science reform and from this researcher's personal experience and concern that science instructions is no longer a top priority in elementary schools nor are young scientists given the opportunities to act as scientists in a real world setting. This study uses…

El Maestro de Sala Regular de Clases Ante el Proceso de Inclusion del Nino Con Impedimento

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosa Morales, Awilda

2012-01-01

The purpose of this research was to describe the experiences of regular class elementary school teachers with the Puerto Rico Department of Education who have worked with handicapped children who have been integrated to the regular classroom. Five elementary level regular class teachers were selected in the northwest zone of Puerto Rico who during…

Elementary General Education Teachers' Knowledge of and Experience Teaching Students with Disabilities in Science and Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Diane

2016-01-01

In Grades 3 to 5 at a suburban southeastern elementary school, the percentage of students with disabilities (SWDs) who do not meet state standards in science and social studies is greater than that of their nondisabled peers. To address this disparity, district administrators required that proficiency ratings increase for SWDs without providing…

An Experimental Study for Effectiveness of Super-Learning Technique at Elementary Level in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shafqat, Hussain; Muhammad, Sarwar; Imran, Yousaf; Naemullah; Inamullah

2010-01-01

The objective of the study was to experience the effectiveness of super-learning technique of teaching at elementary level. The study was conducted with 8th grade students at a public sector school. Pre-test and post-test control group designs were used. Experimental and control groups were formed randomly, the experimental group (N = 62),…

The Influence Inquiry-Based Science Has on Elementary Teachers' Perception of Instruction and Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Felecia J.

2017-01-01

The nature and purpose of this study was to examine the self-efficacy of teachers who use an inquiry-based science program to provide authentic experiences within the elementary school setting. It is essential to explore necessary improvements to bring about effective science education. Using a mixed methods study, the researcher conducted…

Preservice Elementary Teachers' Use of a Discursive Model of Meaning Making in the Co-Construction of Science Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyer, Elisebeth C.

2012-01-01

This research investigates how three preservice elementary teachers were prepared to teach science using a Discursive Model of Meaning Making. The research is divided into two parts. The first consists of the nature of the participants' learning experiences in a science methods course within a school-university Professional Development School…

A Phenomenological Case Study of the Elementary to Secondary Transition for One Female Student Diagnosed with Selective Mutism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nashman-Smith, Mona

2017-01-01

Selective mutism (SM) is considered a communication and anxiety disorder that afflicts about 1% of students. The rarity of SM and the isolated cases of this condition has rendered the elementary to secondary school experience for a student with SM difficult to study. Utilizing a qualitative approach, this phenomenological case study examined the…

Collaborative Planning and Decision Making in the Elementary School: A Qualitative Study of Contemporary Team Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riley, John F.

This longitudinal study examined elementary teachers' perceptions of the collaborative planning and decision-making process and their role in it. Nine teachers participated in grade- level teaming. Teachers ranged in experience from 1-9 years, with 3 teachers new to the team and 5 in their first or second year of teaching. Participants completed…

The American Cowboy: Developing Small Group Social Studies Interaction Experiences in the Elementary Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Edward, Jr.

Appropriate for elementary school students, this resource unit on the American cowboy provides four activities for small group work. The unit also lists objectives and discusses the organization and dynamics of small groups. The general objective is for the student to learn how to work within groups and how to resolve group conflict. The…

Perceptions of Outstanding Elementary Teachers About Themselves and Their Profession. Research Studies in Education. Technical Report No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Easterly, Jean L.

Outstanding elementary school teachers (N=24) were interviewed about their attitudes, values, and perceptions of themselves and their work. Question topics were: (1) influences on the decision to become a teacher; (2) student teaching experience; (3) special pride in incidents or events; (4) effective teaching approaches or techniques; (5)…

Understanding an Elementary School Teachers' Journey of Using Technology in the Classroom from Sand Table to Interactive Whiteboard

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ersoy, Ali; Bozkurt, Mahmut

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to understand an elementary teachers' experiences about using interactive whiteboard (IWB) in the classroom. Narrative inquiry were adopted to conduct the study. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the teacher and analysed through narrative analysis. In the study, two major stories emerged. The…

A model for evaluating the environmental benefits of elementary school facilities.

PubMed

Ji, Changyoon; Hong, Taehoon; Jeong, Kwangbok; Leigh, Seung-Bok

2014-01-01

In this study, a model that is capable of evaluating the environmental benefits of a new elementary school facility was developed. The model is composed of three steps: (i) retrieval of elementary school facilities having similar characteristics as the new elementary school facility using case-based reasoning; (ii) creation of energy consumption and material data for the benchmark elementary school facility using the retrieved similar elementary school facilities; and (iii) evaluation of the environmental benefits of the new elementary school facility by assessing and comparing the environmental impact of the new and created benchmark elementary school facility using life cycle assessment. The developed model can present the environmental benefits of a new elementary school facility in terms of monetary values using Environmental Priority Strategy 2000, a damage-oriented life cycle impact assessment method. The developed model can be used for the following: (i) as criteria for a green-building rating system; (ii) as criteria for setting the support plan and size, such as the government's incentives for promoting green-building projects; and (iii) as criteria for determining the feasibility of green building projects in key business sectors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Student access to competitive foods in elementary schools: trends over time and regional differences.

PubMed

Turner, Lindsey R; Chaloupka, Frank J

2012-02-01

To examine the availability of competitive foods in elementary schools. Nationally representative mail-back survey. United States public and private elementary schools during the 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 school years. Survey respondents at 2647 public and 1205 private elementary schools. The availability of foods offered in competitive venues. Elementary school students' access to foods in competitive venues on campus (vending machines, school stores, snack bars, or à la carte lines) remained constant over time. As of the 2009-2010 school year, approximately half of all public and private elementary school students could purchase foods in 1 or more competitive venues on campus. Sugary foods were available to almost all students with access to competitive foods on campus. Public elementary school students in the South had more access to competitive food venues and greater availability of salty and sweet products in those venues compared with students in other parts of the country; however, they also had greater availability of healthier foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Many elementary school students can purchase competitive foods on campus. Most students with access to competitive venues could purchase sweet products, but healthier foods were less widely available.

Professional Identity and Burnout among Pre-School, Elementary, and Post-Elementary School Teachers in Israel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisherman, Shraga

2015-01-01

The novelty of the present study is its attempt to distinguish between pre-school, elementary, and post-elementary school teachers, regarding the relationship between professional identity and burnout. Two hundred and forty teachers responded to two questionnaires: professional identity and teacher burnout scales. Pre-school teachers were found to…

The Effects of Social Capital Levels in Elementary Schools on Organizational Information Sharing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekinci, Abdurrahman

2012-01-01

This study aims to assess the effects of social capital levels at elementary schools on organizational information sharing as reported by teachers. Participants were 267 teachers selected randomly from 16 elementary schools; schools also selected randomly among 42 elementary schools located in the city center of Batman. The data were analyzed by…

Senior Citizens as School Volunteers: New Resources for the Future. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipson, Lois

School volunteers come from many sources and provide a wide range of services at both the elementary and secondary levels. Senior citizens have discovered that volunteering offers an avenue for exercising skills and talents gained through a lifetime of experience. In schools across the country, older adults are being brought into classrooms, to…

When a School Becomes a Theatre Company: Plays at the Gold Hill School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giffin, Holly

1995-01-01

Reports on a public elementary school in Colorado that suspends all activities once or twice a year to become a children's theater. Describes how the whole community participates in the experience. Emphasizes the importance of adult-child collaboration. Relates how the collaborators construct original plays, rehearse and produce them, and finally…

Study of Experiences and Needs of Rural Education Achievement Program Grantees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Rebecca Anne; Caspary, Kyra; Jonas, Deborah

2016-01-01

Nationally, 28 percent of all public elementary and secondary schools were in rural locations in 2013-14, serving 18 percent of all K-12 students (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics 2015). Rural schools serve students in sparsely populated areas and have smaller overall populations than schools in other…

The Private Management of Public Schools: The Dade County, Florida, Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Deborah Lawson

In 1990, the Dade County Public School System (DCPS) in Dade County, Florida, entered into a 5-year contract with a private company, Educational Alternatives Incorporated (EAI), to manage the educational services at South Pointe Elementary School. This paper presents findings of an evaluation of the DCPS-EAI collaboration at South Pointe. Data…

Parenting Styles and Bullying at School: The Mediating Role of Locus of Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgiou, Stelios N.; Ioannou, Myria; Stavrinides, Panayiotis

2017-01-01

The current study examined the mediating role of children's locus of control in the relation between parenting styles and bully-victim experiences at school. Participants were 447 students aged 10 and 11 years old from 13 different elementary, urban, and rural schools in Cyprus. Analyses using structural equation modeling showed that parenting…

A Blended Summer School Experience for English Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koeppen, Olga Maritza

2016-01-01

This study analyzes Achieve3000, Lexia Core 5, and Imagine Learning software programs designed to increase student literacy levels in a six-week summer school program. The Brainology program was also used with 4th to 6th grade students to determine if there was an increase in growth mindset. Three elementary schools with the highest percentages of…

A Study of the Impact of Transformative Professional Development on Hispanic Student Performance on State Mandated Assessments of Science in Elementary School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Carla C.; Fargo, Jamison D.

2014-11-01

This paper reports the findings of a study of the impact of the transformative professional development (TPD) model on student achievement on state-mandated assessments of science in elementary school. Two schools (one intervention and one control) participated in the case study where teachers from one school received the TPD intervention across a 2-year period while teachers at the other school received no program and continued business as usual. The TPD program includes a focus on the core conceptual framework for effective professional development (Desimone in Educ Res 38:181-199, 2009) as well as an emphasis on culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) and other effective science instructional strategies. Findings revealed that participation in TPD had a significant impact on student achievement for Burns Elementary with the percentage of proficient students growing from 25 % at baseline to 67 % at the end of the 2-year program, while the comparison school did not experience similar growth. Implications for future research and implementation of professional development programs to meet the needs of teachers in the realm of CRP in science are discussed.

The way adults with orientation to mathematics teaching cope with the solution of everyday real-world problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gazit, Avikam; Patkin, Dorit

2012-03-01

The article aims to check the way adults, some who are practicing mathematics teachers at elementary school, some who are academicians making a career change to mathematics teachers at junior high school and the rest who are pre-service mathematics teachers at elementary school, cope with the solution of everyday real-world problems of buying and selling. The findings show that even adults with mathematical background tend to make mistakes in solving everyday real-world problems. Only about 70% of the adults who have an orientation to mathematics solved the sample problem correctly. The lowest percentage of success was demonstrated by the academicians making a career change to junior high school mathematics teachers whereas the highest percentage of success was manifested by pre-service elementary school mathematics teachers. Moreover, the findings illustrate that life experience of the practicing mathematics teachers and, mainly, of the academicians making a career change, who were older than the pre-service teachers, did not facilitate the solution of such a real-world problem. Perhaps the reason resides in the process of mathematics teaching at school, which does not put an emphasis on the solution of everyday real-world problems.

A Retrospective Look at the Educational Experiences of Individuals with Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Specht, Jacqueline A.; Polgar, Jan Miller; Willoughby, Colleen; King, Gillian; Brown, Elizabeth

2000-01-01

A study involving 15 adults with disabilities found, generally, that their elementary school experiences were negative. Those with physical disabilities experienced social isolation and unchallenging academic environments. Those with invisible disabilities felt challenged to learn in their educational environment. Negative experiences were often…

The Effects Classroom Experiences and Student Conduct Have on a Teacher's Self-Efficacy in Schools with Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medina, Lorena G.

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods phenomenological study was to describe elementary school general education teachers' perceptions of how their efficacy, as teachers, was affected by their experiences in implementing the PBIS framework. This study also sought to determine a better understanding of the skills necessary to impact all…

Places to Avoid: Population-Based Study of Student Reports of Unsafe and High Bullying Areas at School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaillancourt, Tracy; Brittain, Heather; Bennett, Lindsay; Arnocky, Steven; McDougall, Patricia; Hymel, Shelley; Short, Kathy; Sunderani, Shafik; Scott, Carol; Mackenzie, Meredith; Cunningham, Lesley

2010-01-01

Students' perceptions of school safety and experiences with bullying were examined in a large Canadian cohort of 5,493 girls and 5,659 boys in Grades 4 to 12. Results indicate notable differences in when and where students felt safe based on their own perceptions of safety and their own experiences with bullying, particularly across elementary and…

From Cultural Dissonance to Diasporic Affinity: The Experience of Jamaican Teachers in New York City Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Erold K.

2013-01-01

This phenomenological study was designed to investigate the experience of Jamaican teachers recruited to serve in elementary and high schools in New York City. The study explored three broad questions: (1) What was teaching like for the participants before they assumed their assignments in the US? (2) What is teaching in the US like for them? and…

Levels of use of an elementary school inquiry-based instructional innovation among a selected group of teacher participants in the Delaware Elementary Science Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouchelle, Henry Ellsworth Wirt, III

Science education in Delaware's public elementary and middle schools has experienced much change in recent years as a result of the adoption of state standards and, in particular, the adoption by school districts of the Smithsonian/National Science Resources Council-sponsored inquiry-based instruction modules as part of the "Elementary Science Initiative." As part of this adoption process, each participating elementary teacher and middle school science teacher receives extensive training in the use of several discrete science kits. The trainings include reinforcement and development of content knowledge, in addition to the modeling of and practice with complementary pedagogy. One measure of the effectiveness of the science kit training process (and perhaps the Initiative itself) is the teachers' levels of use of the Initiative. The purpose of this study was to determine the participating teachers' use of the science kit innovation through the use of the Concerns-based Adoption Model Levels of Use Questionnaire. Eight K--5 elementary classroom teachers who had completed at least three science kit trainings participated. The results of this study indicate that on the Overall Level of Use Rating Scale, teachers who had completed training in at least three science kits generally scored at the Routine (IVA) level. All of the teachers, regardless of the wide range in the number of years of experience, had achieved the Mechanical Use level in Overall (III) LoU, and 6 of the 8 participants (75%) were operating at no less than the Refinement (IVA) Overall LoU level.

Effective educational practice of river learning by using of Hiikawa-river of elementary school, Shimane prefecture, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomoyuki, U.; Matsumoto, I.

2012-12-01

The importance of field learning has been increasing at elementary school and junior high school in Japan. However, In Japan, it is little actual situation that there is in an opportunity for the field learning enforced in the school science lesson. This tendency is strong as much as school of the city and that circumference. I think that this cause is that there are few suitable places for educational tool to observe geological field near the school. Children learn about "Function of running water" in Grade 5 of elementary school in Japan. Therefore, In this study, We remark the river called "Hiikawa-river" which flow in Izumo city, Shimane prefecture as the science teaching materials. Hiikawa is the river which flowing through the granitic rock district. Therefore We can observe granitic rock from in the upper stream, midstream, to the down stream. That is, we can observe the function of running water and diameter (size) of granitic boulders. It is mean that Hiikawa is the one of good educational tool for Children to learn the function of running water. Though it is the place where nature is comparatively rich even in Japan, it can't be said that field learning is relatively popular in Shimane prefecture. I think that teacher has to learning experience at field, because teacher should settle confidence to guide to the student at the field. That is, if it is not, you can not teach children with truly important of curriculum view point of natural and field science. In this research, we introduce practice of geological field learning at the public elementary school of the Shimane prefecture by using of Hiikawa as educational tool which children learn about the function of running water in grade 5, elementary school. In addition, we hope that this study contribute to teachers teaching method and to children natural science literacy.

Circulation and Internationalisation of Pedagogical Concepts and Practices in the Discourse of Education: The Hamburg School Reform Experiment (1919-1933)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Christine

2014-01-01

In the context of the international exchange of school reform ideas and concepts, the new schools in Hamburg were recognised as exemplary instances of a revolutionary and forceful reform in the public elementary school systems. Based on studies of transfer and their premise that the transnational transfer of ideas, practices and objects does not…

Fostering 21st Century Skill Development by Engaging Students in Authentic Game Design Projects in a High School Computer Programming Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Michael K.; Ge, Xun; Greene, Barbara A.

2011-01-01

This study used technology-rich ethnography (TRE) to examine the use of game development in a high school computer programming class for the development of 21st century skills. High school students created games for elementary school students while obtaining formative feedback from their younger clients. Our experience suggests that in the…

School-Based Prevention for At-Risk Children: The Impact of the Primary Mental Health Project in Elementary Schools and Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munoz, Marco A.

In schools, the learning and optimal development of children with adaptive or behavioral problems may be seriously affected. In many schools, such problems are so prevalent that demand time and energy of the educators may dilute the educational experience of all children. This study examines the impact of the Primary Mental Health Project-- a…

The Production of Schoolchildren as Enlightenment Subjects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Link, Holly; Gallo, Sarah; Wortham, Stanton E. F.

2017-01-01

This article investigates children's elementary school experiences, exploring how they become autonomous, rational individuals--the type of person envisioned in the European Enlightenment and generally imagined as the outcome of Western schooling. Drawing on ethnographic research that followed one cohort of Latinx children across five years, we…

Student memories: Insights for science reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaillie, Jane Hall

The purpose of this study was to examine the recollections pre-service teachers majoring in elementary education have of their science experiences during their elementary years and to explore the recollections in the context of science education reform efforts. At the beginning of science methods course work, pre-service elementary teachers reflected on their memories of their own elementary education experiences. Themes from 102 reflective essays collected in two settings and time periods were identified and compared. The themes remained consistent over both settings and time frames studied and fall into three general categories: curriculum and instruction, teacher traits, and student traits. The pre-service teachers expressed difficulty in recalling elementary science experiences and attributed their limited memories to what they perceived as a low priority of science content in the elementary curriculum. Teaching strategies played a prominent role in the memories reported. Hands-on and active learning strategies produced positive memories, while lectures, reading textbooks, and completing worksheets resulted in more negative memories. Furthermore, pre-service teacher essays often failed to connect the learning activities with concept development or understanding. Pre-service teachers were split nearly equally between those who liked and those who disliked elementary science. The attributes of elementary teachers received the least attention in the categories and focused primarily on passion for teaching science. Implications for science reform leaders, teacher education preparation programs, and school administrators and curriculum directors are identified.

Changes in Body Mass Index During a 3-Year Elementary School-Based Obesity Prevention Program for American Indian and White Rural Students.

PubMed

Vogeltanz-Holm, Nancy; Holm, Jeffrey

2018-04-01

Childhood obesity is a significant but largely modifiable health risk, disproportionately affecting socioeconomically disadvantaged, racial/ethnic minority, and rural children. Elementary school-aged children typically experience the greatest increases in excess weight gain and therefore are important targets for reducing adolescent and adult obesity while improving children's health. Our study evaluated outcomes of a 3-year elementary school-based program for reducing obesity in American Indian and White students attending eight rural schools in the U.S. upper Midwest. Researchers measured body mass indexes (BMI) and other health indicators and behaviors of 308 beginning third-grade students and then again at the end of students' third, fourth, and fifth grades. The primary focus of this study is a mixed multilevel longitudinal model testing changes in age- and gender-adjusted BMI z scores ( zBMI). There was a significant decrease in zBMI across the 3-year study period. Ethnicity analyses showed that White students had overall decreases in zBMI whereas American Indian students' zBMIs remained stable across the program. Comparisons with children from an age- and cohort-matched national sample provided support for the effectiveness of the school program in reducing BMI and obesity during the study period. An elementary school-based health program that addresses a range of students' obesity-related health behaviors, the school health environment, and that involves educators and parents is an effective intervention for reducing or stabilizing BMI in rural White and American Indian students. School health programs for students living in rural communities may be especially effective due to greater school and community cohesiveness, and valuing of the school's primary role in improving community health.

An Experiment in Conference T.V.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

British Columbia Telephone Co., Vancouver.

Using business customers, a two-way television conference experiment was conducted between Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia. Two-way conferences were conducted between telephone officials, businessmen and government officials, college students, elementary-school pupils and teachers, and a psychiatrist and clients. Discussion topics…

The Emergence of Social Capital in Low-Income Latino Elementary Schools

PubMed Central

Shoji, Megan N.; Haskins, Anna R.; Rangel, David E.; Sorensen, Kia N.

2014-01-01

Scholars suggest that racial/ethnic and class disparities in school-based social capital contribute to educational inequalities. Previous studies demonstrate that social capital (relations of trust, mutual expectations, and shared values) between parents and schools supports children's development. Yet we know little about the emergence of social capital, that is, the processes through which it develops. In this study, we explore mechanisms of social capital emergence in predominantly low-income Latino school communities. We draw data from an experimental study that manipulated social capital through an after-school family engagement program. Based on interviews and focus groups with participating parents, teachers, and program staff in two elementary schools, we identified four types of interactions that act as mechanisms of social capital emergence: (1) responsive communication; (2) reciprocal communication; (3) shared experiences; and (4) institutional linkage. The article connects these mechanisms to theoretically linked sources of social capital and discusses implications for theory and practice. PMID:25246729

Examining the Effectiveness of the Smoking Prevention Program "I Do Not Smoke, I Exercise" in Elementary and Secondary School Settings.

PubMed

Kolovelonis, Athanasios; Goudas, Marios; Theodorakis, Yannis

2016-11-01

The aim of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the smoking prevention program "I do not smoke, I exercise" implemented with elementary and secondary school students. "I do not smoke, I exercise" is a theory-based smoking prevention program that promotes exercise as an alternative of smoking. The program consists of eight sessions implemented weekly. Participants were 338 Greek students (135 elementary and 203 secondary students) who were pre- and posttested in smoking, program, and exercise-related measures. The results showed that the program had significant effects on elementary students' attitudes toward smoking, intention to smoke, subjective norms, attitudes toward the application of the program, and knowledge about the health consequences of smoking. For secondary students, significant effects were found on students' perceived behavioral control and knowledge about the health consequences of smoking, while very few students reported a smoking experience before and after the intervention. Therefore the program "I do not smoke, I exercise" may have positive effects on variables related with smoking behavior. Differences in the program's impact on elementary and secondary students were identified. All these are discussed with reference to the need of implementing smoking prevention programs in schools contexts. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

Measuring perceived mental workload in children.

PubMed

Laurie-Rose, Cynthia; Frey, Meredith; Ennis, Aristi; Zamary, Amanda

2014-01-01

Little is known about the mental workload, or psychological costs, associated with information processing tasks in children. We adapted the highly regarded NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) multidimensional workload scale (Hart & Staveland, 1988) to test its efficacy for use with elementary school children. We developed 2 types of tasks, each with 2 levels of demand, to draw differentially on resources from the separate subscales of workload. In Experiment 1, our participants were both typical and school-labeled gifted children recruited from 4th and 5th grades. Results revealed that task type elicited different workload profiles, and task demand directly affected the children's experience of workload. In general, gifted children experienced less workload than typical children. Objective response time and accuracy measures provide evidence for the criterion validity of the workload ratings. In Experiment 2, we applied the same method with 1st- and 2nd-grade children. Findings from Experiment 2 paralleled those of Experiment 1 and support the use of NASA-TLX with even the youngest elementary school children. These findings contribute to the fledgling field of educational ergonomics and attest to the innovative application of workload research. Such research may optimize instructional techniques and identify children at risk for experiencing overload.

'Thoroughly Good Football': Teachers and the Origins of Elementary School Football.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerrigan, Colm

2000-01-01

Discusses the origins of elementary school soccer (football), addressing topics such as: the role of public schools in organized soccer, soccer in elementary schools, the first schoolboy soccer association, South London Schools' Football Association, the London Schools' Football Association, and the English Schools' Football Association. (CMK)

CSRQ Center Report on Elementary School Comprehensive School Reform Models: Educator's Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Data-Driven Reform in Education (NJ3), 2008

2008-01-01

Which comprehensive school reform programs have evidence of positive effects on elementary school achievement? To find out, this review summarizes evidence on comprehensive school reform (CSR) models in elementary schools, grades K-6. Comprehensive school reform models are programs used schoolwide to improve student achievement. They typically…

Science Alive!: Connecting with Elementary Students through Science Exploration.

PubMed

Raja, Aarti; Lavin, Emily Schmitt; Gali, Tamara; Donovan, Kaitlin

2016-05-01

A novel program called Science Alive! was developed by undergraduate faculty members, K-12 school teachers, and undergraduate students to enrich science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) literacy at community schools located near the university. The ultimate goal of the program is to bolster the scientific knowledge and appreciation of local area students and community members and serve as a model for similar programs. Through the program, we observed that elementary school students made gains toward learning their grade-level science curricula after a hands-on learning experience and had fun doing these hands-on activities. Through the program, undergraduate students, working with graduate students and alumni, build scientific learning modules using explanatory handouts and creative activities as classroom exercises. This helps better integrate scientific education through a collaborative, hands-on learning program. Results showed that elementary school students made the highest learning gains in their performance on higher-level questions related to both forces and matter as a result of the hands-on learning modules. Additionally, college students enjoyed the hands-on activities, would consider volunteering their time at such future events, and saw the service learning program as a benefit to their professional development through community building and discipline-specific service. The science modules were developed according to grade-level curricular standards and can be used year after year to teach or explain a scientific topic to elementary school students via a hands-on learning approach.

Predicting Scientific Understanding of Prospective Elementary Teachers: Role of Gender, Education Level, Courses in Science, and Attitudes Toward Science and Mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, David D.; Morris, John D.

2005-12-01

A multiple regression analysis of the relationship between prospective teachers' scientific understanding and Gender, Education Level (High School, College), Courses in Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, Astronomy, and Agriculture), Attitude Towards Science, and Attitude Towards Mathematics is reported. Undergraduate elementary science students ( N = 176) in an urban doctoral-level university in the United States participated in this study. The results of this study showed Gender, completion of courses in High School Chemistry and Physics, College Chemistry and Physics, and Attitudes Toward Mathematics and Science significantly correlated with scientific understanding. Based on a regression model, Gender, and College Chemistry and Physics experiences added significant predictive accuracy to scientific understanding among prospective elementary teachers compared to the other variables.

GLOBE Hydrology Workshop SEIP program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

Matt Krigbaum (left), a teacher at Mitchell Elementary in Ann Arbor, Mich., pours water from the Pearl River into a turbidity tube to measure the river's light penetration. Krigbaum, along with Lois Williams, principal at Elizabeth Courville Elementary in Detroit, Mich.; and Carolyn Martin and Arlene Wittmer, teachers at Elizabeth Courville Elementary; conducted the experiment during a GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) hydrology workshop. GLOBE is a worldwide, hands-on science education program in which teachers can become certified to implement the program at their schools after taking hydrology, land cover/biology, atmosphere/climate and soil protocol workshops. Twelve teachers from across the country attended the recent weeklong GLOBE training at SSC, offered through its Educator Resource Center and the NASA Explorer Schools program. All workshops are free and offer continuing education units.

GLOBE Hydrology Workshop SEIP program

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-06-30

Matt Krigbaum (left), a teacher at Mitchell Elementary in Ann Arbor, Mich., pours water from the Pearl River into a turbidity tube to measure the river's light penetration. Krigbaum, along with Lois Williams, principal at Elizabeth Courville Elementary in Detroit, Mich.; and Carolyn Martin and Arlene Wittmer, teachers at Elizabeth Courville Elementary; conducted the experiment during a GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) hydrology workshop. GLOBE is a worldwide, hands-on science education program in which teachers can become certified to implement the program at their schools after taking hydrology, land cover/biology, atmosphere/climate and soil protocol workshops. Twelve teachers from across the country attended the recent weeklong GLOBE training at SSC, offered through its Educator Resource Center and the NASA Explorer Schools program. All workshops are free and offer continuing education units.

Regional differences as barriers to body mass index screening described by Ohio school nurses.

PubMed

Stalter, Ann M; Chaudry, Rosemary V; Polivka, Barbara J

2011-08-01

Body mass index (BMI) screening is advocated by the National Association of School Nurses (NASN). Research identifying barriers to BMI screening in public elementary school settings has been sparse. The purpose of the study was to identify barriers and facilitating factors of BMI screening practices among Ohio school nurses working in suburban, rural, and urban public elementary schools. This descriptive study used focus groups with 25 school nurses in 3 geographic regions of Ohio. An adapted Healthy People 2010 model guided the development of semistructured focus group questions. Nine regional themes related to BMI screening emerged specific to suburban, rural, and/or urban school nurses' experiences with BMI screening practice, policy, school physical environment, school social environment, school risk/protection, and access to quality health care. Key facilitating factors to BMI screening varied by region. Key barriers to BMI screening were a lack of privacy, time, policy, and workload of school nurses. Regionally specific facilitating factors to BMI screening in schools provide opportunities for schools to accentuate the positive and to promote school health. © 2011, American School Health Association.

An Exploration of Elementary School Counselors' Perceptions of Students' Exposure to Violent Video Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woody, Tammy Lynn

2010-01-01

This study explored elementary school counselors' perceptions of working with students exposed to violent video games. Certified elementary school counselors participated in both an online survey and individual interviews, revealing their observations regarding elementary school children and the phenomenon of gaming. An emphasis was placed on…

A Study of Health Education and Its Needs for Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussain, Irshad; Alamgir, Muhammad Ahmad; Shahzad, Muhammad

2015-01-01

Health Education, particularly in elementary schools, appears to be a neglected area in Pakistan. This study investigated the health education needs of elementary school students. The purpose of the present study is to assess health education needs of elementary school students. The study adopted mix approach of (qualitative and quantitative)…

Delivering Technological Literacy to a Class for Elementary School Pre-Service Teachers in South Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwon, Hyuksoo

2017-01-01

This study was conducted with the aim of creating a new introductory course emphasizing the development of technological literacy for elementary school pre-service teachers. This study also aimed to investigate elementary school pre-service teachers' attitudinal transition toward elementary school technology education (ESTE) and its…

The Profession of Elementary Teaching from the Perspective of School Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turan, Mehmet; Turhan, Muhammed

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify how school administrators perceive the elementary teaching profession and elementary teachers. The population of the study comprised the administrators of elementary schools located in the center of Elazig, Adana and Malatya. A total of 185 questionnaires were sent to the school administrators included and…

Follow-up of an elementary school intervention for asthma management: do gains last into middle school?

PubMed

Greenberg, Cindy; Luna, Pamela; Simmons, Gretchen; Huhman, Marian; Merkle, Sarah; Robin, Leah; Keener, Dana

2010-06-01

Albuquerque Public Schools (APS), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conducted an evaluation to examine whether students who were exposed to the APS asthma program in elementary school retained benefits into middle school. APS middle school students who participated in the APS asthma program in elementary school, including the Open Airways for Schools (OAS) education curriculum, responded to a follow-up questionnaire (N = 121) and participated in student focus groups (N = 40). Asthma management self-efficacy scores from the follow-up questionnaire were compared to scores obtained before and after the OAS education component. Additional items assessed students' asthma symptoms, management skills, avoidance of asthma triggers, and school impact. Although asthma management self-efficacy scores declined in middle school among students exposed to the asthma program in elementary school, they remained significantly higher than scores obtained during elementary school prior to the OAS intervention. The results indicate that although students benefited from the asthma program delivered in elementary school, they need booster sessions and continued school support in middle school.

Prevalence of obesity in elementary school children and its association with dental caries

PubMed Central

Farsi, Deema J.; Elkhodary, Heba M.; Merdad, Leena A.; Farsi, Najat M.A.; Alaki, Sumer M.; Alamoudi, Najlaa M.; Bakhaidar, Haneen A.; Alolayyan, Mohammed A.

2016-01-01

Objectives To investigate the prevalence of obesity among elementary school children and to examine the association between obesity and caries activity in the mixed dentition stage. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between September 2014 and June 2015 using a multi-stage stratified sample of 915 elementary school children (482 boys, 433 girls) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Anthropometric measurements, consisting of height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC), were obtained. Children were classified as underweight/healthy, overweight, or obese and as non-obese or obese according to their BMI and WC, respectively. Each child’s caries experience was assessed using the decay score in the primary and permanent teeth. Results Based on BMI, 18% of children were obese, 18% were overweight, and 64% were underweight/normal. Based on WC, 16% of children were obese, and 84% were non-obese. Girls had a significantly higher prevalence of obesity based on WC measurements (p<0.001), but not BMI. Children enrolled in private schools had a significantly higher prevalence of obesity (p<0.05) than those in public schools. For primary and permanent teeth combined, children with higher BMI and WC had a lower prevalence of caries (p<0.05). Conclusion The prevalence of obesity was high among male and female elementary school children. Overall caries activity was inversely proportional to BMI and WC. PMID:27874156

Prevalence of obesity in elementary school children and its association with dental caries.

PubMed

Farsi, Deema J; Elkhodary, Heba M; Merdad, Leena A; Farsi, Najat M A; Alaki, Sumer M; Alamoudi, Najlaa M; Bakhaidar, Haneen A; Alolayyan, Mohammed A

2016-12-01

To investigate the prevalence of obesity among elementary school children and to examine the association between obesity and caries activity in the mixed dentition stage. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between September 2014 and June 2015 using a multi-stage stratified sample of 915 elementary school children (482 boys, 433 girls) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Anthropometric measurements, consisting of height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC), were obtained. Children were classified as underweight/healthy, overweight, or obese and as non-obese or obese according to their BMI and WC, respectively. Each child's caries experience was assessed using the decay score in the primary and permanent teeth. Results: Based on BMI, 18% of children were obese, 18% were overweight, and 64% were underweight/normal. Based on WC, 16% of children were obese, and 84% were non-obese. Girls had a significantly higher prevalence of obesity based on WC measurements (p less than 0.001), but not BMI. Children enrolled in private schools had a significantly higher prevalence of obesity (p less than 0.05) than those in public schools. For primary and permanent teeth combined, children with higher BMI and WC had a lower prevalence of caries (p less than 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity was high among male and female elementary school children. Overall caries activity was inversely proportional to BMI and WC.

Technical Knowledge in a Technical Society: Elementary School Technology Education in Sweden, 1919-1928

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallstrom, Jonas

2009-01-01

The aim of this article is to identify a technical domain of knowledge in the curriculum of the Swedish elementary school and views on elementary school technology of two interest groups--school teachers and engineers. Gradually during the early to mid-1920s there was increased technical content in the Swedish elementary school, if we look at the…

The Six-District Plan. Integration of the Springfield, Mass., Elementary Schools. A Report of the Massachusetts Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chin, Laura, Ed.

This report reviews the first year of integration, under the implementation of the Six-District Plan, of the elementary schools in Springfield, Massachusetts. Through this plan the school department changed the racial composition in five previously imbalanced elementary schools and integrated the elementary school system. Redistricting, the…

A Comparison of Parental Involvement in a High Performing Elementary School and a Low Performing Elementary School in Rural Georgia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Angelica Rivers

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant difference in parental involvement in a high performing elementary school and a low performing elementary school based on Epstein's Six Types of Involvement. The extent of parental involvement was identified by using The School and Family Partnership Survey Questionnaire for…

U.S. Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools 2016-2017. The Annual Statistical Report on Schools, Enrollment and Staffing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Dale; Schultz, Margaret

2017-01-01

The latest edition highlights information about schools, enrollment and staffing patterns for Catholic elementary and secondary schools. [For "U.S. Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools 2015-2016," see ED574513.

A study of sexuality education performance and associated factors among elementary school nurses in Taipei.

PubMed

Jou, Ming-Huey; Chen, Ping-Ling; Lee, Sheuan; Yin, Teresa J C

2003-03-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance and associated factors of sexuality education by elementary school nurses in Taipei. A structured questionnaire was utilized to collect data from a convenience sample of 145 elementary school nurses. The Kuder-Richarson reliability for sex knowledge scale was.73, and Cronbach's agr; for sex attitude scale was.93. The findings of the study were as followed: (1) Sex knowledge was high among study samples. The average scores for sex knowledge regarding " masturbation ", " sexual harassment and sexual abuse " were among the highest; those regarding " secondary sexual characteristics ", " ovulation ", " menstruation health care ", and " sexually transmitted diseases " were among the lowest. (2) Sex attitude was positive. Eighty percent of the study subjects agreed that school nurses were responsible for the promotion of sexual health in schools. More than 90% of the study subjects were willing to participate actively in sexuality education program in school, providing health consultation and guidance. (3) Twenty percent of the study subjects were not involved in sex education because they were not invited or due to busy working schedule.(4) Marital status, highest level of education, job title, job seniority, continuing education or training experience were the factors associated with the implementation of sexuality education among school nurses.

Executive Skills for Busy School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hitch, Chris; Coley, David C.

2010-01-01

This comprehensive and practical handbook offers research-based tools to help you fulfill all of your leadership responsibilities on time and with laser-like focus. The authors also share tips from their combined experiences as elementary, middle, and high school principals. This book provides examples of best practices from the business and…

One Day in Guajiquiro.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herdoiza-Estevez, Magdalena

2002-01-01

Explores the meaning of going to school in Guajiquiro, a deprived rural area in Honduras. Detailed descriptions of daily experiences at an elementary and a middle school spell out the range of investments needed to improve and sustain educational opportunities for Honduran children. Highlights the importance of shared ownership and community-based…

Why Is the Midpoint an Average?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bu, Lingguo

2013-01-01

Many preservice teachers come into teacher education programs with a rule-based view of mathematics, a view that is to a large extent indicative of their previous school experiences. In teaching preservice elementary school teachers, this author has used his instrumental understanding as the starting point for rich discussions about the…

What is the E.Q. (Environmental Quality) of Your School?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1971

Designed for elementary school use, this manual provides teachers with numerous experiments and activities to help children understand and evaluate the surrounding environment. Activities are planned to explore many aspects of the environmental problem. Suggestions for involvement in language arts, social studies, and mathematics are included…

Response to Intervention (RTI) Services: An Ecobehavioral Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenwood, Charles R.; Kim, Joung Min

2012-01-01

Schoolwide Response to Intervention (RTI) services are growing in prevalence in U.S. schools. Most advanced are RTI programs in elementary schools, with preschool and secondary education programs beginning to discuss, develop, and experiment with schoolwide RTI. At its heart, RTI seeks to account for individual differences in student learning…

Student Storytellers--One School Librarian's Digital Journey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smollar, Sally

2016-01-01

As an elementary school librarian, Sally Smollar has had access to the latest technologies since document scanners were considered cutting edge. Even then, allowing students to scan images to insert into their stories was a game changer. Since those days, Smollar writes that she has never stopped experimenting with various platforms and…

Girls' Groups as a Component of Anti-Sexist Practice--One Primary School's Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reay, Diane

1990-01-01

In an effort to improve their achievement and confidence, girls at a London elementary school were segregated and taught subjects designed to counter traditional role limitations. Boys, meanwhile, felt their status was being undermined, and teachers were uncertain about the rightness of countering societal norms. (DM)

Architecture for the Whole Child: Celebrating Change!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Bartlett J.

1997-01-01

Argues well-designed middle schools support the physical, social, cognitive, and emotional changes students experience. Promotes a design that is a hybrid of the home-based, child-centered elementary model and the elective-based, campus high school model. Focuses on enabling cross-curriculum, interdisciplinary team instruction in smaller,…

Transporting Radioactive Waste: An Engineering Activity. Grades 5-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HAZWRAP, The Hazardous Waste Remedial Actions Program.

This brochure contains an engineering activity for upper elementary, middle school, and high school students that examines the transportation of radioactive waste. The activity is designed to inform students about the existence of radioactive waste and its transportation to disposal sites. Students experiment with methods to contain the waste and…

Colonized Teachers: Examining the Implementation of a Scripted Reading Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacGillivray, Laurie; Ardell, Amy Lassiter; Curwen, Margaret Sauceda; Palma, Jennifer

2004-01-01

During a time of reform and accountability, school districts are closely monitoring teachers' instructional decisions, practices, and classroom environments. In this paper, we apply neocolonial theory to describe the experiences of elementary grade teachers in one California school district who are required to follow a scripted basal reading…

Inclusive Education--Empirical Experience from Serbia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kovacevic, Jasmina; Macesic-Petrovic, Dragana

2012-01-01

This descriptive study finds out the problems most frequently facing the children with special needs in regular schooling. The sample included 500 teachers in elementary schools from Serbia. The results point out the problems in inclusive education. Most educational problems occur in relations and communications with their peers in typical…

Attitudes and Inclusive Practices: A Dilemma for Elementary School Principals and Special Education Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs-Bell, Temirra

2014-01-01

School administrators and special education administrators are integral partners in the success of the education process in that their personal experiences, special education training, and attitudes influence educational programming every day. This study examined whether the independent variables of attitudes, special educational training, and…

Ecology: Learning To Love Our Planet. A Self-Directed Learning Experience. Grades K-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enz, Judith; Diffenderfer, Susan

This self-directed study unit for grades K-3 and 4-8 was developed expressly to transport the student from the position of passive recipient to active participant in his/her own pursuit of knowledge. Within the guide are two complete units: one created for the lower elementary student and one for the upper elementary/middle school student. Units…

Developing an Ethical Framework in Decision Making of Rural Elementary School Principals in Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hozien, Wafa Ismail

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore and describe individual Pennsylvania rural elementary principals' experiences of ethical decision-making in a complex era. Ethical dilemma, in this case, is the term used to depict an incident which calls for a decision to be made when moral values or ethical principles were in conflict. Also, to learn how…

Dedos de Luna. Children's Literature in Spanish: Bilingual Edition. Guia para maestros en espanol e ingles. Elementary Literature Series, Part II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Dana; Huerta, Mario

This curriculum unit is designed to give primary school students foreign language experiences and also to support the cultural literacy strand of the California State History-Social Science Framework. The unit is part of an elementary literature series which utilizes quality primary source literature from various world regions and countries and…

The Dispositions of Elementary School Children of Individualistic and Collectivist Cultures Who Are Intrinsically Motivated to Seek Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crow, Sherry R.; Kastello, Lisa

2016-01-01

This paper is based on two studies conducted in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2008 and in Kampala, Uganda, in 2014. The basic research question addressed in both studies was: "What are the experiences in the lives of upper elementary-aged children that foster an intrinsic motivation to seek information?" The secondary question was:…

The Effects of Problem-Based Learning with Flipped Classroom on Elementary Students' Computing Skills: A Case Study of the Production of Ebooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsai, Chia-Wen; Shen, Pei-Di; Lu, Yu-Jui

2015-01-01

This study investigated, via quasi-experiments, the effects of problem-based learning with flipped classroom (FPBL) on the development of students' learning performance. In this study, 144 elementary school students were selected from sixth-grade sections taking a course titled "Production of Ebook," and were assigned into the following…

Role of Geology in Science Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolesar, Peter Thomas

1989-01-01

Described is a teacher education course designed to give future elementary school teachers hands-on experience in hypothesis formation and testing. Four science experiences are discussed which involve different earth science principles including: porosity and permeability; freezing and thawing; river discharge and sedimentation; and groundwater…

Evaluating a Model of School-Based Health and Social Services: An Interdisciplinary Community-University Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bronstein, Laura R.; Anderson, Elizabeth; Terwilliger, Susan H.; Sager, Kristen

2012-01-01

The purpose of this article is to share results of an exploratory qualitative research study designed to shed light on experiences of an interdisciplinary group of elementary school staff and graduate students in a school-based services project. A researcher conducted 20 interviews with staff and graduate students who represented the fields of…

Peer Teaching as a Strategy for Conflict Management and Student Re-Engagement in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Bruce

2012-01-01

This article reports on a major action research program that experimented with the use of cross-age peer teaching in schools to assist teachers to manage conflict issues in their classrooms, and to re-engage disaffected students in learning. The research, which was conducted in a range of elementary and secondary schools in Australia, was part of…

Central Park East and Its Graduates: "Learning by Heart." The Series on School Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bensman, David

This book describes New York City's Central Park East (CPE) Elementary School, which provides inner city children with the highest quality educators and pedagogy and is considered one of the most academically enriching U.S. schools. The book gives voice to young adults who emerged from poverty as a result of powerful experiences within CPE.…

Children's Elementary School Social Experience and Executive Functions Development: Introduction to a Special Section.

PubMed

van Lier, Pol A C; Deater-Deckard, Kirby

2016-01-01

Children's executive functions, encompassing inhibitory control, working memory and attention are vital for their self-regulation. With the transition to formal schooling, children need to learn to manage their emotions and behavior in a new and complex social environment that with age increases in the intensity of social interactions with peers and teachers. Stronger executive functions skills facilitate children's social development. In addition, new experiences in the social environments of school also may influence executive function development. The focus of this special section is on this potential impact of elementary school social experiences with peers and teacher on the development of children's executive functions. The collection of papers encompass various aspects of peer and teacher social environments, and cover broad as well as specific facets and measures of executive functions including neural responses. The collection of papers sample developmental periods that span preschool through mid-adolescence. In this introduction, we summarize and highlight the main findings of each of the papers, organized around social interactions with peers and interactions with teachers. We conclude our synopsis with implications for future research, and a specific focus on prevention and intervention.

Using Children's Drawings to Examine Student Perspectives of Classroom Climate in a School-within-a-School Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmer, Jennie L.; Spearman, Mindy; Qian, Meihua; Leonard, Alison E.; Rosenblith, Suzanne

2018-01-01

This study examines student perceptions of classroom climate at a school-within-a-school (SWAS) elementary school located in the southeastern United States. The elementary school contains a school for students identified as highly gifted within a neighborhood school. Researchers utilized drawings to determine students' perceptions of their…

Experiences of high school Hispanic girls in pursuit of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related coursework and careers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijil, Veronica G.

2011-12-01

An overall increased awareness of the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has prompted attention toward the continued underrepresentation of Hispanic women in this field. The purpose of this collective case study was to explore the support systems, perceived barriers, and prior experiences influencing high school Hispanic girls' decisions to pursue advanced coursework and related careers through a career pathway in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) areas. Specifically, participants were interviewed regarding their mathematics and science experiences in elementary and middle schools, as well as perceived supports and barriers to their choices to pursue STEM careers and advanced coursework. Results indicated that the participants linked their elementary and middle school experiences with their teachers rather than specific activities. Accolades such as certificates and good grades for academic achievement contributed to the girls' strong self-efficacy at an early age. The participants possessed self-discipline and self-confidence, using intrinsic motivation to pursue their goals. Support systems included families and a few teachers. Barriers were revealed in different forms including derogatory comments by boys in class, difficult curricula with limited tutors available for higher level courses, and receipt of financial assistance to attend a university of their choice.

Negotiating the integration of new literacies in math and science content: The lived experience of classroom teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wimmer, Jennifer Joy

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experience of integrating new literacies in math and science content by upper elementary and middle school teachers. This study highlights the lived experience of six teachers including two elementary math teachers, two middle school math teachers, and two middle school science teachers. Data sources included five in-depth interviews, teachers' weekly reflection journals, weekly classroom observations, and one principal interview at each of the three high-needs schools. Data were analyzed through an analytic and thematic approach. A reconstructed story was created for each teacher which provides insight into the teacher as an individual. Additionally, a thematic analysis resulted in the identification of five essential themes across all six stories which included: technology exclusively, rethinking who they are as teachers, stabilizing rather than challenging content, rethinking student learning, circumstances, and futures, and serving official context and discourse. The findings indicate that the teachers' lived experience of integrating new literacies in math and science content was filled with uncertainty and a search for stability. A key implication of this study is the need for quality professional development that provides teachers with the opportunity to learn about, question, and rethink the intersection of new literacies, content area literacy, and teacher knowledge.

Elementary Counselor Need and Duties: Do Nevada's Principals Reflect the National Opinion?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierce, Keith A.

In a leading Nevada school district 35 elementary principals were surveyed to determine their perception of the need for elementary school counselors and the duties they would like a counselor to perform in their schools should counselors become available. Two findings emerged prominently: (1) the principals do want elementary school counselors;…

Comparing Slovenian Year 8 and Year 9 Elementary School Pupils' Knowledge of Electrolyte Chemistry and Their Intrinsic Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devetak, Iztok; Lorber, Erna Drofenik; Jurisevic, Mojca; Glazar, Sasa A.

2009-01-01

This study explored the differences between eight-year elementary school pupils (before the curriculum reform) and nine-year elementary school pupils (soon after the curriculum reform) in Slovenia, as regards specific chemistry knowledge and motivation to learn chemistry. Altogether, 191 elementary school pupils participated in the study. The…

Assessing the Effectiveness of New Hampshire Elementary Schools: An Effective Schools Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortner, Tara

2017-01-01

Despite consistently strong performances among NH 4th graders on the NAEP assessments, large disparities have been observed among NH elementary students on the NECAP assessments based on race and SES. The current study assessed the effectiveness of NH elementary schools, as defined by the effective schools research. Of the 209 elementary schools…

The Effect of No Child Left Behind on Elementary School Principals as Instructional Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKay, Ronald W.

2011-01-01

This quantitative survey-design research study examined elementary school principals' perceptions regarding the effect of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). A primary focus of the study was to determine how elementary school principals feel about the influence of NCLB on their role as instructional leader. A sample of 133 elementary school principals…

Does elementary school alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use increase middle school risk?

PubMed

Wilson, Nance; Battistich, Victor; Syme, S Leonard; Boyce, W Thomas

2002-06-01

To assess whether alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use in elementary school may have serious implications for continued ATOD use in middle school and beyond. Longitudinal analyses were conducted on questionnaire data from 331 middle school students who had previously provided ATOD-use data during elementary school. Non-school personnel administered questionnaires in three participating school districts in three different states. The sample of students was ethnically and geographically diverse, including students from a range of low socioeconomic status backgrounds living in rural, urban or inner-city environments. Middle school alcohol use was almost three times as likely to occur if alcohol use had occurred in elementary school (OR = 2.94, p <.001). Elementary school use of tobacco and marijuana also greatly increased the likelihood of middle school use (OR = 5.35, p <.001 and OR = 4.25, p <.05, respectively). Early use of ATOD is associated with greatly increased odds of later use, which has important implications for the timing of drug prevention programs. Preventive interventions designed for use in pediatric practice settings should commence no later than elementary school, during the middle childhood years.

Teachers' beliefs about mental health needs in inner city elementary schools.

PubMed

Walter, Heather J; Gouze, Karen; Lim, Karen G

2006-01-01

To survey teachers' beliefs about mental health service needs in inner city elementary schools. A total of 119 teachers from six elementary schools in a major city in the midwestern United States were surveyed to assess their beliefs about the major mental health problems facing their schools, the major barriers to surmounting those problems, their preferences for mental health topics for in-service education, and their education, experience, knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy pertaining to mental health issues. Disruptive behavior was endorsed by approximately 50% of teachers as the largest mental health problem facing their schools, and lack of information/training was endorsed as the greatest barrier to surmounting mental health problems. The highest-rated topics for in-service education were disruptive behavior disorders and implementing behavior plans. Although most teachers had taught students with mental health problems, most had had little education in mental health and little consultation with mental health professionals. Correspondingly, teachers' knowledge about mental health issues was limited, and they did not feel confident about their ability to manage mental health problems in their classrooms. Teachers would benefit from education, training, and consultation from mental health professionals if they serve as effective gatekeepers to mental health services.

Qualitative research study of high-achieving females' life experiences impacting success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butcher, Ann Patrice

2003-07-01

This qualitative study investigated the life experiences of five academically gifted female students in math and science in reflection of their elementary learning prior to enrollment at a prestigious science and mathematics high school. The elite high school limits admission to the state of Illinois' top students. The purpose of this study is to unfold the story of five academically gifted females in attendance at the elite high school reflecting on their life experiences in elementary school that contributed to their current academic success. Twelve female students, who at the time of this study were currently in their senior year (12th grade) of high school, were solicited from the top academic groups who are regarded by their teachers as highly successful in class. Students were selected as part of the study based on academic status, survey completion and interest in study, Caucasian and Asian ethnicity, locale of elementary school with preference given to the variety of school demographics---urban, suburban, and rural---further defined the group to the core group of five. All female participants were personally interviewed and communicated via Internet with the researcher. Parents and teachers completing surveys as well met the methodological requirements of triangulation. An emergent theme of paternal influence came from the research. Implications supported in the research drawn from this study to increase achievement of academically gifted females include: (a) proper early identification of learner strengths plays a role; (b) learning with appropriate intellectual peers is more important than learning with their age group; (c) teachers are the greatest force for excellent instruction; (d) effective teaching strategies include cooperative learning, multi-sensory learning, problem-based learning, and hands-on science; (e) rigor in math is important; (f) gender and stereotypes need not be barriers; (g) outside interests and activities are important for self-concept; (h) high parental expectations and the parental role, especially the father's role, are imperative; and (i) reading avidly was preferred over watching television. Further research is needed to verify all components and interactions of the same with a greater sample of gifted students, by extending the study to include the male counterpart and by providing additional validity to elementary instruction and the success of academically gifted students.

Backyard Biodiversity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Sarah S.

2002-01-01

Describes a field trip experience for the Earth Odyssey project for elementary school students focusing on biodiversity. Introduces the concept of diversity, field work, species richness, and the connection between animals and their habitat. (YDS)

Who are We?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Janet

1974-01-01

Described the efforts of an elementary school teacher to help her students to think and verbalize about their current experiences while including in the lesson some art history of the Paleolithic period. (Author/RK)

Pre-Service English Teachers' Perceptions and Practice of Field Experience and Professional Learning from Expert Teachers' Mentoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chien, Chin-Wen

2015-01-01

Though it is well known that pre-service teachers' field experiences are recognized as key to enhancing teaching practice, Taiwanese pre-service teachers who take "Teaching Methods and Materials" in elementary school's seven areas often complain that they lack field experience. They do not have the opportunity to experience teaching…

An elective course to engage student pharmacists in elementary school science education.

PubMed

Woodard, Lisa J; Wilson, Judith S; Blankenship, James; Quock, Raymond M; Lindsey, Marti; Kinsler, Janni J

2011-12-15

To develop and assess the impact of an elective course (HealthWISE) on student pharmacists' skills in communication and health promotion and elementary school students' knowledge of and attitudes toward science. Three colleges and schools of pharmacy collaborated to develop a 1-credit elective course that used online and classroom teaching and learning techniques to prepare student pharmacists to teach science in elementary school classrooms. Student pharmacists delivered 6 science lessons to elementary students over the course of 2 months. In weekly journal reflections and a final paper, student pharmacists reported improved communication and health promotion skills. Elementary teachers reported they were satisfied with student pharmacists' performance in the classroom. On pretest and posttest evaluations, elementary students demonstrated increased science knowledge and enhanced enthusiasm for science following the lessons taught by student pharmacists. The HealthWISE elective course provided positive benefit for student pharmacists, elementary school teachers, and elementary students.

Fostering Formal Commutativity Knowledge with Approximate Arithmetic

PubMed Central

Hansen, Sonja Maria; Haider, Hilde; Eichler, Alexandra; Godau, Claudia; Frensch, Peter A.; Gaschler, Robert

2015-01-01

How can we enhance the understanding of abstract mathematical principles in elementary school? Different studies found out that nonsymbolic estimation could foster subsequent exact number processing and simple arithmetic. Taking the commutativity principle as a test case, we investigated if the approximate calculation of symbolic commutative quantities can also alter the access to procedural and conceptual knowledge of a more abstract arithmetic principle. Experiment 1 tested first graders who had not been instructed about commutativity in school yet. Approximate calculation with symbolic quantities positively influenced the use of commutativity-based shortcuts in formal arithmetic. We replicated this finding with older first graders (Experiment 2) and third graders (Experiment 3). Despite the positive effect of approximation on the spontaneous application of commutativity-based shortcuts in arithmetic problems, we found no comparable impact on the application of conceptual knowledge of the commutativity principle. Overall, our results show that the usage of a specific arithmetic principle can benefit from approximation. However, the findings also suggest that the correct use of certain procedures does not always imply conceptual understanding. Rather, the conceptual understanding of commutativity seems to lag behind procedural proficiency during elementary school. PMID:26560311

75 FR 1611 - Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Overview Information; Elementary and Secondary School...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-12

... Secondary School Counseling Programs; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010...: The purpose of the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling program is to support efforts by local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish or expand elementary school and secondary school counseling programs...

8 CFR 214.3 - Approval of schools for enrollment of F and M nonimmigrants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... home school, (B) A public elementary school, or (C) An adult education program, as defined by section... in elementary or secondary education; (N) If the school is engaged in higher education; (O) If the... school. (F) A private elementary school. (G) An institution which provides language training, instruction...

8 CFR 214.3 - Approval of schools for enrollment of F and M nonimmigrants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... home school, (B) A public elementary school, or (C) An adult education program, as defined by section... in elementary or secondary education; (N) If the school is engaged in higher education; (O) If the... school. (F) A private elementary school. (G) An institution which provides language training, instruction...

Factors Influencing Students' Adaptability in School: A Production Function Model and Multilevel Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Du, Ping

2008-01-01

This study used sampling survey data from rural elementary schools in western China to analyze school adaptability, which is the representative noncognitive development of rural elementary students. It also investigated factors influencing the school adaptability of elementary school students at an individual and school level by using production…

Precision in the Teaching, Learning, and Communication of Elementary School Mathematics: A Reply to Wilson's "Elementary School Mathematics Priorities"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maher, Carolyn; Weber, Keith

2009-01-01

In "Elementary School Mathematics Priorities," Wilson (2009 [this issue]) presents a list of five core concepts that students should master in elementary school so that they can succeed in algebra. As researchers in mathematics education, the authors enthusiastically endorse Wilson's recommendations. Learning algebra is key to further study of…

Efficacy development in science: Investigating the effects of the Teacher-to-Teacher (T2T) professional development model in Hilo elementary schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinner, Pascale Creek

Conderman and Sheldon Woods (2008) suggest that although science plays a central role in our world today, science instruction seems to be minimized particularly at the elementary grade levels. Research has investigated the construct of efficacy (Bandura, 1977, 2006a; Riggs & Enochs, 1990; Ramey-Gassert, Shroyer & Staver, 1996; Tschannen-Moran, Hoy & Hoy, 1998, 2001). Professional and conceptual development in teachers has also been explored (Gordon, 1990; Sheerer, 1997; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2007). The purpose of this research was to describe the changes in efficacy elementary teachers experience as they participated in science professional development. Data from a Math/Science Partnership (MSP) grant sample suggested significant changes in science self-efficacy and improved pedagogy. Mixed methods revealed connections resulting in a multi-faceted Progression of Efficacy Growth flowchart. The results suggest that utilizing the Teacher-to-Teacher (T2T) professional development model has created a pathway for more science teaching across the Hilo elementary schools.

Socio-Educational Bullying: Repercussions Revealed

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruest-Paquette, Anne-Sophie

2015-01-01

Using a narrative autoethnographical approach, this article details the identity-related and social repercussions of my experiences as a former victim of social, verbal, and physical bullying in public Franco-Ontarian elementary (1986-1994) and high (1994-1999) schools. The highlighted experiences are more specifically correlated with social…

Correlates among Teachers' Anxieties, Demographics, and Telecomputing Activity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Judith B.; Grandgenett, Neal

1996-01-01

Describes a study of 189 elementary and secondary school educators with accounts on Tenet (Texas Education Network) whose logins and online time for one year were correlated with nine variables: writing apprehension, oral communication apprehension, computer anxiety, age, teaching experience, telecomputing experience, gender, professional…

A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF PARENTAL AWARENESS AND EXPERIENCE ON DRINKING WATER POLICIES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamura, Sombo; Ohnuki, Maromi; Nagaoka, Hiroshi

Recently increased number of elementary school pupils brings drinks from home for their hydration at school and this phenomenon indicates the change of the role of water supply at schools. In order to investigate the potential causes and the structure of the problem, an online survey targeting mothers of grade-schoolers was carried out, taking account of psychological factors of mothers as well as their decision making process. In the questionnaire preparation, latent variables and observable variables were assumed. The identified results include: difference exists on people's choice of drinking water; more parents in western Japan wish pupils bring drinks and some parents in eastern Japan wish the same. Covariance structure analysis identified a causalmodel; in which parents' frustration to schools associated with decreased reliability to tap water cause parents' advice to pupils take drink from home. Policy makers are expected to make the most of the result of analysis.

Effective Schools: Do Elementary Prescriptions Fit Secondary Schools?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Firestone, William A.; Herriott, Robert E.

Most of the recent research identifying organizational characteristics that seem to make schools unusually effective has been conducted at the elementary level and may not be applicable to secondary schools. Research currently underway suggests that the basic organizational structures of elementary and secondary schools dictate two different…

Preparing Perservice Teachers to Teach Elementary School Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Amy D.

2017-01-01

The development of scientifically literate citizens begins in the elementary school. Yet elementary school teachers are ill prepared to teach science (Trygstad, Smith, Banilower, Nelson, & Horizon Research, Inc., 2013). The research base on teacher preparation finds that programs designed to prepare elementary teachers are inadequate in…

Developing a Pedagogically Useful Content Knowledge in Elementary Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peck, Donald M.; Connell, Michael L.

Elementary school teacher candidates typically enter their professional training with deficiencies in their conceptual understanding of the topics of elementary school mathematics and with a reliance upon procedural (algorithmic) approaches to the solutions of mathematical problems. If elementary school teacher candidates are expected to teach…

Children's Acquisition of Arithmetic Principles: The Role of Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prather, Richard; Alibali, Martha W.

2011-01-01

The current study investigated how young learners' experiences with arithmetic equations can lead to learning of an arithmetic principle. The focus was elementary school children's acquisition of the Relation to Operands principle for subtraction (i.e., for natural numbers, the difference must be less than the minuend). In Experiment 1, children…

When Authentic Experiences Are "Enminded" into Disciplinary Genres: Crossing Biographic and Situated Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tochon, Francois Victor

2000-01-01

Uses data on the oral communication of elementary school learning groups (459 Canadian students in 63 learning groups) to show how experience transcends subject-matter planning, and the paradoxical nature of planning for authentic experiences in education. Presents a framework for semiotic research into disciplinary didactics as a prototype…

Experiments in the Chemistry of Food.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weaver, Elbert C.

This booklet presents 18 experiments in the chemistry of food, suitable for elementary and secondary school science classes. Experiments deal with an analysis of milk, determinations of the amounts of sulfur dioxide, iron, and fat in foods, and the concentration of vitamin C in fruit juice and iodine in salt. Tests are provided for fats,…

Student Experiences with Writing: Taking the Temperature of the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zumbrunn, Sharon; Ekholm, Eric; Stringer, J. K.; McKnight, Kimberly; DeBusk-Lane, Morgan

2017-01-01

This article offers insights into students' perceptions of writing through the use of drawings and written responses. In a descriptive qualitative study of fifth graders across two diverse elementary schools, students were prompted to draw a picture about a recent experience with writing and how that experience made them feel. Students were then…

The perceived impact of No Child Left Behind on third- through fifth-grade elementary science classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinsler, Angela V.

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceived impact of No Child Left Behind on elementary science classrooms in 3 Northeast Tennessee school districts. Quantitative descriptive methodology was used to document how No Child Left Behind impacts instructional methodology, professional development, administrative support, materials and resources, and assessment in 3rd through 5th grades. Data were collected using a survey developed by the researcher. The survey consisted of a demographic section, 28 statements, and 2 open-ended questions. The 51 participants included elementary-school science teachers in 8 schools in 3 upper East Tennessee school districts. Data analysis was based on the following demographics: differing levels of teaching experience, No Child Left Behind school status, and small and large schools. Findings included: The 3 greatest concerns of the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act were the pressures felt by teachers to increase test scores, the manner in which it impacted at-risk or disadvantaged students, and the lack of inservice, specifically for science. Findings also revealed that low-scoring schools or grades were receiving extra assistance and teachers reported they feel that their school or district fosters and supports change. An analysis of the open-ended questions emphasized the stress teachers reported feeling along with the loss of science instruction time to math and language arts.

Change over a service learning experience in science undergraduates' beliefs expressed about elementary school students' ability to learn science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goebel, Camille A.

This longitudinal investigation explores the change in four (3 female, 1 male) science undergraduates' beliefs expressed about low-income elementary school students' ability to learn science. The study sought to identify how the undergraduates in year-long public school science-teaching partnerships perceived the social, cultural, and economic factors affecting student learning. Previous service-learning research infrequently focused on science undergraduates relative to science and society or detailed expressions of their beliefs and field practices over the experience. Qualitative methodology was used to guide the implementation and analysis of this study. A sample of an additional 20 science undergraduates likewise involved in intensive reflection in the service learning in science teaching (SLST) course called Elementary Science Education Partners (ESEP) was used to examine the typicality of the case participants. The findings show two major changes in science undergraduates' belief expressions: (1) a reduction in statements of beliefs from a deficit thinking perspective about the elementary school students' ability to learn science, and (2) a shift in the attribution of students, underlying problems in science learning from individual-oriented to systemic-oriented influences. Additional findings reveal that the science undergraduates perceived they had personally and profoundly changed as a result of the SLST experience. Changes include: (1) the gain of a new understanding of others' situations different from their own; (2) the realization of and appreciation for their relative positions of privilege due to their educational background and family support; (3) the gain in ability to communicate, teach, and work with others; (4) the idea that they were more socially and culturally connected to their community outside the university and their college classrooms; and (5) a broadening of the way they understood or thought about science. Women participants stated that the experience validated their science and science-related career choices. Results imply that these changes have the potential to strengthen the undergraduate pursuit of science-related careers and will contribute positive influences to our education system and society at large.

Advantaged/Disadvantaged School Neighborhoods, Parental Networks, and Parental Involvement at Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Angran; Fischer, Mary J.

2017-01-01

This article examines the relationship between parental networks and parental school involvement during the elementary school years. Using a large, nationally representative data set of elementary school students--the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort--and contextual data from the 2000 U.S. Census, our multilevel analysis…

77 FR 10981 - Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-24

... encourages the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables by elementary school children, thus improving their... participation to elementary schools beginning in school year 2010-2011. Additionally, the number of schools that... authorities for the service of fresh fruit and vegetables in selected elementary schools. Section 19 of the...

Theaters in Elementary Schools. AIA School Plant Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brush, Martha S.

1963-01-01

A national volunteer program for producing a children's theater in elementary schools is severaly limited by the inadequacy of theater facilities in local school systems. A general discussion of the theater program is presented, the current state of theater facilities in elementary schools, difficulties in play production, and possible causes for…

44 CFR 7.8 - Elementary and secondary schools.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... schools. 7.8 Section 7.8 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY...) Nondiscrimination in FEMA-Assisted Programs-General § 7.8 Elementary and secondary schools. The requirements of section 7 with respect to any elementary or secondary school or school system shall be deemed to be...

A Qualitative Study on Sustainable Professional Learning Communities in Catholic Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez, Alexandra

2017-01-01

This qualitative study examined the elements of professional learning communities within Catholic elementary schools. The purpose of this study was to investigate best practices of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) as reported by elementary principals in a random sample of Catholic elementary schools. The researcher interviewed 14…

Elementary School Organization: Self-Contained and Departmentalized Classroom Structures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Des Moines Public Schools, IA.

Surveys were conducted to investigate contemporary thought regarding organizational practices at the elementary level, with particular attention to identifying the extent to which departmentalization was supported by research and actually employed in 24 elementary schools in the Midwest and in 41 Des Moines elementary schools. Four committees…

Integrating Environmental Education into the Elementary School Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hua, Bian

2004-01-01

Elementary education in China is mainly subject-based and courses are offered by discipline. Because of this, it is impossible to offer a special course in environmental education in elementary schools. This article explains that the best approach to teach environmental education to elementary schools is to integrate environmental education by…