Psychometric Properties of the Student Risk Screening Scale: An Effective Tool for Use in Diverse Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oakes, Wendy Peia; Wilder, Kaitlin S.; Lane, Kathleen Lynne; Powers, Lisa; Yokoyama, Lynn T. K.; O'Hare, Mary Ellen; Jenkins, Abbie B.

2010-01-01

The authors examined the psychometric properties of the "Student Risk Screening Scale", as used in three ethnically, culturally, and economically diverse urban midwestern elementary schools. The results suggest strong internal consistency ([alpha] = 0.81-0.82) and test-retest stability (r = 0.86). Initial ratings of risk as measured by…

Student Initiatives in Urban Elementary Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Scott; Lee, Okhee; Santau, Alexandra; Cone, Neporcha

2010-01-01

Student initiatives play an important role in inquiry-based science with all students, including English language learning (ELL) students. This study examined initiatives that elementary students made as they participated in an intervention to promote science learning and English language development over a three-year period. In addition, the…

The Relationship between Physical Activity Level, Body Mass Index, and Body Fat Percentages in Urban and Rural Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orhan, Özlem

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to compare the physical activity levels, physical activity types, Body Mass Index (BMI) and body fat percentage (BF%) values of elementary school students living in rural and urban. Body height (BH), body weight (BW), BF% and BMI data were measured. Physical activity questionnaire was conducted to determine the…

Dramatizing the Authentic Research of a Local Scientist to Urban Elementary Students through Professional Theater

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgin, Stephen R.; Alonzo, Jenifer; Hill, Victoria J.

2016-01-01

This article focuses on the impact of a professional play that we developed in order to introduce elementary learners of an urban school to the research of a scientist working at a local university. The play was written in a way that might increase student understandings of the nature of science, scientific inquiry, the identity of scientists, and…

Primary Literacy Achievement: A Collaborative Urban Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Vikki K.; Carroll, Barbara; Miller, Sallie Averitt; Yates, H. Marguerite; Perryman, Denise; Alexander, Sabrina; Caldwell, Tammy R.

2006-01-01

This study examined the effects of a collaborative urban partnership on student literacy achievement. The participants were approximately 220 students in kindergarten through third grade and 10 teachers. Participants were from an urban, low-­income southeastern elementary school serving culturally diverse students. The school had been in its…

Hopes and Goals Survey for Use in STEM Elementary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, K. Anna; Strobel, Johannes

2015-01-01

This study reports the development and validation studies of the Hopes and Goals Survey, an assessment designed to measure the level of hope of elementary students from diverse backgrounds, and its relation to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies and career. Data collected from students attending urban elementary schools were…

The Effects of Utilizing Thinking Maps® to Influence Attitudes and Comprehension of Elementary School Males

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Patricia A.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this mixed research design study was to examine how teachers in a large urban Midwestern district used Thinking Maps® with students in elementary school general education and special education classrooms. In addition, this study examined the use of Thinking Maps® with 30 urban elementary school males in two schools: one second…

The effects of a sportsmanship curriculum intervention on generalized positive social behavior of urban elementary school students

PubMed Central

Sharpe, Tom; Brown, Marty; Crider, Kim

1995-01-01

This study evaluated the effects of an elementary physical education curriculum in which development of positive social skills, including leadership and conflict-resolution behaviors, was the primary focus. A second goal was to determine possible generalization effects beyond the primary intervention setting. Students in two urban elementary physical education classes served as subjects, with a third class used as a comparison. The effects of the curriculum intervention were evaluated in the training setting and in the students' regular education classrooms using a multiple baseline across classrooms design. Results showed (a) an immediate increase in student leadership and independent conflict-resolution behaviors, (b) an increase in percentage of class time devoted to activity participation, and (c) decreases in the frequency of student off-task behavior and percentage of class time that students devoted to organizational tasks. Similar changes in student behavior were also observed in the regular classroom settings. PMID:16795872

Improving Disciplinary Practices in an Urban School: Solving the Problem of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colcord, Cean R.; Mathur, Sarup R.; Zucker, Stanley H.

2016-01-01

In this article, the authors share a case study of a special educator who worked closely with a leadership team in an urban elementary school to establish universal behavior expectations for all students. The special educator was a behavior coach in the urban elementary school located in a southwestern school of the United States of America.…

Urban Elementary STEM Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Carolyn; Abel, Yolanda; Denisova, Ekaterina

2015-01-01

The new standards for K-12 science education suggest that student learning should be more integrated and should focus on crosscutting concepts and core ideas from the areas of physical science, life science, Earth/space science, and engineering/technology. This paper describes large-scale, urban elementary-focused science, technology, engineering,…

Urban Elementary Teachers' Perspectives on Teaching Science to English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Okhee; Maerten-Rivera, Jaime; Buxton, Cory; Penfield, Randall; Secada, Walter G.

2009-01-01

This descriptive study examined urban elementary school teachers' perceptions of their science content knowledge, science teaching practices, and support for language development of English language learners. Also examined were teachers' perceptions of organizational supports and barriers associated with teaching science to nonmainstream students.…

Language of poverty strategies: Implemented in the urban elementary science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeanpierre, Bobby Jo

2000-08-01

This research study reports the results of school-based staff development models used at three urban elementary schools that had liaison teachers assisting classroom teachers in implementing instructional strategies in science teaching from "Language of Poverty," a curriculum framework designed to address the academic needs of disadvantaged students. The case study of two urban elementary schools and six classroom teachers, and survey and interview data results of a third school, uncovered insights into several areas of science teaching in urban settings. One conclusion is that in spite of substantial allocation of resources and assistance, teachers did not translate instructional strategies from "Language of Poverty" curriculum into their classroom practices in a way that would foster urban disadvantaged students' understanding of "big science concepts." A second conclusion is that the school-based staff development models were limited in their ability to address the diverse professional needs of all of its staff. Third, as it relates to students, discipline issues occurred in these urban classrooms across ethnicity and gender. And in addition to teachers being knowledgeable of relevant social and cultural group norms' application of this knowledge in an appropriate and consistent manner is needed to effectively address discipline concerns.

Social Activism in Elementary Science Education: A Science, Technology, and Society Approach to Teach Global Warming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lester, Benjamin T.; Ma, Li; Lee, Okhee; Lambert, Julie

2006-01-01

As part of a large-scale instructional intervention research, this study examined elementary students' science knowledge and awareness of social activism with regard to an increased greenhouse effect and global warming. The study involved fifth-grade students from five elementary schools of varying demographic makeup in a large urban school…

Grooming Great Urban Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Michele; Lewis, Jeffrey; Onafowora, Laura

2005-01-01

Master teachers working in real urban classrooms have shared their exemplary teaching practices in an After-School Pedagogical Laboratory (L-TAPL), a program for elementary students that aims to improve the achievement of urban students and the competence of their teachers. The L-TAPL enrichment program curriculum includes language arts, math,…

Using Common Formative Assessments as a Source of Professional Development in an Urban American Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey, Nancy; Fisher, Douglas

2009-01-01

By implementing a system of common formative assessments, the teachers at an American urban elementary school improved student achievement and facilitated their own professional development. By aligning content standards with assessments and purposeful instruction, the teachers at this school developed a depth of knowledge about their content…

Successful Leadership in Three High-Poverty Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Stephen L.; Brooks, Sharon; Giles, Corrie; Johnson, Lauri; Ylimaki, Rose

2007-01-01

This study examined the beliefs and practices of three principals during whose tenure their high-poverty urban elementary schools experienced improved student achievement. A two-stage, multiple case-study methodology was employed. First, New York State Education Department (NYSED) school report card data were analyzed to identify case-study sites.…

Revisiting the Trust Effect in Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Curt M.; Forsyth, Patrick B.

2013-01-01

More than a decade after Goddard, Tschannen-Moran, and Hoy (2001) found that collective faculty trust in clients predicts student achievement in urban elementary schools, we sought to identify a plausible link for this relationship. Our purpose in revisiting the trust effect was twofold: (1) to test the main effect of collective faculty trust on…

Promoting Social Norms for Scientific Discourse: Planning Decisions of an Urban Elementary Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangiante, Elaine Silva

2015-01-01

This case study examined planning decisions made and challenges faced by an elementary teacher in a high-poverty urban district to promote students' adoption of social norms of interaction for scientific discourse. Through interviews, document analyses, and observations during a science unit, the findings indicated that the teacher's planning…

Inputs and Student Achievement: An Analysis of Latina/o-Serving Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heilig, Julian Vasquez; Williams, Amy; Jez, Su Jin

2010-01-01

One of the most pressing problems in the United States is improving student academic performance, especially the nation's burgeoning Latina/o student population. There is a dearth of research on variables associated with student achievement in Latina/o majority schools in urban districts. As the majority of Latina/o students are segregated into…

The Relationship between Collective Student Trust and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casper, David Carl

2012-01-01

The relationship between collective student trust and student achievement was tested in a sample of 1,748 5th grade students in 34 Title I elementary schools in an urban and urban fringe district. Trust was defined, the conditions of trust described, and the facets of trust discussed. Collective trust was distinguished from relational trust and…

A Descriptive Study of Multicultural Elementary Student Playground Behaviors and Their Relationship to Gender, Age, Race and Socioeconomic Status.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dahmes, Victoria M.

This paper examines the observable play behaviors of elementary school students to determine how children interact within and among cultural groups. Observations were conducted during the recess period at an urban elementary school attended by 623 boys and girls age 6 through 12. Recess periods and play areas were segregated by grade and sex. Data…

What's Best for Our Students? Outcomes Are the Driving Force at One High-Achieving Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinzer, Cathy; Taft, Laura

2012-01-01

Monte Vista Elementary School is one of 24 K-5 elementary schools in Las Cruces Public Schools, an urban district in southern New Mexico. The school's 450 students reflect the diversity of its Southwestern community: 75% Hispanic, 17% English language learners, and 68% free or reduced lunch, thus qualifying Monte Vista as a Title I school. Monte…

Student Growth in Elementary Mathematics: A Cross Level Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Seong Hee

2012-01-01

The primary purpose of this study is to examine the effect of knowledge for teaching mathematics and teaching practice on student mathematics achievement growth. Thirty two teachers and 299 fourth grade students in three elementary schools from one school district in urban area participated in the study. Most of them are Hispanic in origin and…

The Impact of Afterschool Tutoring on Reading Scores of Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Latrice T.

2014-01-01

Students from an urban elementary school did not meet criteria on the standardized reading assessment for 3 consecutive years as mandated by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Students were at risk of failing future classes requiring proficiency in reading, and the school did not meet annual yearly progress. To address this problem,…

The Relationship among Achievement Goals, Standardized Test Scores, and Elementary Students' Focus in School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Martin H.; Mueller, Christian E.

2017-01-01

The study examined whether an academic, social, or both an academic and social focus might relate with achievement goals and academic achievement. Participants were 412 urban elementary school students. Results suggest that students with an academic focus toward school have more mastery-approach and less mastery-avoid achievement goals. Academic…

The Influence of Physical Education on Physical Activity Levels of Urban Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dauenhauer, Brian D.; Keating, Xiaofen D.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of physical education in shaping physical activity patterns. Seventy-one Hispanic and African American elementary students participated in the study. Students attended one 30- and one 60-min physical education class weekly. Pedometer steps were used to estimate physical activity. Data suggest that…

Effects of Translation Methods in Imported Instructional Video Programs on Taiwan Fourth Graders' Memory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyan, Nay-ching Nancy; Hu, Yi-chain

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of various translation methods used in imported instructional video programs on Taiwan elementary school students' visual and verbal memory. Following pretesting, 128 fourth grade students from an urban public elementary school in northern Taiwan participated. The students in 4 experimental…

Main Street: Teaching Elementary School Students Standards-Based Urban Geography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurt, Douglas A.

1997-01-01

Describes a lesson plan that uses Main Street images of three towns to encourage students to recognize and compare human and physical characteristics of places. The lesson teaches the geographic concepts of site (absolute location) and situation (relative location) as well as introducing students to urban geography. (MJP)

Look into Crowds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christian Education Movement, London (England).

This booklet is designed to help British teachers introduce concepts of crowds to young students. Elementary school students will better understand issues of crowd behavior such as rural to urban migration and crowding in urban areas if they realize that all crowds are composed of individual human beings. Teachers can help students become familiar…

Teacher Leaders Building Foundations for Data-Informed Teacher Learning in One Urban Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholson, Julie; Capitelli, Sarah; Richert, Anna E.; Wilson, Carrie; Bove, Claire

2017-01-01

We examine how teacher leaders (TLs), working in a low-income urban elementary school, supported their colleagues to learn how to collect quality formative data and to discuss it in collaborative conversations in order to make their students' learning visible. The TLs faced challenges reflecting consequences resulting from the district's high…

Inside an Urban Elementary School in the People's Republic of China.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashmore, Rhea Ann

Field observations of a visiting foreign exchange scholar (English teacher) and interview responses from teachers and students are the basis for this description of an urban elementary school in Shanghai (People's Republic of China). The school day begins with group exercise, which is repeated at about 2-hour intervals throughout the school day,…

Increasing Academic Engagement during Writing Activities in an Urban Elementary Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aitken, Angelique; Harlan, Alison; Hankins, Katy; Michels, John; Moore, Tara C.; Oakes, Wendy P.; Lane, Kathleen Lynne

2011-01-01

In this study, the authors examined the effects of a systematic functional assessment-based intervention (FABI) to identify the function of a third-grade student's off-task behavior and create a plan to increase academic engaged time (AET). The FABI was designed and implemented in an urban elementary school with a comprehensive, integrated,…

The Implementation of CHARACTERplus in the Elementary Schools of a Midwestern Urban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Kimberly A.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship of the implementation of CHARACTERplus and student discipline in twelve elementary schools of a large Midwestern urban school district. The goal of this study was to identify if there was relationship between the implementation of CHARACTERplus and the number of office discipline referrals…

Parental Engagement Using Effective Communication for K-2 Students in an Urban School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Lynn Renee'

2013-01-01

Parental involvement is a factor in student achievement. Low parental engagement at home and school has created a problem in an urban elementary school. Guided by Epstein's 6 types of parental involvement, the purpose of this case study was to examine and describe the perspectives of 17 parents of K-2 students in an urban school in Michigan. Few…

Afterschool Participation and School Engagement: A Case Study of an Urban East Coast Public Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeFigueiredo, Rafaela

2013-01-01

Students attending schools in urban areas with high concentrations of poverty are at risk for academic failure. Besides being more likely to live in poverty, urban students in comparison to suburban students are more likely to be English language learners and to be exposed to violence and other health and safety risks linked to negative school and…

The Effect of Coping Knowledge on Emergency Preparedness in Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Shin-Jeong; Kang, So-Ra; Lee, Seung-Hee; Kang, Kyung-Ah

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of coping knowledge for emergency preparedness in Korean elementary school students. A school-based coping education program was provided seven times to 271 fourth- and fifth-grade students in two urban schools by researchers with the school nurses. The Process Model of Stress and Coping and…

The Effects of a Counselor-Led, Faith-Based, School-Family-Community Partnership on Student Achievement in a High-Poverty Urban Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Lynette M.; Bryan, Julia; Zalaquett, Carlos P.

2017-01-01

School counselors play critical roles in partnerships with faith-based organizations that provide valuable programs for students with economic challenges. This study evaluated the effects of a counselor-led, faith-based, school-family-community partnership on student reading achievement in a high-poverty elementary school. Results indicated…

Perspectives on Team Teachers Who Are Culturally Different

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakken, Jeffrey P.; Whedon, Craig K.; Fletcher, Reginald

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of urban students regarding their teachers who were of different races/ethnicities. The participants in this study were twelve students (African-American, Caucasian, and Bi-Racial) in an urban elementary school. The twelve students were in a special education self-contained classroom and…

Grounding Environmental Education in the Lives of Urban Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martil-de Castro, Wanda

1999-01-01

A student teacher in a Toronto (Ontario) elementary school found that the lack of natural settings did not inhibit environmental education. When urban students explored local environmental conditions such as polluting factories and lack of species diversity, they were better able to consider how their lives were affected and how their attitudes…

Teaching and Learning in English Urban Schools. A Report of a Study Visit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maeroff, Gene I.

The challenges facing urban elementary and secondary schools are like those facing suburban and rural schools, but there are complex circumstances that complicate efforts by urban school systems to carry out their mission. Schools in the cities have more students from impoverished homes, more foreign-born or minority group students, and more…

Cooperating Teacher Perceptions of Music Student Teacher Preparedness for the Elementary Music Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hester, Charlotte V.

2013-01-01

The present study investigated the strengths and areas of improvement for elementary music teacher preparation from the perspective of multiple members of a single body of music teachers. Subjects for the study were elementary music teachers from an urban school district in the southern United States. All elementary music teachers in the school…

The Executive Functions of Rejected Children in an Urban Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naylor, Gregory

2013-01-01

The relationship between Executive Functions and Peer Rejection was explored. Thirty-Five students in an urban elementary school, (mean 10.7 years of age (sd=2.8), 34% male, and 88% African American) completed measures of executive functions: KABC-II Rover, The Wisconsin Card Sort and NEPSY-II Statue (below age 9) or The Iowa Gambling Task (age 9…

Exploratory Case Studies of the Role of the Community School Coordinator: Developing the School Social Network in Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruffin, Verna Dean

2013-01-01

This exploratory case study examines the role of the community school coordinator (CSC) in the community school model in two urban elementary schools. It seeks to understand how the role and responsibilities of a community school coordinator supports fostering relationships with parents, teachers, students and the community (i.e. building the…

The Recursive Process in and of Critical Literacy: Action Research in an Urban Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Karyn; White, Robert E.

2012-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the recursive process of initiating an action research project on literacy for students-at-risk in a Canadian urban elementary school. As this paper demonstrates, this requires development of a school-wide framework, which frames the action research project and desired outcomes, and a shared ownership of this…

The Effect of School Principals' Leadership Styles on Elementary School Students' Reading Achievement Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, James M.

2013-01-01

Principal leadership studies have indicated that leadership can play an important role in augmenting students' achievement scores. One significant influence that can affect achievement scores is the leadership style of the principal. This study focuses on fourth-grade achievement scores within urban elementary schools and explores the relationship…

Behavioral Impacts of a Mindfulness Pilot Intervention for Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harpin, Scott B.; Rossi, AnneMarie; Kim, Amber K.; Swanson, Leah M.

2016-01-01

Elementary school students in today's urban classrooms face many life circumstances at home and in their communities that contribute to stress and coping needs. These stressors are often brought into the classroom, which impact learning, behaviors, and overall academic performance. Mindfulness has been used in classroom settings, particularly with…

Learning Environment and Attitudes Associated with an Innovative Science Course Designed for Prospective Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin-Dunlop, Catherine; Fraser, Barry J.

2008-01-01

This study assessed the effectiveness of an innovative science course for improving prospective elementary teachers' perceptions of laboratory learning environments and attitudes towards science. The sample consisted of 27 classes with 525 female students in a large urban university. Changing students' ideas about science laboratory teaching and…

Intrinsic Motivation, Self-Perception, and Their Effects on Black Urban Elementary Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marchant, Gregory J.

This study examined the effects of specific motivational dimensions and self-perceptions of a group of 47 urban black fourth and fifth grade students on attendance and academic achievement. Each student's responses to a measure of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and a self-perception inventory were compared to each other and to his or her…

Literacy and Arts-Integrated Science Lessons Engage Urban Elementary Students in Exploring Environmental Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, P.; Elser, C. F.; Klein, J. L.; Rule, A. C.

2016-01-01

This descriptive case study examined student attitudes, writing skills and content knowledge of urban fourth and fifth graders (6 males, 9 female) during a six-week literacy, thinking skill, and art-integrated environmental science unit. Pre- and post-test questions were used to address knowledge of environmental problems and student environmental…

Teachers' Perspectives on the Challenges of Teaching Physical Education in Urban Schools: The Student Emotional Filter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCaughtry, Nate; Barnard, Sara; Martin, Jeffrey; Shen, Bo; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze how the challenges of urban schools influence physical education teachers' emotional understanding and connections with their students and the implications on their teaching. Sixty-one elementary physical educators from an urban school district in the midwestern U.S. were interviewed multiple times (N =…

Voices from the Field: The Perceptions of Teachers and Principals on the Class Size Reduction Program in a Large Urban School District.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munoz, Marco A.; Portes, Pedro R.

A class size reduction (CSR) program was implemented in a large low-performing urban elementary school district. The CSR program helps schools improve student learning by hiring additional teachers so that children in the early elementary grades can attend smaller classes. This study used a participant-oriented evaluation model to examine the…

Using School Reform Models to Improve Reading Achievement: A Longitudinal Study of Direct Instruction and Success for All in an Urban District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Steven M.; Nunnery, John A.; Goldfeder, Elizabeth; McDonald, Aaron; Rachor, Robert; Hornbeck, Matthew; Fleischman, Steve

2004-01-01

This research examined the effectiveness in an urban school district of 2 of the most widely used Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) programs-Direct Instruction (DI), implemented in 9 district elementary schools, and Success for All (SFA), implemented in 2 elementary schools. In examining impacts on student achievement and school change outcomes…

Early Reading Programs in High-Poverty Schools: Emerald Elementary Beats the Odds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Charles; Adler, Martha A.

This report describes the early reading program in Emerald Elementary School, located in a Midwest urban fringe district. From 1996 through 1998, Emerald's students performed well above the district average or near the state average on reading achievement. During this period, the school had at least half of its students eligible for free or…

Elementary School-Wide Implementation of a Blended Learning Program for Reading Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prescott, Jen Elise; Bundschuh, Kristine; Kazakoff, Elizabeth R.; Macaruso, Paul

2018-01-01

The authors examined the implementation of a blended learning program for literacy instruction across kindergarten through Grade 5 in a Title I urban elementary school, including a population of students (18%) who are English learners. Student progress in the online component of the blended learning program was a significant predictor of growth in…

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 Urban Dust Dome: A Demonstration Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cross, Ralph D.

1973-01-01

Working plans for an inexpensive urban dust dome model are presented together with some generalizations about urban atmosphere pollution. Theories and principles of atmospheric pollution which are introduced can be made meaningful to elementary students through classroom use of this model. (SM)

A Study of African American Male Students' Academic Achievement and School Attitude in an Urban Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohamed, Roslyn J. F. Billy

2013-01-01

With the signing of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, much emphasis has been placed on the accountability of schools and school districts to ensure higher academic achievement of all students. The achievement gap remains among African American male students in urban school districts. This purposed quantitative study explored the relationship…

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.…

Connecting School Policies and Praxis to the Development of Violent and Aggressive Behaviors in Elementary School Children: Locating the Voice of the Student.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleckley, Bettie Joyner

This ethnographic study examined students' definitions of violence and aggression, the context in which threatening situations occur, and the strategies and consequences that a group of 30 urban African-American elementary school children used when they were in threatening situations. Data were obtained from several sources, including participant…

Taking an Active Stance: How Urban Elementary Students Connect Sociocultural Experiences in Learning Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Upadhyay, Bhaskar; Maruyama, Geoffrey; Albrecht, Nancy

2017-01-01

In this interpretive case study, we draw from sociocultural theory of learning and culturally relevant pedagogy to understand how urban students from nondominant groups leverage their sociocultural experiences. These experiences allow them to gain an empowering voice in influencing science content and activities and to work towards…

Teachers' Perceptions of Policy Influences on Science Instruction with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaver, Annis; Cuevas, Peggy; Lee, Okhee; Avalos, Mary

2007-01-01

This study asked elementary school teachers how educational policies affected their science instruction with a majority of English language learners. The study employed a questionnaire followed by focus group interviews with 43 third and fourth grade teachers from six elementary schools in a large urban school district with high populations of…

A Multi-Year Study of the Impact of the Rice Model Teacher Professional Development on Elementary Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diaconu, Dana Viorica; Radigan, Judy; Suskavcevic, Milijana; Nichol, Carolyn

2012-01-01

A teacher professional development program for in-service elementary school science teachers, the Rice Elementary Model Science Lab (REMSL), was developed for urban school districts serving predominately high-poverty, high-minority students. Teachers with diverse skills and science capacities came together in Professional Learning Communities, one…

Support for Physical Education as a Core Subject in Urban Elementary Schools.

PubMed

Castillo, Jacqueline C; Clark, B Ruth; Butler, Carling E; Racette, Susan B

2015-11-01

Physical inactivity and childhood obesity are prevalent in American children, with increased vulnerability in minority, low-resource populations. The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of physical education (PE) on in-school physical activity quantity and intensity in urban minority children attending public elementary schools. This observational study included elementary children (N=212; mean age, 9.9 years; 81.7% black) in Grades 2-5 attending urban public schools with high eligibility for the National School Lunch Program. In-school physical activity was quantified during 4 school weeks across 4 months (January-April 2012) using Omron HJ-151 accelerometer-pedometers. Fitness was assessed with the 20-meter Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run. Data were analyzed in 2013 using generalized estimating equations to determine the influence of PE and sex on total in-school steps and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) steps. Based on 3,379 observation days (mean, 15.9 school days/student), students achieved higher in-school physical activity on days with PE (4,979 steps) than on days without PE (3,683 steps, p<0.0001). Likewise, MVPA steps were greater on days with PE than on days without PE (p<0.0001). Boys were more active than girls, but both accumulated more steps on days with PE. Low aerobic fitness was observed in 29.0% of students and overweight/obesity in 31.1%. PE significantly increases total in-school and MVPA steps in urban minority elementary children. PE as a core subject can provide opportunities for urban, minority public school children in low-resource areas to achieve age-appropriate physical activity and fitness goals. Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Community-Based Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalvi, Tejaswini; Wendell, Kristen

2015-01-01

A team of science teacher educators working in collaboration with local elementary schools explored opportunities for science and engineering "learning by doing" in the particular context of urban elementary school communities. In this article, the authors present design task that helps students identify and find solutions to a…

Transforming the School Reform Agenda: A Framework for Including Student Voice in Urban School Renewal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friend, Jennifer; Caruthers, Loyce

2015-01-01

This article advances a framework for educators to create pathways to elicit students' diverse perspectives as qualitative data sources in the process of urban school renewal. Elements of the framework are discussed in conjunction with relevant research and findings from videotaped interviews with elementary (n = 144) and secondary (n = 28)…

Academic Success of Urban African American Elementary Students in Title I Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, James Sebastian

2017-01-01

The researcher investigated the achievement of third- and fifth-grade urban African American students who attended science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), Non-STEM, and Theme Title I schools in science and mathematics on the 2015 Georgia Milestones Assessment. The researcher used data from 29 Non-STEM, 14 STEM, and 10 Theme…

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,…

Selecting Effective Teachers for Urban Elementary Charter Schools: Effects of Decentralization on Principals' Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leaks, Rakeda Antwanece

2013-01-01

In the age of No Child Left Behind and accountability, education stakeholders continue to look for ways to improve student achievement outcomes especially in schools in urban communities. Principal autonomy has been linked to successful results in student achievement. The purpose of this study was to understand how principals' perceptions of their…

Cognitive and Affection Reform in Urban Elementary Schools: Listening to the Voices of Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friend, Jennifer; Caruthers, Loyce

2009-01-01

This heuristic narratological inquiry used video-taped interviews and observations to explore the experiences of 145 urban students in grades one through six who also represented diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The goal of the study was to identify curricular and pedagogical strategies that enhance what students love about school,…

The Challenges and Success of Implementing Climate Studies Lessons for Pre-Professional Teachers at a Small Historically Black College to Engage Student Teaching of Science Pedagogy and Content Skill Based Learning.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnold, J.; Wider-Lewis, F.; Miller-Jenkins, A.

2017-12-01

This poster is a description of the challenges and success of implementing climate studies lessons for pre-service teachers to engage student teaching pedagogy and content skill based learning. Edward Waters College is a historical black college with an elementary education teacher program focused on urban elementary school teaching and learning. Pre-Service Elementary Educator Students often have difficulty with science and mathematics content and pedagogy. This poster will highlight the barriers and successes of using climate studies lessons to develop and enhance pre-service teachers' knowledge of elementary science principles particularly related to climate studies, physical and earth space science.

Pilot Evaluation of a Walking School Bus Program in a Low-Income Urban Community

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To evaluate the impact of a walking school bus (WSB) program on the proportion of students walking to school in a low-income, urban neighborhood, we conducted a controlled, quasi-experimental trial in urban, socioeconomically disadvantaged, public elementary schools (one intervention and two control...

Effect of School and Home Factors on Learning Outcomes at Elementary School Level: A Hierarchical Linear Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Jai

2016-01-01

India is a democratic, socialistic republic that is committed to providing high quality elementary education to all children. This research paper examines and analyses the effects of school, teacher and home factors on learning outcomes in elementary schools in the urban slum areas of Varanasi city and assesses the learning outcomes of students of…

Performance in Basic Mathematics of Indigenous Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sicat, Lolita V.; David, Ma. Elena D.

2016-01-01

This analytical study analyzed the performance in Basic Mathematics of the indigenous students, the Aeta students (Grade 6) of Sta. Juliana Elementary School, Capas, Tarlac, and the APC students of Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. Results were compared with regular students in rural, urban, private, and public schools to analyze indigenous students'…

Urban elementary students' views of environmental scientists, environmental caretakers and environmentally responsible behaviors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horne, Patricia Lynne

The purpose of this research was to determine the nature of the relationship between urban elementary fifth graders, environmental workers, and the environment. The study examined 320 urban fifth grade elementary students' drawings of environmental scientists (DAEST) and environmental caretakers (DAECT). Additionally, semi-structured interviews were included to elucidate student illustrations. The study's sample represented one-third of all fifth graders in the mid-Atlantic school district selected for this research. Approximately 5% of participants were chosen for follow-up semi-structured interviews based on their illustrations. A general conclusion is some of the stereotypes, particularly related to gender, revealed in prior research (Barman, 1999, Chambers, 1983; Huber & Burton, 1995; Schibeci & Sorensen's, 1983; Sumrall, 1995) are evident among many elementary students. Male environmental scientists were drawn twice as often as female environmental scientists. Females were represented in more pictures of environmental caretakers than environmental scientists. Students overwhelmingly drew environmental scientists (98.1%) and environmental caretakers (76.5%) working alone. Wildlife was noticeably absent from most drawings (85%). Where wildlife was included, it was most often birds (6.9%) and fish (3.1%). More than one species was evident in only 2.5% of the pictures. Fifty percent of environmental caretakers were shown picking up trash from land. Actions such as reducing resource use occurred in only 13 out of 319 pictures (4.1%). Pictures of environmental caretakers sharing knowledge were even less common (2.5%). Almost 22% of females drew multiple individuals compared to 18.5% drawn by males. Females were more likely to show individuals collaborating (22.4% to 16.8%) while males were more likely to show individuals working in opposition (5.2% to 2.0%).

Personnel Resource Allocation Strategies in a Time of Fiscal Crisis: Case Study of Elementary Schools in a California District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sais, Melissa Marie

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze human resource allocation data for all elementary schools in large urban school district to determine whether resources were allocated in ways in that research suggests can lead to improved student achievement. Data from all 46 elementary schools that participated in the study were compared to the…

Measuring student engagement among elementary students: pilot of the Student Engagement Instrument--Elementary Version.

PubMed

Carter, Chandra P; Reschly, Amy L; Lovelace, Matthew D; Appleton, James J; Thompson, Dianne

2012-06-01

Early school withdrawal, commonly referred to as dropout, is associated with a plethora of negative outcomes for students, schools, and society. Student engagement, however, presents as a promising theoretical model and cornerstone of school completion interventions. The purpose of the present study was to validate the Student Engagement Instrument-Elementary Version (SEI-E). The psychometric properties of this measure were assessed based on the responses of an ethnically diverse sample of 1,943 students from an urban locale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the 4-factor model of student engagement provided the best fit for the current data, which is divergent from previous SEI studies suggesting 5- and 6-factor models. Discussion and implications of these findings are presented in the context of student engagement and dropout prevention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

Using Student Perceptions of Teacher Behavior to Predict Student Outcomes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brattesani, Karen; And Others

The ways in which students' perceptions of teacher behavior in the elementary school classroom clarifies the relationships among teacher expectations, student expectations, and student achievement are examined. Subjects in two data sets consisted of 234 grade 4-6 students from 16 classrooms in an urban, ethnically mixed school district, and 101…

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…

Job Satisfaction among Elementary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Sandy Kay Bass

2010-01-01

This study examined teacher job satisfaction as influenced by school factors. One hundred and twenty-four elementary teachers, from one large urban school district in North Carolina, rated their level of job satisfaction. The independent variables were schools factors of (a) academic achievement, (b) student racial composition, and (c) social…

The Case of Rivera Elementary School: The Politics of Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxcy, Brendan D.; Nguyen, Thu Suong T.

2013-01-01

This case involves a struggle for control among differently situated leaders--district- and building-level administrators, teachers, parents and community members, and university partners--seeking to influence the reform agenda of a high-poverty urban elementary school serving Latina/Latino students. The various stakeholders encounter a variety of…

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Coteaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kadakia, Geeta Gupta

2017-01-01

In response to the low passing rate of its students with disabilities, administrators at a small urban elementary school in south Texas implemented coteaching. Guided by Nonaka and Takeuchi's collaborative learning framework, this qualitative instrumental case study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of collaborative teaching in the…

Improving Elementary Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning: Lessons from a School-University Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norman, Patricia J.; Nordine, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

The challenges of teaching elementary mathematics and science, particularly in urban settings, have been well documented. While evidence exists that sustained professional development in mathematics and science can promote inquiry-oriented instruction and bolster student achievement, little has been written about the particular challenges…

Attraction to Physical Activity in Urban Schoolchildren: Parental Socialization and Gender Influences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brustad, Robert J.

1996-01-01

This study examined the contribution of parent socialization and gender to urban elementary students' (N=107) interest in physical activity. Questionnaires indicated significant relationships between parental socialization processes and children's perceived physical competence and attraction to physical activity. (SM)

The Influence of Process Drama on Elementary Students' Written Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Alida

2012-01-01

This article describes the influence of process drama on fourth grade students' written language productivity and specificity. Participants included 16 students with learning and/or behavioral challenges at an urban public charter school. The influence of process drama on students' written language was compared across contextualized and…

'Sometimes They Are Fun and Sometimes They Are Not': Concept Mapping with English Language Acquisition (ELA) and Gifted/Talented (GT) Elementary Students Learning Science and Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marzetta, Katrina; Mason, Hillary; Wee, Bryan

2018-01-01

This study presents an 'education for sustainability' curricular model which promotes science learning in an elementary classroom through equity pedagogy. A total of 25 fourth-grade students from an urban, public school in Denver, Colorado participated in this mixed-methods study where concept maps were used as a tool for describing and assessing…

Using Inquiry-Based Instruction to Teach Research Methods to 4th-Grade Students in an Urban Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamm, Ellen M.; Cullen, Rebecca; Ciaravino, Melissa

2013-01-01

When a college professor who teaches research methods to graduate education students was approached by a local public urban elementary school to help them teach research skills to 4th-graders, it was thought that the process would be simple--take what we did at the college level and differentiate it for the childhood classroom. This article will…

A Validation of the Student Risk Screening Scale for Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors: Patterns in Rural and Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Kathleen Lynne; Menzies, Holly M.; Oakes, Wendy P.; Lambert, Warren; Cox, Meredith; Hankins, Katy

2012-01-01

We report findings of two studies, one conducted in a rural school district (N = 982) and a second conducted in an urban district (N = 1,079), offering additional evidence of the reliability and validity of a revised instrument, the Student Risk Screening Scale-Internalizing and Externalizing (SRSS-IE), to accurately detect internalizing and…

Charting a Path to Graduation. The Effect of Project GRAD on Elementary School Student Outcomes in Four Urban School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snipes, Jason C.; Holton, Glee Ivory; Doolittle, Fred

2006-01-01

In the past decade, school districts around the country have sought to improve struggling urban high schools, where high dropout rates, poor student achievement, and low rates of graduation and college-going remain all too prevalent. In a field crowded with reform initiatives, Project Graduation Really Achieves Dreams (GRAD) stands out as…

Classroom Peer Relationships and Behavioral Engagement in Elementary School: The Role of Social Network Equity

PubMed Central

Cappella, Elise; Kim, Ha Yeon; Neal, Jennifer W.; Jackson, Daisy R.

2014-01-01

Applying social capital and systems theories of social processes, we examine the role of the classroom peer context in the behavioral engagement of low-income students (N = 80) in urban elementary school classrooms (N = 22). Systematic child observations were conducted to assess behavioral engagement among second to fifth graders in the fall and spring of the same school year. Classroom observations, teacher and child questionnaires, and social network data were collected in the fall. Confirming prior research, results from multilevel models indicate that students with more behavioral difficulties or less academic motivation in the fall were less behaviorally engaged in the spring. Extending prior research, classrooms with more equitably distributed and interconnected social ties—social network equity—had more behaviorally engaged students in the spring, especially in classrooms with higher levels of observed organization (i.e., effective management of behavior, time, and attention). Moreover, social network equity attenuated the negative relation between student behavioral difficulties and behavioral engagement, suggesting that students with behavioral difficulties were less disengaged in classrooms with more equitably distributed and interconnected social ties. Findings illuminate the need to consider classroom peer contexts in future research and intervention focused on the behavioral engagement of students in urban elementary schools. PMID:24081319

Voices of Reform: Infusion of Standards-Based Mathematics and Science Teaching in an Urban District.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huinker, DeAnn; Coan, Cheryl; Posnanski, Tracy

This study examined the impact of a systemic reform initiative to implement standards-based mathematics and science teaching and learning in one urban school district, noting its effect on teachers, principals, students, and classroom practice. Participants were a sample of elementary and secondary schools involved in the Milwaukee Urban Systemic…

Chicago's Private Elementary and Secondary Schools: Enrollment Trends.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Institute of Urban Life, Chicago, IL.

Nearly one out of every four students enrolled in Chicago's elementary and secondary schools during the 1987-88 school year attended one of the city's 450 private schools. Although frequently overlooked by city-wide educational reform programs, the private schools contribute to the urbanization of newcomers to the city, to the stability of…

Class Size Reduction in a Large Urban School District: A Mixed Methodology Evaluation Research Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munoz, Marco A.

This study evaluated the Class Size Reduction (CSR) program in 34 elementary schools in Kentucky's Jefferson County Public Schools. The CSR program is a federal initiative to help elementary schools improve student learning by hiring additional teachers. Qualitative data were collected using unstructured interviews, site observations, and document…

Slogging and Stumbling toward Social Justice in a Private Elementary School: The Complicated Case of St. Malachy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scanlan, Martin

2010-01-01

This case study examines St. Malachy, an urban Catholic elementary school primarily serving children traditionally marginalized by race, class, linguistic heritage, and disability. As a private school, St. Malachy serves the public good by recruiting and retaining such traditionally marginalized students. As empirical studies involving Catholic…

"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"…

Stereotype Threat Effects on African American and Latina/o Elementary Students Tested Together

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasserberg, Martin James

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate whether a diagnostic testing condition leads to stereotype threat effects for African American and Latina/o children (N = 81) when tested together at an urban elementary school in Miami, Florida. Design/methodology/approach: To analyze the effect of stereotype threat on participants' reading test…

Urban School Leadership for Elementary Science Education: Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alarcon, Maricela H.

2012-01-01

Science education reform and state testing accountability call upon principals to become instructional leaders in science. Specifically, elementary school principals must take an active role in science instruction to effectively improve science education for all students including English Language Learners. As such, the research questioned posed…

Science Specialists or Classroom Teachers: Who Should Teach Elementary Science?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Abigail Jurist; Jia, Yueming; Marco-Bujosa, Lisa; Gess-Newsome, Julie; Pasquale, Marian

2016-01-01

This study examined science programs, instruction, and student outcomes at 30 elementary schools in a large, urban district in the northeast United States in an effort to understand whether there were meaningful differences in the quality, quantity and cost of science education when provided by a science specialist or a classroom teacher. Student…

Korean Elementary School Students' Perceptions of Relationship with Marine Organisms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jong-Mun; Anderson, David; Scott, Sandra

2013-01-01

This exploratory study examined the perceptions of, and relationship with, marine organisms of 81 urban sixth grade Korean students using a specifically designed survey questionnaire. The study outcomes revealed that these Korean students have limited experience with and different levels of connectedness to marine organisms. Viewed through…

How Fern Creek Is Beating Goliath

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donovan, Margaret; Galatowitsch, Patrick; Hefferin, Keri; Highland, Shanita

2013-01-01

The "David" is Fern Creek Elementary, a small urban school in Orlando, Florida, that serves an overwhelmingly disadvantaged student population. The "Goliaths" are the mountains of problems that many inner-city students face--poverty, homelessness, mobility, instability, limited parent involvement, and violent neighborhood…

Teacher Absenteeism: What Administrators Can Do.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitkiff, Evan

1993-01-01

Teacher absenteeism appears highest in elementary schools, schools with lower student achievement, schools composed of economically disadvantaged and minority students, and urban school districts. Survey of Brooklyn high schools found high teacher absenteeism; in addition, attendance patterns were habitual, teachers holding temporary teaching…

Attitudes toward Diversity and the School Choice Process: Middle-Class Parents in a Segregated Urban Public School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimelberg, Shelley McDonough; Billingham, Chase M.

2013-01-01

White flight from urban public schools has been well documented, but little attention has been paid to middle-class reinvestment in urban schools. This article combines findings from interviews with middle-class parents of Boston Public School students with demographic data from the city's public elementary schools to examine the motivations of…

A Study of Preservice Educators' Dispositions to Change Behavior Management Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shook, Alison C.

2012-01-01

Student behavior problems contribute to poor academic achievement and poor teacher retention. This study investigated preservice teachers' dispositions to implement positive and proactive strategies for managing behavior in the general education elementary urban classroom. The author interviewed 19 preservice teachers in a large urban school…

The Effects of Clustering and Curriculum on the Development of Gifted Learners' Math Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierce, Rebecca L.; Cassady, Jerrell C.; Adams, Cheryll M.; Speirs Neumeister, Kristie L.; Dixon, Felicia A.; Cross, Tracy L.

2011-01-01

There is a paucity of empirical studies dealing with benefits of gifted programming in mathematics for elementary students. The current study reports on the impact of using cluster grouping and specific curriculum to support gifted learners' math achievement in urban elementary schools. Although the results of Year 3 provide the most compelling…

An Exploration of Elementary Teachers' Views of Informal Reading Inventories in Dual Language Bilingual Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ascenzi-Moreno, Laura

2016-01-01

This study examines how elementary teachers (grades three through five) in dual-language, bilingual programs (Spanish/English) view informal reading inventories (IRIs) to support their students' reading growth. The research, conducted in an urban district in the Northeastern United States, draws on interviews with 20 teachers in these programs.…

Parent-Child Interaction Processes Related to Scholastic Achievement in Urban Elementary Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Portes, Pedro R.; And Others

In an attempt to identify parent-child interaction patterns that might differentiate bright from below-average elementary students, 16 high achievers and 16 low achievers were paired with their mothers and then videotaped whilst engaged in 3 sets of task situations, which involved copying of Block Design models and categorization of words and…

Supplemental Educational Services and Student Test Score Gains: Evidence from a Large, Urban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springer, Matthew G.; Pepper, Matthew J.; Ghosh-Dastidar, Bonnie

2014-01-01

This study examines the effect of supplemental education services (SES) on student test score gains and whether particular subgroups of students benefit more from NCLB tutoring services. Our sample includes information on students enrolled in third through eighth grades nested in 121 elementary and middle schools over a five-year period comprising…

Math Achievement Trajectories among Black Male Students in the Elementary- and Middle-School Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zilanawala, Afshin; Martin, Margary; Noguera, Pedro A.; Mincy, Ronald B.

2018-01-01

In this article, we analyze the variation in math achievement trajectories of Black male students to understand the different ways these students successfully or unsuccessfully navigate schools and the school characteristics that are associated with their trajectories. Using longitudinal student-level data from a large urban US city (n = 7,039),…

Improving Elementary-Level Mathematics Achievement in a Large Urban District: The Effects of Direct Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stockard, Jean

2010-01-01

This paper examines changes in the average mathematics achievement of students in the Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS) from 1998 to 2003, comparing students in schools that implemented Direct Instruction with students in other schools. First-grade students who received Direct Instruction had significantly higher levels of achievement on…

The Organizational Health of Urban Elementary Schools: School Health and Teacher Functioning.

PubMed

Mehta, Tara G; Atkins, Marc S; Frazier, Stacy L

2013-09-01

This study examined the factor structure of the Organizational Health Inventory-Elementary version (OHI-E; Hoy, Tarter, & Kottkamp, 1991) in a sample of 203 teachers working in 19 high-poverty, urban schools and the association of organizational school health with teacher efficacy, teacher stress, and job satisfaction. Results indicated a similar factor structure of the OHI-E as compared with the population of schools in the original sample (Hoy et al., 1991), and that specific components of organizational health, such as a positive learning environment, are associated with teacher efficacy, stress, and satisfaction. Overall, teachers' relations with their peers, their school leadership, and their students appear especially critical in high-poverty, urban schools. Recommendations for research and practice related to improving high-poverty, urban schools are presented.

The Organizational Health of Urban Elementary Schools: School Health and Teacher Functioning

PubMed Central

Mehta, Tara G.; Atkins, Marc S.; Frazier, Stacy L.

2013-01-01

This study examined the factor structure of the Organizational Health Inventory-Elementary version (OHI-E; Hoy, Tarter, & Kottkamp, 1991) in a sample of 203 teachers working in 19 high-poverty, urban schools and the association of organizational school health with teacher efficacy, teacher stress, and job satisfaction. Results indicated a similar factor structure of the OHI-E as compared with the population of schools in the original sample (Hoy et al., 1991), and that specific components of organizational health, such as a positive learning environment, are associated with teacher efficacy, stress, and satisfaction. Overall, teachers’ relations with their peers, their school leadership, and their students appear especially critical in high-poverty, urban schools. Recommendations for research and practice related to improving high-poverty, urban schools are presented. PMID:23935763

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.

Examining the Digital Divide between Rural and Urban Schools: Technology Availability, Teachers' Integration Level and Students' Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Pei-Yu

2013-01-01

This study aimed to explore the gap regarding technology integration between urban and rural schools based on the Will Skill Tool model. This study was guided by three main questions: 1) Is there any significant difference in terms of technology availability between rural and urban elementary schools?; 2) Is there any significant difference in…

Normative influences on aggression in urban elementary school classrooms.

PubMed

Henry, D; Guerra, N; Huesmann, R; Tolan, P; VanAcker, R; Eron, L

2000-02-01

We report a study aimed at understanding the effects of classroom normative influences on individual aggressive behavior, using samples of 614 and 427 urban elementary school children. Participants were assessed with measures of aggressive behavior and normative beliefs about aggression. We tested hypotheses related to the effects of personal normative beliefs, descriptive classroom norms (the central tendency of classmates' aggressive behavior), injunctive classroom normative beliefs (classmates' beliefs about the acceptability of aggression), and norm salience (student and teacher sanctions against aggression) on longitudinal changes in aggressive behavior and beliefs. injunctive norms affected individual normative beliefs and aggression, but descriptive norms had no effect on either. In classrooms where students and teachers made norms against aggression salient, aggressive behavior diminished over time. Implications for classroom behavior management and further research are discussed.

The Urban Environment. A Teacher's Guide, Grades K-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Busch, Phyllis S.

Sixty-three learning activities comprise this curriculum guide to conservation education designed for elementary students. The activities enable the teacher to relate the urban child's immediate environment to the ecological problems which confront our world. Four conceptual schemes are used for each of the four grades, K-3: Living things (plants,…

Integrating Instructional Technologies in a Local Watershed Investigation with Urban Elementary Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodzin, Alec M.

2008-01-01

The author describes an after-school science club program for urban 4th-grade students that integrated instructional technologies to investigate a pond ecosystem in the local schoolyard. The author conducted a design-based evaluation study to examine the effectiveness of the program in promoting environmental attitudes and understandings of the…

Teaching Nature in Cities and Towns. Urban Outdoor Biology and Ecology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogl, Sonia Wolff; Vogl, Robert L.

Developed to assist teachers in the teaching of outdoor biology and ecology, this guide contains lessons that can be conducted in an urban environment for elementary level students. Each lesson begins with thought-provoking introductory questions which lead into the actual activity, and concludes with discussion questions and suggestions for…

Behavioral Problems and Reading Difficulties among Language Minority and Monolingual Urban Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierce, Margaret E.; Wechsler-Zimring, Adrianna; Noam, Gil; Wolf, Maryanne; Katzir, Tami

2013-01-01

This study examined the potentially compounding effect of language minority (LM) status on problem behaviors among urban second and third grade-level poor readers. Univariate analyses showed that a disproportionate percentage of both LM and English monolingual (L1) poor readers already displayed clinically significant levels of anxiety, social…

Planning Science Instruction for Critical Thinking: Two Urban Elementary Teachers' Responses to a State Science Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangiante, Elaine Silva

2013-01-01

Science education reform standards have shifted focus from exploration and experimentation to evidence-based explanation and argumentation to prepare students with knowledge for a changing workforce and critical thinking skills to evaluate issues requiring increasing scientific literacy. However, in urban schools serving poor, diverse populations,…

Urban Forestry Laboratory Exercises for Elementary, Middle and High School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kupkowski, Gary; And Others

The curriculum in this program has been developed for the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Each level builds on the other, and forms a "thread of skills" that are upgraded at each level. The program is divided into two components. The first component is for the development of a school arboretum, tree walk, and herbarium. The second…

Implementing the Bounce Back Trauma Intervention in Urban Elementary Schools: A Real-World Replication Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santiago, Catherine DeCarlo; Raviv, Tali; Ros, Anna Maria; Brewer, Stephanie K.; Distel, Laura M. L.; Torres, Stephanie A.; Fuller, Anne K.; Lewis, Krystal M.; Coyne, Claire A.; Cicchetti, Colleen; Langley, Audra K.

2018-01-01

The current study provides the first replication trial of Bounce Back, a school-based intervention for elementary students exposed to trauma, in a different school district and geographical area. Participants in this study were 52 1st through 4th graders (M[subscript age] = 7.76 years; 65% male) who were predominately Latino (82%). Schools were…

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…

An Examination of Elementary School Teachers' Beliefs about Their African American Students with an Analysis of Selected Characteristics of Schools in One Urban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marrero, Otoniel

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between five factors: teacher efficacy, teacher beliefs, cultural responsive classroom management, cultural awareness, and cultural sensitivity among African American, European American and Hispanic American elementary school teachers. The five factors were part of eight factors originating…

Case Study on the Journey of an Elementary School Labeled as a Persistently Low-Achieving School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Annette

2012-01-01

This study examined an elementary school, located in an urban school district, which was labeled as a Persistently Low-Achieving School (PLAS) by the federal government in 2009 in order to determine how the school planned to change leadership and staff; increase student achievement; and implement new approaches for changes in school climate. The…

Factors That Influence the Reading Motivation of Fourth and Fifth Grade Students in a Midwest Urban Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Garro, Jo A.

2017-01-01

Reading motivation has been found to impact both literacy development and student achievement. Unfortunately, reading motivation tends to decline as students get older, and many students lose interest in reading by middle school (Edmunds & Bauserman, 2006). This decrease can have a negative impact on achievement and may also contribute to…

Seeking Visual Clarity an Examination of Font Legibility and Visual Presentation for Elementary-Level Special Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haugen, Theresa Tetrick

2010-01-01

This study examined font and layout alternatives for mild special education children in third through sixth grade. Of this group, twelve were boys and two were girls, seven were suburban students and seven were urban students. During the first phase, the students were observed reading four different fonts, then the participant named the easiest…

Preparing Experienced Elementary Teachers as Mathematics Specialists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nickerson, Susan D.

2010-01-01

High quality teaching is critical to student learning, yet takes considerable time to develop in particular content areas. Students in high-poverty, urban settings are less likely to encounter experienced and trained teachers. Administrators from a large school district and university mathematics education faculty partnered and attempted to…

Teacher-Initiated Differentiation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ensign, Jacque

2012-01-01

Elementary school teachers in Seattle, Washington, are encouraged to adapt differentiated instructional practices in math to accommodate the particular students in their own classrooms. Seattle Public Schools is a large, urban district serving 47,000 students who speak over a hundred languages. More than a third receive free or reduced lunch. The…

Changes in Elementary Student Perceptions of Science, Scientists and Science Careers after Participating in a Curricular Module on Health and Veterinary Science

PubMed Central

Shin, Soo Yeon; Parker, Loran Carleton; Adedokun, Omolola; Mennonno, Ann; Wackerly, Amy; SanMiguel, Sandra

2015-01-01

This study examined to what extent a curriculum module that uses animal and human health scientists and science concepts to portray science and scientists in a relevant and authentic manner could enhance elementary students’ aspiration for science careers, attitudes to science, positive perceptions of scientists, and perceived relevance of science. The curriculum was developed by a research-based university program and has been put into practice in two early elementary classrooms in an urban school in the Midwest. An attitudinal rating survey and the Draw-A-Scientist Test (DAST) were used to assess pre to post changes in student attitudes toward science, perceptions of scientists, perceived relevance of science, and aspiration for science careers. Findings indicated that the implementation of this curriculum contributed positively to student attitudes toward science, decreased students’ stereotypical images of scientists, and increased student aspirations to become a scientist. PMID:26726271

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,…

Risk and Protective Factors in Mathematically Talented Black Male Students: Snapshots from Kindergarten through Eighth Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Ebony O.; Pearman, F. Alvin, II

2014-01-01

Within urban elementary schools are Black students who continue to challenge the normative deficit characterization of the educational opportunities of students like them. This study attempts to provide a more holistic picture of the scholarly trajectories of 13 African American males who are particularly talented in mathematics and who attended…

Productive Taboos: Cultivating Spatialized Literacy Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vander Zanden, Sarah

2015-01-01

The fifth grade students in this project were part of a yearlong ethnographic study in an urban elementary school. They engaged in a student initiated inquiry project combining bakeries and mysteries, which culminated in the production of an original film. Situated in a socio-spatialized stance on literacy involving networks of participation and…

One Reading Specialist's Response to High-Stakes Testing Pressures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assaf, Lori

2006-01-01

Pressures to help students pass high-stakes tests affect teachers' reading instruction, their responsiveness to students' learning needs, and their professional effectiveness. This article reports on how one reading specialist responded to testing pressures in her urban elementary school. She believed that what was "right" for her…

Shared Reading to Build Vocabulary and Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kesler, Ted

2010-01-01

The author presents four approaches to shared reading that he used with first through third graders in a high-needs, urban elementary school with a large population of students from immigrant homes. Using sociocultural and cognitive constructivist principles, the author shows how these approaches built students' academic vocabulary and…

Title IV Indian Education Program Evaluation, 1985-86.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albuquerque Public Schools, NM. Planning, Research and Accountability.

Public schools in Albuquerque, New Mexico, used a Title IV Part A grant to assist American Indian elementary and secondary school students in receiving passing grades and improving school-related behaviors. Canoncito Navajo Reservation, the Isleta Pueblo, and urban Indian students in Albuquerque participated in the program. Personnel consisted of…

EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION ON CHILDREN'S RESPIRATORY HEALTH IN THREE CHINESE CITIES.

EPA Science Inventory

During the winter of 1988-1989, parents of 2,789 elementary school students completed standardized questionnaires. The students were 5-14 years of age and were from three urban districts and one suburban district of three large Chinese cities. The 4-y average ambient levels of ...

Our Voices: A Descriptive Account of African American Parental Involvement in an Urban Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sudduth, Charletta D.

2011-01-01

Parent involvement may have implications for student achievement (Epstein, 1986; Hoover-Dempsey, Bassler, & Brisse, 1987; Lopez, Scribner, & Mahitivanichcha, 2001). Today African-American parents are frequently criticized for not being involved enough in their students' education (Dearing, Kreider, Simpkins, & Weiss, 2006). African-American parent…

Successful Teaching Strategies for Urban African American High School Males

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blue, Adonis

2017-01-01

The continued dismal performance of African American students calls for the establishment of better strategies and techniques. The available studies reveal very little regarding the initiatives pursued by middle and elementary school teacher in addressing the academic needs of African American students, however, this literature has not yet defined…

Liberian Educational Stakeholders' Perceptions of Overcrowding in an Urban Public Elementary School in Monrovia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalieh, Franklin T.

2017-01-01

In post-conflict Liberia, more students are returning to schools and moving to urban areas resulting in overcrowding and class sizes that surpassed recommended and legally-sanctioned limits. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore educational stakeholders' perceptions of the factors (e.g., organizational leadership, social, and…

Evaluation of State Urban Education (CEC) Programs District 19, New York City Board of Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweitzer, Paul; And Others

The five State Urban Education C.E.C. programs in District 19 include Project Excellence, a recycled clinical program which provides diagnostic, referral, and educational service to elementary and junior school students who demonstrate some difficulty in their scholastic and/or emotional adjustment to school. In Operation Reading Success for Sixth…

Predicting Social Responsibility and Belonging in Urban After-School Physical Activity Programs with Underserved Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Jeffrey J.; Byrd, Brigid; Garn, Alex; McCaughtry, Nate; Kulik, Noel; Centeio, Erin

2016-01-01

The purpose of this cross sectional study was to predict feelings of belonging and social responsibility based on the motivational climate perceptions and contingent self-worth of children participating in urban after-school physical activity programs. Three-hundred and four elementary school students from a major Midwestern city participated.…

The Longitudinal Effects of Residential Mobility on the Academic Achievement of Urban Elementary and Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voight, Adam; Shinn, Marybeth; Nation, Maury

2012-01-01

Residential stability matters to a young person's educational development, and the present housing crisis has disrupted the residential stability of many families. This study uses latent growth-curve modeling to examine how changing residences affects math and reading achievement from third through eighth grade among a sample of urban elementary…

Project Success Environment: A Practical Program for Implementing Behavior Modification in Urban Elementary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rollins, Howard; And Others

The results of a 3-year project that developed a practical program for the wide-scale implementation of behavior modification in urban schools are presented in this paper. The major outcomes of the project were (a) a practical, cost-effective behavior modification program that reduces discipline problems, increases student motivation, and…

Urban Elementary Teachers' Negotiation of School Culture and the Fostering of Educational Resilience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geste, Audrey Jane

2010-01-01

Research about educational resilience provides a framework for understanding why some at risk children are successful in school, while others are not. It can inform and guide teachers as they strive to improve the odds of urban student achievement. This research, an instrumental multiple case study, gathered the experiences of three experienced…

Do Intervention Impacts on Academic Achievement Vary by School Climate? Evidence from a Randomized Trial in Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCormick, Meghan P.; Cappella, Elise; O'Connor, Erin E.; McClowry, Sandee G.

2015-01-01

Given established links between social-emotional skills and academic achievement, there is growing support for implementing universal social/behavioral interventions in early schooling (Jones & Bouffard, 2012). Advocates have been particularly interested in implementing such programming in low income urban schools where students are likely to…

An Outdoor Education Guide for Urban Teachers of the Emotionally Handicapped. Proceedings: Special Study Institute (June 1974).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Div. for Handicapped Children.

Traditionally program strategies such as special classes, resource rooms, and itinerant teaching have been employed to meet the unique needs of the emotionally handicapped child. Urban outdoor education is presented as an additional curriculum concept in this resource guide for elementary students. Since the outdoor education method centers on…

Going One-to-One in Urban Schools: An Evaluation of the XO Champions Initiative in Project LIFT Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaver, Jessica K.; Englander, Katie; Leow, Christine; Barnes, Marvin

2015-01-01

Beginning in spring 2013, students in seven elementary schools throughout the Project LIFT zone in Charlotte, North Carolina began to receive XO laptops provided by the organization One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) for use both within their classroom and at home. This report details Research for Action's (RFA) mixed-method evaluation of the first year…

US Urban Elementary Teachers' Knowledge and Practices in Teaching Science to English Language Learners: Results from the First Year of a Professional Development Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santau, Alexandra O.; Secada, Walter; Maerten-Rivera, Jaime; Cone, Neporcha; Lee, Okhee

2010-01-01

The study examined US elementary teachers' knowledge and practices in four key domains of science instruction with English language learning (ELL) students. The four domains included: (1) teachers' knowledge of science content, (2) teaching practices to promote scientific understanding, (3) teaching practices to promote scientific inquiry, and (4)…

A Qualitative Study of Agricultural Literacy in Urban Youth: What Do Elementary Students Understand about the Agri-Food System?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Alexander J.; Trexler, Cary J.

2011-01-01

Agricultural literacy of K-12 students is a national priority for both scientific and agricultural education professional organizations. Development of curricula to address this priority has not been informed by research on what K-12 students understand about the agri-food system. While students' knowledge of food and fiber system facts have been…

Supplemental Educational Services and Student Test Score Gains: Evidence from a Large, Urban School District. Working Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springer, Matthew G.; Pepper, Matthew J.; Ghosh-Dastidar, Bonnie

2009-01-01

This study examines the effect of supplemental educational services (SES) on student test score gains and whether particular subgroups of students benefit more from No Child Left Behind (NCLB) tutoring services. The sample used includes information on students enrolled in 3rd through 8th grades nested in 121 elementary and middle schools over a…

Teachers' perspectives on the challenges of teaching physical education in urban schools: the student emotional filter.

PubMed

McCaughtry, Nate; Barnard, Sara; Martin, Jeffrey; Shen, Bo; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges

2006-12-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze how the challenges of urban schools influence physical education teachers' emotional understanding and connections with their students and the implications on their teaching. Sixty-one elementary physical educators from an urban school district in the midwestern U.S. were interviewed multiple times (N = 136) over 3 years using interpretive methodology. Teachers reported five unique challenges that significantly shaped their thinking about students and their careers, along with strategies they used to overcome or manage those challenges. The challenges were: (a) insufficient instructional resources, (b) implementing culturally relevant pedagogy, (c) dealing with community violence, (d) integrating more games in curricula, and (e) teaching in a culture of basketball. Implications centered on the guilt-inducing nature of urban teaching, developing an informed and realistic vision of urban physical education, and the role of teacher preparation and professional development.

A Multi-Variate Analysis of Teacher-Student Interpretations of Non-Verbal Cues: The Measurement of Visuo-Gestural Channel Expression.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teresa, Joseph G.; Francis, John B.

This study sought to ascertain how teachers and students interpret non-verbal cues in the form of visuo-gestural channel expressions by having them assign affective meaning to such expressions depicted photographically. Subjects were 377 students and 19 teachers from two elementary schools: one, urban and characterized as low socioeconomic status;…

Using Cogenerative Dialogues to Improve Coteaching for Language Learner (LL) Students in an Inclusion Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Im, Sungmin; Martin, Sonya N.

2015-01-01

This paper presents findings from a study conducted in an urban elementary school in the United States with an English language learner (ELL) student and two teachers engaged in collaborative teaching in an inclusion science classroom. This study examines the efficacy of utilising cogenerative dialogues between an ELL student and his science…

Beyond the Scores: Mathematics Identities of African American and Hispanic Fifth Graders in an Urban Elementary Community School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleshman, Paula Jenniver

2012-01-01

As mathematics identity affects students' learning and doing of mathematics, it is critical to understand the mathematics identities of African American and Hispanic students as the mathematical performance and pursuits of far too many continue to lag behind. Further, as community schools have been shown to positively impact students in urban…

Urban Elementary Students' Conceptions of Learning Goals for Agricultural Science and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trexler, Cary J.; Hess, Alexander J.; Hayes, Kathryn N.

2013-01-01

Nationally, both science and agricultural education professional organizations have identified agriculture as a fundamental technology to be studied by students, with the goal of achieving an understanding of the agri-food system necessary for democratic participation. Benchmarks representing the content that K-12 children need to understand about…

Effects of Differentiated Reading on Elementary Students' Reading Comprehension and Attitudes toward Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaunessy-Dedrick, Elizabeth; Evans, Linda; Ferron, John; Lindo, Myriam

2015-01-01

In this investigation, we examined the effects of a differentiated reading approach on fourth grade students' reading comprehension and attitudes toward reading. Eight Title I schools within one urban district were randomly assigned to treatment (Schoolwide Enrichment Model-Reading [SEM-R]) or control (district reading curriculum) conditions.…

Unmasking Vandalism: A Case of Social Justice Leadership Complexities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gill, Hartej

2013-01-01

Waterfront Elementary School is located in a very affluent neighbourhood in a large urban multicultural school district. The school has some diversity in terms of its student population, but the majority of the students are White and come from upper middle-class families. Ms. Courtney Williams, the principal of the school was transferred to…

Music Teachers' Attitudes toward Transgender Students and Supportive School Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silveira, Jason M.; Goff, Sarah C.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to measure music teachers' attitudes toward transgender individuals and toward school practices that support transgender students. Participants (N = 612) included men and women who teach a variety of music subjects in elementary, middle, and high schools, in urban, suburban, and rural areas. An online questionnaire…

Authoring Multiple "Formas de ser": Three Bilingual Latino/a Fifth Graders Navigating School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuero, Kimberley K.

2009-01-01

Drawing from sociocultural and anthropological perspectives, I present 3 case examples of bilingual, Mexican-origin students enrolled in a transitional bilingual educational program in an urban elementary school. By using the theoretical constructs of figured worlds, authoring, and "formas de ser" (ways of being), I examine how student identities…

Resisting Punitive School Discipline: Perspectives and Practices of Exemplary Urban Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hambacher, Elyse

2018-01-01

Drawing on the literature related to classroom management, and culturally relevant critical teacher care, and effective teaching for students of color, this paper uses interview and observation data to explore the perspectives and practices of two exemplary fifth-grade teachers who refuse to rely on punitive discipline with their students of…

Planning for Reform-Based Science: Case Studies of Two Urban Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangiante, Elaine Silva

2018-01-01

The intent of national efforts to frame science education standards is to promote students' development of scientific practices and conceptual understanding for their future role as scientifically literate citizens (NRC 2012). A guiding principle of science education reform is that all students receive equitable opportunities to engage in rigorous…

The Art Gallery/La Galeria de Arte: An Exhibition of Transformation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biagi, Juliet

2001-01-01

Describes the development of an art gallery within an urban elementary school, examining its impact on diverse students and their social interactions at school and home. The gallery had a positive impact on students (improved self-esteem, motivation, and appreciation of others); the school (transformation of the physical space and appreciation of…

General Education Teachers and Students with Physical Disabilities: A Revisit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Delar K.; Sakofs, Mitchell

2006-01-01

This article reports the findings of a research study that investigated the knowledge base and the perceptions of professional competence of 115 general education teachers as they relate to the inclusion of students with physical disabilities. Members of the sample represented elementary and secondary teachers who were teaching in rural, urban,…

Supporting the Summer Reading of Urban Youth: An Evaluation of the Baltimore SummerREADS Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stein, Marc L.

2017-01-01

This article presents an evaluation of the first 2 years of a research-based summer learning program that provided self-selected and developmentally appropriate books to students in low-income and low-resource elementary schools by a local philanthropic organization in a large urban district. The evaluation found evidence of a positive effect of…

Sacred Structures: Narrating Lifeworlds and Implications for Urban Arts Education Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rolling, James Haywood, Jr.

2012-01-01

This article utilizes the story of an art studio project involving 2nd-grade students in a new urban elementary school as they explored and engaged with architectural spaces in their community during their yearlong study of the theme of "Community." The purpose of this writing is to theorize and codify some major tenets of a narrative…

Professional development in inquiry-based science for elementary teachers of diverse student groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Okhee; Hart, Juliet E.; Cuevas, Peggy; Enders, Craig

2004-12-01

As part of a larger project aimed at promoting science and literacy for culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students, this study has two objectives: (a) to describe teachers' initial beliefs and practices about inquiry-based science and (b) to examine the impact of the professional development intervention (primarily through instructional units and teacher workshops) on teachers' beliefs and practices related to inquiry-based science. The research involved 53 third- and fourth-grade teachers at six elementary schools in a large urban school district. At the end of the school year, teachers reported enhanced knowledge of science content and stronger beliefs about the importance of science instruction with diverse student groups, although their actual practices did not change significantly. Based on the results of this first year of implementation as part of a 3-year longitudinal design, implications for professional development and further research are discussed.

A Qualitative Study Examining the Best Practices of Effective Teachers of African American Elementary School Students in a Midwestern Urban District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Angelina

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study is twofold. First, this research seeks to illuminate best practices of teachers who advance learning and achievement of African American students. Second, this study seeks to provide educators and administrators strategies they might utilize to increase the achievement of their African-American students in order to…

"It's Important for Them to Know Who They Are": Teachers' Efforts to Sustain Students' Cultural Competence in an Age of High-Stakes Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zoch, Melody

2017-01-01

This article examines how four urban elementary teachers designed their literacy instruction in ways that sought to sustain students' cultural competence--maintaining their language and cultural practices while also gaining access to more dominant ones--amid expectations to prepare students for high-stakes testing. A large part of their teaching…

Elementary Principal Leadership Practices, Attitudes, and Self-Efficacy about Teacher Evaluation in Title I Urban Schools Making Gains in Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ames, Karen Cohen

2013-01-01

Current school reform efforts aim to improve teaching and learning with emphasis on accountability for student achievement. The success of school reform depends on the motivation and capacities of school leaders. It is important to know what effective leadership practices look like to understand the direct impact to student achievement,…

Student nurses as school nurse extenders.

PubMed

Rossman, Carol L; Dood, Florence V; Squires, Darcy A

2012-12-01

The severe underuse of school nurses leaves students with unaddressed health needs that impact their safety and learning ability. An undergraduate pediatric clinical focusing on nursing students and the role of a school nurse in an elementary school setting can be a unique approach to combining the needs of school children and educating student nurses. One school of nursing created such a project to help address these needs and collect data on the activities student nurses performed in school nurse role and their impact on student health. This project serves as both a practice improvement project and an innovation in pediatric clinical education. The purposes of this project were to quantify baccalaureate nursing student activities related to the school nurse role and to evaluate the results that have the potential to impact on student health in an urban elementary school. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dramatizing the Authentic Research of a Local Scientist to Urban Elementary Students Through Professional Theater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgin, Stephen R.; Alonzo, Jenifer; Hill, Victoria J.

2016-12-01

This article focuses on the impact of a professional play that we developed in order to introduce elementary learners of an urban school to the research of a scientist working at a local university. The play was written in a way that might increase student understandings of the nature of science, scientific inquiry, the identity of scientists, and the work that scientists do. We collected pre-and post-play questionnaire responses and drawings of scientists from third and fourth grade students who attended the play. We also interviewed five of the ten teachers whose students attended the play. Findings indicated that most of these teachers felt strongly that their students had learned about scientific inquiry, the identity of scientists, and the work that scientists do as a result of attending the play. However, less than half of the student questionnaires and drawings of scientists indicated such growth as a result of the play. That being said, numerous students were able to tell us what they learned from the play and many questionnaire responses and drawings indicated such learning. Implications for partnerships between schools and university faculty from various disciplines in order to develop potentially impactful plays that portray authentic scientific research are discussed.

The Effect of Dual-Language and Transitional-Bilingual Education Instructional Models on Spanish Proficiency for English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Audrey Figueroa

2014-01-01

The effects of "transitional-bilingual" and "dual-language" educational models on proficiency in students' home language (Spanish) were examined in a study of English language learners in the first and second grades in a large urban elementary school. In each grade, students were taught with either a transitional-bilingual…

Different Roles and Different Results: How Activity Orientations Correspond to Relationship Quality and Student Outcomes in School-Based Mentoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Thomas E.; Pryce, Julia M.

2012-01-01

This prospective, mixed-methods study investigated how the nature of joint activities between volunteer mentors and student mentees corresponded to relationship quality and youth outcomes. Focusing on relationships in school-based mentoring programs in low-income urban elementary schools, data were obtained through pre-post assessments,…

The Efficacy of ClassWide Peer Tutoring in Middle Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamps, Debra M.; Greenwood, Charles; Arreaga-Mayer, Carmen; Veerkamp, Mary Baldwin; Utley, Cheryl; Tapia, Yolanda; Bowman-Perrott, Lisa; Bannister, Harriett

2008-01-01

The majority of research on the efficacy of ClassWide Peer Tutoring (CWPT) is based on research with urban elementary students (Rohrbeck, Ginsberg-Block, Fantuzzo, & Miller, 2003), with much less research in middle schools. This study investigated CWPT with 975 middle school students in 52 classrooms, grades 6 through 8, over a three-year period.…

Perceptions of the Use of Interactive Whiteboards in Teaching Literacy to Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown-Wyatt, Valencia

2011-01-01

Under No Child Left Behind Act 2001, the Reading First initiative was a component geared toward strengthening literacy skills in schools that were in need of improvement. Despite the intervention attempts through this initiative, research shows that students continue to struggle in literacy, which widens the achievement gap in urban school…

Dearborn Forms Elementary Arabic Language Program Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tabrizi, Shereen

2009-01-01

The Dearborn Public Schools, with 18,300 students, is located in the Detroit urban area with the largest concentration of Arabic-speaking people in the United States. In order to prepare the students for the 21st century skills and global awareness and in response to parents' requests, the author in collaboration with the school principal and…

The Impact of Standards-Based Reform on Special Education and the Creation of the 'Dividual

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bacon, Jessica

2015-01-01

An urban Pre-K through 5th grade school referred to as Westvale Elementary School was the focal point for this research study. Westvale was located within an urban district in New York State that was host to approximately 20,000 students. Both the school and the district were labeled as failing under the No Child Left Behind Act. Foucauldian…

An Evaluation of Strong Kids in an Urban African American Female Sample: The Need for Gender-Specific and Culturally Focused Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Alison; Graves, Scott, Jr.; Sobalvarro, Adriana; Nichols, Kayla; Schutte, Kerry; Aston, Candice; Griffin, Amanda

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a social-emotional learning curriculum, Strong Kids, for children at risk for begin referred for placement in emotional and behavioral support classrooms. Thirty-nine fourth- and fifth-grade students enrolled in an urban elementary school participated in the intervention. The results of this…

Children's Books in Review. Saving and Appreciating Our Planet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winfield, Evelyn T.

1992-01-01

Reviews books for preschool through elementary school students, focusing on environmental issues in urban and rural areas. The literature examines such topics as saving the tropical rainforests, conserving energy and resources, decreasing pollution, and saving endangered species. (SM)

Creating contextually authentic science in a low-performing urban elementary school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxton, Cory A.

2006-09-01

This article reports on a 2-year collaborate project to reform the teaching and learning of science in the context of Mae Jemison Elementary, the lowest performing elementary school in the state of Louisiana. I outline a taxonomy of authentic science inquiry experiences and then use the resulting framework to focus on how project participants interpreted and enacted ideas about collaboration and authenticity. The resulting contextually authentic science inquiry model links the strengths of a canonically authentic model of science inquiry (grounded in the Western scientific canon) with the strengths of a youth-centered model of authenticity (grounded in student-generated inquiry), thus bringing together relevant content standards and topics with critical social relevance. I address the question of how such enactments may or may not promote doing science together and consider the implications of this model for urban science education.

Final Report of the Evaluation of the 1970-71 Benjamin Franklin Urban League Street Academy. ESEA Title I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Edsel; Wortham, James

The objective of the Benjamin Franklin Urban League Street Academy, funded under Title I of the Elementary Secondary Education Act of 1965, is to help students to stay in school or to help dropouts to return to school, or enter the world of work prepared and motivated to adjust and achieve satisfactorily. The major evaluation objectives of this…

Implementing Accelerated Schools in New Orleans: The Satellite Center Project as an Agent of Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miron, Louis F.; And Others

An overview is provided of the Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) as implemented in one urban elementary school in New Orleans, emphasizing the role of the University of New Orleans Satellite Center. The present student population of the school studied is 405 students in grades pre-kindergarten through six. The ASP is a non-traditional strategy for…

Technology as a Tool for Urban Classrooms. ERIC/CUE Digest, Number 95.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnett, Gary

By 1992, according to a study by the Council of Chief State School Officers, more than 3.5 million computers were in U.S. elementary and secondary schools--a ratio of one computer for every 13 students. In addition, 99 percent of all schools across the country reported that they provide their students with some access to computers. Sometimes…

The Effect of Combining Analogy-Based Simulation and Laboratory Activities on Turkish Elementary School Students' Understanding of Simple Electric Circuits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unlu, Zeynep Koyunlu; Dokme, Ibilge

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the combination of both analogy-based simulation and laboratory activities as a teaching tool was more effective than utilizing them separately in teaching the concepts of simple electricity. The quasi-experimental design that involved 66 seventh grade students from urban Turkish elementary…

The Ethics of Environmental Concern: A Rationale and Prototype Materials for Environmental Education Within the Humanistic Tradition. Final Report, Volume 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Rodney F.

As part of the series of student materials developed by the Environmental Education Project at Florida State University, this volume contains three instructional units on urban environment. Designed for upper-elementary and secondary students, the materials require only low-level reading abilities while insisting on high-level participation. The…

Teacher Learning through Self-Regulation: An Exploratory Study of Alternatively Prepared Teachers' Ability to Plan Differentiated Instruction in an Urban Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tricarico, Katie; Yendol-Hoppey, Diane

2012-01-01

Differentiated Instruction (DI) is an approach that recognizes the strengths and weaknesses of diverse learners and requires the teacher to base instructional accommodations on student strengths and weaknesses. Specifically, teachers use DI strategies to adjust the content, process, or product of instruction depending on student needs. Given the…

Home Literacy Environments and Foundational Literacy Skills for Struggling and Nonstruggling Readers in Rural Early Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tichnor-Wagner, Ariel; Garwood, Justin D.; Bratsch-Hines, Mary; Vernon-Feagans, Lynne

2016-01-01

Factors such as weak early literacy skills and living in poverty may put young students at risk for reading disabilities. While home literacy activities and access to literacy materials have been associated with positive reading outcomes for urban and suburban students, little is known about home literacy environments of rural early elementary…

No More 1s: High Expectations Can Lead to High Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cervone, Laureen; DiMartino, Lisa; Kerr, Kris

2010-01-01

The school district in Middletown, New York, in the state's Orange County, today serves close to 7,000 students in four elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. The district is classified by the state in the highest of three Need-to-Resource-Capacity groups, an urban or suburban school district with high student needs in…

Leading in a Time of Ambitious Reform: Principals in High-Poverty Urban Elementary Schools Frame the Challenge of the Common Core State Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stosich, Elizabeth Leisy

2017-01-01

Standards are intended to foster excellence and equity in student learning by institutionalizing high expectations for all students while allowing educators to have professional discretion in determining how to meet these goals. Recent studies suggest that principals play an essential role in interpreting and communicating the implications of…

Implementation of a Program To Actively Involve Parents in the Education of Their Fourth-Grade Children by Participating in School Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chisom, Yvette L.

An elementary school teacher in an urban school serving economically disadvantaged and middle-class black students implemented a practicum designed to increase involvement of parents of intermediate grade students in their children's education. Parent participation was mandatory in preschool and primary programs. But when children entered the…

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Montessori Reading and Math Instruction for Third Grade African American Students in Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Katherine Elizabeth

2016-01-01

Improving academic achievement for students of color has long been the subject of debate among advocates of education reform (Anyon, 2013; Breitborde & Swiniarski, 2006; Payne, 2008). Some scholars have advocated for the Montessori method as an alternative educational approach to address some chronic problems in public education (Lillard,…

The Relationship of the Dimensions of Distributed Leadership in Elementary Schools of Urban Districts and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terrell, Hope P.

2010-01-01

The school principal's role has been expanding since the onset of the standards movement. No Child Left Behind, enacted in 2002, requires principals to be not only managers of the building and staff but also instructional leaders responsible for increasing student achievement. Therefore, the task of being principal has become too extensive;…

Final Report of the Evaluation of the 1971-72 Benjamin Franklin Urban League Street Academy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Edsel; Hamler, Bev

The major objective of the Street Academy Program, funded under Title I of the 1965 Elementary Secondary Education Act, is to help students stay in schools, or to help dropouts return to school or enter the world of work prepared and motivated to adjust and achieve satisfactorily. The Academy services approximately 500 high school students who…

Montana Bicyclist Training Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiBrito, Roger, Ed.; And Others

This guide is designed to train elementary students in the riding skills, hazard identification, and traffic analysis necessary for safe bicycling under nearly all urban traffic and roadway conditions. The training manual is divided into four sections. The Instructor's Manual presents brief introductions, background information, and detailed…

Pilot evaluation of a walking school bus program in a low-income, urban community

PubMed Central

Mendoza, Jason A; Levinger, David D; Johnston, Brian D

2009-01-01

Background To evaluate the impact of a walking school bus (WSB) program on student transport in a low-income, urban neighborhood. Methods The design was a controlled, quasi-experimental trial with consecutive cross-sectional assessments. The setting was three urban, socioeconomically disadvantaged, public elementary schools (1 intervention vs. 2 controls) in Seattle, Washington, USA. Participants were ethnically diverse students in kindergarten-5th grade (aged 5–11 years). The intervention was a WSB program consisting of a part-time WSB coordinator and parent volunteers. Students' method of transportation to school was assessed by a classroom survey at baseline and one-year follow-up. The Pearson Chi-squared test compared students transported to school at the intervention versus control schools at each time point. Due to multiple testing, we calculated adjusted p-values using the Ryan-Holm stepdown Bonferroni procedure. McNemar's test was used to examine the change from baseline to 12-month follow-up for walking versus all other forms of school transport at the intervention or control schools. Results At baseline, the proportions of students (n = 653) walking to the intervention (20% +/- 2%) or control schools (15% +/- 2%) did not differ (p = 0.39). At 12-month follow up, higher proportions of students (n = 643, p = 0.001)) walked to the intervention (25% +/- 2%) versus the control schools (7% +/- 1%). No significant changes were noted in the proportion of students riding in a car or taking the school bus at baseline or 12-month follow up (all p > 0.05). Comparing baseline to 12-month follow up, the numbers of students who walked to the intervention school increased while the numbers of students who used the other forms of transport did not change (p < 0.0001). In contrast, the numbers of students who walked to the control schools decreased while the numbers of students who used the other forms of transport did not change (p < 0.0001). Conclusion A WSB program is a promising intervention among urban, low-income elementary school students that may promote favorable changes toward active transport to school. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00402701 PMID:19413910

Teacher consultation and coaching within mental health practice: classroom and child effects in urban elementary schools.

PubMed

Cappella, Elise; Hamre, Bridget K; Kim, Ha Yeon; Henry, David B; Frazier, Stacy L; Atkins, Marc S; Schoenwald, Sonja K

2012-08-01

To examine effects of a teacher consultation and coaching program delivered by school and community mental health professionals on change in observed classroom interactions and child functioning across one school year. Thirty-six classrooms within 5 urban elementary schools (87% Latino, 11% Black) were randomly assigned to intervention (training + consultation/coaching) and control (training only) conditions. Classroom and child outcomes (n = 364; 43% girls) were assessed in the fall and spring. Random effects regression models showed main effects of intervention on teacher-student relationship closeness, academic self-concept, and peer victimization. Results of multiple regression models showed levels of observed teacher emotional support in the fall moderated intervention impact on emotional support at the end of the school year. Results suggest teacher consultation and coaching can be integrated within existing mental health activities in urban schools and impact classroom effectiveness and child adaptation across multiple domains. © 2012 American Psychological Association

Development of an Identification Procedure for a Large Urban School Corporation: "Identifying Culturally Diverse and Academically Gifted Elementary Students"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierce, Rebecca L.; Adams, Cheryll M.; Neumeister, Kristie L. Speirs; Cassady, Jerrell C.; Dixon, Felicia A.; Cross, Tracy L.

2006-01-01

This paper describes the identification process of a Priority One Jacob K. Javits grant, Clustering Learners Unlocks Equity (Project CLUE), a university-school partnership. Project CLUE uses a "sift-down model" to cast the net widely as the talent pool of gifted second-grade students is formed. The model is based on standardized test scores, a…

Predicting Urban Elementary Student Success and Passage on Ohio's High-Stakes Achievement Measures Using DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency and Informal Math Concepts and Applications: An Exploratory Study Employing Hierarchical Linear Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merkle, Erich Robert

2011-01-01

Contemporary education is experiencing substantial reform across legislative, pedagogical, and assessment dimensions. The increase in school-based accountability systems has brought forth a culture where states, school districts, teachers, and individual students are required to demonstrate their efficacy towards improvement of the educational…

The Titmouse Effect. Occasional Paper #3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fluellen, Jerry E., Jr.

2007-01-01

What happens when standards, teaching for understanding, research based strategies for improving student achievement, and teacher inquiry become a whole? Power Teaching results. A prototype in development at an urban, elementary school in the South, power teaching connects the dots of state standards, Harvard Project Zero's teaching for…

Latinos' Changing Ethnic Group Representation From Elementary to Middle School: Perceived Belonging and Academic Achievement.

PubMed

Morales-Chicas, Jessica; Graham, Sandra

2017-09-01

This study examined the association between change in ethnic group representation from elementary to middle school and Latino students' school belonging and achievement. The ethnic diversity of students' middle school was examined as a moderator. Participants were 1,825 Latino sixth graders from 26 ethnically diverse urban middle schools. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that a change in ethnic representation toward fewer Latinos in middle school than elementary school was related to less perceived belonging and lower achievement in schools with low ethnic diversity. There were no mean differences as a function of declining representation in more diverse middle schools, suggesting that greater school diversity was protective. Findings highlight the importance of examining school ethnic context, especially across the middle school transition. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Research on Adolescence © 2016 Society for Research on Adolescence.

Re-Seeing Resistances: Telling Stories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reda, Mary M.

2007-01-01

The author's mother has taught advanced classes at a small Catholic elementary school. She also does private tutoring for at-risk students from neighboring high schools and colleges in an affluent suburban area. The author teaches at a large public, urban university. Her mother tutors Algebra through Calculus in a fairly traditional lecture-style…

K-6 Social Studies Skills for the Human Behavior and Urban Studies Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banks, Samuel L., Ed.

This guide was developed to aid elementary students deal with life experiences through skill development. Major skills stressed are: locating, organizing, and evaluating information; acquiring information through listening, observing, and reading; communicating orally and in writing; interpreting pictures, charts, graphs, and tables; and working…

Integrating Community into the Classroom: Community Gardening, Community Involvement, and Project-Based Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langhout, Regina Day; Rappaport, Julian; Simmons, Doretha

2002-01-01

Culturally relevant, ongoing project-based learning was facilitated in a predominantly African American urban elementary school via a community garden project. The project involved teachers, students, university members, and community members. This article evaluates the project through two classroom-community collaboration models, noting common…

A Village Study with Middle School Spatial Organisation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, El

1985-01-01

Demonstrates how elements of a built environment can be introduced to middle school students. Describes activities that address the concept of spatial organziation in a small scale urban environment, suggesting that hierarchical arrangements of settlements, the central place theory, and land use zoning can be taught at the elementary level. (ML)

Science Interests of Urban Seventh Graders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Bernice Taylor; And Others

At the middle and elementary school levels, cultivating an interest in science has been considered an important goal. The primary aim should be to foster a desire for participation in science courses and activities. Research results suggest that schools do not provide a curriculum that supports science interests, and student attitudes toward…

Seeking: Special Education Director

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Jeanne

2007-01-01

The author recently left her position as special services director in an urban school district in Vermont, a state that embraces inclusion for students with disabilities, to accept the position of superintendent of schools in the same district. The new job requires overseeing the educational mission of six elementary schools, two middle schools, a…

Comprehension Literacy Improvement Program Implementation and Balanced Literacy Impact on Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gough, Timothy Jerome

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine how teachers in an urban school district implemented Comprehensive Literacy Improvement Program (CLIP) and balanced literacy framework in second through fifth grade classrooms by exploring the evidence of implementation of guided reading strategies. Instructional delivery, training methodology, phonemic…

Why Teachers Make Good Learning Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Brian; Hinueber, Jesse

2015-01-01

When teachers who deeply understand the needs of their students and colleagues lead professional learning in their schools, everyone benefits. In this article, five educators and their perspectives on teacher leadership are featured. These educators have all taught low-income urban children in elementary grades for several years, but in different…

Pre-Service Teachers' Use of Multicultural Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Salika A.

2017-01-01

This qualitative study examines how pre-service teachers in urban elementary classrooms develop student literacy with multicultural literature. By evaluating the action research reports of three pre-service teacher candidates, the authors determine how reading experiences with texts align to Bloom's Taxonomy and expectations for Common Core State…

Novice Urban Elementary School Teachers' Reports of the Supports They Receive from Their Instructional Leaders to Be Culturally Responsive to the Students in Their Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morton, Angela Burke

2012-01-01

Cultural competence in education is a vital part of running an effective classroom with cross-cultural relationships. However, there has been limited research addressing the supports classroom teachers receive from their instructional leaders in being culturally responsive to the students in their classroom. The purpose of this study was to…

The Influence of Tier One of RtI[superscript 2] and Instructional Coaching on Teacher Instruction and Student/ELL Learning: A Multiple Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valadez, Frances E.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to demonstrate the influence of Tier 1 of Response to Intervention and Instruction (RtI[superscript 2]) and instructional coaching on teachers' instruction and on students' and English Language Learners' (ELL) learning. Research was conducted in one large urban elementary school. The unit of study…

What do primary students know about science, scientists and how they do their work?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartels, Selina L.

The teaching of scientific literacy is the primary goal of elementary science education. Scientific literacy is composed of the overall understanding of what science is and how scientific knowledge is developed. The purpose of this study was to see if elementary students' understandings of science, scientists and how scientists do their work changes from grade one to grade five of elementary school. Furthermore, the study attempts to determine whether there is a difference in scientific literacy between students taught using a textbook curriculum versus a kit-based curriculum. The study draws on a sample of 338 students from 18 different classrooms situated in six different schools in both urban and suburban areas of a large Midwestern city. Students' understandings of science, scientists and how they do their work was measured through a valid and reliable oral protocol entitled Young Children's Views of Science (YCVS) (Lederman, J., Bartels, Lederman, & Ganankkan, 2014). The YCVS assesses students' understandings of the aspects of scientific inquiry (SI) and the nature of science (NOS) that young elementary students are able to understand. These aspects are; science, scientists, multiple methods, observation/inference, begins with a question, empirical, subjectivity, tentativeness and creativity. The YCVS was administered orally for grade one students, and a paper-and-pencil version was given to grades three and five. Results indicated that there are very few gains in NOS and SI understandings between grades one and five in the schools included in this study. None of the schools in this study made significant gains for all of the nine aspects measured in this study. Examining curriculum's affect on NOS and SI understandings, understanding of only one aspect was significantly impacted by curriculum differences. Subjectivity understanding was impacted by kit-based instruction. Overall, students' understandings of science, scientists and how they do their work did not significantly change from grade one to grade five regardless of what type of curriculum they followed. This study shows that students' scientific literacy is not being developed throughout elementary school. Therefore, the teaching of scientific literacy in an explicit and reflective manner should be the focus of preservice elementary school education.

School services pattern in urban and rural areas: A comparatives study (Case study: Elementary school in Malang City and Malang Regency)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setyono, D. A.; Cahyo, D. D.

2017-06-01

Availability of public facilities are important to support community needs and activities, such as educational facilities (school). Those facilities was needed to endorse the development program implementation which are conducted both of local and national government especially to boost the human resources qualities. This study aims to measures service rates of elementary school in the Malang City and Malang Regency based on supply aspect especially on availability of school unit and also configures the spatial pattern of the school services. Theses study conducted based on the disparity of facility services hypotheses especially on school service provision between urban and rural areas, which are Malang City considered as urban areas and Malang Regency as rural areas. According to the analysis results, rate of elementary school services in the Malang City defined by CGC method about 272% while in Malang the Regency are slightly higher at 319%. The pattern of school services in Malang City relatively similar between its districts, except Klojen District as the growth center of Malang City has the highest rate of services. Meanwhile in the Malang Regency has unique pattern which are high service rates located in the Kepanjen District areas as the growth center of Malang Regency and also several districts that located surrounding the Malang City areas which has impact of city developments. Another district has the lowest service rates due to physical limitations, such as those districts/villages located in the forest areas, coastal areas, or mountainous areas. It is means that students in Malang Regency can access elementary school freely as students in Malang City, they are not only can choose the school in their residential areas but also they can access school everywhere especially from their neighboring areas. It also noticed that there are significant differences of elementary school services between urban center areas and suburban or peripheral areas so that appropriate policy measures are needed to provide equal and balance of educational facilities development throughout each areas. The policy should be arranged appropriately especially in Malang Regency in accordance to the special characteristics of each areas in aims to promote adequate school services and reach all areas equally.

Does a More Centrally Located School Promote Walking to School? Spatial Centrality in School-Neighborhood Settings.

PubMed

Kim, Hyung Jin; Lee, Chanam

2016-05-01

A public elementary school has traditionally functioned as an important center of a neighborhood, but this role has diminished with sprawling urban developments. Despite the large number of studies of children's walking to/from school (WTS), the school's location in relation to the larger neighborhood context has not been fully explored. This study is to examine the relationship between school's spatial centrality and children's WTS in urban, suburban and rural settings. this study used school travel tally (11,721 students), environment audit, GIS and census data from 71 elementary school/neighborhoods in Texas, and employed the closeness centrality index to estimate a school's spatial centrality. Data were collected from 2009-2012. After controlling for neighborhood characteristics, it was found that more centrally located schools are likely to have higher proportions of WTS in the neighborhoods. And, among urban, suburban and rural settings, urban schools were the most and rural schools were the least likely to be centrally-located in the neighborhoods. The findings offer implications on school and community planning policies that can help promote WTS. Spatial centrality measures can be effective tools to identify environmental factors in complex urban networks related to human behaviors and community-based activities.

Teacher Consultation and Coaching within Mental Health Practice: Classroom and Child Effects in Urban Elementary Schools

PubMed Central

Cappella, Elise; Hamre, Bridget K.; Kim, Ha Yeon; Henry, David B.; Frazier, Stacy L.; Atkins, Marc S.; Schoenwald, Sonja K.

2012-01-01

Objective To examine effects of a teacher consultation and coaching program delivered by school and community mental health professionals on change in observed classroom interactions and child functioning across one school year. Method Thirty-six classrooms within five urban elementary schools (87% Latino, 11% Black) were randomly assigned to intervention (training + consultation/coaching) and control (training only) conditions. Classroom and child outcomes (n = 364; 43% girls) were assessed in the fall and spring. Results Random effects regression models showed main effects of intervention on teacher-student relationship closeness, academic self-concept, and peer victimization. Results of multiple regression models showed levels of observed teacher emotional support in the fall moderated intervention impact on emotional support at the end of the school year. Conclusions Results suggest teacher consultation and coaching can be integrated within existing mental health activities in urban schools and impact classroom effectiveness and child adaptation across multiple domains. PMID:22428941

Mode shifting in school travel mode: examining the prevalence and correlates of active school transport in Ontario, Canada

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Studies examining the correlates of school transport commonly fail to make the distinction between morning and afternoon school trips. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of mode shift from passive in the morning to active in the afternoon among elementary and secondary school students in Ontario, Canada. Methods Data were derived from the 2009 cycle of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS). 3,633 students in grades 7 through 12 completed self-administered questionnaires. Socio-demographic, behavioural, psychological, and environmental predictors of active school transport (AST) were assessed using logistic regression. Results Overall, 47% and 38% of elementary school students reported AST to and from school, respectively. The corresponding figures were 23% and 32% for secondary school students. The prevalence of AST varied temporarily and spatially. There was a higher prevalence of walking/biking found for elementary school students than for secondary school students, and there was an approximate 10% increase in AST in the afternoon. Different correlates of active school transport were also found across elementary and secondary school students. For all ages, students living in urban areas, with a shorter travel time between home and school, and having some input to the decision making process, were more likely to walk to and from school. Conclusions Future research examining AST should continue to make the analytic distinction between the morning and afternoon trip, and control for the moderating effect of age and geography in predicting mode choice. In terms of practice, these variations highlight the need for school-specific travel plans rather than 'one size fits all' interventions in promoting active school transport. PMID:21812976

Mode shifting in school travel mode: examining the prevalence and correlates of active school transport in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Wong, Bonny Yee-Man; Faulkner, Guy; Buliung, Ron; Irving, Hyacinth

2011-08-03

Studies examining the correlates of school transport commonly fail to make the distinction between morning and afternoon school trips. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of mode shift from passive in the morning to active in the afternoon among elementary and secondary school students in Ontario, Canada. Data were derived from the 2009 cycle of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS). 3,633 students in grades 7 through 12 completed self-administered questionnaires. Socio-demographic, behavioural, psychological, and environmental predictors of active school transport (AST) were assessed using logistic regression. Overall, 47% and 38% of elementary school students reported AST to and from school, respectively. The corresponding figures were 23% and 32% for secondary school students. The prevalence of AST varied temporarily and spatially. There was a higher prevalence of walking/biking found for elementary school students than for secondary school students, and there was an approximate 10% increase in AST in the afternoon. Different correlates of active school transport were also found across elementary and secondary school students. For all ages, students living in urban areas, with a shorter travel time between home and school, and having some input to the decision making process, were more likely to walk to and from school. Future research examining AST should continue to make the analytic distinction between the morning and afternoon trip, and control for the moderating effect of age and geography in predicting mode choice. In terms of practice, these variations highlight the need for school-specific travel plans rather than 'one size fits all' interventions in promoting active school transport.

Summary of the Journal of Geoscience Education Urban Theme Issue (Published in November, 2004)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abolins, M. J.

2004-12-01

The urban geoscience education theme issue includes twelve manuscripts describing efforts to make geoscience more inclusive. These efforts reflect two central beliefs: (1) that urban geoscience education more effectively serves urban residents (slightly more than 80% of the American population) and (2) that urban education encourages minority participation in the geosciences. These convictions spawned educational programs serving many different kinds of learners. Educators developed unique curricula to meet the needs of each audience, but most curricula incorporate content associated with the built environment. The following paragraphs summarize audience characteristics and curricular content. Audience Urban geoscience education served many different kinds of learners. Although most programs targeted an audience with a specific level of educational experience (e.g., elementary school students) at a specific location (e.g., Syracuse, NY), audience characteristics varied greatly from one program to another: (1) Participants included elementary, middle, and high school students, undergraduates (both majors and non-majors), K-12 teachers (both pre-service and in-service), graduate students, realtors, and community members. (2) At least three programs served populations with substantial numbers of African American, Hispanic, and Asian American students. (3) Audiences were drawn from every corner of the nation except the Pacific Northwest and Florida and resided in cities varying greatly in population. These cities included the nation's largest combined metropolitan area (New York City, NY-NJ-CT-PA), other metropolitan areas containing populations of over one million, and communities as small as Ithaca, NY (population: 96,501). As illustrated by the preceding examples, urban geoscience education served learners with different levels of educational experience, some programs focused on minority learners, and program participants lived in cities both big and small. Content Most urban geoscience curricula include content associated with the built environment. Some content is organized around themes that are unique to the largest cities, but much content is explicitly suburban. Examples follow: (1) A good example of a theme unique to the largest cities is the impact of geology on the construction of early Twentieth Century skyscrapers. (2) Much explicitly suburban material addresses human-environment interactions in urbanizing areas. The above examples show that curricula described in the theme issue include content relevant to both big city and suburban learners. Summary Although urban geoscience education programs serve many different kinds of learners, most curricula include content focusing on the built environment. Taken together, urban geoscience education programs utilized content relevant to both big city and suburban learners and served audiences with different levels of educational experience and various ethnic backgrounds.

"We Were the Choreographers; the Dance Teachers Were the Helpers": Student Perceptions of Learning in a Dance Outreach Program Interpreted through a Lens of 21st-Century Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cameron Frichtel, Monica J.

2017-01-01

This study emerged out of collaboration between an artist-educator and a dance researcher. It explores student experience participating in a school based dance outreach program at an urban elementary school. The program is supported by a local, contemporary dance company. The artist-educator approaches teaching and curriculum with values shared by…

Social Contact Networks and Mixing among Students in K-12 Schools in Pittsburgh, PA

PubMed Central

Guclu, Hasan; Read, Jonathan; Vukotich, Charles J.; Galloway, David D.; Gao, Hongjiang; Rainey, Jeanette J.; Uzicanin, Amra; Zimmer, Shanta M.; Cummings, Derek A. T.

2016-01-01

Students attending schools play an important role in the transmission of influenza. In this study, we present a social network analysis of contacts among 1,828 students in eight different schools in urban and suburban areas in and near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America, including elementary, elementary-middle, middle, and high schools. We collected social contact information of students who wore wireless sensor devices that regularly recorded other devices if they are within a distance of 3 meters. We analyzed these networks to identify patterns of proximal student interactions in different classes and grades, to describe community structure within the schools, and to assess the impact of the physical environment of schools on proximal contacts. In the elementary and middle schools, we observed a high number of intra-grade and intra-classroom contacts and a relatively low number of inter-grade contacts. However, in high schools, contact networks were well connected and mixed across grades. High modularity of lower grades suggests that assumptions of homogeneous mixing in epidemic models may be inappropriate; whereas lower modularity in high schools suggests that homogenous mixing assumptions may be more acceptable in these settings. The results suggest that interventions targeting subsets of classrooms may work better in elementary schools than high schools. Our work presents quantitative measures of age-specific, school-based contacts that can be used as the basis for constructing models of the transmission of infections in schools. PMID:26978780

Social Contact Networks and Mixing among Students in K-12 Schools in Pittsburgh, PA.

PubMed

Guclu, Hasan; Read, Jonathan; Vukotich, Charles J; Galloway, David D; Gao, Hongjiang; Rainey, Jeanette J; Uzicanin, Amra; Zimmer, Shanta M; Cummings, Derek A T

2016-01-01

Students attending schools play an important role in the transmission of influenza. In this study, we present a social network analysis of contacts among 1,828 students in eight different schools in urban and suburban areas in and near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America, including elementary, elementary-middle, middle, and high schools. We collected social contact information of students who wore wireless sensor devices that regularly recorded other devices if they are within a distance of 3 meters. We analyzed these networks to identify patterns of proximal student interactions in different classes and grades, to describe community structure within the schools, and to assess the impact of the physical environment of schools on proximal contacts. In the elementary and middle schools, we observed a high number of intra-grade and intra-classroom contacts and a relatively low number of inter-grade contacts. However, in high schools, contact networks were well connected and mixed across grades. High modularity of lower grades suggests that assumptions of homogeneous mixing in epidemic models may be inappropriate; whereas lower modularity in high schools suggests that homogenous mixing assumptions may be more acceptable in these settings. The results suggest that interventions targeting subsets of classrooms may work better in elementary schools than high schools. Our work presents quantitative measures of age-specific, school-based contacts that can be used as the basis for constructing models of the transmission of infections in schools.

Elementary student and prospective teachers' agri-food system literacy: Understandings of agricultural and science education's goals for learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trexler, Cary Jay

1999-09-01

Although rhetoric abounds in the agricultural education literature regarding the public's dearth of agri-food system literacy, problems arise when establishing educational interventions to help ameliorate illiteracy. Researchers do not fully know what individuals understand about the complex agri-food system. Hence, educational programs and curricula may focus on areas where students already possess well developed and scientifically accurate schemata, while ignoring other areas where incompatible or naive understandings persist. Democratic decisions about complex societal and environmental issues, such as trade-offs of our industrial agri-food system, require individuals to possess understandings of complex interrelationships. This exploratory qualitative study determines what two groups---elementary students and prospective elementary school teachers---understand about selected concepts foundational to agri-food system literacy. To ground the study in current national education curricular standards, a synthesis of both agricultural and science education benchmarks was developed. This helped structure interviews with the study's informants: nine elementary students and nine prospective elementary teachers. Analysis of discourse was based upon a conceptual change methodology. Findings showed that informant background and non-school experiences were linked to agri-food system literacy, while formal, in-school learning was not. For elementary students, high socio-economic status, gardening and not living in urban areas were correlates with literacy; the prospective teacher group exhibited similar trends. Informants understood that food came from farms where plants and animals were raised. For the majority, however, farms were described as large gardens. Additionally, informants lacked a clear understanding of the roles soil and fertilizers play in crop production. Further, few spoke of weeds as competitors with crops for growth requirements. Informants understood that agricultural technologies saved time and reduced labor and were concerned with the immediate impact of agricultural pollution. They, however, did not link their food and fiber consumption with resources use or environmental impact. Additionally, half of the prospective teachers did not understand genetics well enough to discuss how humans engineer life. Notable differences were found between teachers and students in 17% of the elementary benchmarks. Differences between the two groups were found in the elementary students' lack of ability to proffer cause-effect relationships, especially in regard to the use of agricultural technologies.

Authority as an Interactional Accomplishment through Whole-Class Talk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gatto, Lynn Astarita

2012-01-01

Talk is at the heart of classroom instruction and, according to the vast research on classroom talk, the teacher that does most of the talking. Thus, an asymmetry of power is created between teachers and students. These asymmetrical relationships are most obvious in urban elementary classrooms where test prep literacy curriculum has become the…

Examining Victimization, Bullying, Coping, and Students' Perceptions of Safety in an Urban Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andreuzzi-Kovalsky, Cathy

2014-01-01

Because of the negative psychological and emotional effects of bullying and its pervasive presence in schools, many states have passed antiharrassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB) legislation. These laws mandate that all schools implement local antiHIB initiatives to prevent and educate stakeholders about bullying. The purpose of this study…

The Effects of Personal Accountability and Personal Responsibility Instruction on Select Off-Task and Positive Social Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharpe, Tom; Balderson, Daniel

2005-01-01

This study examined the effects of personal accountability and personal responsibility instructional treatments on elementary-age, urban, at-risk physical education students. A multiple treatment (ABAD, ACAD, ADA, control) behavior-analysis design was implemented across four distinct matched class settings to determine the separate and combined…

The Maintenance of Whiteness in Urban Education: Explorations of Rhetoric and Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Erin; Starker-Glass, Tehia

2018-01-01

Told from the perspective of two early career professors teaching courses in elementary education diversity, this study uses purposive sampling and qualitative methodologies to examine how white students with impervious dispositions that would likely not qualify them to work with diverse children at this point in their lives present us with…

4-H Chickquest: Connecting Agri-Science with STEM Standards in Urban Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horton, Robert L.; Krieger, Jackie; Halasa, Katrina

2013-01-01

While young students are more capable of scientific inquiry than previously believed, elementary school teachers are often inexperienced in and lack confidence with teaching science. ChickQuest is a 4-H-created embryology curriculum for third-graders that meets Ohio state science standards, teaches STEM skills, and promotes ongoing interaction…

Urban Elementary School Principals' Attitudes towards the Inclusive Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galano, Joseph A.

2012-01-01

The principal is the single most influential person in shaping a school's climate, culture, positive teacher attitude towards students and school practices (Washington III, 2006; DiPaola & Walther-Thomas, 2003; Praisner, 2000). Based on this premise, the principal's attitude is the key to reshaping of the school. The purpose of this study was…

Classroom "Cupcake" Celebrations: Observations of Foods Offered and Consumed

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isoldi, Kathy K.; Dalton, Sharron; Rodriguez, Desiree P.; Nestle, Marion

2012-01-01

Objective: To describe food and beverage types offered and consumed during classroom celebrations at an elementary school in a low-income, urban community. In addition, to report student intake of fresh fruit provided alongside other party foods. Methods: Observations held during 4 classroom celebrations. Food and beverage items were measured and…

The Relationship between Teacher Efficacy and Reading Program Type in West Virginia Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvey, Patricia Lee

2009-01-01

This study, based on Bandura's social cognitive theory, explored the two dimensions of teacher efficacy among reading program types (Harcourt; Houghton Mifflin; MacMillan McGraw Hill; Pearson Scott Foresman; and, Other) and selected demographic factors (school enrollment size; student ethnicity; school district of urban, rural, and suburban;…

Factors that Influence Pre-Service Administrators' Views of Appropriate School Counselor Duties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Kimberly L.; Perera-Diltz, Dilani M.

2010-01-01

This study surveyed pre-service administrative internship students (N = 61) at an urban Midwestern state university to explore factors that influence duties assigned to school counselors at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Results indicated variation in duties assigned by pre-service administrators based on school building level.…

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…

Exploring Milk and Yogurt Selection in an Urban Universal School Breakfast Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, M. Elizabeth; Kwon, Sockju

2015-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore milk and yogurt selection among students participating in a School Breakfast Program. Methods: Researchers observed breakfast selection of milk, juice and yogurt in six elementary and four secondary schools. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression to…

77 FR 35947 - Applications for New Awards; Arts in Education National Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-15

... practices, policies, and student outcomes in elementary or secondary schools. (c) Providing reliable and... schools and school districts throughout the country, including in at least one urban, at least one rural... Persistently Lowest-Achieving Schools (up to an additional 5 points). Projects that are designed to address one...

Evaluation of Six School Effectiveness Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitt, Dorren Rafael

School effectiveness programs were evaluated at six urban schools (five elementary and one junior high schools) in Louisiana for the 1986-87 school year. Focus was on providing principals with information to improve their school effectiveness programs for the 1987-88 school year. Subjects were 3,006 students, for whom scores on the California…

Identifying the Culturally Different Gifted Student.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Jack A.; Barron, Frank

The study was designed to provide a relatively simple method of identifying gifted Mexican-American elementary school children, using as Ss approximately 298 Mexican-Americans (in grades 3-6) from both urban and rural schools. Ss were rated by present and former teachers on traits found to be characteristic of highly creative and talented…

Literacy Coaches' Perceptions of a Formative Fluency Assessment in Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellison, Marclette

2013-01-01

In "Reading First" schools throughout the United States, literacy coaches administer the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) as the sole measure of fluency and then offer instructional recommendations for students with reading difficulties based on those results. However, critics of DIBELS question its accuracy for…

Critical Literacy for School Improvement: An Action Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Karyn; White, Robert E.

2008-01-01

This article provides an overview of the integrative process of initiating an action research project on literacy for students "at risk" in a Canadian urban elementary school. As the article demonstrates, this requires development of a school-wide framework, which informs the action research project and desired outcomes, and a shared…

Ethnic/Racial Attitudes and Self-Identification of Black Jamaican and White New England Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cramer, Phebe; Anderson, Gail

2003-01-01

Black and white researchers interviewed black Jamaican and white New England elementary students in urban and rural schools regarding skin color, body size preference, and self-identification, using a modified dolls test. Children from all three communities showed white favoritism and average body size favoritism. Within communities, there were…

La ciudad: Libro de lectura 1, nivel 2 (The City: Reader 1, Level 2).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Emiliano; And Others

This reading textbook was designed for the elementary school Spanish-speaking student. It presents short selections pertaining to city life, with special emphasis on streets, transportation, public services, personal relations, and the urban environment. The presentation includes color illustrations. See FL 004 070 for the accompanying workbook.…

Motivations of Parental Involvement in Children's Learning: Voices from Urban African American Families of Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Grace Hui-Chen; Mason, Kimberly L.

2008-01-01

A growing body of research supports the view that parents' attitudes, behaviors, and activities related to children's education influences students' learning and educational success. To date, research studying parental involvement in their children's schooling included elementary through middle school aged populations. There have been a few…

Increasing Prevalence of US Elementary School Gardens, but Disparities Reduce Opportunities for Disadvantaged Students.

PubMed

Turner, Lindsey; Eliason, Meghan; Sandoval, Anna; Chaloupka, Frank J

2016-12-01

We examined the prevalence of school garden programs at US public elementary schools. The study examined time trends, demographic and regional disparities, and associations with related programs such as farm-to-school. Annual surveys were gathered from nationally representative samples of elementary schools between 2006-2007 and 2013-2014. Annual samples ranged from 553 to 748 schools. The prevalence of gardens increased steadily from 11.9% in 2006-2007 to 31.2% in 2013-2014 (p < .001). In multivariate logistic regressions the prevalence of garden programs varied significantly by school characteristics. Gardens were more prevalent in the west than in other regions. Gardens were less prevalent at schools serving higher proportions of lower-income students, and were more prevalent at urban schools than in suburbs, towns, or rural areas. Gardens were more common at schools with farm-to-school programs. Gardens also were associated with offering formal classroom-based nutrition education. Garden programs in elementary schools have increased over time, but there is room for wider implementation, particularly at schools serving lower-income students. Given the role of childhood in establishing food preferences and dietary consumption habits, such programs are important and can reinforce the messages imparted through nutrition education. © 2016, American School Health Association.

A critical hermeneutic study: Third grade elementary African American students' views of the nature of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walls, Leon

Nature of Science is one of the most fundamental aspects of understanding science. How different cultures, races and ethnicities see and interpret science differently is critical. However, the NOS views specific to African American teachers and learners have gone largely unresearched. The views of a purposeful sample of African American third grade children reported in this study contribute to efforts to make science equitable for all students. Conducted in two Midwest urban settings, within the students' regular classrooms, three instruments were employed: Views of Nature of Science Elementary (an interview protocol), Elementary Draw a Scientist Test (a drawing activity supplemented by an explicating narrative), and Identify a Scientist (a simple select-a-photo technique supported by Likert-measured sureness). The responses provided by twenty-three students were coded using qualitative content analysis. The findings are represented in three main categories: Science - is governed by experimentation, invention and discovery teach us about the natural world, school is not the only setting for learning science; Scientists - intelligent, happy, studious men and women playing multiple roles, with distinct physical traits working in laboratories; Students - capable users and producers of science and who view science as fun. This study advocates for: use of such instruments for constant monitoring of student views, using the knowledge of these views to construct inquiry based science lessons, and increased research about students of color.

Creating a student-led health magazine with an urban, multicultural, resource-restricted elementary school: Approach, process and impact

PubMed Central

Porepa, Michelle; Chan, Melissa; Huber, Joelene; Lam, Catherine G; Au, Hosanna; Birken, Catherine S

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Health magazines effectively deliver health information. No data regarding student-led magazines to promote health exist. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether children’s health knowledge, interests and lifestyle choices improve following distribution of a student-led health magazine. METHODS: Elementary students worked with teachers and paediatric residents to publish a health magazine. A healthy lifestyle challenge page promoted reduction in soda pop consumption. Pre- and poststudent questionnaires explored knowledge, interests and behaviours related to health. RESULTS: Sex and grade distributions were similar in pre- and post-questionnaires. Ninety-seven percent of children reported the magazine helped them learn about health. Pre- and postknowledge scores did not differ (P=0.36). Following distribution, the percentage of students who reported drinking no soda increased from 43% to 67% (P=0.004), and those who reported drinking <2 glasses of soda per day increased from 66% to 85% (P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A student-led health magazine was effective in motivating short-term student-reported behavioural change. PMID:27398046

Smoking and its risk factors in Chinese elementary and middle school students: a nationally representative sample study.

PubMed

Zhang, Xinghui; Li, Yajun; Zhang, Qin; Lu, Furong; Wang, Yun

2014-05-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of smoking in a nationally representative sample of Chinese elementary and middle school students and to investigate its risk factors from families and schools. The data were from the National Children's Study of China (NCSC), in which 24,013 fourth- to ninth-grade students were recruited from 100 counties in 31 provinces in China. Chi-square tests and one-way ANOVAs were used to analyze the relationships between smoking and the risk factors. Logistic regressions were used to calculate odds ratios. The prevalence of ever smokers and current smokers were 19.0% and 5.4%. Focusing on current smokers, boys, middle school students, rural students, boarding students, non-only children and those owning parents with low educational levels reported smoking significantly more than girls, elementary school students, urban students, non-boarding students, only children and those owning parents with high educational levels. Lower trust and support from teachers and higher parent-child conflict positively predicted both smoking and smoking frequency. Lower trust and support from classmates was associated with higher possibility of smoking. However, higher trust and support from classmates was associated with higher smoking frequency. Teacher smoking and friend smoking were only predictive of smoking, but not of smoking frequency. Boys, middle school students, rural students, boarding students, non-only children and those owning parents with low educational levels need special attention. The most risk factors for smoking and smoking frequency were lower trust and support from teachers and higher parent-child conflict. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Internet Addiction Among Elementary and Middle School Students in China: A Nationally Representative Sample Study

PubMed Central

Li, Yajun; Zhang, Xinghui; Lu, Furong; Zhang, Qin

2014-01-01

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of Internet addiction in a nationally representative sample of Chinese elementary and middle school students and to investigate Internet addiction among Internet users with different usages. The data were from the National Children's Study of China (NCSC) in which 24,013 fourth- to ninth-grade students were recruited from 100 counties in 31 provinces in China. Only 54.2% of the students had accessed the Internet. According to the criteria of Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire (YDQ), an eight-item instrument, the prevalence of Internet addiction in the total sample was 6.3%, and among Internet users was 11.7%. Among the Internet users, males (14.8%) and rural students (12.1%) reported Internet addiction more than females (7.0%) and urban students (10.6%). The percentage of Internet addicts in elementary school students (11.5%) was not significantly lower than the percentage of middle school students (11.9%). There was no statistically significant difference between the four geographical regions (9.6%, 11.5%, 12.3%, 11.1%) characterized by different levels of economy, health, education, and social environment. As the frequency of Internet use and time spent online per week increased, the percentage of Internet addicts increased. When considering the location and purpose of Internet use, the percentage of Internet addicts was highest in adolescents typically surfing in Internet cafes (18.1%) and playing Internet games (22.5%). PMID:23971432

Foundational Field Experiences: A Window into Preservice Teachers' Cultural Consciousness and Self-Efficacy for Teaching Diverse Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lastrapes, Wanda; Negishi, Meiko

2012-01-01

This study examined preservice teachers' cultural consciousness and self-efficacy while tutoring diverse students during an initial urban field experience. The 46 participants, enrolled in an introduction to diversity course, completed an 18-hour tutoring requirement in elementary and secondary schools. Paired-sample t-tests yielded statistically…

Missing in Action: Writing Process-Based Instructional Practices and Measures of Higher-Order Literacy Achievement in Predominantly Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Briddell, Andrew

2013-01-01

This study of 1,974 fifth grade students investigated potential relationships between writing process-based instruction practices and higher-order thinking measured by a standardized literacy assessment. Writing process is defined as a highly complex, socio-cognitive process that includes: planning, text production, review, metacognition, writing…

Whose Language Is Legit? Intersections of Race, Ethnicity, and Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zisselsberger, Margarita; Collins, Kristina

2016-01-01

This case describes St. Lucy School, a K-8 elementary school in a mid-sized urban center. St. Lucy has traditionally served African American students. In the past 10 years, the neighborhood has experienced a significant shift in population, such that many Latino/a families are now entering the school. In response to these changes, the school…

What to Teach and How to Teach It: Elementary Teachers' Views on Teaching Inquiry-Based, Interdisciplinary Science and Social Studies in Urban Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santau, Alexandra O.; Ritter, Jason K.

2013-01-01

Inquiry-based and interdisciplinary teaching practices exemplify constructivist approaches to education capable of facilitating authentic student learning; however, their implementation has proven particularly challenging within certain contexts in the United States. This qualitative study considers one such context via an investigation of…

The Impact of a Multi-Component Physical Activity Programme in Low-Income Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massey, William V.; Stellino, Megan B.; Holliday, Megan; Godbersen, Travis; Rodia, Rachel; Kucher, Greta; Wilkison, Megan

2017-01-01

Objective: To identify the effects of a structured and multifaceted physical activity and recess intervention on student and adult behaviour in school. Design: Mixed-methods and community-based participatory approach. Setting: Large, urban, low-income school district in the USA. Methods: Data were collected at three time points over a 1-year…

The Influence of Experiential Instruction on Urban Elementary Students' Knowledge of the Food and Fiber System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mabie, Rachel; Baker, Matt

1996-01-01

Inner-city fifth and sixth graders were divided as follows: 56 conducted 10-week garden projects; 57 did short, in-class projects; and 31 controls were taught by traditional methods. Both treatment groups improved pretest knowledge of food and fiber by 70-80%, compared to 11% increase among controls. (SK)

Sisters in Science: Using Sports as a Vehicle for Science Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammrich, Penny L.; Richardson, Greer M.; Green, Tina Sloan; Livingston, Beverly

This paper describes a project for upper elementary and middle school minority girl students called the Sisters in Sport Science (SISS). The SISS program addresses the needs of urban girls in gaining access to equal education in science and mathematics by using athletics as a vehicle for learning. The program provides a non-competitive and…

Addressing Challenges in Urban Teaching, Learning and Math Using Model-Strategy-Application with Reasoning Approach in Lingustically and Culturally Diverse Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Zhonghe; An, Shuhua

2016-01-01

This study examined the effects of using the Model-Strategy-Application with Reasoning Approach (MSAR) in teaching and learning mathematics in linguistically and culturally diverse elementary classrooms. Through learning mathematics via the MSAR, students from different language ability groups gained an understanding of mathematics from creating…

The Nation's Report Card[TM]: Trial Urban District Assessment--Reading 2009. NCES 2010-459

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

The Nation's Report Card[TM] informs the public about the academic achievement of elementary and secondary students in the United States. Report cards communicate the findings of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a continuing and nationally representative measure of achievement in various subjects over time. Results from the…

Beetles, Beechnuts, and Behavior: Using Nature-based Activities To Develop Social Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Kelly

This paper describes an instructional method designed to increase opportunities for students to learn and practice appropriate social skills. The strategies for development and implementation of such structured programs of nature-based and animal-based activities are based in part on a pilot program in three urban elementary and middle schools.…

A Qualitative Study of Urban and Suburban Elementary Student Understandings of Pest-Related Science and Agricultural Education Benchmarks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trexler, Cary J.

2000-01-01

Clinical interviews with nine fifth graders revealed that experiences play a pivotal role in their understanding of pests. They lack well-developed schema and language to discuss pest management. A foundation of core biological concepts was necessary for understanding pests and pest management. (Conatains 34 references.) (SK)

We Need to "Catch Them before They Fall": Response to Intervention and Elementary Emergent Bilinguals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

López, Minda Morren; Mendoza, Marie Arnold

2013-01-01

The authors of this case study examine response to intervention (RTI) implementation with Emergent Bilinguals in a large urban district. As participants noted, it is not appropriate to assess, instruct, and intervene with students through a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, multiple factors such as language background, program participation,…

Occupational Choices of Elementary School Children: Traditional or Non-Traditional?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Awender, M. A.; Wearne, T. David

This study examined the occupational perspectives and preferences of 178 students (ages 9-14 ) from three urban schools; one in a high socioeconomic area; the second in a lower socioeconomic stratum with parents in white and blue collar jobs; and the third in a low-income industrial area where most parents lived in subsidized low-income housing…

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…

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…

Changing Course in Jefferson City: Reevaluating a District Initiative to Convert Under-Enrolled Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lochmiller, Chad R.

2018-01-01

This case positions the reader as the superintendent of Jefferson City Public Schools (pseudonym). Like many urban school districts in the United States, Jefferson City faces a complex milieu of fiscal challenges attributed to inadequate state funding and declining student enrollment. Within this case, the superintendent must address the failing…

School Correlates of Academic Behaviors and Performance among McKinney-Vento Identified Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Susan; Uretsky, Mathew

2016-01-01

We utilized a pooled sample of elementary, middle, and high school-aged children identified as homeless via definitions set forth by McKinney-Vento legislation in a large urban district in California to estimate the extent to which school factors contributed to student attendance, suspensions, test-taking behaviors, and performance on state…

Effect of a Multiyear Intervention on Science Achievement of All Students Including English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maerten-Rivera, Jaime; Ahn, Soyeon; Lanier, Kimberly; Diaz, Jennifer; Lee, Okhee

2016-01-01

This study was part of the Promoting Science among English Language Learners (P-SELL) efficacy study, a research and development project that implemented a curricular and professional development intervention to improve science achievement of English Language Learners (ELLs) in urban elementary schools. The study used a cluster randomized control…

The Effect of Locus of Control on School Turnaround

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walston, Bradford

2012-01-01

This research focused on the school turnaround process in six turnaround elementary schools located in urban and rural areas of the state of North Carolina. The purpose of the study was to learn about the challenges facing the six schools, the process of improving student achievement, and, more specifically, the degree to which adaptive leadership…

Above and Beyond: Outcomes of a Model School-Church-Community Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scroggs, Lori; Tripses, Jenny

2007-01-01

This interpretive case study focused upon the outcomes of a 13-year collaboration between a PreK-5 elementary school serving a high percentage of low-income students, and a church located in their urban neighborhood. The purpose of the investigation was to: (1) perform a qualitative study that identified central themes underlying this successful…

Spirituality and Respect: Study of a Model School-Church-Community Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tripses, Jenny; Scroggs, Lori

2009-01-01

This interpretive case study focused upon the outcomes of a 14-year collaboration between a PreK-4 elementary school serving a high percentage of low-income students and a church located in the same urban neighborhood. The purposes of the investigation were to (1) perform a qualitative study that identified central themes underlying this…

Critical Race Ethnography in Education: Narrative, Inequality and the Problem of Epistemology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Garrett Albert

2005-01-01

Data presented in a previously reported ethnographic research project indicated that an urban elementary school regularly subjects its students to dated curricular materials and supplies. As reported, this occurred even though the school had at its disposal updated and even state-of-the-art resources, such as computers, visual aids, curriculum and…

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.

Effects of a Kundalini Yoga Program on Elementary and Middle School Students' Stress, Affect, and Resilience.

PubMed

Sarkissian, Meliné; Trent, Natalie L; Huchting, Karen; Singh Khalsa, Sat Bir

2018-04-01

The Your Own Greatness Affirmed (YOGA) for Youth program delivers yoga to urban inner-city schools with the goal of providing practical benefits that support underserved children at high risk of behavioral and emotional problems. A 10-week YOGA for Youth program delivered 1 to 2 times per week was implemented in 3 schools in urban neighborhoods to examine the effect of the program on student stress, affect, and resilience. Thirty children were administered the Perceived Stress Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Resilience Scale before and after the yoga program. After the program, informal qualitative interviews were conducted with school teachers, yoga teachers, and students to determine the overall impact of the yoga program. The quantitative results of this study indicated that the yoga program significantly improved students stress (p < 0.05), positive affect (p < 0.05), and resilience (p < 0.001). The qualitative results indicated that students, school teachers, and yoga teachers all found the program to be beneficial for students' well-being. Taken together, these data suggest that the YOGA for Youth program may provide students in low-income urban schools with behavioral skills that will protect against risk factors associated with the development of behavioral and emotional problems.

Cockroach Clean-Up Tour . Urban Pest Management. Teaching Environmental Living Skills to Elementary Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowles, Kathleen Letcher

Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a decision-making approach to pest control, is designed to help individuals decide if pest suppression treatments are necessary, when they should be initiated, where they should be applied, and what strategy/mix of tatics to use. IPM combines a variety of approaches with which to manage pests, including human…

Starting a Learning Progression for Agricultural Literacy: A Qualitative Study of Urban Elementary Student Understandings of Agricultural and Science Education Benchmarks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Alexander Jay

2010-01-01

Science and agriculture professional organizations have argued for agricultural literacy as a goal for K-12 public education. Due to the complexity of our modern agri-food system, with social, economic, and environmental concerns embedded, an agriculturally literate society is needed for informed decision making, democratic participation, and…

An Analysis of Didactic and Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning on Student Achievement in Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varnado, Jacqueline

2011-01-01

Limited research has been conducted on inquiry based teaching strategies on language arts and mathematics instruction. The research problem at the study site was the lack of research-based findings on the effectiveness of traditional and inquiry based teaching strategies on language arts and mathematics instruction. The purpose of this case study…

Nurture thru Nature: Creating Natural Science Identities in Populations of Disadvantaged Children through Community Education Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camasso, Michael J.; Jagannathan, Radha

2018-01-01

In this article we describe the development, implementation, and some of the early impacts of Nurture thru Nature (NtN), an American after-school and summer program designed to introduce elementary school students in disadvantaged, urban public schools to natural science and environmental education. The program, which began operations in 2010 as a…

An Evaluation of an Alcohol Education and Traffic Safety Program for Urban Elementary School Pupils.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arribas, Emilio J.; And Others

The results are presented of an "Alcohol Education Traffic Safety Program" for students in kindergarten through grade 6, which was piloted in 20 Chicago (Illinois) public schools during April, May and June of 1987. Research indicates that the younger children are when they begin abusing alcohol, the higher the probability that they will…

A Community Partnership to Facilitate Urban Elementary Students' Access to the Outdoors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferreira, Maria M.; Grueber, David; Yarema, Sandra

2012-01-01

Today's children spend less and less time in the outdoors, leading Richard Louv in 2008 to coin the term "nature deficit disorder." Louv pointed out that experiences with nature are essential to a child's physical and emotional development and that the lack of these types of experiences has led to an increase in child obesity, attention…

Race, Power, and Equity in a Multiethnic Urban Elementary School with a Dual-Language "Strand" Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Deborah

2010-01-01

Dual-language education is often lauded for providing high-caliber bilingual instruction in an integrated classroom. This is complicated, however, when a dual-language program does not include all members of a school community. This article examines a "strand" dual-language program that attracts middle-class white students to a predominantly black…

Promoting Reading Achievement and Countering the "Fourth-Grade Slump": The Impact of Direct Instruction on Reading Achievement in Fifth Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stockard, Jean

2010-01-01

Previous research has documented a substantial decline of standardized test scores of children from low-income backgrounds, relative to more advantaged peers, in later elementary grades, the so-called "fourth-grade slump." This article examines changes in reading achievement from first to fifth grade for students in a large urban school…

Planning for Reform-Based Science: Case Studies of Two Urban Elementary Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangiante, Elaine Silva

2018-02-01

The intent of national efforts to frame science education standards is to promote students' development of scientific practices and conceptual understanding for their future role as scientifically literate citizens (NRC 2012). A guiding principle of science education reform is that all students receive equitable opportunities to engage in rigorous science learning. Yet, implementation of science education reform depends on teachers' instructional decisions. In urban schools serving students primarily from poor, diverse communities, teachers typically face obstacles in providing reform-based science due to limited resources and accountability pressures, as well as a culture of teacher-directed pedagogy, and deficit views of students. The purpose of this qualitative research was to study two white, fourth grade teachers from high-poverty urban schools, who were identified as transforming their science teaching and to investigate how their beliefs, knowledge bases, and resources shaped their planning for reform-based science. Using the Shavelson and Stern's decision model for teacher planning to analyze evidence gathered from interviews, documents, planning meetings, and lesson observations, the findings indicated their planning for scientific practices was influenced by the type and extent of professional development each received, each teacher's beliefs about their students and their background, and the mission and learning environment each teacher envisioned for the reform to serve their students. The results provided specific insights into factors that impacted their planning in high-poverty urban schools and indicated considerations for those in similar contexts to promote teachers' planning for equitable science learning opportunities by all students.

Teachers' Perspectives of Children's Mental Health Service Needs in Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, James Herbert; Horvath, Violet E.; Wei, Hsi-Sheng; Van Dorn, Richard A.; Jonson-Reid, Melissa

2007-01-01

This study uses a phenomenological approach to investigate elementary school teachers' perspectives on children's mental health service needs. Focus groups were conducted at two elementary schools with differing levels of available social services in a moderate-sized urban midwestern school district. Data collection centered on six prominent…

Salad Bars Increased Selection and Decreased Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables 1 Month After Installation in Title I Elementary Schools: A Plate Waste Study.

PubMed

Bean, Melanie K; Brady Spalding, Bethany; Theriault, Elizabeth; Dransfield, Kayla-Brooke; Sova, Alexandra; Dunne Stewart, Mary

2018-06-01

To evaluate the 1-month impact of salad bars on fruit and vegetable (FV) selection, intake, and waste. Pre-post quasi-experimental design. Title I elementary schools in a large, urban district in central Virginia. Students (grades 1-5; >95% African American) from 2 elementary schools participated in plate waste assessments (282 plates were rated at baseline, 443 at post-assessment); fourth- and fifth-grade students from 15 (of 18 eligible) schools (n = 1,193) responded to surveys. Digital imagery plate waste assessments were conducted before salad bars were installed (baseline) and 1 month afterward (post). Post-surveys examined student perceptions of salad bars. Fruit and vegetable selection, consumption, and waste. General linear models (without considering clustering) examined changes in outcomes, controlling for school. Frequencies and qualitative analyses were applied to survey data. At post, students selected more types of FVs (1.81-2.58; P < .001), although FV consumption decreased by 0.65 cups (P < .001). Given the smaller portions selected, there was less FV waste (0.27 cups; P < .001) at post. Students liked the ability to choose FV from salad bars. Short-term exposure to salad bars increased the number of FV students chose but decreased FV consumption. Additional strategies are needed to increase FV consumption. Copyright © 2018 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physical activity during recess in low-income 3rd grade students in Texas

PubMed Central

Springer, Andrew E.; Tanguturi, Yasas; Ranjit, Nalini; Skala, Katherine A.; Kelder, Steven H.

2012-01-01

Objectives We estimated the prevalence of recess-based moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) among third grade students attending low-income, urban schools in Texas. Methods Structured observations (n=77 class and 616 student observations) using SOFIT were conducted over three-months in 8 elementary schools with majority Hispanic students. Results Students engaged in 66.4% and 19.2% of their ~20 minute recess time in MVPA and VPA, respectively. Boys engaged in more MVPA and VPA (P<.007). Contextual differences in activity (setting and activity type) were identified. Conclusions Findings underscore the importance of scheduled recess time for children’s physical activity. PMID:23985178

Teacher's Perceptions of Implementing Personalized Learning in Urban Elementary School Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dinkins, Toni Michelle

2017-01-01

This study explored teachers' perceptions of implementing personalized learning in several urban elementary school classrooms. Additionally, this study examined teachers' readiness for change through the lens of Ely's (1990) Eight Conditions of Change Model. The study participants included five elementary school teachers and the school principal.…

The Vulnerability of Urban Elementary School Arts Programs: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Ryan D.

2018-01-01

With the intent of improving understanding of cuts to elementary arts programs, the purpose of this research was to investigate how one urban school district (Lansing School District in Lansing, Michigan) eliminated its elementary arts specialists. Research questions were (1) What policy conditions enabled the Lansing School District's decision to…

School climate and bullying victimization: a latent class growth model analysis.

PubMed

Gage, Nicholas A; Prykanowski, Debra A; Larson, Alvin

2014-09-01

Researchers investigating school-level approaches for bullying prevention are beginning to discuss and target school climate as a construct that (a) may predict prevalence and (b) be an avenue for school-wide intervention efforts (i.e., increasing positive school climate). Although promising, research has not fully examined and established the social-ecological link between school climate factors and bullying/peer aggression. To address this gap, we examined the association between school climate factors and bullying victimization for 4,742 students in Grades 3-12 across 3 school years in a large, very diverse urban school district using latent class growth modeling. Across 3 different models (elementary, secondary, and transition to middle school), a 3-class model was identified, which included students at high-risk for bullying victimization. Results indicated that, for all students, respect for diversity and student differences (e.g., racial diversity) predicted within-class decreases in reports of bullying. High-risk elementary students reported that adult support in school was a significant predictor of within-class reduction of bullying, and high-risk secondary students report peer support as a significant predictor of within-class reduction of bullying. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

The Archetypes and Philosophical Motivations of Urban Elementary Physical Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culp, Brian

2011-01-01

Brookfield (1990), Brown (2002) and Weiner (2006) have advocated for the study of teachers' philosophies as integral to understanding motivation for teaching in urban settings. The purpose of this study investigates the teaching philosophies of 13 experienced urban elementary physical educators. Content analysis of the data collected from teachers…

Ivestigating Earth Science in Urban Schoolyards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Endreny, Anna; Siegel, Donald I.

2009-01-01

The Urban Schoolyards project is a two year partnership with a university Earth Science Department and the surrounding urban elementary schools. The goal of the project was to develop the capacity of elementary teachers to teach earth science lessons using their schoolyards and local parks as field sites. The university personnel developed lessons…

Project Coach: A Case Study of a College-Community Partnerships as a Venture in Social Entrepreneurship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Intrator, Sam M.; Siegel, Donald

2010-01-01

Project Coach is an after school program developed and directed by the authors. The program, which is set in a high-need urban community in Springfield, Massachusetts, teaches high school and middle school students to be sport coaches and then to run youth sport leagues for elementary-aged youth in underserved neighborhoods in their own community.…

Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports: An Investigative Study of Their Impact on Third Grade Reading Test Scores in an Urban District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haynes, Heather A.

2012-01-01

This study analyzed the impact of implementing response to intervention (RTI), a three-tiered system of intervention of increasing intensity, in this case for reading, schoolwide in 32 elementary schools. When a three-tiered framework is applied schoolwide, with all students and addressing academic and/or behavioral curricular instruction, it is…

Reliability and Validity of the Multidimensional Scale of Life Skills in Late Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kobayashi, Minoru; Gushiken, Taichi; Ganaha, Yurika; Sasazawa, Yosiaki; Iwata, Shotaro; Takemura, Akiko; Fujita, Tsutomu; Asikin, Yonathan; Takakura, Minoru

2013-01-01

This study investigated the reliability and validity of the Multidimensional Scale of Life Skills in Late Childhood, an instrument designed to measure a concept similar to "zest for living" in late childhood. A total of 1,888 elementary school students in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades residing in urban and suburban areas as well as in…

Building Bridges between Technology and Content Literacy in Special Education: Lessons Learned from Special Educators' Use of Integrated Technology and Perceived Benefits for Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciampa, Katia

2017-01-01

This single-site case study describes the outcomes and lessons learned from the implementation of a technology professional development initiative aimed at helping three special education teachers from an urban elementary school learn how to infuse technology in their content literacy instruction. Three types of qualitative data were collected:…

The Case of the Wild House Mouse. Urban Pest Management. Teaching Environmental Living Skills to Elementary Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowles, Kathleen Letcher

Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a decision-making approach to pest control, is designed to help individuals decide if pest suppression treatments are necessary, when they should be initiated, where they should be applied, and what strategy and mix of tactics to use. IPM combines a variety of approaches with which to manage pests. These include…

Elementary Teachers' Use of Technology for Teaching and Parent Communication in Low Socio-Economic Classrooms: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cumbee, Crystal M. V.

2017-01-01

Rural areas have less technology access due to an inadequate amount of income and limited internet bandwidth availabilities, perpetuating the digital gap between rural schools and schools in urban or suburban locations. The problem addressed in this study is that U.S. legislation requires all public school students to be prepared to function in a…

From Drab to Fab: The Tale of a Crafty Librarian and Her Quest to Create a 21st Century Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilcreast, Jessica

2014-01-01

Six years ago Jessica Gilcreast accepted the position as the school librarian in a diverse urban elementary school (80 percent low-income student population). The library had a bare-bones automation system, block scheduling, and no library assistant. None of this, however, was her biggest challenge. Inheriting an institutional, cold,…

Can Community and School-Based Supports Improve the Achievement of First-Generation Immigrant Children Attending High-Poverty Schools?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dearing, Eric; Walsh, Mary E.; Sibley, Erin; Lee-St.John, Terry; Foley, Claire; Raczek, Anastacia E.

2016-01-01

Using a quasi-experimental design, the effects of a student support intervention were estimated for the math and reading achievement of first-generation immigrant children (n = 667, M = 11.05 years of age) attending high-poverty, urban elementary schools. The intervention was designed to help schools identify developmental strengths and barriers…

Friendship Concept and Community Network Structure among Elementary School and University Students.

PubMed

Hernández-Hernández, Ana María; Viga-de Alva, Dolores; Huerta-Quintanilla, Rodrigo; Canto-Lugo, Efrain; Laviada-Molina, Hugo; Molina-Segui, Fernanda

2016-01-01

We use complex network theory to study the differences between the friendship concepts in elementary school and university students. Four friendship networks were identified from surveys. Three of these networks are from elementary schools; two are located in the rural area of Yucatán and the other is in the urban area of Mérida, Yucatán. We analyzed the structure and the communities of these friendship networks and found significant differences among those at the elementary schools compared with those at the university. In elementary schools, the students make friends mainly in the same classroom, but there are also links among different classrooms because of the presence of siblings and relatives in the schools. These kinds of links (sibling-friend or relative-friend) are called, in this work, "mixed links". The classification of the communities is based on their similarity with the classroom composition. If the community is composed principally of students in different classrooms, the community is classified as heterogeneous. These kinds of communities appear in the elementary school friendship networks mainly because of the presence of relatives and siblings. Once the links between siblings and relatives are removed, the communities resembled the classroom composition. On the other hand, the university students are more selective in choosing friends and therefore, even when they have friends in the same classroom, those communities are quite different to the classroom composition. Also, in the university network, we found heterogeneous communities even when the presence of sibling and relatives is negligible. These differences made up a topological structure quite different at different academic levels. We also found differences in the network characteristics. Once these differences are understood, the topological structure of the friendship network and the communities shaped in an elementary school could be predicted if we know the total number of students and the ties between siblings and relatives. However, at the university, we cannot do the same. This discovery implies that friendship is a dynamic concept that produces several changes in the friendship network structure and the way that people make groups of friends; it provides the opportunity to give analytic support to observational studies. Communities were also studied by gender and we found that when the links among relatives and siblings were removed, the number of communities formed by one gender alone increased. At the university, many communities formed by students of the same gender were also found.

Implementing a Digital Reading and Writing Workshop Model for Content Literacy Instruction in an Urban Elementary (K-8) School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciampa, Katia

2016-01-01

This article describes how one urban elementary school's professional development workshop on technology helped teachers grow in their knowledge and practice of a digital reading and writing workshop model. Created in partnership with university faculty, school administration, and elementary teachers, this whole-school professional development…

Physical Activity and Self-Efficacy in Physical Activity and Healthy Eating in an Urban Elementary Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Tracey D.; O'Neill, Elizabeth; Kostelis, Kimberly T.; Jaffe, Daniel; Vitti, Steven; Quinlan, Melissa; Boland, Michelle

2015-01-01

Background: Identifying lifestyle factors such as physical activity (PA) patterns and eating behaviors of children may be beneficial in implementing interventions in urban elementary schools. Purpose: To examine PA levels and self-efficacy (SE) in PA and health eating (HE) of third, fourth, and fifth graders in 3 low economic elementary schools in…

Success in One High-Poverty, Urban Elementary School: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holman, Shavonna Leigh

2011-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the efforts implemented in a high-poverty, urban elementary school in order to increase academic achievement. The central research question was: (1) How do teachers and administrators in a high-poverty, urban school describe the strategies they use to achieve academic success? The sub-questions…

Does the amount of school choice matter for student engagement?

PubMed Central

Vaughn, Michael G.; Witko, Christopher

2013-01-01

School choice may increase student engagement by enabling students to attend schools that more closely match their needs and preferences. But this effect on engagement may depend on the characteristics of the choices available. Therefore, we consider how the amount of educational choice of different types in a local educational marketplace affects student engagement using a large, national population of 8th grade students. We find that more choice of regular public schools in the elementary and middle school years is associated with a lower likelihood that students will be severely disengaged in eighth grade, and more choices of public schools of choice has a similar effect but only in urban areas. In contrast, more private sector choice does not have such a general beneficial effect. PMID:23682202

[Analysis on risk factors of screen time among Chinese primary and middle school students in 12 provinces].

PubMed

Wu, X Y; Tao, S M; Zhang, S C; Zhang, Y K; Huang, K; Tao, F B

2016-06-01

To investigate the characteristics of screen time and its risk factors in Chinese primary and middle school students. During April 2012 and June 2012, according to the geographical distribution, the stratified random cluster sampling method was used to select 4 provinces from eastern, central and western China, respectively. The convenience sampling method was used to select 2 primary and middle schools from urban, 2 primary and middle schools from rural in each province. In each school, all grades were included, and 2 classes were selected in each grade. A total of 51 866 students or parents were selected as study participants, and 43 771 questionnaires were valid. Information on demographics, academic performance, screen time (TV, computer and cellphone) at weekdays and weekends and the prevalence of the high screen time were compared, multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the association between screen time >2 h/d and potential influential factors. The percentage of students with screen time >2 h/d at weekdays and weekends were 16.2% (7 082/43 771) and 41.5% (18 141/43 771) (χ(2)=6 280.14, P<0.001), respectively. The distribution of P50 (P25-P75) for screen time at weekdays and weekends were 0.9(0.4-1.6) and 1.8(1.0-3.0) (Z=-131.26, P<0.001), respectively. The results of multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that, at weekdays, subjects characterized as primary school students, boys, urban area, living in western area and sufficient vigorous physical activity ≤2 d/w had higher risk for screen time >2 h/d than those characterized as elementary school students, girls, rural area, living in eastern area and sufficient vigorous physical activity >3 d/w, odds ratio were 2.01, 1.54, 1.21, 1.09, and 1.07, respectively (P<0.05 for all); subjects characterized as a normal or worse self rating academic performance had higher risk for screen time >2 h/d than those characterized as a good self rating academic performance, odds ratioes were 1.24 and 1.73, respectively (P<0.05 for all); subjects characterized as paternal education level as elementary school, middle school, high school or secondary school had higher risk for screen time >2 h/d than those characterized as paternal education level as college school or high, odds ratioes were 1.41, 1.47 and 1.52, respectively (P<0.05 for all); subjects characterized as maternal education level as elementary school, middle school and high school or secondary school had higher risk for screen time >2 h/d than those characterized as maternal education level as college, odds ratioes were 1.40, 1.52 and 1.47, respectively (P<0.05 for all). At weekends, subjects characterized as primary school students, boys, urban area and sufficient vigorous physical activity ≤2 d/w had higher risk for screen time >2 h/d than those characterized as elementary school students, girls, rural area and sufficient vigorous physical activity >3 d/w, odds ratioes were 2.11, 1.51, 1.20 and 1.05, respectively (P<0.05 for all). At weekends, subjects characterized as a normal or worse self rating academic performance had higher risk for screen time >2 h/d than those characterized as a good self rating academic performance, odds ratioes were 1.09 and 1.26, respectively (P<0.05 for all); subjects characterized as paternal education level as elementary school, middle school, high school or secondary school had higher risk for screen time >2 h/d than those characterized as paternal education level as college school or high, odds ratioes were 1.29, 1.30 and 1.19, respectively (P<0.05 for all); subjects characterized as maternal education level as elementary school, middle school had higher risk for screen time >2 h/d than those characterized as maternal education level as college school or high, odds ratioes were 1.19 and 1.16 and, respectively (P<0.05 for all). The prevalence of screen time >2 h/d is high; screen time at weekdays is longer than weekends, and there are significant differences among different sexes, urban or rural areas, living areas, self rating academic performance, parents education levels and physical activity groups.

Senge's Learning Organization and Teachers' Perceptions of Leadership at an Elementary School in Urban Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Robert J.

2010-01-01

Urban public schools in the United States face the problem of failure to reach academic goals of performance mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act. It was hypothesized that use of Senge's leadership model might result in academic performance in one urban elementary school. Based on Senge's shared vision leadership model as the theoretical…

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.

A multilingual and multimodal approach to literacy teaching and learning in urban education: a collaborative inquiry project in an inner city elementary school.

PubMed

Ntelioglou, Burcu Yaman; Fannin, Jennifer; Montanera, Mike; Cummins, Jim

2014-01-01

This paper presents findings from a collaborative inquiry project that explored teaching approaches that highlight the significance of multilingualism, multimodality, and multiliteracies in classrooms with high numbers of English language learners (ELLs). The research took place in an inner city elementary school with a large population of recently arrived and Canadian-born linguistically and culturally diverse students from Gambian, Indian, Mexican, Sri Lankan, Tibetan and Vietnamese backgrounds, as well as a recent wave of Roma students from Hungary. A high number of these students were from families with low-SES. The collaboration between two Grade 3 teachers and university-based researchers sought to create instructional approaches that would support students' academic engagement and literacy learning. In this paper, we described one of the projects that took place in this class, exploring how a descriptive writing unit could be implemented in a way that connected with students' lives and enabled them to use their home languages, through the creation of multiple texts, using creative writing, digital technologies, and drama pedagogy. This kind of multilingual and multimodal classroom practice changed the classroom dynamics and allowed the students access to identity positions of expertise, increasing their literacy investment, literacy engagement and learning.

Compliance with a multilayered nonpharmaceutical intervention in an urban elementary school setting.

PubMed

Stebbins, Samuel; Stark, James H; Vukotich, Charles J

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent school-aged children can learn hygiene-based nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and persist in these behavioral changes over the duration of an influenza season. If this can be done successfully, it may be a preferable pandemic mitigation strategy to much more disruptive strategies such as whole-scale school closure. The Pittsburgh Influenza Prevention Project (PIPP) is a prospective, controlled, randomized trial of the effectiveness of a suite of hygiene-based NPIs in controlling influenza and related illnesses in elementary schools in the City of Pittsburgh. During the 2007-08 school year, the project measured adoption of NPIs by students in five elementary schools through surveys of home-room teachers before, during, and after influenza season. Results showed highly statistically significant improvement in students' daily practice of nearly all of the NPIs, including hand washing and sanitizer use and covering coughs and sneezes. The study provides evidence that children can learn, implement, and persist in the behaviors of a multilayered suite of NPIs over a typical flu season. These results will be useful to public health policy makers and practitioners considering methods of infectious disease prevention in school-based settings.

"Who Should Have the Neighborhood?" Children's Ideas about the Future Development of an Aging Neighborhood. [And] Moscow, Blueprint for a City: The Only Really Planned City in the World! Instructional Activities Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, John E.; And Others

Two elementary-grade activities on geography are combined. The first activity employs a group discussion approach to investigate neighborhoods and residences. Given data about a neighborhood area in Houston, students make predictions and express feelings about future developments in the area. The second activity investigates urban planning in…

Girl Talk: A Qualitative Study of Girls Talking about the Meaning of Their Lives in an Urban Single-Sex Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ridenour, Carolyn S.; Hassell Hughes, Sheila

2016-01-01

The suburban-urban achievement gap (diminishing until the 1980s) has stopped its narrowing trend, and single-sex schools are proliferating as a reform model, especially in urban areas. In this study researchers interviewed eight elementary school girls (in an all-girls school) three times over 2 years, and the resulting 23 transcripts were…

Pathways to Aggression in Urban Elementary School Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozkol, Hivren; Zucker, Marla; Spinazzola, Joseph

2011-01-01

This study examined the pathways from violence exposure to aggressive behaviors in urban, elementary school youth. We utilized structural equation modeling to examine putative causal pathways between children's exposure to violence, development of posttraumatic stress symptoms, permissive attitudes towards violence, and engagement in aggressive…

The impact of classroom aggression on the development of aggressive behavior problems in children

PubMed Central

Thomas, Duane E.; Bierman, Karen L.

2009-01-01

Prior research suggests that exposure to elementary classrooms characterized by high levels of student aggression may contribute to the development of child aggressive behavior problems. To explore this process in more detail, this study followed a longitudinal sample of 4,907 children and examined demographic factors associated with exposure to high-aggression classrooms, including school context factors (school size, student poverty levels, and rural vs. urban location) and child ethnicity (African American, European American). The developmental impact of different temporal patterns of exposure (e.g., primacy, recency, chronicity) to high-aggression classrooms was evaluated on child aggression. Analyses revealed that African American children attending large, urban schools that served socioeconomically disadvantaged students were more likely than other students to be exposed to high-aggressive classroom contexts. Hierarchical regressions demonstrated cumulative effects for temporal exposure, whereby children with multiple years of exposure showed higher levels of aggressive behavior after 3 years than children with primacy, less recent, and less chronic exposure, controlling for initial levels of aggression. Implications are discussed for developmental research and preventive interventions. PMID:16600064

An Elective Course to Engage Student Pharmacists in Elementary School Science Education

PubMed Central

Wilson, Judith S.; Blankenship, James; Quock, Raymond M.; Lindsey, Marti; Kinsler, Janni J.

2011-01-01

Objective. 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. Design. 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. Assessment. 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. Conclusions. The HealthWISE elective course provided positive benefit for student pharmacists, elementary school teachers, and elementary students. PMID:22345722

Notes from California: an anthropological approach to urban science education for language minority families

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammond, Lorie

2001-11-01

This article describes a unique and ongoing collaboration involving a team of bilingual/multicultural teacher-educators, preservice teachers, teachers, students, and community members in an urban California elementary school. According to the model this team employed, children, teachers, and student teachers gather community funds of knowledge about the science to be studied in a classroom, then incorporate this knowledge by using parents as experts and by creating community books. In this model community-generated materials parallel and complement standards-based curricula, although science topics that have natural significance in particular communities are used as a starting point. Using critical ethnography as a framework, the article focuses on a particular experience - the building of a Mien-American garden house - to show how, by drawing on participants' funds of knowledge, a new kind of multiscience can emerge, one accessible to all collaborating members and responsive to school standards.

J C Nalle Elementary School, Washington, D.C. Schools on the Move: Stories of Urban Schools Engaged in Inclusive Journeys of Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Phil; Blumberg, Richard

This paper describes one urban school in the midst of change and renewal. J C Nalle Elementary School, Washington, DC, is a full-service community school that supports children and families. It is one of 85 schools with which the National Institute for Urban School Improvement is involved in partnerships for change. It is located in an…

Science education in an urban elementary school: Case studies of teacher beliefs and classroom practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Ken; Shumow, Lee; Lietz, Stephanie

2001-03-01

Through a case study approach, the state of science education in an urban elementary school was examined in detail. Observations made from the perspective of a science education specialist, an educational psychologist, and an expert elementary teacher were triangulated to provide a set of perspectives from which elementary science instruction could be examined. Findings revealed that teachers were more poorly prepared than had been anticipated, both in terms of science content knowledge and instructional skills, but also with respect to the quality of classroom pedagogical and management skills. Particularly significant, from a science education perspective, was the inconsistency between how they perceived their teaching practice (a hands-on, inquiry-based approach) and the investigator-observed expository nature of the lessons. Lessons were typically expository in nature, with little higher-level interaction of significance. Implications for practice and the associated needs for staff development among urban elementary teachers is discussed within the context of these findings.

Contributory Factors to Teachers' Sense of Community in Public Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkhus, Debra

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that contribute to teachers' sense of community within public, urban, elementary schools. Because previous research has touted the benefits of teacher communities within schools (Kruse, 2001; Leana & Pil, 2006; Ware & Kitsantas, 2007) educational leaders are challenged with creating…

Fifth Graders' Learning About Simple Machines Through Engineering Design-Based Instruction Using LEGO™ Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marulcu, Ismail; Barnett, Mike

2013-10-01

This study is part of a 5-year National Science Foundation-funded project, Transforming Elementary Science Learning Through LEGO™ Engineering Design. In this study, we report on the successes and challenges of implementing an engineering design-based and LEGO™-oriented unit in an urban classroom setting and we focus on the impact of the unit on students' content understanding of simple machines. The LEGO™ engineering-based simple machines module, which was developed for fifth graders by our research team, was implemented in an urban school in a large city in the Northeastern region of the USA. Thirty-three fifth grade students participated in the study, and they showed significant growth in content understanding. We measured students' content knowledge by using identical paper tests and semistructured interviews before and after instruction. Our paired t test analysis results showed that students significantly improved their test and interview scores (t = -3.62, p < 0.001 for multiple-choice items and t = -9.06, p < 0.000 for the open-ended items in the test and t = -12.11, p < 0.000 for the items in interviews). We also identified several alternative conceptions that are held by students on simple machines.

Impact of a community based fire prevention intervention on fire safety knowledge and behavior in elementary school children

PubMed Central

Hwang, V; Duchossois, G P; Garcia‐Espana, J F; Durbin, D R

2006-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of a community based fire prevention intervention directed only to parents on the fire safety knowledge and behavior in elementary school children. This was a prospective, quasi‐randomized controlled study in which third and fourth grade students from two elementary schools in an urban, poor, minority community completed knowledge/behavior surveys at baseline and following completion of the intervention. The intervention group received an in‐home visit from fire department personnel who installed free lithium smoke detectors and provided a fire escape plan. After accounting for a small difference in baseline summary scores of knowledge and behavior between the control and intervention groups, this study found a modest improvement in fire safety behavior among children whose families received a fire prevention intervention reflecting a change in household fire safety practices. However, there was no significant change in fire safety knowledge. PMID:17018679

Teaching the Urban Student as a Whole: Utilizing Universal Skills in Science and Social Studies Interdisciplinary Curricula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berg, Christianna

The purpose for this project is to utilize interdisciplinary curricula to emphasize transferable skills across the four main subject areas: reading, mathematics, science, and social studies. This project aims to provide a background for the creation of an interdisciplinary curricula that can be adjusted to current instructional programs being used in any classroom. The proposed curriculum is intended for a science and social studies elementary classroom where students rotate to a different mathematics and language arts classroom, but it could be applied to older grades or to self-contained classes. The proposed curriculum emphasizes problem solving, reading, and writing skills.

Urban school leadership for elementary science education: Meeting the needs of English Language Learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alarcon, Maricela H.

Science education reform and state testing accountability call upon principals to become instructional leaders in science. Specifically, elementary school principals must take an active role in science instruction to effectively improve science education for all students including English Language Learners. As such, the research questioned posed in this study centered on How are elementary school principals addressing the academic needs of Latino Spanish-speaking English language learners within science education? This study employed a qualitative research design to identify the factors contributing to the exemplary performance in science, as measured by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), for English Language Learner students in three high poverty bilingual elementary schools based on a multiple case study. As part of the data collection process, interviews were conducted with three school principals, three science academic support teachers, and two 5th grade bilingual teachers. Additionally, observations were acquired through school principal shadowing. The findings revealed four attributes necessary for effective instructional leadership in science education. First, Positive School Culture was defined as the core that linked the other three instructional leadership attributes and thus increased their effectiveness. Second, Clear Goals and Expectations were set by making science a priority and ensuring that English language learners were transitioning from Spanish to English instruction by the fifth grade. Third, Critical Resourcing involved hiring a science academic support teacher, securing a science classroom on campus, and purchasing bilingual instructional materials. Fourth, principal led and supported Collaboration in which teachers met to discuss student performance based data in addition to curriculum and instruction. These research findings are vital because by implementing these best practices of elementary school principals, educators are positioned to lay the foundation for science needed for ELLs to continue their educational career with the tools needed to succeed in future science classes and in turn college, answering the call to effectively improve science within the educational system.

Conditions and Decisions of Urban Elementary Teachers Regarding Instruction of STEM Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Erica L.; Parker, Carolyn A.; McKinney, David; Grigg, Jeffrey

2018-01-01

The study was situated in a National Science Foundation supported Math Science Partnership between a private university and an urban school district. This study sought to understand the decision-making process of elementary teachers as they implement an integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum in their…

Urban Elementary Science Teacher Leaders: Responsibilities, Supports, and Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wenner, Julianne A.

2017-01-01

The challenge of science achievement gaps is one that scholars have struggled to solve. Teacher leadership holds great promise in closing those gaps. Therefore, the purpose of the research reported here was to explore the responsibilities and supports of formally designated science teacher leaders (STLs) in urban elementary schools that have been…

Stereotype Threat Effects on African American Children in an Urban Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasserberg, Martin J.

2014-01-01

This study investigated whether a diagnostic testing condition leads to stereotype threat effects for African American children (n = 198) at an urban elementary school. Results indicated that presenting a reading test as diagnostic of abilities hindered the performance of African American children aware of racial stereotypes but not of those…

Job Satisfaction of Elementary Principals in Large Urban Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Cathryn M.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine job satisfaction levels of elementary principals in "major urban" districts in Texas and to identify strategies these principals used to cope with the demands of the position. Additionally, the project sought to find structures and supports needed to attract and retain principals in the…

Pressurizing the STEM Pipeline: an Expectancy-Value Theory Analysis of Youths' STEM Attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ball, Christopher; Huang, Kuo-Ting; Cotten, Shelia R.; Rikard, R. V.

2017-08-01

Over the past decade, there has been a strong national push to increase minority students' positive attitudes towards STEM-related careers. However, despite this focus, minority students have remained underrepresented in these fields. Some researchers have directed their attention towards improving the STEM pipeline which carries students through our educational system and into STEM careers. Previous research has shown that expectancy-value theory (EVT) is useful for examining the short-term as well as long-term academic motivations and intentions of elementary age minority students. These findings provide insights into ways we may be able to potentially "patch" particular STEM pipeline leaks. In the current study, we advance this research by using EVT as a framework to examine the STEM attitudes of young students directly. We hypothesize that students' academic-related expectancies for success and subjective task values will be associated with an increase in STEM attitudes. Data for this study was gathered over the course of a large-scale computing intervention which sought to increase students' STEM interest. This computing intervention took place in an urban elementary school district located within the southeastern USA. Results from this study indicate that both intrinsic values and utility values predict students' STEM attitudes but they influence attitudes related to the various dimensions of STEM differently. These findings demonstrate that EVT provides a useful framework, which can be integrated into future computing interventions, to help encourage positive STEM attitudes in young children, thus increasing the internal pressure (or flow) within the STEM pipeline.

Examining Behavioral Risk and Academic Performance for Students Transitioning from Elementary to Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Kathleen Lynne; Oakes, Wendy Peia; Carter, Erik W.; Messenger, Mallory

2015-01-01

We studied the transition from elementary to middle school for 74 fifth-grade students. Specifically, we examined how behavioral risk evident in the elementary years, as measured by the "Student Risk Screening Scale" (SRSS), impacts students transitioning from elementary to middle school. First, we examined how student risk status shifts…

Comparative Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA): Interplay of discourses (D/D1) as third grade urban and suburban science students engage in hypothesis formulation and observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, Carmen Irene Reyes

This qualitative research project is a comparative analysis of Discourses (D/D1) while focused upon the science processes of hypothesis generation and observation in an urban versus suburban elementary science classroom. D designates the instructional and formal academic science Discourse and D1 represents the students' informal, social or home language D1iscourses. In particular, this research study is a critical discourse analysis that examines how the science processes of hypothesis formulation and observation are constituted through the interplay of classroom Discourses (D/D1) as two third grade science teachers teach the same kit-based, inquiry science lessons with their respective urban and suburban students. The research also considers ethnicity, social class, language, and the central role science teachers play mediating between children's everyday world and the world of science. Communicative approach and distinctive patterns of interaction between the European American teachers and their respective students are analyzed through a critical lens to examine underlying issues of equity and power embedded in the instructional Discourse of science. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) provides both the theoretical framework and analytical lens. The research informs development of linguistic-based "best" practices to contribute toward promoting greater science teacher awareness in creating linguistic environments that support all students' learning science Discourse and to serve as a springboard for future educational science researchers' use of CDA.

Building a partnership to evaluate school-linked health services: the Cincinnati School Health Demonstration Project.

PubMed

Rose, Barbara L; Mansour, Mona; Kohake, Kelli

2005-12-01

The Cincinnati School Health Demonstration Project was a 3-year collaboration that evaluated school-linked health services in 6 urban elementary (kindergarten to eighth grade) schools. Partners from the Cincinnati Health Department, Cincinnati Public Schools, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati wanted to determine if levels of school-linked care made a difference in student quality of life, school connectedness, attendance, emergency department use, and volume of referrals to health care specialists. School nurses, principals and school staff, parents and students, upper-level managers, and health service researchers worked together over a 2.5-year period to learn about and use new technology to collect information on student health, well-being, and outcome measures. Varying levels of school health care intervention models were instituted and evaluated. A standard model of care was compared with 2 models of enhanced care and service. The information collected from students, parents, nurses, and the school system provided a rich database on the health of urban children. School facilities, staffing, and computer technology, relationship building among stakeholders, extensive communication, and high student mobility were factors that influenced success and findings of the project. Funding for district-wide computerization and addition of school health staff was not secured by the end of the demonstration project; however, relationships among the partners endured and paved the way for future collaborations designed to better serve urban school children in Cincinnati.

Perceived reactions of elementary school students to changes in school lunches after implementation of the United States Department of Agriculture's new meals standards: minimal backlash, but rural and socioeconomic disparities exist.

PubMed

Turner, Lindsey; Chaloupka, Frank J

2014-08-01

Updated standards for meals sold through the USDA's National School Lunch Program took effect at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year. The current study assessed the perceptions of school staff regarding student reactions to these changes in school lunches and how perceptions varied across schools. Mailback surveys were gathered from administrators and food service staff at a nationally representative sample of 557 US public elementary schools in the second half of the 2012-2013 school year. Half of the respondents (56.4%) agreed that students complained about the meals at first, but 70% agreed that students like the new lunches. Perceived student complaints were significantly higher among respondents from rural schools (n=184) than from urban (n=127) or suburban (n=171) schools. Respondents at rural schools also were more likely to report that they perceived that fewer students were purchasing the meals and that students were consuming less of the meals than during the previous year. Perceived student complaints were higher at schools not offering regular (i.e., higher-fat) pizza. Respondents at socioeconomically disadvantaged schools (>66% of students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals) perceived that more students were buying lunch and that students were eating more of the meal than in the previous year. Perceptions of school personnel suggest reasonable acceptance of school lunches subsequent to revisions. Given the importance of offering healthful foods at school, the revised USDA meals standards are a promising strategy to improve the diets of children.

STEM after school programming: The effect on student achievement and attitude

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashford, Vanessa Dale

Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum has become a major component in to 21st century teaching and learning. STEM skills and STEM careers are in demand globally. Disadvantaged and minority students continue to have an achievement gap in STEM classes. They do not perform well in elementary and middle school and frequently do not pursue STEM-based studies in high school or careers in the field. One innovation in STEM education is after-school programming to increase student interest, attitudes, and achievement. This mixed-methods study examines the Discovery Place After-School STEM Program to compare the achievement levels of participants to non-participants in the program and provides recommendations for STEM after-school programming across the district. As part of the study, teachers were interviewed to examine attitudes and perceptions about the program. This study was conducted at an elementary school in a large urban school district in the southeastern United States which has a unique STEM-based after-school program. Student performance data indicated a significant difference in achievement between participants and non-participants in the program as measured by fifth grade science End-of-Grade test. Data from the seven units of study in the program showed significant achievement for three of the seven units.

A multilingual and multimodal approach to literacy teaching and learning in urban education: a collaborative inquiry project in an inner city elementary school

PubMed Central

Ntelioglou, Burcu Yaman; Fannin, Jennifer; Montanera, Mike; Cummins, Jim

2014-01-01

This paper presents findings from a collaborative inquiry project that explored teaching approaches that highlight the significance of multilingualism, multimodality, and multiliteracies in classrooms with high numbers of English language learners (ELLs). The research took place in an inner city elementary school with a large population of recently arrived and Canadian-born linguistically and culturally diverse students from Gambian, Indian, Mexican, Sri Lankan, Tibetan and Vietnamese backgrounds, as well as a recent wave of Roma students from Hungary. A high number of these students were from families with low-SES. The collaboration between two Grade 3 teachers and university-based researchers sought to create instructional approaches that would support students’ academic engagement and literacy learning. In this paper, we described one of the projects that took place in this class, exploring how a descriptive writing unit could be implemented in a way that connected with students’ lives and enabled them to use their home languages, through the creation of multiple texts, using creative writing, digital technologies, and drama pedagogy. This kind of multilingual and multimodal classroom practice changed the classroom dynamics and allowed the students access to identity positions of expertise, increasing their literacy investment, literacy engagement and learning. PMID:24994986

Cluster-randomized trial demonstrating impact on academic achievement of elementary social-emotional learning.

PubMed

Schonfeld, David J; Adams, Ryan E; Fredstrom, Bridget K; Weissberg, Roger P; Gilman, Richard; Voyce, Charlene; Tomlin, Ricarda; Speese-Linehan, Dee

2015-09-01

This study evaluated the results of a social and emotional learning (SEL) program on academic achievement among students attending a large, urban, high-risk school district. Using a cluster-randomized design, 24 elementary schools were assigned to receive either the intervention curriculum (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies, or PATHS) or a curriculum that delivered few if any SEL topics (i.e., the control group). In addition to state mastery test scores, demographic data, school attendance, and dosage information were obtained from 705 students who remained in the same group from the 3rd to the 6th grade. Analyses of odds ratios revealed that students enrolled in the intervention schools demonstrated higher levels of basic proficiency in reading, writing, and math at some grade levels. Although these between-groups differences held for race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status, significant within-group differences also were noted across these variables. Collectively, these findings indicated that social development instruction may be a promising approach to promote acquisition of academic proficiency, especially among youth attending high-risk school settings. Implications of these findings with respect to SEL programs conclude the article. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

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…

Teacher Consultation and Coaching within Mental Health Practice: Classroom and Child Effects in Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cappella, Elise; Hamre, Bridget K.; Kim, Ha Yeon; Henry, David B.; Frazier, Stacy L.; Atkins, Marc S.; Schoenwald, Sonja K.

2012-01-01

Objective: To examine effects of a teacher consultation and coaching program delivered by school and community mental health professionals on change in observed classroom interactions and child functioning across one school year. Method: Thirty-six classrooms within 5 urban elementary schools (87% Latino, 11% Black) were randomly assigned to…

Inside Connections: Local Teachers' Perspectives on Parental Engagement in an Urban Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Wayne A.

2007-01-01

This study examines the engagement of local teachers and parents in a low-income urban elementary school. Based on participant observation and interviews with 10 teachers who have residential histories in their school's neighborhood, this phenomenological study examines the ways in which the presence of teachers in the neighborhood and their…

Proximity of public elementary schools to major roads in Canadian urban areas

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Epidemiologic studies have linked exposure to traffic-generated air and noise pollution with a wide range of adverse health effects in children. Children spend a large portion of time at school, and both air pollution and noise are elevated in close proximity to roads, so school location may be an important determinant of exposure. No studies have yet examined the proximity of schools to major roads in Canadian cities. Methods Data on public elementary schools in Canada's 10 most populous cities were obtained from online databases. School addresses were geocoded and proximity to the nearest major road, defined using a standardized national road classification scheme, was calculated for each school. Based on measurements of nitrogen oxide concentrations, ultrafine particle counts, and noise levels in three Canadian cities we conservatively defined distances < 75 m from major roads as the zone of primary interest. Census data at the city and neighborhood levels were used to evaluate relationships between school proximity to major roads, urban density, and indicators of socioeconomic status. Results Addresses were obtained for 1,556 public elementary schools, 95% of which were successfully geocoded. Across all 10 cities, 16.3% of schools were located within 75 m of a major road, with wide variability between cities. Schools in neighborhoods with higher median income were less likely to be near major roads (OR per $20,000 increase: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.65, 1.00), while schools in densely populated neighborhoods were more frequently close to major roads (OR per 1,000 dwellings/km2: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.16). Over 22% of schools in the lowest neighborhood income quintile were close to major roads, compared to 13% of schools in the highest income quintile. Conclusions A substantial fraction of students at public elementary schools in Canada, particularly students attending schools in low income neighborhoods, may be exposed to elevated levels of air pollution and noise while at school. As a result, the locations of schools may negatively impact the healthy development and academic performance of a large number of Canadian children. PMID:22188682

Proximity of public elementary schools to major roads in Canadian urban areas.

PubMed

Amram, Ofer; Abernethy, Rebecca; Brauer, Michael; Davies, Hugh; Allen, Ryan W

2011-12-21

Epidemiologic studies have linked exposure to traffic-generated air and noise pollution with a wide range of adverse health effects in children. Children spend a large portion of time at school, and both air pollution and noise are elevated in close proximity to roads, so school location may be an important determinant of exposure. No studies have yet examined the proximity of schools to major roads in Canadian cities. Data on public elementary schools in Canada's 10 most populous cities were obtained from online databases. School addresses were geocoded and proximity to the nearest major road, defined using a standardized national road classification scheme, was calculated for each school. Based on measurements of nitrogen oxide concentrations, ultrafine particle counts, and noise levels in three Canadian cities we conservatively defined distances < 75 m from major roads as the zone of primary interest. Census data at the city and neighborhood levels were used to evaluate relationships between school proximity to major roads, urban density, and indicators of socioeconomic status. Addresses were obtained for 1,556 public elementary schools, 95% of which were successfully geocoded. Across all 10 cities, 16.3% of schools were located within 75 m of a major road, with wide variability between cities. Schools in neighborhoods with higher median income were less likely to be near major roads (OR per $20,000 increase: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.65, 1.00), while schools in densely populated neighborhoods were more frequently close to major roads (OR per 1,000 dwellings/km²: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.16). Over 22% of schools in the lowest neighborhood income quintile were close to major roads, compared to 13% of schools in the highest income quintile. A substantial fraction of students at public elementary schools in Canada, particularly students attending schools in low income neighborhoods, may be exposed to elevated levels of air pollution and noise while at school. As a result, the locations of schools may negatively impact the healthy development and academic performance of a large number of Canadian children.

Starting a learning progression for agricultural literacy: A qualitative study of urban elementary student understandings of agricultural and science education benchmarks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, Alexander Jay

Science and agriculture professional organizations have argued for agricultural literacy as a goal for K-12 public education. Due to the complexity of our modern agri-food system, with social, economic, and environmental concerns embedded, an agriculturally literate society is needed for informed decision making, democratic participation, and system reform. While grade-span specific benchmarks for gauging agri-food system literacy have been developed, little attention has been paid to existing ideas individuals hold about the agri-food system, how these existing ideas relate to benchmarks, how experience shapes such ideas, or how ideas change overtime. Developing a body of knowledge on students' agri-food system understandings as they develop across K-12 grades can ground efforts seeking to promote a learning progression toward agricultural literacy. This study compares existing perceptions held by 18 upper elementary students from a large urban center in California to agri-food system literacy benchmarks and examines the perceptions against student background and experiences. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the constant comparative method. Constructivist theoretical perspectives framed the study. No student had ever grown their own food, raised a plant, or cared for an animal. Participation in school fieldtrips to farms or visits to a relative's garden were agricultural experiences most frequently mentioned. Students were able to identify common food items, but could not elaborate on their origins, especially those that were highly processed. Students' understanding of post-production activities (i.e. food processing, manufacturing, or food marketing) was not apparent. Students' understanding of farms reflected a 1900's subsistence farming operation commonly found in a literature written for the primary grades. Students were unaware that plants and animals were selected for production based on desired genetic traits. Obtaining food from areas with favorable growing conditions and supporting technology (such as transportation and refrigeration) was an understanding lacking in the group. Furthermore, most spoilage prevention technologies employed today were not an expressed part of student's schema. Students' backgrounds and experiences did not appear to support the development of a robust agri-food system schema. An agricultural science and technology schema appears poorly developed in each of the students.

Tweens at risk: examining car safety practices in four economically disadvantaged urban elementary schools in Virginia.

PubMed

Will, Kelli England; Dunaway, Krystall E; Lorek, Edward J

2013-09-01

Children aged 8- to 12-years-old ("tweens") are at high risk for crash injury, and motor vehicle crashes are their leading cause of death. Data are presented from behavioral observations (N=243), surveys (N=677), and focus groups (N=26) conducted with tweens attending four urban elementary schools in Virginia. The populations assessed were predominantly black (77.9%) and economically disadvantaged (61.9%). Focus groups revealed a number of inconsistencies in and misconceptions about safety practices. Among the 677 tweens who completed anonymous surveys, the majority (58.1%) reported wearing their seat belts "not very much at all" or "never." Many students (47.8%) reported usually sitting in the front seat or sitting in the front and back seats equally. This is despite the fact that most (92.0%) knew that the back seat was the safest place to sit. Of the 243 tweens observed in vehicles, 65.0% were unrestrained and 60.1% were seated in the front passenger seat. Findings of this study shed light on the great disparity between the national rates for child safety practices and those of children living in an economically disadvantaged urban school district. Additional intervention programs that are culturally appropriate and specifically target this age group are needed. Copyright © 2013 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Video in Urban Elementary Professional Development to Support Digital Media Arts Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodard, Rebecca; Machado, Emily

2017-01-01

Using ethnographic methods, this article looks closely at how a team of first-grade teachers and digital media artists in an urban elementary school used video in innovative ways during professional development over the course of one year. Extending a body of literature that primarily documents how video can be used as a tool in professional…

Perceptions of Elementary Teachers from an Urban School District in Southern California Regarding Their Inquiry-Based Science Instructional Practices, Assessment Methods, and Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ugwu, Romanus Iroabuchi

2012-01-01

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to describe the perceptions of elementary teachers from an urban school district in Southern California regarding their inquiry-based science instructional practices, assessment methods and professional development. The district's inquiry professional development called the California Mathematics and…

Educational Leadership in Our Peculiar Institutions: Understandings of Principals in Segregated, White-Staffed Urban Elementary Schools in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milligan, Tonya; Howley, Craig

2015-01-01

This study explores how 10 principals in mostly-Black U.S. urban elementary schools staffed by mostly-White faculty understood and experienced the manifestations of racial differences. Narrative inquiry with nearly 700 pages of transcript data yielded three themes: (1) gradients of color-conscious leadership, (2) principals as moral agents, and…

The Impact of Servant Leadership Practices in an Urban Focus Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis-Elenis, Sharon V.

2016-01-01

This study examined the impact of servant leadership practices as perceived by faculty and staff in an urban Focus elementary school. A mixed-methods design was used to explore the impact of the school leader's servant leadership practices on the behavior and perceptions of the faculty and staff, and the challenges a school leader faces as a…

The Chancellor's Model School Project (CMSP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lopez, Gil

1999-01-01

What does it take to create and implement a 7th to 8th grade middle school program where the great majority of students achieve at high academic levels regardless of their previous elementary school backgrounds? This was the major question that guided the research and development of a 7-year long project effort entitled the Chancellor's Model School Project (CMSP) from September 1991 to August 1998. The CMSP effort conducted largely in two New York City public schools was aimed at creating and testing a prototype 7th and 8th grade model program that was organized and test-implemented in two distinct project phases: Phase I of the CMSP effort was conducted from 1991 to 1995 as a 7th to 8th grade extension of an existing K-6 elementary school, and Phase II was conducted from 1995 to 1998 as a 7th to 8th grade middle school program that became an integral part of a newly established 7-12th grade high school. In Phase I, the CMSP demonstrated that with a highly structured curriculum coupled with strong academic support and increased learning time, students participating in the CMSP were able to develop a strong foundation for rigorous high school coursework within the space of 2 years (at the 7th and 8th grades). Mathematics and Reading test score data during Phase I of the project, clearly indicated that significant academic gains were obtained by almost all students -- at both the high and low ends of the spectrum -- regardless of their previous academic performance in the K-6 elementary school experience. The CMSP effort expanded in Phase II to include a fully operating 7-12 high school model. Achievement gains at the 7th and 8th grade levels in Phase II were tempered by the fact that incoming 7th grade students' academic background at the CMSP High School was significantly lower than students participating in Phase 1. Student performance in Phase II was also affected by the broadening of the CMSP effort from a 7-8th grade program to a fully functioning 7-12 high school which as a consequence lessened the focus and structure available to the 7-8th grade students and teachers -- as compared to Phase I. Nevertheless, the CMSP does represent a unique curriculum model for 7th and 8th grade students in urban middle schools. Experience in both Phase I and Phase II of the project allowed the CMSP to be developed and tested along the broad range of parameters and characteristics that embody an operating public school in an urban environment.

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.

Teaching planetary sciences to elementary school teachers: Programs that work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lebofsky, Larry A.; Lebofsky, Nancy R.

1993-01-01

Planetary sciences can be used to introduce students to the natural world which is a part of their lives. Even children in an urban environment are aware of such phenomena as day and night, shadows, and the seasons. It is a science that transcends cultures, has been prominent in the news in recent years, and can generate excitement in young minds as no other science can. Planetary sciences also provides a useful tool for understanding other sciences and mathematics, and for developing problem solving skills which are important in our technological world. However, only 15 percent of elementary school teachers feel very well qualified to teach earth/space science, while better than 80 percent feel well qualified to teach reading; many teachers avoid teaching science; very little time is actually spent teaching science in the elementary school: 19 minutes per day in K-3 and 38 minutes per day in 4-6. While very little science is taught in elementary and middle school, earth/space science is taught at the elementary level in less than half of the states. It was pointed out that science is not generally given high priority by either teachers or school districts, and is certainly not considered on a par with language arts and mathematics. Therefore, in order to teach science to our youth, we must empower our teachers, making them familiar and comfortable with existing materials. In our earlier workshops, several of our teachers taught in classrooms where the majority of the students were Hispanic (over 90 percent). However, few space sciences materials existed in Spanish. Therefore, most of our materials could not be used effectively in the classroom. To address this issue, NASA materials were translated into Spanish and a series of workshops for bilingual classroom teachers from Tucson and surrounding cities was conducted. Our space sciences workshops and our bilingual classroom workshops and how they address the needs of elementary school teachers in Arizona are addressed in detail.

School-wide implementation of the elements of effective classroom instruction: Lessons from a high-performing, high-poverty urban school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyson, Hilarie

2008-10-01

The purpose of the study was to identify structures and systems implemented in a high-performing high-poverty urban school to promote high academic achievement among students of color. The researcher used a sociocultural theoretical framework to examine the influence of culture on the structures and systems that increased performance by African American and Hispanic students. Four research questions guided the study: (1) What are the trends and patterns of student performance among students of color? (2) What are the organizational structures and systems that are perceived to contribute to high student performance in high-poverty urban schools with high concentrations of students of color? (3) How are the organizational structures and systems implemented to support school-wide effective classroom instruction that promotes student learning? (4) How is the construct of race reflected in the school's structures and systems? Qualitative data were collected through interviews, observations, and artifact collection. A single case study method was employed and collected data were triangulated to capture and explore the rich details of the study. The study focused on a high-performing high-poverty urban elementary school located in southern California. The school population consisted of 99% students of color and 93% were economically disadvantaged. The school was selected for making significant and consistent growth in Academic Performance Index and Adequate Yearly Progress over a 3-year period. The school-wide structures and systems studied were (a) leadership, (b) school climate and culture, (c) standards-based instruction, (d) data-driven decision making, and (e) professional development. Four common themes emerged from the findings: (a) instructional leadership that focused on teaching and learning; (b) high expectations for all students; (c) school-wide focus on student achievement using standards, data, and culturally responsive teaching; and (d) positive relationships and interactions among students, teachers, parents, and community. Suggestion for future research include a deep examination of how and why culturally relevant pedagogy supports students of color, research on leadership and its impact on creating a positive school climate and culture to produce high student achievement by students of color, and the impact of early education programs on student achievement among poor students and students of color.

Implementing Elementary School Next Generation Science Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Katheryn B.

2017-01-01

Implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards requires developing elementary teacher content and pedagogical content knowledge of science and engineering concepts. Teacher preparation for this undertaking appears inadequate with little known about how in-service Mid-Atlantic urban elementary science teachers approach this task. The…

Competence and Elementary School Achievement: Case Studies in an Urban Ghetto. Research Report, Vol. 4, No. 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirsch, Jay G; Costello, Joan

This paper has presented some of the major conclusions arising out of a clinical study of a group of fifth grade achievers and underachievers from an urban lower class Negro public elementary school. The major factors which distinguished the group of achievers from the group of underachievers were those in the area of quality of interpersonal…

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…

Perceived Reactions of Elementary School Students to Changes in School Lunches after Implementation of the United States Department of Agriculture's New Meals Standards: Minimal Backlash, but Rural and Socioeconomic Disparities Exist

PubMed Central

Chaloupka, Frank J.

2014-01-01

Abstract Background: Updated standards for meals sold through the USDA's National School Lunch Program took effect at the beginning of the 2012–2013 school year. The current study assessed the perceptions of school staff regarding student reactions to these changes in school lunches and how perceptions varied across schools. Methods: Mailback surveys were gathered from administrators and food service staff at a nationally representative sample of 557 US public elementary schools in the second half of the 2012–2013 school year. Results: Half of the respondents (56.4%) agreed that students complained about the meals at first, but 70% agreed that students like the new lunches. Perceived student complaints were significantly higher among respondents from rural schools (n=184) than from urban (n=127) or suburban (n=171) schools. Respondents at rural schools also were more likely to report that they perceived that fewer students were purchasing the meals and that students were consuming less of the meals than during the previous year. Perceived student complaints were higher at schools not offering regular (i.e., higher-fat) pizza. Respondents at socioeconomically disadvantaged schools (>66% of students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals) perceived that more students were buying lunch and that students were eating more of the meal than in the previous year. Conclusions: Perceptions of school personnel suggest reasonable acceptance of school lunches subsequent to revisions. Given the importance of offering healthful foods at school, the revised USDA meals standards are a promising strategy to improve the diets of children. PMID:25045934

Peer and Teacher Preference, Student-Teacher Relationships, Student Ethnicity, and Peer Victimization in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Feihong; Leary, Kevin A.; Taylor, Lorraine C.; Derosier, Melissa E.

2016-01-01

The authors examined the effects of peer preference and teacher preference for students, students' perceived relationship with their teacher and student ethnicity on peer victimization in late elementary school. Participants were students in the third through fifth grades in four public elementary schools in a southern state. Using hierarchical…

Peer and Teacher Preference, Student-Teacher Relationships, Student Ethnicity, and Peer Victimization in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Feihong; Leary, Kevin A.; Taylor, Lorraine C.; Derosier, Melissa E.

2016-01-01

We examined the effects of peer preference and teacher preference for students, students' perceived relationship with their teacher and student ethnicity on peer victimization in late elementary school. Participants were students in the third through fifth grades in four public elementary schools in a southern state. Using hierarchical linear…

[Nutritional status of urban and rural Chilean school children of the metropolitan area].

PubMed

Ivanović, R; Olivares, M; Ivanović, D

1990-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status of chilean students by geographic area. In this respect, a representative sample of 4,509 students from elementary and high school was chosen from the Metropolitan Region of Chile (representative of 38.0% of chilean school population). Nutritional status was assessed through anthropometric measurements. Percent weight for age (% W/A), height for age (% H/A) and weight for height (% W/H) were compared with WHO standard; head circumference for age (% HC/A) with Tanner standard; arm circumference for age (% AC/A), triceps skinfold for age (% TS/A), arm muscle area for age (% AMA/A) and arm fat area/age (% AFA/A) with Frisancho norms. Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured through Graffar modified scale. Percent W/H is a better indicator of nutritional status due to growth failure which was thus detected in 27.6% of the whole sample (24.2% and 46.8%, respectively, in urban and rural area, p less than 0.001). According to % W/H, the frequencies of obesity were 13.4% and 10.5%, and those for undernutrition 5.7% and 8.2%, in urban and rural area, respectively, (p less than 0.05). Students from rural area showed significantly lower values for % HC/A, % AC/A, % TS/A and % AFA/A (p less than 0.001). There were no differences for % AMA/A. The fact that 90.5% of rural students belong to low SES must be taken into account to explain differences in the nutritional status of students of different geographic areas.

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)…

Perceptions of Elementary School Students: Experiences and Dreams about the Life Studies Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baysal, Z. Nurdan; Tezcan, Özlem Apak; Araç, Kamil Ersin

2018-01-01

This study seeks to identify elementary school students' views and perceptions of the Life Studies course through verbal and visual instruments. It employs a descriptive phenomenological research design. The study surveyed second- and third-grade students attending one private elementary school and two state elementary schools. The data was…

Creating a school nutrition environment index and pilot testing it in elementary and middle schools in urban South Korea

PubMed Central

Kwon, Kwang-il; Kweon, Soon Ju; Wang, Youfa; Gittelsohn, Joel

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The role of a school's nutrition environment in explaining students' eating behaviors and weight status has not been examined in an Asian setting. The purpose of this study was to create a school nutrition environment index and to pilot test the index in elementary and middle schools in urban South Korea. SUBJECTS/METHODS This study used a mixed-methods approach. Environment assessment tools were developed based on formative research, which comprised literature reviews, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions. Key elements from the formative research were included in the assessment tool, which consisted of a structured survey questionnaire for school dietitians. Fifteen school dietitians from 7 elementary and 8 middle schools in Seoul completed the questionnaire. RESULTS The formative research revealed four main sections that guided a summary index to assess a school's nutrition environment: resource availability, education and programs, dietitians' perceptions and characteristics, and school lunch menu. Based on the literature reviews and interviews, an index scoring system was developed. The total possible score from the combined four index sections was 40 points. From the 15 schools participating in the pilot survey, the mean school nutrition-environment index was 22.5 (standard deviation ± 3.2; range 17-28). The majority of the schools did not offer classroom-based nutrition education or nutrition counseling for students and parents. The popular modes of nutrition education were school websites, posters, and newsletters. CONCLUSIONS This paper illustrates the process used to develop an instrument to assess a school's nutrition environment. Moreover, it presents the steps used to develop a scoring system for creation of a school nutrition environment index. As pilot testing indicated the total index score has some variation across schools, we suggest applying this instrument in future studies involving a larger number of schools. Future studies with larger samples will allow investigation of the validity and reliability of this newly developed tool. PMID:28989577

Creating a school nutrition environment index and pilot testing it in elementary and middle schools in urban South Korea.

PubMed

Park, Sohyun; Kwon, Kwang-Il; Kweon, Soon Ju; Wang, Youfa; Gittelsohn, Joel

2017-10-01

The role of a school's nutrition environment in explaining students' eating behaviors and weight status has not been examined in an Asian setting. The purpose of this study was to create a school nutrition environment index and to pilot test the index in elementary and middle schools in urban South Korea. This study used a mixed-methods approach. Environment assessment tools were developed based on formative research, which comprised literature reviews, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions. Key elements from the formative research were included in the assessment tool, which consisted of a structured survey questionnaire for school dietitians. Fifteen school dietitians from 7 elementary and 8 middle schools in Seoul completed the questionnaire. The formative research revealed four main sections that guided a summary index to assess a school's nutrition environment: resource availability, education and programs, dietitians' perceptions and characteristics, and school lunch menu. Based on the literature reviews and interviews, an index scoring system was developed. The total possible score from the combined four index sections was 40 points. From the 15 schools participating in the pilot survey, the mean school nutrition-environment index was 22.5 (standard deviation ± 3.2; range 17-28). The majority of the schools did not offer classroom-based nutrition education or nutrition counseling for students and parents. The popular modes of nutrition education were school websites, posters, and newsletters. This paper illustrates the process used to develop an instrument to assess a school's nutrition environment. Moreover, it presents the steps used to develop a scoring system for creation of a school nutrition environment index. As pilot testing indicated the total index score has some variation across schools, we suggest applying this instrument in future studies involving a larger number of schools. Future studies with larger samples will allow investigation of the validity and reliability of this newly developed tool.

Parental encouragement of initiative-taking and adjustment in Chinese children from rural, urban, and urbanized families.

PubMed

Chen, Xinyin; Li, Dan

2012-12-01

Due to the requirements of the competitive, market-oriented urban society, parents in urban and urbanized families are more likely than parents in rural families to encourage initiative-taking in child rearing in China. The socialization experiences of children from different types of families may be related to their adjustment. This study examined parental socialization attitudes, social and school adjustment, and their relations in Chinese children from rural, urban, and urbanized families. Participants were elementary school students (N = 1,033; M age = 11 years) and their parents in China. Data were obtained from parental reports, peer evaluations, teacher ratings, and school records. A multivariate analysis of variance revealed that parents in urban and urbanized families had higher scores than parents in rural families on encouragement of initiative-taking. Urban children, particularly girls, were more sociable, obtained higher social status, and had fewer school problems than their rural counterparts. Children from urbanized families were different from rural children and similar to urban children in social and school adjustment. Moreover, multigroup invariance tests showed that parental encouragement of initiative-taking was associated more strongly with children's sociable-assertive behavior and social standing in the urban and urbanized groups than in the rural group. The results indicate that particular socialization attitudes may vary in their adaptive value in child development as a function of specific social and cultural requirements in changing societies. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Marketing Vegetables in Elementary School Cafeterias to Increase Uptake.

PubMed

Hanks, Andrew S; Just, David R; Brumberg, Adam

2016-08-01

Children do not eat enough servings of vegetables, underscoring the need for effective interventions encouraging this behavior. The purpose of this research was to measure the impact that daily exposure to branded vegetable characters has on vegetable selection among boys and girls in elementary schools. In a large urban school district, 10 elementary schools agreed to participate in the study. They were randomly assigned to a control condition or 1 of 3 treatment conditions: (1) a vinyl banner displaying vegetable characters that was fastened around the base of the salad bar; (2) short television segments with health education delivered by vegetable characters; or (3) a combination of the vinyl banner and television segments. We collected 22 206 student-day observations over a 6-week period by tallying the number of boys and girls taking vegetables from the school's salad bar. Results show that 90.5% (from 12.6% to 24.0%; P = .04) more students took vegetables from the salad bar when exposed to the vinyl banner only, and 239.2% (from 10.2% to 34.6%; P < .001) more students visited the salad bar when exposed to both the television segments and vinyl banners. Both boys and girls responded positively to the vinyl banners (P < .05 in both cases). Evidence from this study highlights the positive impact of branded media on children's vegetable selection in the school cafeteria. Results from this study suggest potential opportunities for using branded media to encourage healthier choices for children. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Evaluating the Impact of Feedback on Elementary Aged Students’ Fluency Growth in Written Expression: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Truckenmiller, Adrea J.; Eckert, Tanya L.; Codding, Robin S.; Petscher, Yaacov

2016-01-01

The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate elementary-aged students’ writing fluency growth in response to (a) instructional practices, (b) sex differences, and (c) student’s initial level of writing fluency. Third-grade students (n=133) in three urban elementary schools were randomly assigned to either an individualized performance feedback condition (n=46), a practice-only condition (i.e., weekly writing practice; n = 39), or an instructional control condition (n = 48) for 8 weeks. Findings included support for use of performance feedback as an instructional component in general education classrooms (Hedges’ g = 0.66), whereas simple practice with curriculum-based measurement in written expression did not produce growth significantly greater than standard instructional practices. The hypothesis that girls write significantly more than boys was supported. However, girls and boys did not differ in their rate of growth. Finally, students’ initial risk status in writing fluency did not differentially predict growth in writing fluency over the course of the study. Implications for incorporating feedback as a basic component of intervention in writing are discussed. PMID:25432270

Elementary GLOBE: Inquiring About the Earth System Through Elementary Student Investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henderson, S.; Hatheway, B.; Gardiner, L.; Gallagher, S.

2006-12-01

Elementary GLOBE was designed to introduce K-4 students to the study of Earth System Science (ESS). Elementary GLOBE forms an instructional unit comprised of five modules that address ESS and interrelated subjects including weather, hydrology, seasons, and soils. Each Elementary GLOBE module contains a science based storybook, classroom learning activities that complement the science content covered in each book, and teacher's notes. The storybooks explore a component of the Earth system and the associated classroom learning activities provide students with a meaningful introduction to technology, a basic understanding of the methods of inquiry, and connection to math and literacy skills. The science content in the books and activities serves as a springboard to GLOBE's scientific protocols. All Elementary GLOBE materials are freely downloadable (www.globe.gov/elementaryglobe) The use of science storybooks with elementary students has proven to be an effective practice in exposing students to science content while providing opportunities for students to improve their reading, writing, and oral communication skills. The Elementary GLOBE storybooks portray kids asking questions about the natural world, doing science investigations, and exploring the world around them. Through the storybook characters, scientific inquiry is modeled for young learners. The associated learning activities provide opportunities for students to practice science inquiry and investigation skills, including observation, recording, measuring, etc. Students also gain exposure and increase their comfort with different tools that scientists use. The learning activities give students experiences with asking questions, conducting scientific investigations, and scientific journaling. Elementary GLOBE fills an important niche in K-4 instruction. The international GLOBE Program brings together students, teachers, and scientists with the basic goals of increasing scientific understanding of the Earth, supporting improved student achievement in science and math, and enhancing environmental awareness. NASA provides the primary source of funding for GLOBE.

A Study of Anger and the Elementary Student. Research Brief #25.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyer, Robin; Wise, Stephanie

A survey was developed to study anger in elementary school students drawing on the experience of school counselors and teachers. The final survey was distributed to elementary school counselors, school administrators, and teachers to use with children referred for anger control issues. In 7 elementary schools, 1 female and 36 male students in…

Results of a Survey about Homework and Homework Hotlines for Elementary School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Bulwant

Reported are responses of fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students, their parents and teachers to a survey conducted to determine the need for a homework hotline. Discussion is based on data from 379 randomly selected parents of students in intermediate elementary grades of 21 elementary schools, 333 elementary school teachers, and 392 randomly…

Rural Nebraska Elementary School Educators Teach Nutrition Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pohlman, H. Darlene; Driskell, Judy A.

2002-01-01

A survey completed by 464 Nebraska elementary teachers found that 68 percent thought the teaching of nutrition had high priority in the elementary curriculum. Teachers in rural, mid-sized, and urban counties did not differ in attitudes toward nutrition instruction, most instructional practices, their own nutritional training, or available…

Superheroes and supervillains: reconstructing the mad-scientist stereotype in school science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avraamidou, Lucy

2013-04-01

Background. Reform recommendations around the world call for an understanding about the nature of science and the work of scientists. However, related research findings provide evidence that students hold stereotypical views of scientists and the nature of their work. Purpose The aim of this case study was to examine the impact of an intervention on 15 elementary school students' views of scientists. Sample An urban, fifth-grade, European elementary school classroom defined the context of this study. Design and method The intervention was an 11-week-long investigation of a local problem concerning water quality. In carrying out this investigation the students collaborated with a young metrology scientist to collect and analyse authentic data that would help them to construct a claim about the quality of the water. The students' initial views of scientists were investigated through a drawing activity, classroom discussions and interviews. Results Analysis of these data indicated that all students but one girl held very stereotypical views on scientists and the nature of their work. Analysis of interviews with each student and classroom discussions after the intervention illustrated that they reconstructed their stereotypical views of scientists and the nature of their work owing to their personal engagement in the investigation and their collaboration with the scientist. Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that more in-depth study into project-based approaches, out-of-school learning and school-scientist partnerships is warranted, for the purpose of determining appropriate pedagogies that support students in developing up-to-date understanding about scientists and the nature of their work.

Student Perceptions of the Transition from Elementary to Middle School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akos, Patrick

2002-01-01

This study sought to learn more about student perceptions during the transition from elementary to middle school. In response to students' concerns, it is suggested that school counselors implement preventive or proactive programming to assist students with the elementary to middle school transition. (Contains 22 references.) (GCP)

Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers. Practice Guide Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2017

2017-01-01

An early foundation in writing offers students a valuable tool for learning, communication, and self-expression. Authored by a panel of experts, the "Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers" practice guide presents four recommendations educators can use to help elementary students strengthen their writing skills. The…

Teaching Planetary Sciences in Bilingual Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebofsky, L. A.; Lebofsky, N. R.

1993-05-01

Planetary sciences can be used to introduce students to the natural world which is a part of their lives. Even children in an urban environment are aware of such phenomena as day and night, shadows, and the seasons. It is a science that transcends cultures, has been prominent in the news in recent years, and can generate excitement in young minds as no other science can. It also provides a useful tool for understanding other sciences and mathematics, and for developing problem solving skills which are important in our technological world. However, only 15 percent of elementary school teachers feel very well qualified to teach earth/space science, while better than 80% feel well qualified to teach reading; many teachers avoid teaching science; very little time is actually spent teaching science in the elementary school: 19 minutes per day in K--3 and 38 minutes per day in 4--6. While very little science is taught in elementary and middle school, earth/space science is taught at the elementary level in less than half of the states. Therefore in order to teach earth/space science to our youth, we must empower our teachers, making them familiar and comfortable with existing materials. Tucson has another, but not unique, problem. The largest public school district, the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD), provides a neighborhood school system enhanced with magnet, bilingual and special needs schools for a school population of 57,000 students that is 4.1% Native American, 6.0% Black, and 36.0% Hispanic (1991). This makes TUSD and the other school districts in and around Tucson ideal for a program that reaches students of diverse ethnic backgrounds. However, few space sciences materials exist in Spanish; most materials could not be used effectively in the classroom. To address this issue, we have translated NASA materials into Spanish and are conducting a series of workshops for bilingual classroom teachers. We will discuss in detail our bilingual classroom workshops and how they address the needs of elementary school teachers in Arizona.

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.

Motivation: The Value of Developing Intrinsic Motivation in Elementary School Students in Grades Four through Six

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerstner, Gary M.

2017-01-01

This study sought to fill the gap in the literature concerning intrinsic motivation in elementary students in Grades 4-6 by examining 155 elementary school students and in-depth interviews with three elementary grade teachers. This study used data collected from the self-report survey called the Children's Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory…

Can Community and School-Based Supports Improve the Achievement of First-Generation Immigrant Children Attending High-Poverty Schools?

PubMed

Dearing, Eric; Walsh, Mary E; Sibley, Erin; Lee-St John, Terry; Foley, Claire; Raczek, Anastacia E

2016-05-01

Using a quasi-experimental design, the effects of a student support intervention were estimated for the math and reading achievement of first-generation immigrant children (n = 667, M = 11.05 years of age) attending high-poverty, urban elementary schools. The intervention was designed to help schools identify developmental strengths and barriers to learning and, in turn, connect children to community and school supports aligned with their strengths and needs. By exploiting within-school changes in the implementation of the intervention, the present study revealed statistically and practically significant treatment effects indicating improvements in math and reading achievement at the end of elementary school. In addition, the intervention appears to considerably narrow achievement gaps between English language learners and immigrant children proficient in English. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Media Presentations on the Reading Attention and Comprehension of Taiwanese Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ku, David Tawei; Cheng, Yu-Mei

2016-01-01

We adopted an experimental design to investigate the effects of various media presentation modes on the reading attention and comprehension of Taiwanese elementary school students. The participants comprised 138 students from 4 classes of third grade elementary school students from New Taipei City, Taiwan. The participants attended 5 short stories…

Investigating Effect of Origami-Based Instruction on Elementary Students' Spatial Skills and Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cakmak, Sedanur; Isiksal, Mine; Koc, Yusuf

2014-01-01

The authors' purpose was to investigate the effect of origami-based instruction on elementary students' spatial ability. The students' self-reported perceptions related to the origami-based instruction were also examined. Data was collected via purposive sampling techniques from students enrolled in a private elementary school. A spatial ability…

A Proposed System for Differentiating Elementary Mathematics for Exceptionally Able Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirr, Palma M.

1984-01-01

A pilot mathematics project for one exceptionally able elementary student expanded to include other students and schools. Project activities included a needs assessment and development of a learning center approach and materials to differentiate the core elementary mathematics curriculum. (CL)

Comparison of Academic Achievement Levels of Students Beginning the Elementary School at Different Ages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çankaya, Ibrahim; Dag, Mehmet

2017-01-01

This study aims to make a comparison of various lessons' mean exam scores achieved at the first, second, third and fourth grade by students who started elementary school at 60-66 months and those who started at or above 69 months as these students started the elementary school at the same time after an amendment in elementary education law in…

Obesity among Elementary Schoolchildren: A Growing Concern in the North of Iran, 2012.

PubMed

Ghadimi, Reza; Asgharzadeh, Elmira; Sajjadi, Parvin

2015-01-01

The aim of the present study is to assess the elementary schoolchildren's nutritional status based on anthropometric indices due to the sudden spread of obesity in children and adolescents in both developed and developing countries. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 3647 children with an age range of 7-11 years of primary schools in Babol using cluster random sampling method in 2012. Children younger than 7 years or older than 11 years, children with chronic diseases, pupils treated with corticosteroids or growth hormone replacement therapy and children with chromosomal abnormalities were excluded from the study. Anthropometric indices were measured by medical students and evaluated according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standard percentiles. Data were analyzed using statistical software SPSS version 18 with Chi-square and independent samples t-test. The body mass index of 26.1% of children was greater than the 85(th) percentile, and 4.7% was less than the 5(th) percentile. The prevalence of obesity among boys was significantly higher than girls (P = 0.007). Moreover, urban children (P = 0.0001) and children who studied in private schools (P = 0.0001) had a significantly higher proportion of obesity and overweight than the urban and private schoolstudents. The highest prevalence of obesity and overweight belonged to 18.0% of the students among fifth graders and 15.3% of schoolchildren among third graders, respectively (P < 0.001). The results showed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the study was higher. It seems it is necessary to implement the intervention programs to prevent overweight and obesity among schoolchildren.

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…

Development and Validation of Nature of Science Instrument for Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hacieminoglu, Esme; Yilmaz-Tüzün, Özgül; Ertepinar, Hamide

2014-01-01

The purposes of this study were to develop and validate an instrument for assessing elementary students' nature of science (NOS) views and to explain the elementary school students' NOS views, in terms of varying grade levels and gender. The sample included 782 students enrolled in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Exploratory factor analysis…

Investigating Indian Elementary and Middle School Students' Images of Designers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ara, Farhat; Natarajan, Chitra

2013-01-01

This paper presents an investigation into Indian elementary and middle school students' images of designers. A "Draw a designer at work" test was used with 511 students from Classes 5 to 9 from a school located in Mumbai. Findings from the study indicate that Indian elementary and middle school students, who had no experience in design…

Effect of the SQ4R Technique on the Reading Comprehension of Elementary School 4th Grade Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basar, Murat; Gürbüz, Mehmet

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of SQ4R (Survey, Question, Read, Reflect, Recite, Review) technique of the reading comprehension ability of elementary school 4th grade students. The sampling was constituted by 57 students from two different branches of the Ataturk Elementary School in the center of Usak region during the 2nd…

Fostering Student Sense Making in Elementary Science Learning Environments: Elementary Teachers' Use of Science Curriculum Materials to Promote Explanation Construction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zangori, Laura; Forbes, Cory T.; Biggers, Mandy

2013-01-01

While research has shown that elementary (K-5) students are capable of engaging in the scientific practice of explanation construction, commonly-used elementary science curriculum materials may not always afford them opportunities to do so. As a result, elementary teachers must often adapt their science curriculum materials to better support…

Effects of air pollution on children's respiratory health in three Chinese cities

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

Qian, Z.; Chapman, R.S.; Tian, Q.

2000-04-01

During the winter of 1988--1989, parents of 2,789 elementary-school students completed standardized questionnaires. The students were 5--14 y of age and were from three urban districts and one suburban district of three large Chinese cities. The 4-y average ambient levels of total suspended particles in the three cities differed greatly during the period 1985--1988: Lanzhou, 1,067 {micro}g/m{sup 3}; urban Wuhan, 406 {micro}g/m{sup 3}; Guangzhou, 296 {micro}g/m{sup 3}; and suburban Wuhan, 191 {micro}g/m{sup 3}. The authors constructed unconditional logistic-regression models to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for prevalences of several respiratory symptoms and illnesses, adjusted for district, use ofmore » coal in the home, and parental smoking status. There was a positive and significant association between total suspended particle levels and the adjusted odds ratios for couch, phlegm, hospitalization for diseases, and pneumonia. This association was derived from only the 1,784 urban children and, therefore, the authors were unable to extrapolate it to the suburban children. The results also indicated that parental smoking status was associated with cough and phlegm, and use of coal in the home was associated only with cough prevalence.« less

Elementary Teachers' Knowledge of Legislative and Policy Duties for Reporting Child Sexual Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Kerryann; Mathews, Ben; Rassafiani, Mehdi; Farrell, Ann; Butler, Des

2013-01-01

This study examined elementary school teachers' knowledge of their legislative and policy-based reporting duties with respect to child sexual abuse. Data were collected from 470 elementary school teachers from urban and rural government and nongovernment schools in 3 Australian states, which at the time of the study had 3 different legislative…

Improved Attitude and Achievement: A Case Study of an Elementary School Academic Advisement Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamrath, Barry; Brooker, Teresa

2018-01-01

School counselors are often called upon to develop and implement academic interventions. In this case study of one urban elementary school, a school counselor conducted a small group academic advisement intervention. The results suggest that integrating the activities into the elementary school counseling program can be an effective Response to…

Social Effects of Integrated Classrooms and Resource Room/ Regular Class Placements on Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madge, Sally; And Others

1990-01-01

Social status of learning-disabled (LD) elementary students served by the Integrated Classroom Model was compared to that of LD elementary students in a regular class with resource room support. Results suggest that, although both groups had lower social status than nondisabled peers, ICM students blended into the classroom better. (Author/PB)

Fifth-Grade Turkish Elementary School Students' Listening and Reading Comprehension Levels with Regard to Text Types

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildirim, Kasim; Yildiz, Mustafa; Ates, Seyit; Rasinski, Timothy

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine fifth grade elementary school students' listening and reading comprehension levels with regard to text types. This study was conducted on 180 fifth grade elementary school students in Sincan-Ankara in the spring semester of the academic year 2008-2009. The comprehension test was administered to students. The…

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…

Parental influences on students' self-concept, task value beliefs, and achievement in science.

PubMed

Senler, Burcu; Sungur, Semra

2009-05-01

The aim of this study was twofold: firstly, to investigate the grade level (elementary and middle school) and gender effect on students' motivation in science (perceived academic science self-concept and task value) and perceived family involvement, and secondly to examine the relationship among family environment variables (fathers' educational level, mothers' educational level, and perceived family involvement), motivation, gender and science achievement in elementary and middle schools. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) showed that elementary school students have more positive science self-concept and task value beliefs compared to middle school students. Moreover, elementary school students appeared to perceive more family involvement in their schooling. Path analyses also suggested that family involvement was directly linked to elementary school students' task value and achievement. Also, in elementary school level, significant relationships were found among father educational level, science self-concept, task value and science achievement. On the other hand, in middle school level, family involvement, father educational level, and mother educational level were positively related to students' task value which is directly linked to students' science achievement. Moreover, mother educational level contributed to science achievement through its effect on self-concept.

Preservice Teachers' Sense of Efficacy: Video vs. Face-to-Face Observations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chisenhall, Debra Ellen

2016-01-01

This study examined preservice elementary education students' sense of efficacy regarding student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management based on the type of observations they completed. A total sample size of 64 elementary education students enrolled in four sections of an introductory elementary education course and…

Psychological Needs Satisfaction, Motivational Regulations and Physical Activity Intention among Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Weiyun

2014-01-01

This study examined the relationship between psychological needs satisfaction, motivational regulations in physical education and physical activity intention among elementary school students. A total of 291 elementary school students in grades 3-6 voluntarily completed the three measures. This study indicated that satisfaction of three basic…

Younger elementary students waste more school lunch foods than older elementary students

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Children may not receive the nutritional benefits from school lunch meals if they do not eat the foods served. This study investigated whether there were differences in school lunch foods consumed and wasted by grade level of elementary school students. In this cross-sectional study, anonymous meal ...

Measuring Students' Emotions in the Early Years: The Achievement Emotions Questionnaire-Elementary School (AEQ-ES)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lichtenfeld, Stephanie; Pekrun, Reinhard; Stupnisky, Robert H.; Reiss, Kristina; Murayama, Kou

2012-01-01

This article reports about the development and validation of a measurement instrument assessing elementary school students' achievement emotions (Achievement Emotions Questionnaire-Elementary School, AEQ-ES). Specifically, the instrument assesses students' enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom pertaining to three types of academic settings (i.e.,…

Military Deployment and Elementary Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phelps, Terri; Dunham, Mardis; Lyons, Robert

2010-01-01

This study investigated the impact that military deployment has upon academic achievement of elementary school students. TerraNova test scores of 137 fourth and fifth grade students in two elementary schools with a high proportion of military dependent children were examined for two consecutive years. Although the academic test performance fell…

A Multi-Method Investigation of Mathematics Motivation for Elementary Age Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linder, Sandra M.; Smart, Julie B.; Cribbs, Jennifer

2015-01-01

This paper presents the results of a multi-method study examining elementary students with high self-reported levels of mathematics motivation. Second- through fifth-grade students at a Title One school in the southeastern United States completed the Elementary Mathematics Motivation Instrument (EMMI), which examines levels of mathematics…

Upper Elementary Students' Motivation to Read Fiction and Nonfiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, Allison Ward; Parsons, Seth A.; Malloy, Jacquelynn A.; Gambrell, Linda B.; Marinak, Barbara A.; Reutzel, D. Ray; Applegate, Mary D.; Applegate, Anthony J.; Fawson, Parker C.

2018-01-01

This research explores upper elementary students' motivation to read fiction and nonfiction. Using expectancy-value theory, the researchers developed separate surveys to measure motivation to read fiction and nonfiction. Researchers administered surveys to 1,104 upper elementary students (grades 3-6) in multiple locations across the United States…

Reciprocal Relationships between Mathematics Anxiety and Attitude towards Mathematics in Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haciomeroglu, Guney

2017-01-01

This current study examined the reciprocal relationship between anxiety and attitude towards mathematics in elementary students. Two instruments (attitudes towards mathematics inventory short form [ATMI-Short Form] and the Revised Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Anxiety Scale [Revised-FSMAS]) were administered to 310 fourth grade elementary students.…

Formative Assessment as Educational and Administrative Adhesive: Establishing an Elementary School Writing Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Brad; Black, Sharon; Anstead, Marcia Howell

1997-01-01

Describes the collaboration between a university and an elementary school to establish a writing center at the elementary school, staffed by university students (preservice teachers). Describes the crucial role of ongoing formative assessment activity for both elementary students and the university preservice teachers. (SR)

Food choice, plate waste and nutrient intake of elementary- and middle-school students participating in the US National School Lunch Program.

PubMed

Smith, Stephanie L; Cunningham-Sabo, Leslie

2014-06-01

To (i) evaluate food choices and consumption patterns of elementary- and middle-school students who participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and (ii) compare students' average nutrient intake from lunch with NSLP standards. Plate waste from elementary- and middle-school students' lunch trays was measured in autumn 2010 using a previously validated digital photography method. Percentage waste was estimated to the nearest 10 % for the entrée, canned fruit, fresh fruit, vegetable, grain and milk. Univariate ANOVA determined differences in percentage waste between schools, grades and genders. Daily nutrient intake was calculated using the district's menu analysis and percentage waste. Elementary and middle schools in northern Colorado (USA). Students, grades 1-8. Plate waste was estimated from 899 lunch trays; 535 elementary- and 364 middle-school students. Only 45 % of elementary- and 34 % middle-school students selected a vegetable. Elementary-school students wasted more than a third of grain, fruit and vegetable menu items. Middle-school students left nearly 50 % of fresh fruit, 37 % of canned fruit and nearly a third of vegetables unconsumed. Less than half of the students met the national meal standards for vitamins A and C, or Fe. Few students' lunch consumption met previous or new, strengthened NSLP lunch standards. Due to the relatively low intake of vegetables, intakes of vitamins A and C were of particular concern. Effective behavioural interventions, combined with marketing, communications and behavioural economics, will likely be necessary to encourage increased vegetable intake to meet the new meal standards.

Place-based Learning About Climate with Elementary GLOBE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatheway, B.; Gardiner, L. S.; Harte, T.; Stanitski, D.; Taylor, J.

2017-12-01

Place-based education - helping students make connections between themselves, their community, and their local environment - is an important tool to help young learners understand their regional climate and start to learn about climate and environmental change. Elementary GLOBE storybooks and learning activities allow opportunities for place-based education instructional strategies about climate. In particular, two modules in the Elementary GLOBE unit - Seasons and Climate - provide opportunities for students to explore their local climate and environment. The storybooks and activities also make connections to other parts of elementary curriculum, such as arts, geography, and math. Over the long term, place-based education can also encourage students to be stewards of their local environment. A strong sense of place may help students to see themselves as stakeholders in their community and its resilience. In places that are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate and environmental change and the economic, social, and environmental tradeoffs of community decisions, helping young students developing a sense of place and to see the connection between Earth science, local community, and their lives can have a lasting impact on how a community evolves for decades to come. Elementary GLOBE was designed to help elementary teachers (i.e., grades K-4) integrate Earth system science topics into their curriculum as they teach literacy skills to students. This suite of instructional materials includes seven modules. Each module contains a science-based storybook and learning activities that support the science content addressed in the storybooks. Elementary GLOBE modules feature air quality, climate, clouds, Earth system, seasons, soil, and water. New eBooks allow students to read stories on computers or tablets, with the option of listening to each story with an audio recording. A new Elementary GLOBE Teacher Implementation Guide, published in 2017, provides educators with information and strategies how Elementary GLOBE modules can be effectively applied in classrooms, how Elementary GLOBE modules are aligned with national standards, and how student literacy and science inquiry skills can be strengthened while learning about the Earth system.

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…

Perceptions of school nurses on the challenges of service provision to ESL students.

PubMed

Whitman, Marilyn V; Davis, Jullet A; Terry, Allison J

2010-04-01

The number of English-as-as second-language (ESL) students in public schools across the country is rising creating unique challenges for school health services with the introduction of new cultures and languages. This study describes the perceptions of school nurses in Alabama schools regarding the challenges they face when communicating with ESL students and their parents. The population consists of school nurses in Alabama public schools. The obtained sample of 1,429 responses is presented and discussed. Urban school nurses were more likely to have access to an interpreter, yet they were more likely to rely on an ESL student to act as a translator when speaking to his/her parents. Kindergarten through elementary school nurses were more likely to witness an increase in ESL students and encounter difficulty communicating with these students and their parents. School nurses have a unique opportunity to engage parents of ESL students in the health of their child, thus it is vital that they be provided with cultural facts and encouraged to use interpreter services to lessen language barriers.

The Effects of Note-Taking Skills Instruction on Elementary Students' Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Wan-Chen; Ku, Yu-Min

2015-01-01

The authors investigated the effects of a 5-week note-taking skills instructional program on note-taking and reading comprehension performance of elementary students. The participants included 349 fourth-grade students from 2 elementary schools in Taiwan. The Note-Taking Instruction group received approximately 40 min of note-taking skills…

Investigating First Year Elementary Mathematics Teacher Education Students' Knowledge of Prism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bozkurt, Ali; Koc, Yusuf

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate first year elementary mathematics teacher education students' knowledge of prism. For this goal, the participants were asked to define the geometric concept of prism. The participants were 158 first year elementary mathematics teacher education students from a public university in Southern Turkey. The…

A Learning Progression for Feedback Loop Reasoning at Lower Elementary Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hokayem, Hayat; Ma, Jingjing; Jin, Hui

2015-01-01

This study examines to what extent elementary students use feedback loop reasoning, a key component of systems thinking, to reason about interactions among organisms in ecosystems. We conducted clinical interviews with 44 elementary students (1st through 4th grades). We asked students to explain how populations change in two contexts: a…

The Predictors of Internet Addiction Behaviours for Taiwanese Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lan, Chu M.; Lee, Yu H.

2013-01-01

Although there has been considerable research which has explored factors related to internet addiction, few studies have investigated elementary school students' involvement in this behaviour pattern. Participants in the present study were 1045 children in grades 3 to 6 from elementary schools in Taiwan. Students completed surveys on their use of…

The Effect on Elementary Science Education Based on Student's Pre-Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Houn Tae; Noh, Suk Goo

2017-01-01

In this research, after extracting the pre-inquiries (student-level question) for which students had curiosity in the elementary science and analyzing their correlation with the elementary science curriculum, highly correlated inquiries (meaningful pre-inquiries) were selected and applied in class. After organizing an experiment group and a…

Making the Case for Exploratory World Language Instruction in Catholic Elementary Schools through University Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Brigid M.; Howard, Eric D.

2017-01-01

As a result of a university partnership, elementary students at two midwest Catholic elementary schools have been provided with exploratory world language instruction (FLEX) from pre-service teachers. To investigate students' attitudes and learning of Spanish, researchers interviewed second and fourth graders. The students' parents and pre-service…

Harassment Hurts: Sex-Role Stereotyping and Sexual Harassment, Elementary School Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staton, Pat; Larkin, June

Sex role stereotyping can lead to sexual harassment, even in elementary school. This activity kit is designed to help elementary school students understand the link between sex role stereotyping and sexual harassment, to educate students about the harmful effects of sex role stereotyping and sexual harassment, and to provide students with the…

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…

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.

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…

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…

Parent Involvement Practices of High-Achieving Elementary Science Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waller, Samara Susan

This study addressed a prevalence of low achievement in science courses in an urban school district in Georgia. National leaders and educators have identified the improvement of science proficiency as critical to the future of American industry. The purpose of this study was to examine parent involvement in this school district and its contribution to the academic achievement of successful science students. Social capital theory guided this study by suggesting that students achieve best when investments are made into their academic and social development. A collective case study qualitative research design was used to interview 9 parent participants at 2 elementary schools whose children scored in the exceeds category on the Science CRCT. The research questions focused on what these parents did at home to support their children's academic achievement. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview protocol and analyzed through the categorical aggregation of transcribed interviews. Key findings revealed that the parents invested time and resources in 3 practices: communicating high expectations, supporting and developing key skills, and communicating with teachers. These findings contribute to social change at both the local and community level by creating a starting point for teachers, principals, and district leaders to reexamine the value of parent input in the educational process, and by providing data to support the revision of current parent involvement policies. Possibilities for further study building upon the findings of this study may focus on student perceptions of their parents' parenting as it relates to their science achievement.

Game Multimedia in Numeracy Learning for Elementary School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohendi, D.; Sumarna, N.; Sutarno, H.

2017-03-01

Numeracy is one of the basic skills for elementary students to understand further concepts of mathematics. However teaching numeracy is still using recitation that can overload student’s memory and make them reluctant to learn mathematics, so an innovative way by using multimedia to attract student interest in numeracy is needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study are: 1) to develop numeracy learning multimedia for elementary school students; and 2) to find out whether the implementation of numeracy learning multimedia can improve the students numeracy skills, and how is the response of elementary school students by using multimedia in learning numeracy? The results showed that multimedia can improve students’ numeracy skill which is quit medium and the student response by using multimedia in numeracy learning are good.

An Exploration of the Impact of Accountability Testing on Teaching in Urban Elementary Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bisland, Beverly Milner

2015-01-01

This study explores accountability testing in the elementary schools of New York City with particular emphasis on the impact of a statewide social studies test on the value given to social studies instruction in comparison to other subjects. The attitudes of a group of elementary teachers are examined. Some of the teachers taught all subjects in…

Working in Urban Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corcoran, Thomas B.; And Others

This document on the working conditions of urban teachers reports data from a survey of 31 elementary, middle, and secondary schools in five urban school districts. More than 400 interviews were conducted with teachers, school administrators, central office personnel, district officials, board members, and union officials. The observations,…

How Do Elementary Students in Turkey and the Czech Republic Perceive the Game Concept? A Phenomenographic Study with Draw and Write Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinar Karacan Dogan; Tingaz, Emre Ozan; Hazar, Muhsin; Zvonar, Martin

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to compare the perception concerning game concept of 4th grade students in Turkey and the Czech Republic. 19 fourth grade elementary students in the Czech Republic and 40 fourth grade elementary students in Turkey were selected by criterion and convenience sampling. They responded to a specific question "What is…

Knowledge-Linking Perceptions of Late-Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuh, Kathy L.; Kuo, Yi-Lung; Knupp, Tawnya L.

2014-01-01

This study describes student perceptions of potential elaborative or generative learning strategies called student knowledge links. This construct was assessed using the Student Knowledge Linking Instrument-Perceptions (SKLIP), a new learning inventory to measure late-elementary student perceptions of the creation of student knowledge links. After…

Anxiety in Elementary School-Aged Students: A Growing Need for Interventions by Classroom Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Carla-Dyann

2013-01-01

Anxiety symptoms expressed by elementary school-aged students was a problem in an elementary school south of Atlanta, Georgia. These behaviors were negatively impacting the performance and behaviors of fourth and fifth grade students in and out of the educational environment. The purpose of this study was to determine if teaching anxiety reduction…

A Qualitative Study of Elementary Afterschool Teachers' Perceptions of the Impact of Afterschool Programs on Students Receiving Special Education Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Legaspi, Margareth

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study, "A Qualitative Study of Elementary Afterschool Teachers' Perceptions of the Impact of Afterschool Programs on Students Receiving Special Education Services," was to assess elementary afterschool teachers' perceptions of the impact of afterschool programs on students receiving special education…

System Thinking Skills at the Elementary School Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assaraf, Orit Ben-Zvi; Orion, Nir

2010-01-01

This study deals with the development of system thinking skills at the elementary school level. It addresses the question of whether elementary school students can deal with complex systems. The sample included 40 4th grade students from one school in a small town in Israel. The students studied an inquiry-based earth systems curriculum that…

Elementary Students' Self-Efficacy Beliefs in Science: Role of Grade Level, Gender, and Socio-Economic Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karaarslan, Guliz; Sungur, Semra

2011-01-01

This study examined grade level and gender difference with respect to elementary students' science and technology self-efficacy. Additionally, relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and self-efficacy was examined. A total of 145 elementary students participated in the study. Self efficacy towards Science and Technology Scale was used to…

A Survey of Greek Elementary School Students' Smoking Habits and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piperakis, Stylianos M.; Karagouni-Areou, Fotini; Triga, Anastasia; Piperakis, Alexander S.; Argyracouli, Efthimia; Thanou, Aggeliki; Papadimitriou, Basiliki; Gourgoulianis, Konstantinos; Zafiropoulou, Maria

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the smoking habits of Greek elementary school students, their attitudes towards smoking, and their perceptions of the health consequences of tobacco use. Data were obtained from 1,092 elementary school students who completed a 24-item questionnaire designed for this study. Results indicated more older…

Measurement Invariance and Validity of a Brief Questionnaire on Reading Motivation in Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stutz, Franziska; Schaffner, Ellen; Schiefele, Ulrich

2017-01-01

In order to initiate more research on the role of reading motivation during the initial stages of learning to comprehend texts, we developed the "Reading Motivation Questionnaire for Elementary Students" (RMQ-E). The sample comprised 1497 elementary students in Grades 1-3. By means of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, three…

Bringing Female Scientists into the Elementary Classroom: Confronting the Strength of Elementary Students' Stereotypical Images of Scientists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buck, Gayle A.; Leslie-Pelecky, Diandra; Kirby, Susan K.

2002-01-01

Explores the effectiveness of bringing female scientists into elementary classrooms to promote change in the stereotypical images of scientists. Indicates that despite the efforts of the scientists to encourage students to question their image of a scientist, students held onto stereotypical images. Uses both qualitative and quantitative methods…

The Impact of Guided Reading Instruction on Elementary Students' Reading Fluency and Accuracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teets, Agnes Jean

2017-01-01

This study examined the impact of Guided Reading instruction on elementary students' ability to read with fluency and accuracy. A one-way analysis of covariance with pre and posttest design was performed and applied to determine the impact of Guided Reading instruction on elementary students' reading fluency and accuracy. The sample of subjects…

Investigating Elementary School Students' Perceptions about Environment through Their Drawings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozsoy, Sibel

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine elementary school students' perceptions about environment through their drawings. The study was carried out during the spring semester of 2010-2011 academic year. A total of 429 elementary school students, including 68 fourth grade, 78 fifth grade, 97 sixth grade, 85 seventh grade, 101 eighth grade,…

Elementary Teachers' Curriculum Design and Pedagogical Reasoning for Supporting Students' Comparison and Evaluation of Evidence-Based Explanations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biggers, Mandy; Forbes, Cory T.; Zangori, Laura

2013-01-01

Previous research suggests that elementary teachers vary in their enactment of science curriculum materials and may not always engage students in substantive sense making. This mixed-methods study investigates elementary teachers' use of science curriculum materials to engage students in the scientific practice of comparing and evaluating…

A Career Needs Comparison of Elementary School Teachers and Undergraduate Students in an Elementary School Teacher Preparation Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Sheila M.

To determine if the career needs of undergraduate students entering a teacher preparation program would be similar to the needs expressed by experienced teachers on the Minnesota Importance Questionnaire (MIP), the responses of 100 undergraduate elementary education students at Michigan State University were compared to those of 178 career…

Promoting Elementary School Students' Autonomous Reading Motivation: Effects of a Teacher Professional Development Workshop

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Naeghel, Jessie; Van Keer, Hilde; Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Haerens, Leen; Aelterman, Nathalie

2016-01-01

Responding to the declining trend in reading motivation in and beyond the elementary school years, the authors aimed to enhance late-elementary school students' autonomous reading motivation. Toward this end, the authors evaluated the influence of a teacher professional development grounded in self-determination theory on fifth-grade students' (n…

A Study of Reading First Implementation and Literacy Performance of Students in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade in Lancaster School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Michele Marie

2011-01-01

This study examined elementary student literacy performance in Lancaster School District in kindergarten through 5th grades for 6 elementary schools implementing the Reading First program and 6 elementary schools not implementing Reading First. Subgroup data for English Language Learners, Hispanic, and African American students was closely…

The Development and Validation of a Diagnostic Assessment of Algebraic Thinking Skills for Students in the Elementary Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ralston, Nicole C.

2013-01-01

Elementary school students often exhibit a wide variety of different conceptions associated with algebraic thinking that their teachers fail to recognize or understand (Smith, diSessa, & Roschelle, 1994). It is crucial that elementary school teachers possess knowledge of the variety of different student conceptions and also boast abilities to…

The school nutrition program's role in weight management of 4th grade elementary students

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We are attempting to uncover the school nutrition program's role in weight management of 4th grade elementary students. Data was collected within a time frame for the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) set at two months at the WT Cheney Elementary School and South Wood Elementary for 4th grade stud...

Obesity among Elementary Schoolchildren: A Growing Concern in the North of Iran, 2012

PubMed Central

Ghadimi, Reza; Asgharzadeh, Elmira; Sajjadi, Parvin

2015-01-01

Background: The aim of the present study is to assess the elementary schoolchildren's nutritional status based on anthropometric indices due to the sudden spread of obesity in children and adolescents in both developed and developing countries. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 3647 children with an age range of 7–11 years of primary schools in Babol using cluster random sampling method in 2012. Children younger than 7 years or older than 11 years, children with chronic diseases, pupils treated with corticosteroids or growth hormone replacement therapy and children with chromosomal abnormalities were excluded from the study. Anthropometric indices were measured by medical students and evaluated according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standard percentiles. Data were analyzed using statistical software SPSS version 18 with Chi-square and independent samples t-test. Results: The body mass index of 26.1% of children was greater than the 85th percentile, and 4.7% was less than the 5th percentile. The prevalence of obesity among boys was significantly higher than girls (P = 0.007). Moreover, urban children (P = 0.0001) and children who studied in private schools (P = 0.0001) had a significantly higher proportion of obesity and overweight than the urban and private schoolstudents. The highest prevalence of obesity and overweight belonged to 18.0% of the students among fifth graders and 15.3% of schoolchildren among third graders, respectively (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The results showed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the study was higher. It seems it is necessary to implement the intervention programs to prevent overweight and obesity among schoolchildren. PMID:26605020

Cross-Cultural Examination of Test Anxiety among US and Singapore Students on the Test Anxiety Scale for Elementary Students (TAS-E)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowe, Patricia A.; Ang, Rebecca P.

2012-01-01

In the present study, the similarity of the factor structure of the Test Anxiety Scale for Elementary Students (TAS-E) and cultural and gender differences in test anxiety were examined in a sample of 1322 US and Singapore elementary students. The similarity of the factor structure of the TAS-E, a measure of test anxiety, was examined to determine…

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.

3D Visualization in Elementary Education Astronomy: Teaching Urban Second Graders about the Sun, Earth, and Moon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isik-Ercan, Zeynep; Kim, Beomjin; Nowak, Jeffrey

This research-in-progress hypothesizes that urban second graders can have an early understanding about the shape of Sun, Moon, and Earth, how day and night happens, and how Moon appears to change its shape by using three dimensional stereoscopic vision. The 3D stereoscopic vision system might be an effective way to teach subjects like astronomy that explains relationships among objects in space. Currently, Indiana state standards for science teaching do not suggest the teaching of these astronomical concepts explicitly before fourth grade. Yet, we expect our findings to indicate that students can learn these concepts earlier in their educational lives with the implementation of such technologies. We also project that these technologies could revolutionize when these concepts could be taught to children and expand the ways we think about children's cognitive capacities in understanding scientific concepts.

The Effects of DI Flashcards and Math Racetrack on Multiplication Facts for Two Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lund, Kaitlyn; McLaughlin, T. F.; Neyman, Jen; Everson, Mary

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a Direct Instruction (DI) flashcard system paired with a math racetrack to teach basic multiplication facts to two elementary students diagnosed with learning disabilities. The study was conducted in a resource room which served intermediate aged elementary students. The school was located…

Students' Personal Traits, Violence Exposure, Family Factors, School Dynamics and the Perpetration of Violence in Taiwanese Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Ji-Kang; Astor, Ron Avi

2011-01-01

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…

Development of WebQuest Lesson Enhancing Thai Reading Skills for Students with Down Syndrome at Lower Elementary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaewchote, Nantawan; Chongchaikit, Maturos

2012-01-01

The purpose of this research was to enhancing the Thai language oral reading skills of lower elementary students with Down syndrome using WebQuest lesson. The sample groups were the 5 lower elementary students, purposively selected from Watnonsaparam public school under the Office of Saraburi Educational Service Area, Thailand. The research…

Elementary School Students Perception Levels of Problem Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yavuz, Günes; Yasemin, Deringöl; Arslan, Çigdem

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to reveal the perception levels of problem solving skills of elementary school students. The sample of the study is formed by totally 264 elementary students attending to 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade in a big city in Turkey. Data were collected by means of "Perception Scale for Problem Solving Skills" which…

The Influence of Personalization of Online Texts on Elementary School Students' Reading Comprehension and Attitudes toward Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ertem, Ihsan Seyit

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research was to examine the role of personalized and non-personalized online texts on elementary school fifth grade students' comprehension and their attitudes toward reading. Participants were 47 fifth-grade students from a rural elementary school in north Florida. The subjects were randomly assigned into two (personalized…

Ambassadors: Models for At-Risk Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cahoon, Peggy

1989-01-01

The Ambassador Program, a partnership between Ferron Elementary School and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, pairs university students with at-risk elementary students once a week to serve as role models. (TE)

Teachers Creating Safe School Environments: Prevention of Elementary Student-to-Student Bullying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gant Bradley, Heather

2014-01-01

Student-to-student bullying is still a current issue within elementary schools nationwide. Educators are often unaware, improperly trained and/or unwilling to help in student bullying incidences. Without training or willingness, teachers often are driven into silence and inaction, effectively putting the wellbeing of students at risk. The present…

78 FR 36211 - Extension of Employment Authorization for Syrian F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-17

... graduate students, as well as elementary school, middle school, and high school students. The notice, however, applies differently to elementary school, middle school, and high school students (see the... school, and high school students in F-1 status?''). F-1 students covered by this notice who transfer to...

Suburban School Opens Elementary Campus in the Heart of Memphis: St. George's Independent School, Memphis, Tennessee

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Sarah

2016-01-01

St. George's has nearly 1,150 students on three campuses: an elementary campus in Germantown and a middle/upper school campus in Collierville, both suburbs of Memphis, and a second elementary campus in Memphis. The Memphis campus serves 140 students in pre-K-5th grade. All Memphis campus students receive financial aid based on need, and…

The Relationship between Music Attitude and Selected Factors in Elementary Music Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Monica DeLoach

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine elementary students' attitudes toward music in Grades 3, 4, and 5. The sample comprised of 366 Grade 3, 4, and 5 students from two different Southeastern elementary schools. The schools had different socioeconomic identities. Of the two schools selected, one school was a Title I school and one a Non-Title I…

An Investigation of the Relationship between Learning Styles of Fifth Grade Elementary School Students and Their Music Composition Processes and Products

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marrinan, Nora Marie

2008-01-01

This researcher sought to investigate the relationship between perceptual learning modalities of fifth grade elementary school students and their compositional processes and products. Music composition, at the elementary school level, has been studied for many years, as the creation of new music can give students a more active role in learning,…

Elementary School Students' Mental Models about Formation of Seasons: A Cross Sectional Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Türk, Cumhur; Kalkan, Hüseyin; Kiroglu, Kasim; Ocak Iskeleli, Nazan

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the mental models of elementary school students on seasons and to analyze how these models change in terms of grade levels. The study was conducted with 294 students (5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders) studying in an elementary school of Turkey's Black Sea Region. Qualitative and quantitative data collection…

Elementary School Students' Perceptions of the Future Environment through Artwork

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özsoy, Sibel; Ahi, Berat

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to investigate first level of elementary school students' perceptions of the future state of the environment through the pictures they draw. The participants of the study are 131 first-grade students, 127 second-grade students, 160 third-grade students, 188 fourth-grade students, and 222 fifth-grade students,…

Does Text Complexity Matter in the Elementary Grades? A Research Synthesis of Text Difficulty and Elementary Students' Reading Fluency and Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amendum, Steven J.; Conradi, Kristin; Hiebert, Elfrieda

2018-01-01

Prompted by the advent of new standards for increased text complexity in elementary classrooms in the USA, the current integrative review investigates the relationships between the level of text difficulty and elementary students' reading fluency and reading comprehension. After application of content and methodological criteria, a total of 26…

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…

The Perceptions of Elementary School Teachers Regarding Their Efforts to Help Students Utilize Student-to-Student Discourse in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craddock, Jennifer Lovejoy

2017-01-01

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of elementary teachers who teach science as opposed to science teacher specialists regarding their efforts to help students use student-to-student discourse for improving science learning. A growing body of research confirms the importance of a) student-to-student discourse…

Unlocking Elementary Students' Perspectives of Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damiani, Jonathan

2014-01-01

This study examines whether and how principals take their lead from students, and use student voice, to create more responsive schools, and more responsible models of leadership. I consider issues of student agency and voice within four very different elementary school settings. Further, I consider the challenges students face, and the ways…

Enhancing Parent Involvement in NC-CCSS for K-2 Mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, D.

2014-12-01

Key Terms:Parent Involvement, Common Core State Standards, Homework, K - 2 Mathematics In this study, the 2014 REU math team developed and provided a workshop that assisted parents in understanding the North Carolina Common Core State Standards for K-2 Mathematics to assist with student homework assignments. Parent involvement is defined as parent participating in the educational processes and experiences of their children. A chi-square analysis was used to analyze data collected from the pre survey and the post survey administered to participants in the workshop. The study revealed all of the individual components of parent involvement were positively and significantly related to educational goals. The study identified various aspects of parent involvement that yielded statistically significant results in affirming that parent involvement attributed to urban student achievement. These findings were particularly helpful for indicating which kinds of parent involvement influenced academic success. Most notably, parent expectations and styles demonstrated a strong relationship with scholastic outcomes. Parent expectations and styles created an educationally oriented ambience that established an understanding of the certain level of support the child needed to succeed academically. The REU mathematics team focused on three essential questions in this study: (1) What practices will increase parent awareness of K-2 NC-CCSS for mathematics at P. W. Moore Elementary School? (2) What methods can be used to strengthen parent skills in assisting with mathematics homework assignments at P. W. Moore Elementary School? (3) What actions can be taken to motivate parent involvement in the school improvement process focusing on mathematics at P. W. Moore Elementary School?

Non-Print Social Studies Materials--Elementary School Level.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynn, Karen

Types of non-print social studies materials developed for presentation to, and use by, elementary school students are identified. "Non-print" materials include films, filmstrips, video cassettes, audio recordings, computer databases, telecommunications, and hypertext. An explanation of why elementary school students can benefit from the use of…

Elementary Mathematics: Not so Elementary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scillieri, Elissa Mains

2012-01-01

International tests indicate that United States students have been outscored by other countries in the area of mathematics. Researchers warn that elementary mathematics curricula and instruction in this country is not designed around helping students achieve mathematics proficiency. Much of this could also be attributed to the weak development and…

Web Based Profession Orientation in Elementary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulbul, Halil Ibrahim; Sahin, Yasar Guneri; Yildiz, Turker Turan; Ercan, Tuncay

2007-01-01

In Turkey, the profession orientation programs for elementary education students have a critical importance. In the aspect of profession orientation application, the least dealt population is unfortunately the elementary school students. In this study, the problems caused by insufficient orientation and guidance of profession for those students…

Composing Film: Multimodality and Production in Elementary Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Husbye, Nicholas E.; Vander Zanden, Sarah

2015-01-01

Despite the proliferation of technology in contemporary lives, many elementary schools often do not account for other technologically-mediated ways of constructing meaning in their daily curriculum, including film. This article presents insights from 2 filmmaking projects with elementary-aged students illustrating how film allowed students to…

AI in the Elementary, Middle, and Secondary Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkpatrick, Susan N.; Biglan, Barbara

1990-01-01

Describes activities that present concepts and applications of artificial intelligence (AI) for elementary and secondary school students. The use of Logo with elementary students is discussed; appropriate software is described; programing activities using Logo, BASIC, and Prolog are examined; and the field of robotics is discussed. (four…

The Effect of Teaching Methods and Learning Styles on Capabilities of Writing Essays on Elementary School's Students in East Jakarta

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wuryani; Yufiarti

2017-01-01

The objective of this research was to discover the effect of teaching methods and learning styles on the student's ability to write essays. This study was conducted in elementary school in East Jakarta. The population of this studies was 3rd-grade elementary school students who study in East Jakarta. Samples were taken with stratified cluster…

Structural Relationships among Variables Affecting Elementary School Students' Career Preparation Behavior: Using a Multi-Group Structural Equation Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Sun Hee; Jun, JuSung

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the structural relationships between parent support, career decision self-efficacy, career maturity, and career preparation behavior for elementary school students (5th and 6th grade) in Korea and to examine if there are gender differences. A total of 609 students of 7 elementary schools in Seoul, Korea was…

Using a Field Trip Inventory to Determine If Listening to Elementary School Students' Conversations, While on a Zoo Field Trip, Enhances Preservice Teachers' Abilities to Plan Zoo Field Trips

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrick, Patricia; Mathews, Cathy; Tunnicliffe, Sue Dale

2013-01-01

This study investigated whether listening to spontaneous conversations of elementary students and their teachers/chaperones, while they were visiting a zoo, affected preservice elementary teachers' conceptions about planning a field trip to the zoo. One hundred five preservice elementary teachers designed field trips prior to and after…

Lack of follow-up exams after failed school vision screenings: an investigation of contributing factors.

PubMed

Kimel, Linda S

2006-06-01

Programs to facilitate professional eye exams after failed school vision screenings often are based on the assumption that funding and access to services are major obstacles to care. Despite such programs, many children do not receive professional exams. The purpose of this study was to identify additional barriers to follow-up eye care. School nurses in an urban, midwestern public school district identified elementary school students who had not received follow-up eye exams after failed school vision screenings. Parents of these students were interviewed during the summer to determine financial, logistical, social/family, and perceptual barriers to care. Family issues, parental perceptions of vision problems, and difficulty planning ahead were found to be significant factors. Strategies to increase follow-up compliance and recommendations for overcoming barriers to care were also identified.

The Perceptions of Elementary School Teachers Regarding Their Efforts to Help Students Utilize Student-to-Student Discourse in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craddock, Jennifer Lovejoy

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of elementary teachers who teach science as opposed to science teacher specialists regarding their efforts to help students use student-to-student discourse for improving science learning. A growing body of research confirms the importance of a) student-to-student discourse for making meaning of science ideas and b) moving students' conceptual development towards a more scientific understanding of the natural world. Based on those foundations, the three research questions that guided this study examined the value elementary teachers place on student-to-student discourse, the various approaches teachers employ to promote the use of student-to-student discourse for learning science, and the factors and conditions that promote and inhibit the use of student-to-student discourse as an effective pedagogical strategy in elementary science. Data were gathered from 23 elementary teachers in a single district using an on-line survey and follow-up interviews with 8 teachers. All data were analyzed and evolving themes led to the following findings: (1) elementary teachers value student-to-student discourse in science, (2) teachers desire to increase time using student-to-student discourse, (3) teachers use a limited number of student-to-student discourse strategies to increase student learning in science, (4) teachers use student-to-student discourse as formative assessment to determine student learning in science, (5) professional development focusing on approaches to student-to-student discourse develops teachers' capacity for effective implementation, (6) teachers perceive school administrators' knowledge of and support for student-to-student discourse as beneficial, (7) time and scheduling constraints limit the use of student-to-student discourse in science. Implications of this study included the necessity of school districts to focus on student-to-student discourse in science, provide teacher and administrator professional development regarding student-to-student discourse instructional strategies, and promote collaboration across disciplines. This study suggests that future research be conducted regarding the role of administrators in fostering student-to-student discourse, the perspectives of secondary teachers implementing student-to-student discourse, the use of student-to-student discourse in other subjects, and leadership approaches to broadening the study across districts.

School staff, parent and student perceptions of a Breakfast in the Classroom model during initial implementation.

PubMed

Folta, Sara C; Carmichael Djang, Holly; Halmo, Megan; Metayer, Nesly; Blondin, Stacy A; Smith, Kathleen S; Economos, Christina D

2016-06-01

To understand perspectives of stakeholders during initial district-wide implementation of a Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) model of the School Breakfast Program. Qualitative data were collected from twenty-nine focus groups and twenty interviews with stakeholders in a school district early in the process of implementing a BIC model of the School Breakfast Program. Ten elementary schools within a large, urban school district in the USA that served predominantly low-income, racial/ethnic minority students. Purposively selected stakeholders in elementary schools that had implemented BIC for 3-6 months: students (n 85), parents/guardians (n 86), classroom teachers (n 44), cafeteria managers (n 10) and principals (n 10). Four primary themes emerged, which were interpreted based on the Diffusion of Innovations model. School staff had changed their perceptions of both the relative disadvantages and costs related to time and effort of BIC over time; the majority of each stakeholder group expressed an appreciation for BIC; student breakfast consumption varied from day to day, related to compatibility of foods with child preferences; and stakeholders held mixed and various impressions of BIC's potential impacts. The study underscores the importance of engaging school staff and parents in discussions of BIC programming prior to its initiation to pre-emptively address concerns related to cost, relative disadvantages and compatibility with child preferences and school routines/workflow. Effectively communicating with stakeholders about positive impacts and nutritional value of the meals may improve support for BIC. These findings provide new information to policy makers, districts and practitioners that can be used to improve implementation efforts, model delivery and outcomes.

Design Challenges Are "ELL-elementary"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Romero, Nancy Yocom; Slater, Pat; DeCristofano, Carolyn

2006-01-01

It has always been a challenge for elementary school teachers to help special needs students and English learners understand challenging, standards-based science content while their students are still developing English language skills. Through their work as pilot teachers for the Engineering is Elementary (EiE) program developed by the Museum of…

A Collaborative Approach for Elementary Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, George D.; Landel, Carolyn C.

2007-01-01

The authors question whether elementary students will have access to effective science and mathematics instruction within the current structure of elementary schools, in which each classroom teachers is expected to possess the expertise to teach all subjects well. They review research showing that good teachers are the key to student achievement…

Computer Programming Effects in Elementary: Perceptions and Career Aspirations in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tran, Yune

2018-01-01

The development of elementary-aged students' STEM and computer science (CS) literacy is critical in this evolving technological landscape, thus, promoting success for college, career, and STEM/CS professional paths. Research has suggested that elementary-aged students need developmentally appropriate STEM integrated opportunities in the classroom;…

Roles of Teachers in Orchestrating Learning in Elementary Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhai, Junqing; Tan, Aik-Ling

2015-01-01

This study delves into the different roles that elementary science teachers play in the classroom to orchestrate science learning opportunities for students. Examining the classroom practices of three elementary science teachers in Singapore, we found that teachers shuttle between four key roles in enabling student learning in science. Teachers…

Exploring Plant and Animal Content in Elementary Science Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schussler, Elisabeth E.; Link-Perez, Melanie A.; Weber, Kirk M.; Dollo, Vanessa H.

2010-01-01

Student knowledge about plants is typically less than student knowledge about animals. Textbooks are a commonly-used curriculum material in elementary grades and contain embedded cultural ideologies that may impact instruction. This study analyzed two nationally-syndicated elementary science textbook series to explore their presentation of plant…

Preservice Elementary Teachers and Explanation Construction: Knowledge-"for"-Practice and Knowledge-"in"-Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zangori, Laura; Forbes, Cory T.

2013-01-01

Effectively designed science learning environments revolve around students' sensemaking through the use of evidence to ground explanations about natural phenomena. However, little research has been conducted to investigate elementary teachers' learning to promote students' sensemaking in elementary (K-5) classrooms. The purpose of this…

Gifted Elementary Students' Interactions with Female and Male Scientists in a Biochemistry Enrichment Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

She, Candace Hsiao-Ching; Barrow, Lloyd H.

1997-01-01

Examines how gender and self-concept relate to gifted elementary students' participation in a biochemistry enrichment program taught by female and male scientists. Students with low self-concepts asked more questions and received more feedback than students with high self-concepts. Student-initiated questions and gender differences in interaction…

Learning from the True Customers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaster, Gregory

2012-01-01

Madison Elementary School, a K-6 school of 335 students in Marshfield, Wisconsin, recognizes the value of student feedback and strives to learn more through monthly student meetings, whole-class sit-downs, and student exit interviews. As the principal of Madison Elementary School, the author meets with a group of students for half an hour during…

Elementary Students' Metaphors for Democracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dundar, Hakan

2012-01-01

The purpose of the research was to reveal elementary 8th grade students' opinions concerning democracy with the aid of metaphors. The students were asked to produce metaphors about the concept of democracy. 140 students from 3 public schools in Ankara (Turkey) participated in the research. 55% of the students were females and 45% were males. The…

Examining community and consumer food environments for children: An urban-suburban-rural comparison in Southwestern Ontario.

PubMed

DuBreck, Catherine M; Sadler, Richard C; Arku, Godwin; Gilliland, Jason A

2018-07-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate how retail food environments for children in the City of London and Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada, vary according to level of urbanicity and level of socioeconomic distress. Urbanicity in this study is defined as a neighbourhood's designation as urban, suburban, or rural. We assessed community food environments (e.g., the type, location, and accessibility of food outlets) using 800m and 1600m network buffers (school zones) around all public and private elementary schools, and we calculated and compared density of junk food opportunities (JFO) (e.g., fast food and full-service restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience stores) within each school zone in urban, suburban and rural settings. The study also assessed consumer food environments (e.g., the price, promotion, placement, and availability of healthy options and nutrition information) through restaurant children's menu audits using the Children's Menu Assessment tool. Results suggest JFO density is greater around elementary schools in areas with higher levels of socioeconomic distress and urbanicity, while urbanicity is also associated with greater use of branded marketing and inclusion of an unhealthy dessert on children's menus. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expanding Student Assessment Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartscher, Beth; Carter, Andrea; Lawlor, Anna; McKelvey, Barbara

This paper describes an approach for expanding assessment opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding of content. The targeted population consisted of elementary and junior high school students in two schools in a growing middle-class community in north central Illinois. The elementary school enrolled 467 students and the junior…

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.

Teachers' Use of Technology in Elementary Reading Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDermott, Peter; Gormley, Kathleen A.

2016-01-01

Proponents claim technology will transform classroom teaching and improve children's engagement and learning. Opponents argue that such benefits are oversold because little evidence exists that technology improves teaching and learning. We examined how elementary teachers in an urban school that was well resourced with technology used it when…

Elementary ELA/Social Studies Integration: Challenges and Limitations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heafner, Tina L.

2018-01-01

Adding instructional time and holding teachers accountable for teaching social studies are touted as practical, logical steps toward reforming the age-old tradition of marginalization. This qualitative case study of an urban elementary school, examines how nine teachers and one administrator enacted district reforms that added 45 minutes to the…

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.