Urban Elementary School Teachers Research Articles

IMPACT OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS ON TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) AMONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

The main aim of this study was to know the impact of demographic factors on Total Quality Management in Murshidabad District. Researcher Selected 410 Government and Private Elementary School Teachers as a sample and used Stratified Simple Random Sampling technique for conducting this study. Four research hypotheses directed, guided the study. Teachers Attitude towards Total Quality Management Scale was used, developed by researcher himself. Differential Analysis test: ‘T’ test, ANOVA techniques were used by the researcher to analysis the data. The investigator found that female elementary school teachers exhibit more positive attitude towards Total Quality Management than their male counterpart (‘t’ value 2.74, p <0.05). The researcher observed that Urban elementary school teachers had a more positive attitude towards TQM than rural elementary school teachers (‘t’ value 6.52, p <0.05). Private elementary school teachers had a more positive attitude TQM than Government elementary school teachers (‘t’ value 6.87, p <0.05). KEYWORDS: Total Quality Management, Demographic Factors, Elementary School Teachers

A grounded theory approach for exploring shared leadership: evidence from urban primary schools in Pennsylvania

ABSTRACT Shared leadership among school principals and teachers has been touted as a means to enhance student achievement. Using grounded theory, we interviewed six principals and 20 urban elementary school teachers, in Pennsylvania, to examine their perceptions about federal and state mandates on shared leadership. Results indicate that although teachers desire to participate in shared leadership the pressures they encounter regarding state testing mandates, their expressed aversion to this accountability, and their lack of autonomy affected their capacity to participate in shared leadership. Principals viewed improving standardized test scores as best for students, but many teachers do not. Teachers believe they should make instructional decisions regarding students, but feel they cannot due to the mandates around standardized testing. Understanding the perceptions of principals and teachers regarding the impact of federal and state mandates on sharing the leadership role and the connection between accountability, shared leadership, and students’ best interest may assist policymakers and practitioners in the field to make decisions more attuned to the concerns of stakeholders, and thus are potentially more likely to succeed.

The Effectiveness of Training and Supervising Urban Elementary School Teachers in Child–Teacher Relationship Training: A Trauma-Informed Approach

This case study explored three urban elementary teachers’ experiences with Child–Teacher Relationship Training (CTRT) and the impact of CTRT on the teachers’ emotional intelligence, perception of students’ behaviors, and teacher–student stress. The three charter school teachers from the Southeastern United States received 22 weeks of CTRT curriculum and completed assessments to track changes in teacher stress, child behaviors, and teacher emotional intelligence. The teachers also engaged in debrief sessions every week. They reported a decrease in teacher–student stress; greater understanding and categorization of child behaviors; and reflection on their own level of ability to perceive, understand, and generate emotions.

An Onsite Fitness Facility and Integrative Wellness Program Positively Impacted Health-Related Outcomes Among Teachers and Staff at an Urban Elementary/Middle School.

BackgroundGiven the large number of obesity-focused studies conducted in schools, there is a surprising lack of data regarding teacher workplace health behaviors in the United States.ObjectiveTo determine the feasibility and effectiveness of an onsite fitness facility with a structured integrative wellness program to improve health-related outcomes among teachers and staff at an urban elementary/middle school.MethodsA 2-year mixed-methods analysis using Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures and qualitative interviews included 39 teachers and staff employed at an urban elementary/middle school in Baltimore, Maryland. The fitness facility was dedicated exclusively to teachers and staff and the integrative wellness program included group exercise classes, yoga, mindfulness, and nutrition competitions. T tests were used to compare quantitative outcomes at baseline, the end of year 1, and the end of year 2.ResultsCompared to baseline, at year 1, there was a significant improvement in the PROMIS Sleep Disturbance score. From baseline to end of year 2, there were significant increases in the PROMIS Global Physical Health as well as significant decreases in Sleep Disturbances, Fatigue, and Social Isolation. Qualitative interviews conducted at the end of year 1 indicated that teachers who used the facility felt that it improved their mood, increased their energy, motivated them to eat healthily, and gave them opportunities to socialize with their colleagues in new ways. This impact was further enhanced in year 2.ConclusionsAn onsite fitness facility with an integrative wellness program may improve health-related outcomes among urban elementary school teachers and staff, with the greatest benefits seen after 2 years of implementation.

Diet Quality of Urban Elementary and Middle School Teachers is Associated with Healthier Classroom Practices and Self-efficacy Regarding Nutrition and Physical Activity Instruction

Diet Quality of Urban Elementary and Middle School Teachers is Associated with Healthier Classroom Practices and Self-efficacy Regarding Nutrition and Physical Activity Instruction

Elementary School Teachers' Beliefs about the Role of Technology in 21st-Century Teaching and Learning

ABSTRACTTechnological advancements have led to changes in the expectations placed on K-12 teachers. Teachers are now expected to better equip students with 21st-century skills, making it important to understand teachers' beliefs about the role of technology in teaching and learning and the skills their students need to be successful. Using a qualitative approach, the current study explores these beliefs among a group of urban elementary school teachers in the southeastern United States. Results suggest that, although teachers see the value of technology for teaching and learning, they require more guidance on what constitutes 21st-century skills and how to effectively integrate technology.

Instructional coaching through dialogic interaction: helping a teacher to become agentive in her practice

ABSTRACTWe investigate the instructional coaching interactions between a kindergarten teacher and an experienced coach using the analytic lens of dialogic teaching. The data were collected in the context of a US professional development project that supports urban elementary school teachers in enacting critical sociocultural teaching practices. We illustrate how the coach assisted one teacher in developing an understanding of ‘Critical Stance’ as a pedagogical principle in her kindergarten class that included many English Learners. Analysis of the coaching sessions shows that, to this end, the coach predominantly used ‘dialogue as inquiry,’ establishing a non-hierarchical relationship within which she and the teacher were able to co-construct a practical understanding of Critical Stance as a teaching practice. We argue that it is through the strategic use of dialogue as inquiry that the coach cultivated a dialogic space in which the teacher was invited to challenge, explore, appropriate, and eventually enact Critical Stance in her teaching. The analysis further indicates that the experience of dialogic interaction in the coaching sessions led the teacher to appropriate a ‘dialogic stance’ and space in her classroom with her kindergartners.

Teacher Adaptations to a Core Reading Program: Increasing Access to Curriculum for Elementary Students in Urban Classrooms

ABSTRACTThis article examines how three urban elementary school teachers adapted pedagogical strategies from a school district–adopted core reading program to increase their students’ access to the curriculum. Using teacher interviews and classroom observations to construct a descriptive case study of teacher adaptation, analysis reveals that the teachers: (a) provided social scaffolds that engaged students in a reading community, (b) repositioned students as active participants in constructing knowledge, and (c) embedded reading within authentic experiences. Results suggest that increased attention to when, how, and why teachers make adaptations to core curriculum programs is needed to ensure student access.

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

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 initiative enabled urban elementary school teachers to learn how to translate the workshop model to technology-enhanced teaching practice. Significant elements of the professional development workshop included an opening, a minilesson, small-group and independent work, conferring, sharing, and debriefing. Data sources included a preworkshop needs assessment survey, postworkshop evaluation surveys, and observational field notes. In describing the components for the professional development workshop and particular learning outcomes for the teachers, this article sheds some light on what is possible in supporting schoolwide technology-enhanced teacher professional learning.

Coaching Teachers to Improve Implementation of the Good Behavior Game

This study explored the association between coaching and the implementation of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) by 129 urban elementary school teachers. Analyses involving longitudinal data on coaching and teacher implementation quality indicated that coaches strategically varied their use of coaching strategies (e.g., modeling, delivery) based on teacher implementation quality and provided additional support to teachers with low implementation quality. Findings suggest that coaching was associated with improved implementation quality of the GBG. This work lays the foundation for future research examining ways to enhance coach decision-making about teacher implementation.

INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP IN TURKEY AND THE UNITED STATES: TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES

The aim of this study was to better understand the instructional leadership styles adopted in Turkey and the USA. This is a quantitative study which used the “Instructional Leadership Inventory” for data collection. Study data was collected from a diverse sample of urban elementary school teachers: 157 in Turkey and 150 in the USA. The general statistical findings indicate that teachers tend to develop a positive perception towards instructional leadership styles adopted by school principals in Turkey and the USA. An analysis of study results in terms of the similarities and differences between the instructional leadership styles adopted in both countries indicated that American teachers scored higher than their Turkish counterparts in terms of subscales as well as the total score. Key words: instructional leadership, school improvement, school management, comparative study.

Humanizing Pedagogy: Beliefs and Practices on the Teaching of Latino Children

Recent research in teacher education has placed much attention on teachers' knowledge in subject matter and instructional practices and not enough on their attitudes and perspectives that contribute significantly to the pedagogy to which they adhere. In other words, teachers' prior knowledge and life experiences strongly influence the way they perceive the nature of learning and their students. This article describes an investigational ethnographic study that explored the pedagogical perspectives and teaching practices of four urban elementary school teachers whom Latino parents and students rated as effective in working with Latino students. Special emphasis is placed on a “humanizing” pedagogy (Bartolomé, 1994; Freire, 1987; Fránquiz & Salazar, 2004; Ladson-Billings, 1995; Nieto & Rolón, 1999) for the theoretical framework. This study found that these 4 teachers put into practice what they knew and believed. In general, they held a certain level of sociocultural knowledge. Based on this knowledge, they further built relationships with their students and created instructional practices based on students' realities, history, and perspectives in order to connect the subject matter to their students.

Channels of Change: Contrasting Network Mechanisms in the Use of Interventions

This study informs community science, and seeks to narrow the research-to-practice gap, by examining how the interpersonal networks within a setting influence individuals' use of interventions. More specifically, it explores the role of two network mechanisms-cohesion and structural similarity-in urban elementary school teachers' use of interventions designed to improve academic and behavioral outcomes for students. Lagged regression models examine how position in advice giving networks influenced weekly use of the daily report card and peer assisted learning by kindergarten through fourth grade teachers in three schools. Results indicate that intervention use spreads among teachers with similar patterns of advice-giving relationships (i.e., via structural similarity), rather than from teachers who are sources of advice (i.e., via cohesion). These results are consistent with findings in other settings, and suggest that researchers wishing to increase the use of an intervention should select change agents based on their patterns of their relationships, rather than on their direct connections.

Asthma Knowledge and Asthma Management Behavior in Urban Elementary School Teachers

Background. Although schools are an important setting for asthma care in youth, teachers’ asthma knowledge and symptom management is poor. This study investigated the knowledge, prevention and management behaviors, and communication regarding asthma of teachers of low-income, ethnic minority students. It was hypothesized that relative to colleagues whose students did not have active asthma (i.e., did not have symptoms during the day), teachers of students with active asthma would have better asthma knowledge and that more would take asthma prevention steps and communicate with parents and school nurses. Methods. Drawing from 25 elementary schools in New York City, 320 pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade classroom teachers with at least one student with asthma completed measures assessing their asthma knowledge, steps taken to manage asthma, communication with the school nurse or parents, information they received about asthma, and whether or not they had at least one student in their class experience asthma symptoms. t test and chi-square were used to test hypotheses. Results. Asthma knowledge varied among teachers. Most could identify potential triggers, yet few knew that medication taken prior to exercise could prevent symptoms and that students with asthma need not avoid exercise. Communication between teachers and school nurses and between teachers and parents was lacking. Relative to colleagues whose students did not have active asthma, teachers whose students had active asthma had better asthma knowledge, more took steps to prevent students from having asthma symptoms, communicated with parents, and more initiated communication with the nurse. Conclusions. Teachers’ knowledge about asthma and asthma management is limited, especially among those whose students did not have active asthma. Teachers respond reactively to students who have symptoms in class by increasing prevention steps and communications with parents and the school nurse. A more proactive approach to managing asthma in schools is warranted.

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

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. The study involved 221 third- through fifth-grade teachers from 15 urban elementary schools in a large school district. The teachers completed a survey in the spring of 2005. The internal consistency reliability estimates, Cronbach α, for scales created from the survey items were within an acceptable range. The teachers reported that they were generally knowledgeable about science topics at their grade level and that they taught science to promote students’ understanding and inquiry. In contrast, the teachers reported rarely discussing student diversity in their own teaching or with other teachers at their schools. The teachers identified specific organizational supports and barriers in teaching science with diverse student groups at both the school and classroom levels.

Urban Elementary School Teachers' Perspectives Regarding Collaborative Teaching Practices

Collaborative teaching has grown in popularity as students with disabilities have been increasingly moved to general education classrooms. Despite the growth of these models, little empirical evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of these practices. In this investigation, general and special education teachers ( N = 118) from 20 urban elementary schools were surveyed regarding their perceptions of collaborative teaching. The survey instrument elicited teacher perceptions about collaboration, their views regarding inclusion, and what is needed to ensure effective collaborative teaching. Findings indicate that 92% of respondents thought that collaboration was occurring in their school but that only 57% reported use of the practices in their own classrooms. Respondents valued inclusive practices, although special educators had more positive perceptions than did general educators. The interpersonal and structural factors valued by these teachers included team processes, positive attitudes, resources, professional development, leadership, university training, accountability, shared responsibility, and communication.

Urban elementary school teachers' knowledge and practices in teaching science to English language learners

AbstractThis study examined urban elementary teachers' knowledge and practices in teaching science while supporting English language development of English language learning (ELL) students. As part of a larger 5‐year research project in the United States, the study involved 38 third‐grade teachers who participated in the first‐year implementation of a professional development intervention that consisted of curriculum units and teacher workshops. The study examined four areas—teacher knowledge of science content, teaching science for understanding, teaching science for inquiry, and teacher support for English language development—through a questionnaire, classroom observations, and postobservation interviews. Results indicate that teachers' knowledge and practices were generally within the bounds supported by the intervention; however, such knowledge and practices fell short of the goal of reform‐oriented practices. The results provide insights for our ongoing intervention and other similar efforts and contribute to the emerging knowledge base on science and English language and literacy with ELL students. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 92:733–758, 2008

Personal Epistemology of Urban Elementary School Teachers

Personal epistemology, originating from social construction theory, provides a framework for researchers to understand how individuals view their world. The Attitudes About Reality (AAR) scale is one survey method that qualitatively assesses personal epistemology along the logical positivist and social constructionist continuum; however, the literature primarily reflects women working in a mental health facility and undergraduate students. This study uses the AAR to examine the personal epistemology of 73 elementary school teachers, the large majority of whom were female, working in an urban and highly diverse public school system in the Northeast, and compares the AAR score to demographic data. The results suggest a more logical positivist orientation than has been observed with other populations although demographic information did not assist in understanding the findings. Implications for the urban elementary school environment, classroom interventions, and collaboration with other support professionals are offered.

A New Graduate Space Science Course for Urban Elementary and Middle School Teachers at DePaul University in Chicago

This paper focuses on a new graduate space science course for urban elementary and middle school teachers. The course combines science content with pedagogy and classroom applications and is co-taught by a university science faculty member and a K-12 science teacher. We found that teachers who try to bring space science to their classrooms face a number of challenges. These include lack of content knowledge, low expectation of the students’ behavior and cognitive abilities, lack of administrative support, regimentation and structure of teaching set up by the schools, and lack of time during the school day to learn from each other and share questions about science and teaching. We found that because we addressed these challenges as part of the course, many teachers were able to overcome them.

Teachers' use and children's preferences of rewards in elementary school

This study examined teacher reports of reward use and students' preferences for rewards across elementary school grades. Forty-eight urban elementary school teachers indicated which of four basic categories of rewards (edible, tangible, activity, and social rewards) they use in their classrooms and their evaluation of the effectiveness of these rewards for their age group of students. Ninety-eight second through fifth graders randomly selected to represent the students assigned to these teachers were individually administered a reward preference survey. Findings revealed high reward use by teachers. Children reported a wide variety of reward preferences, with no significant gender or age differences found. Additionally, there was no clear relationship between teacher use and children's preferences. Implications for intervention programming are discussed.