Sparse information exists on how elementary teachers might use reflective journaling as a tool for professional development (PD) to enhance their teaching methods. The problem is that even though elementary teachers have access to a variety of PD opportunities, these opportunities are often insufficient for meeting individual teachers' needs to…

The mental health needs of K-12 students have grown significantly in recent years, necessitating innovative approaches to support their emotional, psychological, and social well-being. This article explores integrating Ecodaemonia, a nature-based framework, into school counseling programs. We provide a guide for developing, implementing, and…

Spelling instruction is often overlooked by many teachers during reading and language arts. The purpose of this study was to implement a manageable differentiated word study instruction curriculum, drawn from the "Words Their Way (WTW)" curriculum, to determine how it affected students' spelling accuracy and how the participants…

Purpose: To determine the impact of a training program on the ability of preservice teachers (PTs) to negotiate with their students while teaching through the skill themes approach during an early field experience. Method: Participants were 11 PTs who were given specific training on how to negotiate with their students. Data on their ability to…

We examined the lived experiences of twelve parents of low-progress readers. Parents were recruited from five state schools in Melbourne and each participated in individual interviews. Analyses revealed that most children received Reading Recovery which was the first and often only option. Parents were divided regarding satisfaction with their…

Math teachers' circles are a form of professional development that is recommended by the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences in their publication Mathematical Education of Teachers II (2012). However, little research has been published on how effective math teachers' circles are in advancing the mathematical knowledge of teachers and…

Elementary teachers were involved in a two-year grant focused on professional development using lesson study processes to increase their understanding of mathematics content and effective mathematics pedagogy. The primary research questions focused on how 16 elementary teachers described their professional growth after being involved in lesson…

This action research sought to evaluate the effect of peer teaching structures across subgroups of students differentiated by language and mathematical skill ability. These structures were implemented in an effort to maintain mathematical rigor while building my students' academic language capacity. More specifically, the study investigated peer…

In this study, the authors used a single subject A-B-A design to investigate the effectiveness of Self-Modeling Narratives (SMNs) as a behavioral intervention for two students diagnosed as having a learning disability and one with a developmental delay. SMNs are personalized stories that explain a situation and then use the student to demonstrate…

This article analyzes data from a summer literacy program for intermediate and middle-level children of migrant farmworkers. The program was grounded in a sociocultural perspective on literacy, stressing the importance of interaction and collaboration within socioculturally responsive pedagogy, using enabling literature to empower students.…

This article describes the use of "Teacher Impression Journals" during a larger study that examined the efficacy of an intervention program designed to promote kindergarteners' positive attitudes toward peers with disabilities (i.e., the "Special Friends" program). The journals were designed to gather information about…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the perceptions that K-5 teachers have toward Georgia's mandated Early Intervention Math Program (EIP) on at risk learners in an elementary school in a rural, North Georgia community. The following questions guided the study: 1. How do K-5 teachers describe their experience with…

The study investigated the reflective dairies and epistemological beliefs of sophomore elementary preservice teachers (PTs) who were taking a "science laboratory" course. Twenty volunteers were participated in the study. The data were collected through the reflective dairies and open-ended questions about their epistemological beliefs.…

It is imperative that schools and communities give students opportunities to participate in active citizenship and prepare them with the important skills and dispositions needed to become informed citizens. Action civics is a promising practice that puts students at the heart of civics learning by providing them with the opportunity to learn about…

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:…