Empathy plays a vital role in improving student engagement and supporting organizational change in schools. In fact, empathy is widely recognized as an essential skill for integration during such efforts. In collaboration with Battelle for Kids, the Cumberland Valley School District in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, launched a vision for school…

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-tiered system of support designed to provide increasing levels of intervention and enrichment based on student need. Research suggests that although RTI is regularly utilized in elementary schools, secondary school leaders are less likely to implement if due to the unique challenges of a secondary school…

This qualitative case study explored the integration of Culturally Responsive Social Emotional Learning (CRSEL) competencies in an urban teacher residency program (TRP) with a focus on equity. The study utilized inductive, thematic analysis to identify emergent themes from surveys, interviews, observations, and program artifacts to understand…

This qualitative embedded single case study explored the teacher competencies and instructional strategies used in classroom one-to-one implementations. The specific problem was that school administrators have spent significant amounts on one-to-one technology without substantial change in teacher practices, causing limited benefits to students…

The purpose of the study was to investigate preservice teachers' (PSTs) attitudes and beliefs towards their PK-12 field trip (FT) experiences as students, their memories, influences in their lives, impact on their educational approaches and career choices, as well as how, as future teachers, they would implement FTs to their future students to…

Despite recent nationwide efforts to improve students' social, emotional, behavioral, and overall mental well-being, rates of mental health among adolescents have not shown improvement. Although school-based, social and emotional learning (SEL) provides the supports necessary to improve these student outcomes, SEL implementation is not always…

Schools provide the opportunity for children to learn not only academic skills, but social and emotional skills as well. Programs within schools that target childrens' emotional needs and social skills, lead to an increase in academic achievement and self-regulation skills as well as a decrease in maladaptive behaviors and mental illness risk…

Encouraging the academic growth of every student is an important part of providing a free appropriate public education in America. Each school should be focused on providing the best education for all of our students, including our top performing who will be competing with other students from all over the world for college entry and career…

The majority of teachers in a medium-sized, rural, low socioeconomic high school in the U.S. state of Arkansas were not implementing mandated project-based learning (PjBL) or were not implementing the method with fidelity, which was problematic because students may not have been reaping benefits associated with the method. The reasons underlying…

The focus of this research was on the implementation of response to intervention (RTI) among effective high school core academic teachers. A substantial amount of research has been completed on the framework of RTI and on specific interventions. The qualitative research utilized in this dissertation sought to uncover and illuminate the…

Ethically diverse students consistently perform at lower levels compared to their mainstream counterparts (Rychly & Graves, 2012). Some scholars suggest that this educational deficit is due to the cultural mismatch between educators and students. Culturally relevant pedagogy is an instructional approach that addresses the cultural misalignment…

The disproportionate representation of African American students in special education classes has been a challenge and dilemma for educators for over four decades. The disproportionate identification of African American students in special education began in kindergarten general education classrooms when teachers did not use interventions…

With the adoption of the National Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSSM) in many states and the lack of understanding and strategies to implement the new standards by classroom teachers, implementing effective professional development is vital. The focus of this qualitative case study was to provide insight into elementary school…

The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perceptions of the influence of professional learning communities on teachers' professional practices. Research shows that the adjustment from college student to the teaching environment for new teachers has increased through involvement on committees, collaboration with peers, and hands-on…

This study was designed to determine whether or not the use of focused professional development using a checklist based on the Common Core State Standards Mathematical Practices impacted students' math scores as measured by an assessment that requires the use of the practices. Additionally, the researcher sought to determine whether or not the use…