In 2022, 8% of all 4th grade black or African American students in Wisconsin scored proficient or advanced in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP, 2023). As disparities in achievement are perpetuated across the state of Wisconsin as well as the nation, it is becoming increasingly important for elementary principals to…

In the realm of elementary education, the influence of teacher empathy on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) remains a critical yet nuanced aspect. This qualitative study explores the integral role of teacher empathy in shaping SEL environments in K-5 classrooms. Teacher empathy, defined as the capacity to perceive situations from students'…

The concept of conflict is replete in today's world and is a concept upon much social studies instruction is built, beginning in New Jersey's fourth-grade classrooms with the study of the American Revolution. Many elementary schoolteachers approach the teaching of social studies without subject-area certification and without subject-area materials…

The need is urgent for reducing literacy achievement gaps--both morally to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education as well as economically to build our nation's workforce with the requisite skills needed for the 21st century. Taken together, changes to the economy, divergent literacy skill distributions, and changes to the…

The goal of this research was to examine the role of supportive adults to emotional well-being in a population of Grade 4 students attending public schools in Vancouver, Canada. Reflecting the ecology of middle childhood, we examined the extent to which perceived family, school, and neighborhood support relate to young people's self-reported…