Early numeracy skills are vital for kindergarten students because they provide the foundation for acquiring mathematics skills in both kindergarten and subsequent years. Teacher support to intervene on kindergarteners at-risk for poor mathematics learning outcomes is a promising approach to address this achievement gap. The current study…

High expectations for student achievement, the continuous evolution of teacher evaluation protocols, and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 have led schools and districts to find effective, ongoing professional development for teachers. Schools and districts have invested a great deal of time, energy, and money offering teachers the…

There is an interconnected issue of lack of student achievement in reading and professional training around reading for teachers. This study sought to understand if self-reflective professional development in the area of the science of reading improves teacher confidence in teaching reading. The participants of the Cycle 1 process consisted of K-2…

The latest edition of "Mindsets in the Classroom" provides educators with ideas and strategies to build a growth mindset school culture, wherein students are challenged to change their thinking about their abilities and potential through resilience, perseverance, and a variety of strategies. This updated edition contains content from the…

Effective classroom management is critical to supporting student learning and success in school. However, little research has focused specifically on the impact of classroom management on student mathematics achievement, especially in the early elementary grades or in a small group (i.e., Tier 2) context. To address this need we investigated the…

Effective classroom management is critical to supporting student learning and success in school. However, little research has focused specifically on the impact of classroom management on student mathematics achievement, especially in the early elementary grades or in a small group (i.e., Tier 2) context. To address this need we investigated the…

This dissertation investigated the impact of two different coaching models on student achievement. The data collected was IREAD-3, Indiana's third-grade proficiency assessment tool, and Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) assessment data, a formative assessment measuring student growth over time. The study encompassed 13 elementary schools in…

This action research study in a North Dakota public school addresses the need for effective professional development (PD) to enhance instruction and academic outcomes for mathematically promising learners. Despite annual PD investments, concerns persist regarding the limited efficacy of short-term workshops (Knight & Skrtic, 2021; Kraft et…

While coaching is a well-documented form of professional development to support teachers' instructional practices in mathematics, limited research exists on how coaches can support teachers in differentiating their mathematics instruction. Hence, as part of this retrospective case study, we explored how one instructional coach leveraged a coaching…

Research consistently shows that among young children, poor social skills and problem behaviors can lead to poor relationships with teachers and peers (Boivin et al., 1995), higher risk of academic failure (Buhs et al., 2006), and higher school dropout (Gilliam, 2005). Moreover, prekindergarten (PreK) and kindergarten (K) teachers report feeling…

Instructional coaching is steadily becoming a staple in schools everywhere. In elementary schools, coaches are often organized by content or grade level coaching programs. While research continues to show that instructional coaches positively support teachers, research does not address the structure behind coaching programs. This mixed-methods…

The problem addressed in this study was low student achievement among students from underrepresented student groups. In this quasi-experimental research study, the self-efficacy theory was utilized to examine the relationship between teachers' receipt of instructional coaching and student achievement scores. The purpose of this quasi-experiment…

Usable Math available at https://usablemath.org/ is being designed as an open online tutor for elementary school math students and teachers in the USA. It provides interactive problem solving for 3rd through 6th grade students who are learning mathematical reasoning and computation skills through word problems. Using the system, students and…

Coaching between educators is one of the best ways to improve outcomes for all learners--but coaches rarely get formal preparation for mastering this important role. Give coaches the expert support they need with this essential new resource, a comprehensive guide to "what effective coaching looks like across the PreK-12 grade span and how to…

This paper explores the context of a Kindergarten team in a suburban P-3 school in Wisconsin developing literacy coaching support. Facing recent neoliberal accountability reforms that have greatly expanded teacher competition, dismantled teachers' unions, and added the role of the coach to the school, "confidence" is an issue that the…