Significant adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact health, socialization, academics, engagement in education, and behavior outcomes in elementary students. ACE researchers have identified protective factors, which mitigate the deleterious effects of significant ACEs. One of those protective factors is the positive teacher-student teacher…

This study advances the understanding of providing effective professional development for elementary teachers in the field as the Pennsylvania STEELS standards require inquiry-based learning as a component of the science classroom. I sought out elementary teacher perceptions surrounding professional development as it pertained to their ability to…

The presence of School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) in the classroom is highly dependent on teacher implementation. However, relatively little research has focused solely on the implementation of SWPBIS components in the classroom environment. This exploratory study utilized an online survey, titled the "SWPBIS…

Teachers are given preparation time during the school day to complete necessary tasks, however, research shows that teachers continue to work longer hours than their peers in the past. Researchers have identified non-instructional teacher time use, which are the tasks teachers need to complete that are not directly related to instruction, as a…

Collaboration has become an important way for organizations to leverage human resources to create shared organizational goals. Schools, as organizations, thrive on positive collegial partnerships among educators, with effective educator collaborations linked to improved school effectiveness and student outcomes. However, not all collaborations are…

The current study examines the impact of PBIS implementation on teacher self-efficacy (TSE) in elementary schools in Pennsylvania. Research questions evaluate (1) is there a significant difference between elementary teachers' perceptions of self-efficacy in schools implementing PBIS with fidelity and matched comparison schools and (2) what, if…

This instrumental mixed methods case study investigated Grades 3-5 classroom teachers' perceptions of teaching for creativity and the effects of a researcher-developed, one-day, online professional development creativity module intervention within a suburban school district in south-central Pennsylvania. Creativity has been identified as a…

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study is to determine if there is a relationship between technology readiness and grades, the number of attempts taken, or the time it took to complete an online professional development. Because of the pandemic, much educator professional development has shifted online. When this occurred, many…

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to explore Pennsylvania K-12 public school teachers' perceptions of LMS since the onset of COVID-19. The study evaluated teachers' perception of LMS. In March 2020, schools across the United States shifted to online learning due to the pandemic. This pivot in the delivery of…

Purpose: Our purpose was to gather and evaluate accurate, up-to-date information on physical education (PE) policy implementation across multiple U.S. states and regions. Methods: A U.S. Physical Education and Physical Activity Policy questionnaire was developed and completed by 4,845 public-school PE teachers from 25 U.S. states. The U.S.…

The fundamental social problems plaguing education are "wicked" (Rittel & Webber, 1973), for they are challenging, messy, and multifarious. Currently, very few problems of this magnitude are solved independently within one school entity. Instead, school leaders routinely find themselves cooperating with leaders across sectoral…

This article examines the ways in which interdisciplinary small groups were used in a school setting in order to drive students' "joyful engagement and" literacy instruction. Drawing from the work of Dr. Gholdy Muhammad in "Cultivating Genius" (2020) and "Unearthing Joy" (2023) we designed and implemented a summer…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to gain an understanding of the impact trauma informed professional development has on Pennsylvania public school elementary teachers' perceptions of school climate. The extent to which trauma informed practices have influenced elementary teachers (K-6) perceptions of school climate is not known.…

There has been an increase in the mental health concerns of students of all ages over the past several years. Specifically, since COVID-19, the social and emotional needs of students at the elementary school level have become drastically more evident. This qualitative action research study aimed to understand teachers' implementation of Morning…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how teachers of kindergarten through second grade describe students' socialization opportunities during online learning and the supports needed for effective fostering of socialization during online learning in southeastern Pennsylvania. The theoretical foundation for this research…