This study of the Freedom Schools of San Francisco's Chinatown investigated cultural and linguistic reasons for the community's withdrawal of support of the majority political system decision to desegrregated its public elementary schools. The dissertation tested alternative hypotheses focusing on middle class academic values espoused by the…

The purpose of this study was to identify potential sources of school-community conflict in black and Puerto Rican communities by examining the perceptions of Education Coordinators in Community Action Agencies and Principals in New York City elementary schools concerning community involvement in the school, curriculum in the school and…

Twenty primary grade teachers of inner-city, lower class, Afro-American students and 20 primary grade teachers of suburban middle class white students were interviewed using George A. Kelly's 'Rep Test' technique, in order to elicit the categories or constructs through which they customarily perceived their students. Two judges applied content…

This action research project evaluated the impact of a program for enhancing interpersonal problem-solving skills on academic achievement in elementary students in an industrial, urban Illinois community. The lack of social skills and inability to think critically were documented through office referrals and teacher observations of kindergarten,…

This report describes a program for improving academic productivity in an elementary school in Rockford, Illinois. Students were unmotivated, unproductive, and uninvolved in academic life, as measured by teacher observation and student behavior. Examination of teacher records revealed that the learning disabled or behavior disordered resource…

At-risk elementary school students and their families often have little support for social and academic growth from community members and from parents. This study examined the impact of an 8-month program to increase advocacy from community volunteers, use volunteer help, and provide weekly parent seminars on the quality of students' school…

Noting that poor social and emotional skills can interfere with academic growth of elementary school students, this action research project examined the impact of an intervention to improve students' emotional and social skills. Participating in the study were students from one fifth-grade public school class, one fifth-grade class in a private…

The purpose of this study was to review the research on sex-related differences in mathematics achievement to determine the extent of the inequalities and the factors which cause them. The first section concentrates on differences in mathematics achievement between males and females. The second section describes the sex differences in mathematics…

The concurrent validity of the third grade, New York State Pupil Evaluation Reading Program (PEP) reading test was examined with the following standardized tests: the Durrell Silent Reading Test, the Gilmore Oral Reading Test, the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT), the Verbal IQ of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), and the…

This action research project examined the impact of using cooperative learning activities and multiple intelligences teaching techniques on the motivation of kindergartners and third graders at two elementary schools in a rural Illinois community. Over 50 percent of the school populations were low-income, and over 6 percent had limited English…

Hypothesizing that young students would exhibit fewer classroom behavior problems when engaged in activities linked to their strengths and interests, this study examined the use of Gardner's multiple intelligences to improve student behavior. Targeted were 20 students in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade classrooms in two suburban…

Based on a review of educational research and informal teacher inquiry suggesting that students could benefit from instruction to improve organizational skills, this action research project examined the effects of teaching selected organizational skills on the study habits and achievement of third and ninth graders. Participating in the study were…

This action research project implemented and evaluated a program to improve students' lack of effort and use of ineffective learning strategies. Participants were students in one kindergarten class, one second-grade class, one high ability fourth-grade class and one high ability fifth-grade class in a Midwest suburban school. Student and teacher…

This study examined the effects of participation in Chapter 1 programs on students' educational outcomes. A total of 52 students at an elementary school in Maquoketa, Iowa, were divided into a primary group of students who participated in a Chapter 1 program during grades 1 or 2; an intermediate group of students who participated in a Chapter 1…

In the spirit of education reform, this paper presents a literature review that provides a framework for discussing methods of teacher evaluation, their effectiveness in assessing what they purport to do, and the concern for better evaluation methods that can lead to improved teaching. The chief concerns addressed are what actually defines an…