This action research project implemented and evaluated an assessment and evaluation program designed to keep students motivated and on-task in art classes. Targeted population consisted of 76 fourth grade students in a middle to lower class suburb of a Midwestern city. Evidence to support the problem consisted of teacher observation checklists and…

Primarily designed to increase the use of the microcomputer in the classroom as a supplement to instruction, this practicum also provided training for teachers in grades 4 through 6 and their principal in a setting which was intended to be functional and nonthreatening to the participants. The 10 participating teachers were given a…

This report describes a program that was designed to identify and modify disruptive student behavior and improve academic performance. The targeted fifth grade class had been noted for inappropriate behavior and sporadic academic success, with problems documented by teacher observation surveys and self-reporting by students. Probable causes…

The development and norms for the Intermediate North York Self Concept Inventory for grades two through six and the Primary Self Concept Inventory for grade one are presented. The Intermediate instrument is comprised of 30 items on aspects of student self esteem related to the school environment or the "general self," and with a high…

Part of a project to help teachers respond to the challenge of teaching content subjects to a variety of limited-English-proficient (LEP) learners, this report presents the recommendations of a group of master teachers who first identified promising practices for educating minority language students and then supplemented these by selecting…

A study was designed to assist elementary music teachers to create and/or improve methods of assessment for fifth-grade beginning band students. It was conducted from August to December 2002 and included 13 volunteer participants from a rapidly growing student population at an Illinois elementary school. As part of the research process, surveys,…

Humor can be an effective element of classroom teaching, serving to reduce tension, increase motivation, aid instruction and strengthen teacher/student relationships. A review of the literature reveals that research in this area is incomplete and inconclusive. This study surveys 5th- and 6th-grade teachers (N=50) for information on how they vary…

The purpose of this practicum was to increase teachers' awareness of various learning styles and multiple intelligences in middle school classrooms by analyzing their own styles and applying that knowledge to their teaching styles and strategies. Six workshops designed to introduce, assess, and offer tangible classroom strategies in…

This action research paper describes a program initiated by teacher researchers to improve academic achievement and interest in social studies. The targeted group consisted of fifth graders in a lower middle class community in the Midwest. Analysis of the problem-causes data show three main factors: curriculum, attitude, and effect. In regard to…

Teachers are evaluated daily by their students. By examining students' criteria for teacher evaluation, teachers are able to broaden their existing base of understanding and develop a greater perception of the complex dynamics of the classroom. This study was conducted to evaluate students' comments regarding "good" teachers to determine whether…

An evaluation of a foreign language experience program for fourth graders in an inner-city school is presented. First, an introductory section reviews literature on the rationale for and structure of foreign language programs in the elementary school. In the program, students learned about Russian foreign language and culture in a weekly 30-minute…

In attempting to identify causes of the high rates of attrition of beginning teachers and possible solutions to their exodus, this study identified what beginning high school and middle school teachers in the Baltimore County Public School system found were their most urgent concerns and most valuable types of assistance. A questionnaire was sent…

Six classroom research-based instructional projects funded under Chapter 2 are described, and their outcomes are summarized. The projects each used computer hardware and software in the classroom setting. The projects and their salient points include: (1) the Science Technology Project, in which 48 teachers and 2,847 students in 18 schools used…

Utilizing a consensus decision-making strategy, teachers and an administrator from Parkway Central Middle School (PCMS) (Missouri) selected a two-part mission: (1) to establish an atmosphere where students demonstrate respect for themselves, their peers, and all adults; and (2) to evaluate, revise, develop, and implement a new discipline plan that…

This documents presents a practicum designed to improve mathematics achievement of at-risk and targeted students in grades 4-6 in an upper-middle class suburban community through the use of manipulatives. The primary goal was to provide mathematics manipulatives to teachers that would assist in helping at-risk and targeted students. A secondary…