Pedagogy and content that disrupt existing heteronormative structures and curriculum with positive representations of LGBTQ people, history, and events are connected to more welcoming school experiences for all students. To understand elementary teachers' choices with regards to content and pedagogy that disrupt gender and sexuality norms, this…

The K-12 education system in the United States is rife with debate about what content should be taught and about how students' achievement with that content should be measured. While much of the public discourse focuses on traditional academic areas such as literacy and math, increasingly, educators are understanding that social and emotional…

Raising young children in Botswana was traditionally a communal effort shared by the child's parents and the extended family members in a kinship system. However, the economic and social transformations that are taking place in Botswana have altered the traditional child upbringing to involve paid caregivers unrelated to the children or their…

The purpose of this study was to explore how P-12 school drama teachers infused culturally relevant (CR) social emotional learning (SEL) into their drama instruction. In addition, this study explored the experiences of students of color with disabilities who were involved in P-12 classes that employed CR SEL drama activities. The epistemic…

This dissertation draws on both qualitative and quantitative approaches to investigate the linguistic practices of teachers and children who are learning Mandarin Chinese as a Heritage Language (CHL) in two dual immersion preschools in California. CHL children have been interpreted as novice members in local speech communities who actively explore…

The purpose of this embedded-descriptive single-case study was to inform prekindergarten principals of an instructional leader's efforts to build teacher capacity in foundational skills of executive function, fine motor integration skills, and associated challenges of laterality of hand and eye dominance. Despite Texas Education Agency's (TEA)…

This study examined the relationship between the effectiveness of a school's instructional coaching program and collective teacher efficacy. Instructional coaching is the concept of providing ongoing, on-site support for teachers on how to use best practice teaching methods and how to assess the effect these methods have on instruction (Knight,…

This study investigated Delaware parent and teacher perceptions of developmentally appropriate technology usage for preschoolers. The study used a non-experimental cross-sectional descriptive design using a researcher-designed, web-based survey instrument. A sample of 300 teachers and 300 parents was invited to participate in the study, which…

Throughout elementary schools in the United States there is an ongoing concern about students' reading proficiency. Many programs, strategies and initiatives have been implemented across elementary classrooms in the United States to help students become proficient readers by third grade. Numerous theorists and researchers support the idea that…

Research has shown that the quality of preschool teacher-child relationships can forecast children's social-emotional development, academic achievement, and school attitude; these benefits are amplified for impoverished children. However, teachers tend to have conflictual relationships with children living in poverty. Additionally, research in…

This study addressed teacher dispositions that predict overall technology use among pre-k through 12th grade teachers. The modified version of the Teacher Attribute Survey was given to 150 pre-k through 12th grade teachers. The Teacher Attribute Survey measured variables that included teacher self-efficacy, teacher philosophy, openness to change,…

Teachers play an essential role in providing appropriate classroom interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is necessary to discover teachers' perceptions about these interventions for young children with ASD in order to improve the curricula and standards for working with this population. Peer-Mediated Instruction…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental delay that is increasing in prevalence among children in the United States. Those being educated in general education classrooms see benefits in various areas. However, there are a number of barriers to effective education, which may be overcome through teacher education and professional…

Effective early science learning opportunities are critical for young children to build a solid foundation for subsequent development of concepts, as well as positive attitudes towards science (Eshach & Fried, 2005). However, these opportunities are often lacking in typical preschool classrooms (Connor, Morrison, & Slominski, 2006; Early…

Many teachers have good intentions but are not prepared to engage students, colleagues and parents in conversations about race and Black racial identity. This inquiry postulated that learning about Nigrescence theory helps educators better understand Black racial identity development. Accordingly, a cohort of urban early childhood teachers…