The subject of teacher identity is problematized by a number of factors and is compounded by its relationship to various constructs, including liminality. To further explore the process of teacher identity development in preservice teachers, this interpretive case study addresses what the contribution of liminal experiences are to teacher identity…

Family engagement with schools has been shown to be a predictor of student success (Powell et at., 2010) and federal statute supports school/ family relationships through the Family Engagement in Education Act. For students with disabilities (SWD), family engagement may be even more critical. Unfortunately, data has suggested that family…

Teacher education programs historically offer little opportunity to develop skills necessary for communicating effectively with parents. Mixed reality simulations, such as TLE-TeachLivE, can ameliorate this lack of instruction. This study examines the communication skills demonstrated by preservice educators during a mixed reality conference…

Parent-teacher conferences are a means of communicating a child's academic and social growth to parents by the teacher. This form of conference is commonplace in the school setting. Traditionally, these conferences often take place without the primary stakeholder, the student, being present. Student-led conferences offer a positive alternative,…

Student-led conferences are an alternative method of reporting progress to parents. This qualitative phenomenological research study was conducted in order to examine elementary teachers' perceptions of student-led conferences in comparison to traditional parent-teacher conferences in Central and Southern Illinois. Additionally, the study examined…

This quantitative, causal-comparative study utilized ex post facto data to examine the impact of education support advisors (ESAs) on the discipline, attendance, and achievement of at-risk students in Grades 3-12. Fourteen education support advisors working in 16 elementary and 8 secondary schools of this mid-Atlantic school district consistently…

This is a mixed-methods case study designed to examine the perceptions parents, students and teachers have about student-led conferences with the purpose of informing practices at the researcher's school as well as sharing strategies used to host effective student-led conferences. Parents and students were interviewed and surveyed. Teachers were…

Literature shows that parental involvement impacts student performance, but many schools struggle to maintain parents' involvement. The relationship between teacher invitations and parents' willingness to get involved has been studied as part of the struggle. This correlational study investigated the association between the beliefs of…

Research has shown that parental involvement is an important component of students' academic achievement, yet in rural areas, such involvement may be difficult to attain. The purpose of this collective case study was to investigate the perceptions of parents of young elementary students in a rural school district regarding their role in…

Using data collected from surveys completed by grandparents for their grandchildren (N = 72), this quantitative study examines the effects grandparent primary caregivers have on the reading achievement of their African American grandchildren. The study sought to answer the following question: How do the six types of parental involvement (Epstein,…

The purpose of the study was to examine the ELL and non-ELL students', guardians', and the English as a second language (ESL) teachers' perceptions of student-led conferences. Specifically, the study examined if ELL students' and guardians' preferences were similar to non-ELL students' and guardians' preferences…

This applied dissertation was designed to provide better understanding of issues related to parental involvement to school officials and scholars. The parental involvement at the school was very low and academic achievement was also low. The school leaders were requested to increase parental involvement and the School Improvement Plan specified…

The quality of teacher education allows first-year teachers to meet mandates at federal and state levels (Darling-Hammond, 2010a). The teaching profession is complex and requires new and innovative quality preparation programs (Wei, Andree, & Darling-Hammond, 2009). This study involved examination of the perceptions of 17 building principals…

This dissertation responds to the question: How is sexuality organized in elementary schools? I argue that despite the absence of overt discussions on sexuality in elementary schools, sexuality is "organized" through social processes that are recursively linked to ideology. Due to the widely held belief that "children" and…

There are few issues in education that get as much attention as the need for improvement of parental and community involvement in and support for local schools. School faculties want to know how to improve the way they work with families and community members to better meet the needs of their students and parents want to find how to best…