This qualitative descriptive case study focused on elementary school teachers' perspectives on their principals' demonstrated leadership behaviors and how these behaviors affect their teacher self-efficacy. Limited studies revealed a relationship between teacher efficacy and principal leadership behavior when examining each factor separately.…

The integration of technology to the elementary school classroom presents teachers with both new opportunities and challenges. Effective integration of classroom technology involves much more than merely giving students access to computers and mobile devices, as teachers' attitudes and beliefs about technology are important in facilitating…

In the United States, there is a nationwide shortage of bilingual teachers, but limited research on factors that contribute to their burnout and attrition. This exploratory multiple case study aimed to identify stressors unique to Spanish-English bilingual teachers and how they cope with these stressors. Interviews with two dual language immersion…

I designed an explanatory sequential mixed-method study to explore the relationship between leadership practices, collective teacher efficacy (CTE), and educational outcomes of low SES students in an open school system. Four data sources were analyzed: K-5 student Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) results of 1,170 students, Collective Teacher…

This study investigates the effectiveness of alternative routes to teacher certification in urban school districts within Texas. The need for teachers across the United States has increased because current teachers are leaving the profession at high rates. This research analyzes the programs regarding teacher preparation routes, teacher…

By building self-efficacy in individual teachers and collective efficacy in grade level teams, principals can improve the instructional practices that take place on campuses. Instruction impacts student achievement. Principals indirectly impact student achievement through instruction that happens in the classroom. The purpose of this mixed methods…

The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to restory the lived experiences of educators teaching students identified as dyslexic in their public-school classrooms. This study was qualitative, using a narrative inquiry research design to understand the third and fourth grade teacher's thoughts and understanding of students identified dyslexic as…

Elementary teachers are generalists, usually with a reading background. As such, a number of teachers have low self-efficacy about teaching mathematics for conceptual understanding. Researchers suggest that some major categories associated with this problem are not enough adequate professional development (PD) addressing conceptual understanding…

Determining how to increase practicing elementary teacher science instruction self-efficacy through ongoing professional development has been a problem in one urban Texas school district. Existing literature indicated science instruction self-efficacy could be built using professional development. However, there is a gap in the literature…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the instructional coaching experiences for primary and intermediate teachers in a rural public school district located in Southeast Texas. The researcher used qualitative phenomenological design. Purposeful sampling was used to identify participants who were then interviewed individually.…

There are nearly 250 teachers hired each school year due to attrition in Smith Independent School District (SISD). Attrition is a repetitive obstacle to finding qualified teachers for open positions. From the 2015-2016 to 2018-2019 school years, there were1,000 teachers hired across SISD due to attrition, representing a 24% teacher attrition rate.…

The purpose of this dissertation-in-practice was to examine the perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs of K-5 elementary school teachers in a suburban Central Texas school on their use of blended learning in the classroom. Before conducting the study, previous research on blended learning was reviewed in the areas of student achievement, student…

This quantitative study examined the relationships between elementary teachers' perceptions of self-efficacy, school culture, and implementation of instructional strategies. The teachers were employed across four schools within one northern Texas school district. The data, collected through three different surveys, garnered teacher perceptions of…

This study explores the transformative nature of the National Writing Project (NWP). It employs an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach and self-efficacy theory in order to understand the perceptions of K-12 teachers who attended the NWP in Southeast Texas in the last five years. Using interviews, reflexive journals, and a reflective…

Despite inclusive education mandated policies, deficient levels of inclusive educators' attitudes and teaching efficacy results in unsuccessful inclusive pedagogical practices that enhance poor academic performance outcomes for students with disabilities. This quantitative correlational study aimed to determine if teachers' attitudes and efficacy…