Sweeney Hall, SJSU

Stacey Caudill
sncaudill@yahoo.com

It Takes Determination: Using Class Meetings To Develop a Caring First Grade Community.
I investigated holding class meetings with first graders.I held several meetings and observed the interactions between the students. I found that it was possible for first graders to hold meaningful and effective class meetings, and that the meetings affected the relationships and interactions at other times of the day.

Dean Krishna
deankrishna@yahoo.com

Reviving a Recycling Program: Student Transformations
In this action research project, I examined how sixth-graders’ attitudes toward the environment changed as they established a school-wide recycling program. Students’ socialized assumption of a power imbalance with teachers affected their actions. As the project progressed, students placed their own efficacy more prominently in their opinions on the environment.

Lisa Jantzen
lisajantzen@yahoo.com

Family Literature Circles in Action
I and two other colleagues began a 10-week family literacy program with Spanish-speaking parents. Through an ongoing process of praxis, we explored how using children’s literature in family discussion circles could affect students, parents, and ourselves. This participatory action research has allowed us to reflect upon our roles as teachers and the opportunities for participants’ empowerment.

Tara Torres (Berke)
taraducktyl@sbcglobal.net

Q.A.R. and English Language Learners
I investigated the impact of comprehension on my2nd graders. I conducted interview, took anecdotal record, and conducted running records.  I found that Q.A.R. gave my English Language Learners strategies to increase their comprehension.

Michelle Fisher
webmichelle@msn.com

Rethinking Baldrige in Education: An Educational Process
A critical analysis was conducted on a particular business metaphor Baldrige in Education, (BiE) as an appropriate vehicle to change an educational processes in the classroom. I conducted interviews with teachers who use BiE. Teachers enjoy using BiE in the classroom, but resist the business language used in the training.

Bruce Robinson
brobinson@rcsd.k12.ca.us

The Journey of a Second Career, First-Year Teacher
This project articulated the experiences and learning of a second career first-year teacher in a self-contained K-8 school using selected students and personal journal as a lens to examine the first year.

Michael Aguilera

Fostering Specific Reading Strategy Instruction For Expository Text
I investigated the effects of specific reading comprehension strategies for expository text with 4th graders.  I conducted pre and post assessments using reading inventories, I interviewed students after the study about their experiences, and collected reading journals and observational notes.  I focused on teaching students the think aloud strategy to monitor their comprehension while reading expository text. I found that think aloud strategies highly supported students to read and comprehend difficult expository text.

Colette Rabin
colette@livingwisdomschool.org

An Ethic of Care in Practice
In this thesis, the Rose School teachers’ narratives concerning how they foster and sustain relationships in one private school confirmed and gave practical examples of the application ofNel Noddings’ theory. Noddings’ seminal work on an ethic of care departsfrom Enlightenment and Pre-enlightenment ethicists’ relegation of morality to the rational that cloistered it in formal argument. Noddings posits affect as a primary good and in so doing, suggests that our inclination to be in relationship may motivate moral behavior. Noddings’ moral education centers on the categories of modeling, dialogue, practice, and confirmation.The Rose School teachers’ interviews revealed their unique conceptions and applications of modeling, dialogue, practice, and confirmation to foster relationships at school. This analysis of in-depth teacher interviews through the lens of Noddings’ schema both affirmsand extends her theory into examples of caring in practice.

Allison Rose
arose_10@yahoo.com

Moving Beyond Colorblindness
I examined White teacher’s narratives to understand the range of experiences that influence and shape racial identities of educators and the students they teach.  I conducted three separate interviews with three White educators, observed the participants in their classroom, and collected field notes.  I found that concepts of race change over time based upon life experiences including relationships with key individuals, professional training, and dialogue with people of color.

Molly Byrne
mollybyrne@earthlink.net

Expository Text, Ells, and the QAR Strategy
This study focused on the development of the Question-Answer Relationship method (QAR) in expository text with a small group of 1^st grade English language learners. Results indicated that all the students improved in question generation, as well as increased conceptual knowledge and overall comprehension of expository text.

Joe Bolin
joebolin@mac.com

Comprehension Strategies Used by Primary Grade Students
During this investigation, second-graders were taught five comprehension strategies identified in the literature as key to building meaning. Following intensive instruction, the students’ use of these strategies while reading independent-level text was measured. Written and oral think-alouds as well as teacher observation were used to uncover student implementation of the strategies.

Bruce Neff
bneff27@yahoo.com

Visual Community: Classroom Community Explored Through Pictures
I investigated how the community of my classroom was affected when students examined, through dialogue, pictures taken by each other.  I used field notes, student’s writings, and surveys.  I found that when we begin to uncover taken for granted beliefs through dialogue a community can change in a positive way.

Kari Sparks
karituemmler@hotmail.com

The Modesto City Schools Strike of 1980
I investigated the dynamics of the Modeston City Schools strike of 1980 and how teachers and parents narrate their participation twenty four years later. I conducted interviews, researched The Modesto Bee archives, and collected reading journals and field notes. Following Freire's four steps of anitdialogic and dialogic action, I compare and contrast my findings.

Julie Goodman

Academics and Self-Concept Enriched By Classroom Community
I investigated the post-modern philosophy of classroom community, which emphasizes equality, dialogue, and positive interactions with students. I conducted interviews, and found that community helped students develop stronger self-concept, independent thinking and problem-solving skills, and higher academic functioning.

Vijenti Davis
vijenti@earthlink.net

How Technology Can Improve Students’ Work
I investigated the usage of technology in elementary classrooms. I found that, when students are engaged in technology-oriented lessons, they feel highly motivated and empowered and their performance improves.  Also, their teachers’ efforts to provide such instruction allowed for more dialogue, creativity, and choices

Judy Zaccheo
judyzaccheo@hotmail.com

Big Change In a Small School
A teacher leader was the driving force behind school-wide improvement in reading in a very small school. Flexibility was the key to changes in the nature of the chosen program and the way it was implemented in each classroom, thus ensuring success of all students.

Veronica Arcos
ARCV5@aol.com

Systematic Instruction in Phonemes, Phonics, and Sight Words (SIPPS) with Spanish-Speaking
I investigated the impact of SIPPS with a group of Spanish speaking English language Learners enrolled in a bilingual class. I conducted pre and posttests and collected field notes, and student work. I found that students decoding and sight word recognition in English increased.

Ermina Termura
ekteramu@yahoo.com

Breaking Barriers About Service Learning
Through interviews, I researched the various misperceptions that educators (mainly administrators) have about service learning.  I discovered that communicating effectively and presenting concrete evidence could break down the educators’ misperceptions, and help them begin to view and implement service learning as an empowering pedagogy.

Shauna Grimshaw
shaunagrimshaw@yahoo.com

Beginning Reading Instruction with Kindergarten ELL Children
I implemented a systematic reading program that included daily activities in phonics, phonemic awareness and sight words. I observed how children responded to whole-group instruction and also listened to them read individually. I found that I was more knowledgeable in regards to each child’s reading development and students were excited about reading.

Phillip Scheir
pscoolguy@hotmail.com

Technology Use In Education Over Ten Years
I investigated how the use of technology in kindergarten through 12^th grade classrooms has changed over the last ten years as reflected in the international magazine, Technology & Learning. I found the reasons for technology usage changed, and that time between development and classroom implementation exponentially decreased.

Minnie Flores
minnie.flores@alisal.org

Do Struggling Readers Plus Early Interventions Equal Success?
I conducted a case study of the impact of early intervention strategies on struggling readers. I conducted interviews, collected writing journal and spelling samples, recorded assessment data, recorded students, and kept anecdotal records. The finds indicated that all students made progress based on students abilities to learn and progress.