Stacey Caudill
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
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
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)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Michele Huesties
Reading Intervention For Struggling Sixth-Grade Readers
- Sixteen of 32 struggling sixth-grade readers were
placed in an intervention class, while the others received the
standard curriculum. Students receiving intervention had
significantly higher gains in comprehension and independent
reading levels when compared with students who did not receive
intervention. Explicit, systematic instruction can help
struggling readers.
Judy Zaccheo
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
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
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
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.
Minnie Flores
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.
