This qualitative case study investigated elementary teachers' concepts of art, their anxieties associated with art practices, and a principal's decision making concerning art in the curriculum. Two in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 participants to determine their knowledge base, family and educational backgrounds, conceptions of art, and the relationship with the art teacher. Observations of classroom art activities were carried out over a period of six months and recorded in a field log. Visual images in the school building were analyzed for content. Data were analyzed through open and pattern coding. Through axial coding, clusters of data were organized by commonalities and patterns arranged around the axis category of teachers' conception of art. Through the metaphor of "The Medium of Water" representing teachers' understanding of art, six themes were developed explaining the results of this study: (1) Skimming the Surface of the Water---describes classroom teachers' inadequate backgrounds. A lack of exposure, education, and familiarity connected to art knowledge was linked to how art was superficially conceptualized and valued. (2) Wading in the Shallows---describes classroom teachers' shallow conceptions of art. (3) A Choice Not to Dive---describes manifestations of classroom teachers' conceptions of art and implementation of art. Images displayed within classrooms and corridors were found to be predominately commercially adult-generated and/or student-generated from the art curriculum. (4) Fear of the Water---describes anxieties associated with the teaching and making of art. Anxious participants did not consider themselves artistic and used less art in their classrooms. (5) Unable to Take the Plunge---describes a knowledgeable principal's indecision. While being knowledgeable and sympathetic to art, she was unable to make a case for an art-inclusive program, and (6) Drowning in Responsibilities---describes an overwhelmed art teacher. Her isolation contributed to an inability to collaborate with other teachers and responsibility to integrate fell mostly to her. Her teaching objectives and values did not match with classroom teachers'. All participants' concerns were coping with curricular pressures, high-stakes testing, and lack of time in the schedule. Because of these issues, art was not a priority in this school's curriculum.

<p> This thesis reviews literature researching creative thinking and applies the findings in a curriculum designed to develop creativity in elementary age students in the U.S. Educators and business leaders recognize creativity as a key need for 21^st century success, but creativity scores have been going down. Since current research shows correlations between creative thinking, questioning strategies, and contextual connections, teachers need to weave these processes into instruction. The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards recognized the importance of creativity and proposed new national standards which include 4 key components: creating, responding, presenting and connecting. This six-unit curriculum synthesizes the new National Visual Arts Standards (NVAS), questioning strategies, and contextual connections to increase creativity in elementary school students in the United States. </p>

<p> As educators grapple with the issue of eliminating achievement gaps that exist among student groups, instructing for students' diverse learning needs while effectively meeting the demands of the curriculum can be a daunting task. Arts integration (AI) is a research-based strategy that has been demonstrated to lead to positive effects in student achievement with the greatest effect being among students who qualify for federal meals benefits (FARMS) (Deasy, 2002; Catterall, 1999; Rabkin &amp; Redmond, 2006). This mixed-methods study evaluated state mandated reading assessment data for a cohort of grade three students for the years 2011, 2012, and 2013 within one school district in Maryland using a formula developed by the Maryland State Department of Education to determine student change scores. While analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of AI and change scores for FARMS and non-FARMS students did not yield a positive relationship, further qualitative analysis of principal and teacher interviews and classroom observations at five public AI elementary schools revealed perceptions among educators of a positive relationship of AI to student achievement. Utilizing a grounded theory approach to examine emergent themes, a theory of effective models of arts integration was developed to include the elements of: shared vision, student engagement, rigorous instruction and teacher capacity. This study provided information regarding the optimal method of delivering arts integrated instruction that may lead to student achievement and reduce the achievement gap between FARMS and non-FARMS students. </p>

<p> Students with language-based learning disabilities (LD) increasingly are placed in inclusive classrooms to ensure they receive access to their grade level curriculum. However, inclusion alone is insufficient for addressing the specific learning challenges of students with language-based LD in general education settings (McLeskey &amp; Waldron, 2011). A need exists for additional strategies to increase on-task behavior and provide greater learning opportunities for students with LD in inclusive classrooms. </p><p> The purpose of this study was to examine the use of a drama intervention, tableau, to increase the on-task behavior of students in inclusive fourth-grade language arts classrooms at two urban elementary charter schools in the Mid Atlantic region. All of the students in the fourth-grade language arts classrooms participated in the tableau intervention, which consisted of students making still images with their bodies to represent a scene or explore a particular moment in a story. Observational data were collected on three students identified with language-based LD. Changes in students' on-task behavior within and across baseline, withdrawal, and tableau phases were examined in an ABAB withdrawal design. Visual analysis was employed to determine if there was a functional relation between tableau and an increase in students' on-task behavior during small group language arts lessons. Descriptive data were collected via audio digital recordings of story recalls to assess the three students' understanding of character traits and sequence of events. </p><p> Results indicated that participants' on-task behavior increased following the introduction of tableau and decreased following the withdrawal of tableau and return to conventional instructional strategies during small group language arts lessons. For all three participants, a functional relation was established between tableau and an increase in on-task behavior through a change in level and stability across phases. All three participants scored higher on the oral story recall assessment of character traits and sequence of events during the tableau intervention phases as compared to the baseline and withdrawal phases. These findings suggested the potential value of using drama interventions to increase the on-task behavior and provide greater learning opportunities for students with LD in inclusive language arts classrooms.</p>