One school in a Western United States was recently rated academically unacceptable by the state. That same school had an inactive Parent as Teachers organization, and teachers expressed concerns regarding low parental involvement. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the impact of teacher perceptions of barriers to parental involvement. Epstein's model of parental involvement was the theoretical framework for this study. The research questions focused on identifying perceived parental involvement barriers from the perspective of teachers and suggesting viable solutions to address these perceived barriers. This case study involved interviewing 8 elementary school teachers. Data analysis consisted of open, axial, and selective coding. The following themes emerged from the data: (a) Teacher perceptions of parents and barriers to parental involvement; (b) communication; (c) teacher expectations for parental involvement; (d) building effective relationships; and (e) solutions and resources to improve parental involvement. The participants in the study identified viable solutions in order to improve parental involvement and to engage families to provide opportunities for parents and teachers to build relationships. The implications for positive social change include the potential for increased student academic success.

In the papers, educationaljournals and occasionally in farm magazines and other periodicals we read of the unsatisfactory school conditions prevalent in the state of Kentucky. As a citizen, student, teacher and would-be educator in this beautiful state, it appears desirable to determine to some degree whether or not inadequate school programs exist in Kentucky and if so to locate some of the factors determining them. Obviously the field is too broad to be covered in a single investigation. This particular study has been concentrated in one small county of the state. As it proceeded, broader and broader avenues for investigation opened only to be eliminated one by one to a few specific observations treated in this investigation. This is a study of the children appearing on the rolls in the primary grades of all the schools in the county system during the school year 1940-41. It was then determined where these children were twelve years later relative to their scholastic lives.

The writer has had experience as a supervisor of music at the elementary and secondary levels. This experience combined with the development of courses to suit the program for an elementary teacher training institution provided the background for the development of this project. The problem, as it appeared to the writer, was that in spite of valiant efforts on the part of music supervisors and art teachers’ elementary students did not comprehend music or art as an aesthetic whole. The methods in use, in most Maine schools, presented the arts as a technical skill to be mastered by the student rather than as a fine art to be first understood and then, in later grades, mastered. Investigation showed that some institutions of higher learning were combining the arts in college programs. Further search indicated an attempt on the part of some secondary and junior high teachers to combine the arts in their teaching. No evidence could be found however, that there was any effort to prepare teachers to deal with this concept at the elementary level. It seemed that this combining of the arts in the elementary grades was the most desirable approach. With this premise as a base the program of preparing an allied arts teacher for elementary grades was developed. Methods and Procedures A survey of the offerings in the area of fine arts was made by studying programs in seventy colleges and universities engaged in teacher preparation. The Music Educators National Conference publications were reviewed to determine what research had been done in the area of that combined arts. Letters were written to members of the National Association for the Humanities in Education to determine what work was being done in the field. Correspondence, review of research, and personal interviews with educators and administrators provided the direction for the study. A survey of the fifty state departments of education which resulted in forty replies pointed up the need for such a teacher preparation program. When the need for the program had been established writer proceeded to collect a bibliography that included music education, art education and general education as well as philosophical observations on the fine arts. The organization and collection of this material was accomplished in the period of two years. Summary The program was presented to the administration, Academic Affairs Committee, Faculty Council and the Dean of Academic Affairs of the University of Maine, Fort Kent, in November of 1970. With full campus approval and on the basis of the surveys the program was presented to the University Chancellor early in 1971. In March 1971 the Chancellor approved the program and the University of Maine board of trustees, at their April meeting, endorsed the course of studies for the Fort Kent campus. The program was put into operation in the fall semester of 1971 and has some eleven students involved in all or part of the allied arts concentration.

National assessments have revealed that African American students do not demonstrate proficiency in mathematics to the same degree as their White counterparts; however, some teachers are able to guide their African American students to mathematics success. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine the instructional strategies of teachers who have been successful in promoting mathematics achievement in African American students. This study was guided by a single research question that focused on the instructional strategies used by teachers whose African American upper elementary students demonstrated proficiency in mathematics on a state standardized test. Feuerstein's mediated learning experience theory formed the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected through interviews, document analysis, and observations of 6 upper elementary teachers from 3 different schools in a single school district. Open coding was used to note emergent themes that formed the basis for the findings. This study identified 7 effective strategies for teaching mathematics to African American students: employing repetition and review, using specific teaching tools, grouping for instruction, applying assessment and reteaching, engaging student discourse, using word problems, and making real life connections. The strategies that emerged from the study displayed characteristics of the traditional and reform approaches to teaching mathematics as well as culturally relevant pedagogy. These strategies may be useful in helping teachers to increase African American students' achievement in mathematics as well as their feelings of self-efficacy. The findings of this study may improve the pedagogical practices of mathematics teachers of African American students.

The purpose of this study was to analyze whether cultural differences existed in forms of aggression and prosocial behaviors among 8 to 10 year old students in Ireland (N=145) and Puerto Rico (N=56) and if the prevalence of these forms of aggression differed between genders. Classroom teachers using the Children’s Social Behavior Scale – Teacher Form (Crick, 1996) rated all students in their classes on relational aggression, physical aggression, and prosocial behaviors. Three 2 (culture) by 2 (gender) analyses of variance were performed on each of the following dependent variables: relational aggression, physical aggression, and prosocial behavior. Teachers reported greater prevalence of relational aggression in Puerto Ricanstudents and greater prevalence of prosocial behavior among Irish students. Nosignificant differences were reported between cultures in physical aggression. Teachersreported higher prevalence of physical aggression among males compared to females andhigher prevalence of prosocial behavior among females when compared to males. Nosignificant gender differences were found in relational aggression. An interaction effectwas found in prosocial behavior with Irish females being higher in prosocial behaviorthan Puerto Rican females and Irish males. This research supports that culturaldifferences exist in relational aggression and prosocial behaviors among 8 to 10 yearviiolds. Gender differences in physical aggression and prosocial behaviors in this agesample were also supported. Future research, and the study's limitations were discussed.

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Educators are concerned over disruptive student behavior that diverts teacher attention from instruction to student's negative behavior. The disruptive student is frequently removed from the classroom, decreasing negative behavior but resulting in shorter instructional time for the disruptive student. The purpose of this correlational survey study was to identify teachers' (a) levels of concern for specific disruptive behaviors, (b) methods most frequently used for disruptive behavior, and (c) professional needs related to general classroom and behavior management. The study examined the relationship between teachers' levels of concern regarding specific behaviors and the degree of support needed to manage those behaviors. Bandura's self-efficacy theory served as the framework for this study. Stephenson's Child Behavior Survey was modified and used to collect data from 49 Title I elementary school teachers in a southern state. Data were analyzed descriptively and results indicated that teachers (a) were concerned with student distractibility and disobedience, (b) used a variety of disruptive behavior methods, and (c) desired additional knowledge and support to address disruptive behavior. Also, a correlation analysis was conducted and determined that a significant relationship existed between teachers' levels of concern and levels of additional support needed to address disruptive behavior. It is recommended the school district implement a system of teacher support for disruptive behavior, and identify existing underused supports and promote their use. This study may contribute to positive social change by providing teachers with the support and methods needed to decrease disruptive behavior, resulting in increased teachers' sense of efficacy and improved students' learning and achievement.

Phonics was identified as one of the critical components in reading development by the National Reading Panel. Over time, research has repeatedly identified phonics as important to early reading development. Given the compelling evidence supporting the teaching of phonics in early reading, it is critical to make sure that instructional decisions in phonics are based upon valid and reliable assessment data. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Consortium on Reading Excellence (CORE) Phonic Survey and was designed to establish instrument validity and reliability. Analyses indicated moderate to very strong validity and reliability coefficients. Additionally, a D study using generalizability analyses data identified the optimal assessment administration protocol for the CORE Phonics Survey to minimize the error variance and maximize the reliability under absolute and relative decision-making conditions.

Values and ethics taught through children's literature can be effective in helping develop good character in students. Actively involving children in learning through art forms helps increase meaning and understanding. Art forms such as creative dramatization, pantomime, creative interpretation, role playing, and reader's theater are concrete learning strategies that extend children's literature. With these hands-on strategies, the outcome is that children will remember the values learned through children's literature and apply them in their own life. This study is designed to select children's literature for teaching ethics and values through use of art forms. The purpose is to answer the following questions: 1. Which children's literature can be used to teach ethics and values? 2. Of that literature (selected for #1), which children's literature can be used to teach ethics and values through use of art forms? The methodologies used are a literature review of relevant research articles and an analysis of children's literature for elementary grade levels (k-6) related to this topic. In the studies reviewed, researchers examine ethics and values in children's literature and the use of art forms. First, books are selected that meet criteria for quality children's literature; then, criteria for ethics and values; finally, criteria for art forms. From the data and children's literature reviewed, specific examples of children's literature, with listed values and suggested art forms, are categorized by genre and presented as a selection of children's literature for teaching values and ethics through use of art forms.

Schools have changed dramatically in the last two decades with the advancements that have been made in technology. One of teachers' main concerns is the appropriate selection of software for classroom use (Hall and Martin, 1999). In our technology driven world, it is essential for future educators to learn all they can about technology. Teachers use software as a supplement or enrichment for curriculum taught in the classroom. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate software for its most effective use in the classroom. There are many different software applications on the market, and it is crucial that teachers know how to provide input when selecting these for their classrooms. T. Oppenheimer (1997) suggests, based on a 1996 poll taken by U.S. teachers, that computer skills and media technology is more essential than the study of European History, biology, chemistry, and physics. This study was designed to create a checklist for teachers to use when evaluating software specifically used in a balanced literacy program. The purpose is to answer the following questions: 1. Can an instrument be developed for the evaluation of software to be used in a balanced literacy program? 2. What are the results of applying such an instrument to selected software? This paper reviews literature related to software evaluation and observation of software used in elementary classrooms. The checklist is comprised of scoring systems of various related checklists and rubrics that deal with evaluating software, and there are a few original questions based on relevant information about children's learning, literacy in the classroom and technology in the classroom. The software was selected due to my previous observations and seminars attended that related to software usage in the classrooms.