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This study investigated whether metacognitive skills training would have any effect on the comprehension of southeastern, urban students in a high school compensatory reading laboratory. The pre-experimental one-group design was used for subjects in an eighth and a ninth grade class. Instruments used in data collection for pretest/posttest analysis were the Metacomprehension Strategy Index and the Plasment Reading Achievement Lab Test. The t test for dependent samples was used to analyze the data and test two of the null hypotheses. A third instrument was a checklist which was field-tested by reading specialists and students of similar demographic characteristics as the subjects. A percentage score was used to analyze the subjects' perception of their training. The treatment intervention consisted of reciprocal teaching of the following multiple comprehension monitoring strategies for ten weeks: previewing/purpose setting, visual imaging, self-questioning, summary sentences, predicting/verifying, fix-up techniques. The following significant findings of the study were these: 1. There was a significant difference between eighth and ninth graders' pretest and posttest scores in metacognitive awareness after instructional intervention as measured by the MSI. 2. There was a significant difference between pretest and posttest reading comprehension scores of eighth grade students after ten weeks of training in comprehension monitoring. 3. There was a positive change of 3/10 gain by ninth grade students in reading comprehension though not statistically significant. Only 1/10 gain was expected by the district after on~ month of instruction. 4. Positive percentage scores of 100 by both the eighth and ninth grade\ students indicated that they perceived comprehensioning monitoring as effective in improving their reading skills. The major conclusions that resulted from the findings were as follows: 1. Metacognitive skills training was effective in developing metacognitive awareness of eighth and ninth grade students. 2. Metacognitive skills training using the reciprocal teaching approach in teaching reading comprehension monitoring strategies was effective. 3. Based on the students' response, they perceived the self-monitoring strategies as useful in approaching reading tasks.

Product-producing art activities (PPAA) produce visual products, disregarding developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) and the creative learning experience. Infant programs in Northeast TN were examined to determine if as PPAA levels increased DAP levels decreased, which was unfounded: t (2) = 1.80, n.s. In fact, significant differences were found between programs with high PPAA levels and DAP as indicated by scores on the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (Harms, Cryer, & Clifford, 1990) sub-scales: Furnishings and Displays, t (2) = 7.59, p < .05; Listening and Talking, t (2) = 6.71, p < .05; and Learning Activities, t (2) = 7.29, p < .05. Caregivers' main reason for including PPAA was: positive sensory experience; main reason for exclusion: infant/teacher relationship is more important.

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This thesis studies the junior secondary EPA curriculum and the complex cultural process of teaching and learning of the curriculum. It draws on theoretical frameworks developed in the field of cultural studies and critical pedagogy, particularly works by Michel Foucault, Stuart Hall, Lawrence Grossberg and Paulo Freire. It investigates how the EPA curricular texts attempt to produce the identity characteristic of "rational, sensitive and active citizens" in contemporary Hong Kong through constructing differences that negate the Other. Through analyzing classroom discursive practices, the thesis examines how the curricular knowledge "interpellates" teachers into subject position to talk about the "rational, sensitive and active citizens". The curriculum is a vast textual world where different and even competing ideological imperatives and discourses coexist and circulate. This thesis argues that teachers' discourses about the EPA curriculum and their classroom discursive practices have contributed to the creation of tensions and contradictions within the curriculum discourse. Such tensions and contradictions, coming from teachers' beliefs and the cultural resources they possess, may delimit the regulatory effect of the curriculum discourse. As a result, the regulatory power of the curriculum discourse on "suturing" subject positions that form identities of "citizens" is subject to negotiation, and critical pedagogies have a role to play to open up dialogues among the subject positions made available in the curriculum.

As teacher educators we work to make inquiry methodology explicit to help teacher candidates construct the link between theory and practice. Bringing inquiry learning into the early childhood curriculum method courses raises the potential for inquiry teaching practice for teacher candidates and models a constructivist practice in a higher education setting. Of the numerous curriculum studies available, few focus on methods of inquiry to guide adult learners’ to construct inquiry- teaching practices that they can transfer to their work with children. To improve the quality of our teaching in an Early Childhood Teacher Education program we researched and developed several tools to facilitate the transfer from teacher candidates own learning experiences to their teaching practice. We relied on the literature regarding the Reggio Emilia approach of inquiry learning and teaching based on documentation, as well as Creativity theory to help us develop a method to relate concepts with materials in a cycle of inquiry. Through our Cycle of Inquiry and the introduction of Concept Materials we promote representation which is a critical aspect of constructing knowledge about what it means to teach. We find that this differs from merely modeling hands-on activities in that it promotes higher level reasoning and creativity throughout the early childhood curriculum, as teacher candidates learn to reflect on and question the big ideas—thinking and learning—they observe in play to develop practice that extends learning along a conceptual continuum of inquiry. This data accumulated over the course of two years at East Tennessee State University and the University of Michigan-Dearborn through our process of developing and implementing curriculum for teacher educators that models action research and teacher as researcher.

The Cycle of Inquiry (COI) is a tool for emergent curriculum planning and for professional development of early childhood teachers and teacher education students. The COI includes a sequence of five organizational forms connecting analysis of documentation data with intentional planning for long-term emergent inquiry inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach. The authors discuss and analyze the COI System through examination and analysis of the work of a student in a university early childhood teacher preparation program. Through this case study, the authors explore (1) whether a preservice teacher can learn to use the COI form-driven process to plan and facilitate emergent curriculum and (2) whether a mentor can scaffold and assess the development of an inservice or preservice teacher using the teacher’s COI documentation. The authors also describe ongoing research into use of the COI System and outline potential directions for future research.

This is a study of a practicum-based child development curriculum for eighth grade students in a middle school setting. One hundred students were tested on self-image concepts and attitudes toward young children after they had been exposed to the curriculum. The experimental group was involved in the "Exploring Childhood" course which gave them experience in actual child care agencies in the community. The control group students used the more traditional child development unit in the home economics program. Testing showed that the experimental group made significantly higher self-concept scores than the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in their attitudes toward young children.

Two groups of Title I Math teachers, one representing school systems which reported second and third grade student achievement gains of one year or more on the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills for 1978-79, and one group which reported gains of less than eight months, were surveyed in an effort to identify which methods of presentation and types of materials apparently contributed to the most successful Title I Math programs, in terms of student achievement gains. A study of survey results indicated that a Title I Math pull-out program served by a teacher in groups of less than ten students was the most common method of presentation in both survey groups. Results suggested that small-group settings, contact with a teacher and an aide in a pull-out situation, and a low student-teacher ratio were among the factors which influenced the achievement of Title I Math students. In regard to program planning. school systems which reported higher CTBS test scores achieved a more even balance of time spent between teaching from commercial materials/programs and teaching from teacher-made units or packets of work. with a limited amount of time utilized for games and other approaches; school systems which reported lower test scores devoted over half their teaching time to the use of teacher-made materials. Teachers from both groups indicated that their students, who represented several age groups from more than one grade level, necessitated a wide range of Math materials; because of the ages and individual differences in students, no one program or approach to teaching Title I Math was preferred or felt to be more effective than any other. An approach to teaching Title I Math suggested paying heed to the abilities and needs of the students, utilizing resources from a variety of commercial materials, permitting the teacher flexibility in developing work packets as needed, and infusing any other methods in planning a Title I Math curriculum.

ABSTRACT When we look at artists in contemporary society it is unfortunate how many of them turn to drugs, alcohol, and suicide as a means to cope with and escape the world. Sadly, there are artists who never live long enough to have a career or share their brilliance with the world. This tragedy is the underlying motivation for this project. One of our goals at the school where I teach, Idyllwild Arts Academy, is to help prepare students for a life in the arts. For the most part we focus on the skills and concepts of their discipline. This focus inherently tends to eliminate or overlook some major concepts related to the physical, mental, and spiritual growth of the students. The purpose of this study was to discover the major concepts of health and longevity and address the best practices for creating an advanced curriculum that addressed these concepts in relation to the context of the students and school where I teach. The guiding questions for this project, in relation to the students at Idyllwild Arts Academy, were: What are the major ideas and concepts that support and promote positive personal growth for students at Idyllwild Arts Academy? What exercises will contribute to each student’s health and longevity. What skills are necessary for coping with the challenges and demands of being an artist in contemporary society? What will help each student achieve his or her full potential in life? To achieve the purpose of this study, I followed these steps: I reviewed literature about health and longevity that related to the context of my school and students, based on the findings of the literature review and my experience I created a draft of the curriculum, next I identified a group of experts and asked them to review the curriculum and complete a survey, once all the survey’s were returned I organized the data and looked for patterns, finally I compiled a list of recommendations based on the data to use when the curriculum is implemented. In addition to the list of recommendations, I have identified three major limitations that need to be addressed when implementing the curriculum. Please note, the curriculum will not be implemented as part of this project.