A model of Teacher Child Interaction Therapy (TCIT) was implemented in two kindergarten classrooms of students (n = 2) who successfully completed Parent Child Interaction Therapy, but continued to demonstrate disruptive behaviors in the classroom. The current study first indicated that TCIT was implemented with integrity by both the therapists and teacher participants. Next, the effects of this intervention on the teacher’s skills, students’ disruptive behaviors, teacher’s stress, and teacher-child relationships were investigated. The treatment acceptability was also examined. Both visual and statistical analyses found a treatment effect in both cases was seen for both teachers’ increased use of positive interaction skills and decrease of negative interaction skills during the intervention session. However, these skills generalized to the interactions between the teacher and student during classroom instruction. Mixed results were found related to teachers’ use of effective commands. Results from visual analysis indicated that one child participant demonstrated a decrease in disruptive behaviors according to both teacher rating scales and classroom behavior observations. Neither teacher indicated significantly reduced stress over the course of TCIT. Teacher-child relationships improved for both students; however, one teacher also reported increased conflict in the relationship. Both teachers expressed high levels of treatment acceptability for the intervention. Further research should investigate the underlying causes for the nuances in the findings of this study. Additional research is also warranted to determine whether these results can be generalized to other students as well as best practices for implementing this intervention in schools.

Using an applied anthropological approach focused on language, this study investigates the relationship between linguistic, racial, and ethnic identities and school resource access in the context of migration. This project examines how these identities are established, experienced, reified, and resisted by various school actors. Exposing power at its roots through a multi-level analysis, this research informs on how people negotiate socialization into particular identities, propelling them toward positions in school and society of varying opportunity. Focused on two elementary schools in a central Florida county that has been and is undergoing demographic changes, this work offers applications for educational institutions dealing with migration. One school’s orientation to meeting needs of non-English speaking students significantly impacts its ability to reach and form relationships with parents and improve the educational outcomes for children. The second school’s culturally responsivity makes it possible to meet higher expectations. At both schools, there is a disconnect between how the school and state think about people and how those people think about themselves, which erases groups and raises questions about how well students from those groups are served. While the ideologies promoted in dominant society are constraining, struggles and resistance do impact and reorganize the system. This study provides recommendations for the research site and similar schools to address linguistic, racial, and ethnic educational inequity. For instance, this project emphasizes the need to provide linguistically appropriate school-home communication. It also offers a means for the schools and state to better serve students by understanding the nuances of identity through more appropriate measures of race and ethnicity.

This qualitative descriptive study explored the experiences of three Kuwaiti pre-service teachers with guided reflection and the extent to which video technology facilitates reflection. The data sources were semi-structured and video-elicited interviews, field notes, and researcher reflective journals. The study was guided by two research questions: In what ways does video elicitation facilitate Kuwaiti pre-service teachers’ reflections? What do Kuwaiti pre-service teachers reflect about? I used Rogoff’s Sociocultural Theory (2003; 1995) as my conceptual lens for this study which stresses the importance of cultural contexts in all areas of education. I developed a concept I call “third-eye” thinking to define a multifaceted approach to education and reflection. I also developed a concept I call “cultural spheres of influence” to describe the multitude of cultural influences that shape individuals and groups in unique ways. This study also depended on guided reflection to complement the process of video elicitation. The findings of my study indicated that video elicitation provided concrete material as a basis for reflection. My findings showed that Kuwaiti early childhood preservice teachers reflected on various topics including: teaching tools and materials, strategies and techniques, everyday problems and challenges, classroom dynamics and management, and evaluators and the evaluation process. This research contributes to the existing body of literature by giving reflection a new culturally-rooted definition based on its application by Kuwaiti pre-service teachers and through a careful consideration of the cultural spheres of influences that shaped who the participants were and what they brought to the reflective process.

The Early Childhood Educators’ Knowledge of Self-Regulation Skills Questionnaire (ECESRQ) was devised to measure current teacher knowledge and implementation of pedagogical tools that enhance self-regulatory skills in the early childhood classroom. The purpose of the first phase of this study was to conduct test validation on the ECESRQ. The purpose of the second phase of this study was to (a) assess if teacher knowledge of self-regulation skills predicted teachers’ attitudes and beliefs in the classroom, and if (b) the results from the ECESRQ predicted knowledge of instruction of self-regulation skills. To address the first phase of the study an exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the Likert Style items in the ECESRQ. Three factors were extracted and named as teacher attitudes and beliefs (factor 1), children’s behavior (factor 2), and child behavior (factor 3). Cronbach’s Alpha was reported as high for factor 1 (.718), moderate for factor 2 (.552) and factor 3 (.529), suggesting that the survey demonstrated high to moderate estimates of internal consistency. To address the two questions in the second phase of the study, linear regression and multiple regression analysis were conducted. It was found that teacher attitudes and beliefs (represented by the three factors found in phase one) did not significantly predict teacher knowledge where factor 1 was the dependent variable (R2=.003, F(1, 172)=.503, pR2=.010, F(1, 172)= 1.732, pR2=.007, F(1, 172)=1.221, p However, in the second equation, predicting knowledge of instruction, both variables (age and factor 2) were significant in predicting knowledge of instruction accounting for 7% of the variance in the model. Overall, the results suggest a discrepancy between teachers’ attitudes and beliefs and reported classroom management implementation. This indicates that teachers believe children are capable of internal control, yet implement external over internal control in the classroom. Possibilities for this phenomenon are discussed and implications for future research are presented in the discussion of this study.

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Elementary school officials have reported difficulty motivating young African American boys to read. It is important that teachers understand why these children have not been motivated to read and create classroom environments that encourage reading motivation. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore teachers' perspectives on best instructional practices for motivating 3rd -grade African American boys to read. The conceptual framework for this study consisted of critical race theory, self-determination theory, and the theory of social constructivism. The research questions focused on teachers' perspectives regarding 3rd -grade African American boys' motivation to read and best instructional practices in reading instruction for these students. Through a purposeful sampling strategy, 10 teachers were invited to participate and share their teaching experiences. The criterion for inclusion was that the participant taught reading to 3rd -grade African American boys. Data were collected from 5 teachers who agreed to participate through semistructured interviews. Recordings of the interviews were transcribed and analyzed using axial coding. Axial coding of the transcribed interview data and thematic analysis revealed 3 overarching themes: (a) best instructional practices, (b) motivation for reading, and (c) classroom resources. Results indicated that different types of instructional practices had influenced the teachers' perspectives on motivating these students to read. This study contributes to positive social change by providing school administrators and educational leaders with knowledge that may be beneficial to the initiation of policies, strategies, and procedures to motivate third-grade African American boys to read.

In the United States, approximately 26% of children will witness or experience a traumatic event before they turn 4 years old. Therefore, teachers must be prepared to meet the individual needs of children who exhibit symptoms of trauma. However, there is a gap in research regarding teachers' perspectives about how teacher preparation experiences influence teaching strategies and the creation of supportive environments for preschool children who have experienced trauma. Using Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how teachers' perspectives about teacher preparation experiences influenced their teaching strategies and the creation of supportive environments for preschool children who have experienced trauma. In-depth interviews were used to collect data from 10 preschool teachers from a southern state who had varying teaching experience, degrees, and preparation experiences. The continuous data analysis process included organizing the data, reflecting on meaning, and identifying and coding key words and themes to answer the research questions. Results indicated that teacher preparation experiences influenced the participants' teaching strategies and the creation of supportive environments. However, the results also suggested a need for more content specific teacher preparation experiences. Potential social implications of this study include (a) improving teacher preparation opportunities, (b) an increase in teacher self-efficacy, (c) an increase in child development outcomes, and (d) adding to the current literature on teacher preparation and childhood trauma.

What do we do before we eat snack? Which tower has more blocks? Will all of these toy cars fit in my bucket? Children ask questions like this all day long, and they have incredible capacity to answer them when equipped with the right tools. We will discuss how to support all children - including children with special needs - to mathematize their worlds. We will focus on three math topics that are less commonly found in preschool: ordering, comparing, and estimating. Through group discussions, video analysis, and hands-on activities, we will explore: 1) how these skills connect to other domains (e.g., retelling storybook events in order) 2) how they develop in children (e.g., what do children need to know to compare numerals?) 3) effective strategies to bring them to life (e.g., including a referent jar when estimating) Participants will leave with example activities to try in the classroom and inspiration to support children as they talk about, play with, and get excited to use math to understand the world around them.

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