The purpose of this study was to explore elementary teachers' self-reporting of: a) work with a reading coach and b) attitudes, perceptions, and practices in teaching reading. The five point ratings and open-ended responses on the survey were the sources of data. Surveys were returned by 85% of teachers in five elementary schools in Collier County, Florida. Correlations of survey items were analyzed on the basis of the aggregated data and the following subgroups: certification, years of experience, school demographics, and grade levels. The survey in this study was excerpted and adapted from a survey, which was tested for validity and reliability, used with teachers in a research study, and published by the National Staff Development Council (NSDC) in Evaluating professional development: An approach to verifying program impact on teachers and students (Shaha, Lewis, O'Donnell, & Brown, 2004). Permission to use the survey was granted by Performance Learning Systems, Inc. and the National Staff Development Council (see Acknowledgements). The primary question for this study was: Are teachers' self-reports of their attitudes, perceptions, and instructional practices on the Reading Instruction Survey correlated with the amount of coaching they indicated they had received? Secondary questions pertained to how the results changed for the subgroups. The literature review contained information about resources and research in reading that led to the provision of reading coaches. High-stakes for the improvement of reading instruction from federal, state, and local levels provided a rationale for the study. The results of this study indicated that coaching made a difference for these teachers. The aggregated and disaggregated data revealed small to large, significant correlations to coaching. The items with the greatest number and magnitude of correlations to coaching were isolated skills instruction and intervention plans. The evidence of positive relationships of attitudes, perceptions, and practices to work with a coach is an important finding. The limited correlations of skilled, balanced, and integrated strategies led to questions about the content of the coaching. Further research is needed to determine whether the content of the professional development offered by coaches is comprehensive enough to impact reading proficiency levels of all students.

The focus of this research project was to determine whether thematic unit instruction or traditional, single-subject instruction was perceived to be the more effective and engaging way of teaching as decided by pre-service teachers. Research has shown that incorporating multiple subjects into one unit or topic of study helps to create more engagement and connections to which students can relate. In creating these connections, students can relate the content to their real life and in turn, better comprehend and retain the material. The pre-service teachers attend the University of Central Florida's College of Education and Human Performance. They voluntarily participated in completing a survey about their perceptions of single subject instruction versus thematic unit instruction. In the survey, the pre-service teachers seemed to be varied on what they believed was a better method of instruction for their future students. The pre-service teachers were split 50/50 as to whether they will teach traditionally, single-subject, or thematically. The pre-service teachers were unanimous in the idea that if they had the support of other teachers and administration as well as resources and research to guide them, that thematic instruction is a method of teaching that they would consider using. Nearly all of the teachers surveyed referred back to doing what is in the best interest of their students.

Syftet med den här fallstudien är att undersöka i hur hög utsträckning verksamma engelsklärare använder sig av estetiska lärprocesser som metod för att underlätta elevers språkutveckling samt finna en förståelse för vad den mängden beror på för att således kunna analysera hur estetiska lärprocesser kan implementeras på ett effektivt sätt i engelskundervisningen. Källdata samlades in genom en kvalitativ enkätundersökning som metod. Enkäten skickades ut via sociala medier i grupper för den utvalda målgruppen. Källdatan analyserades sedan utifrån en fenomenografisk ansats. Totalt femton lärare besvarade enkäten varav åtta valdes ut genom stratifierat urval för en djupare analys. Resultatet visade att lärare använder estetiska lärprocesser i en väldigt varierad mängd. Förekomsten eller avsaknaden av estetiska lärprocesser i undervisningen berodde främst på lärares personliga intresse och inställning till specifika estetiska uttrycksformer men även kunskap och erfarenhet var stora påverkande faktorer. Oavsett hur stor mängd estetiska lärprocesser som förekom i lärarnas engelskundervisning var samtliga positivt inställda till estetiska lärprocesser som språkutvecklande arbetssätt. För att öka mängden estetiska lärprocesser i språkutvecklande engelskundervisning skulle det behövas större sådana utbildningsinsatser på lärarutbildningen samt möjlighet till samarbete och kompetensutveckling på skolorna för redan verksamma lärare. / The aim of this study is to look into to what extent English teachers use aesthetic learning processes as an approach for pupils’ language development and understand what causes the teachers’ chosen amount to be able to analyse how teachers can implement aesthetic learning processes more effectively. The source data was collected through a qualitative online survey sent through selected Facebook groups and analysed based on the phenomenographic approach. A total of fifteen teachers answered the survey and eight of them were chosen through a stratified selection for a deeper analysis. The results showed that the amount of aesthetic learning processes used varies a lot from teacher to teacher. The teachers’ personal attitudes towards different aesthetic forms of expression were the main reason for its use, but factors like knowledge and experience in the different expressions were also a significant influence. All respondents had a positive attitude towards aesthetic learning processes as a language development approach in their English teaching regardless of their own used amount. To increase aesthetic learning processes as a language learning approach in English teaching, it has to be included and taught within the teacher education and as competence development within schools for already working teachers.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between teacher’s perceptions of their principal’s level of emotional intelligence and teachers’ job satisfaction level. Nine elementary schools within a small rural school district in a southern state were the selected cite for the research. Thirty-nine teachers completed two on-line surveys. One survey was intended to report their perceptions of their principal’s level of emotional intelligence and the second survey was intended to report their level of job satisfaction. The primary research question was: What is the relation between elementary teachers’ perceptions of their principal’s emotional intelligence and the teachers’ level of job satisfaction? The independent or predictor variable was emotional intelligence: others emotional appraisal, use of emotion, and regulation of emotion. The dependent variable was teacher job satisfaction: supervision, contingent rewards, operating procedures and communication. A simple regression was conducted to investigate the impact of principal’s perceived emotional intelligence level and the teacher’s job satisfaction level. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to examine the factor structure of teacher’s perceptions of their principal’s emotional intelligence and their level of job satisfaction. A one factor solution was sufficient in capturing most of the variability for both survey instruments. The findings indicated a strong relation between teacher’s perceptions of their principal’s emotional intelligence and the teachers’ level of job satisfaction. Further research to improve principal’s emotional intelligence and improve teacher’s job satisfaction levels is recommended to increase applicants to teacher preparation programs and to increase teacher recruitment and retention.

University officials have identified a problem among secondary preservice teachers (SPTs) who have expressed reluctance to teach in local urban schools. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of SPTs regarding their preparation for and experiences with teaching in urban school settings. Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and Bruner's concept of scaffolding served as the conceptual frameworks that guided this study. Data were collected from 11 SPTs who completed the requirements of their field service experiences in urban schools. Data collection consisted of individual interviews, one focus group interview, and field observations. Findings showed that SPTs desire to make a difference in urban schools, lack confidence in managing culturally diverse classrooms, and desire more faculty guidance in working with diverse populations. SPTs asserted that they need more research-based teaching strategies and urban field experiences. Implications for social change include more collaboration among university faculty, urban school principals, mentor teachers, and community organizations. Findings may be used to prepare SPTs to serve culturally diverse populations, which may improve students' academic achievement in urban classrooms.

Purpose: Farm to School (F2S) Programs are increasing in number across the United States, yet research on teachers’ perceptions and practices about F2S is limited. Teachers are a key component of any F2S program, since their acceptance and support influences program implementation and sustainability. The purpose of this study was to examine teacher practices, attitudes, and perceptions about the Decatur F2S Program. Methods: City Schools of Decatur teachers completed a questionnaire designed to obtain information concerning their practices, attitudes, and perceptions regarding the Decatur F2S Program. Participants indicated their level of agreement with 18 statements using a Likert scale rating, answered an open-ended question, and recorded both implemented and desired F2S activities. Cumulative frequencies were determined for all questionnaire items, and themes were extracted for the open-ended question. Results: Seventy percent of K – 12 teachers would like to see F2S activities implemented in their classroom, and 28% of these teachers already implement some F2S activity. The majority of teachers had positive perceptions about the Decatur Farm to School Program’s impact on students, the local economy, and the environment. Teachers perceived that the F2S programs encompassed four themes: 1) supplying schools with locally grown foods; 2) educating children on healthy eating, food, and nutrition; 3) educating children on gardening and growing foods; and 4) building a strong connection between local farms, schools, and communities. Conclusion: There is a high degree of interest and support for the Decatur F2S Program by City Schools of Decatur teachers, which is consistent with efforts to implement F2S Programs across the country. Most teachers were not familiar with the CSD F2S Program but would desire F2S activities in their schools.

There is a discrepancy between national school guidelines towards inclusive education, and the current political trend towards economic efficacy, that may be problematic for teachers. The aim of this contextual study is to formulate a contextual understanding of the participating teachers’ perceptions of their effort to help all their students achieve the goals set forth by school curricula, and use this understanding for the purpose of suggesting points of entry for special needs educators´ guidance of teachers’ practices towards more inclusive education. Information was gathered by sending an extensive web questionnaire to all teachers within a given headmaster´s administration, sending web questionnaires to a majority of third grade students taught by those teachers, conducting interviews with a few of the participating teachers as well as with the special needs educators, carrying out a classroom observation, and gathering additional information concerning working conditions and social interactions. The data gathered in this case study has been subjected to an analytical process comprising of an assessment of the degree of inclusive approach, using the Inclusive Approach through Participation as well as the Framework of Participation, technical triangulation of all data post the inclusive assessment, and analysis of context by the Ecology of Human Development/the Bioecological Theory. The analytical process has resulted in a contextual description that has enabled me to suggest possible points of entry to be used in special needs educators’ guidance of teachers’ practices towards inclusive education. The degree to which there exists a collegial sense of security, varied forms of teacher-student interactions, collegial cooperation, pedagogical discussions, a dialogue in search of mutual understanding, and consequent follow-ups appears, in the light of the limited selection of participants, as relevant to these teachers ability to help their students. Further research is needed to identify valid points of entry for special needs educators’ guidance of teachers’ practices towards inclusive education. This contextual study will hopefully inspire further research into teachers´ perceptions of their work to facilitate implementation of inclusive education and thereby improve every student´s ability to achieve the set goals.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka några lärares uppfattningar, strategier och förutsättningar för att arbeta med STL- metoden för elever i läs- och skrivsvårigheter. Frågeställningarna som står i fokus är hur lärarna i studien uppfattar att metoden påverkar lärandet för elever i läs- och skrivsvårigheter, strategier och förutsättningar som krävs för att arbeta med metoden och anpassningar som behövs för att eleverna i läs- och skrivsvårigheter ska få ut det mesta av metoden. Studien bygger på fem semistrukturerade intervjuer med verksamma lärare i STL- metoden, skriva sig till lärande, med olika erfarenheter av läs- och skrivlärande samt olika många år inom yrket. Vid intervjuerna användes en intervjuguide och under samtalets gång ställdes följdfrågor. Intervjuerna transkriberades för att sedan blir analyserade med hermeneutiken utifrån ett sociokulturellt perspektiv. Resultat visar på några faktorer som är viktiga vad det gäller STL som arbetssätt för elever i läs- och skrivsvårigheter som till exempel anpassa uppgifter, anpassa responsarbete, organisera grupp eller pararbete, uppdatera kompensatoriska hjälpmedel och arbeta med klimatet i klassen så att elever i svårigheter känner sig inkluderade, som en i gemenskapen och motiverade till sitt arbete. / The purpose of the study is to investigate some teachers' perceptions, strategies and conditions for working with the WTL (Writing to Learn) method for students in reading and writing difficulties in earlier years. The issues that are in focus is how the teachers in the study perceive that the method affects the learning of students in reading and writing difficulties such as, strategies and conditions required for working with the method and adjustments necessary for students in reading and writing difficulties, how they will get the most out of the method. The study is based on five semi-structured interviews with experienced teachers practising the WTL method, with different experiences of literacy teaching and different many years in the profession. The interviewer used an interview guide and follow-up questions were asked during the interview. The interviews were transcribed and then analyzed with hermeneutic from a sociocultural perspective. Results indicated some factors that are important in terms of the WTL method for students in reading and writing difficulties, such as adapting tasks, customize response work, organizing group or pair work, update compensatory aids and work with the climate in the class so that students in reading and writing difficulties feel themselves included as one in the community and motivated in their work.

Skolan ska genomsyras av ett jämställdhetsperspektiv. Granskningar visar dock att det finns brister i skolors jämställdhetsarbete och det finns en rad jämställdhetsproblem i skolan. Många av problemen kan kopplas till könsnormer, varför svenska skolmyndigheter förespråkar ett normmedvetet förhållningssätt. Samtidigt visar granskningar att lärare saknar kunskap om just normer. Syftet med studien är att undersöka normmedvetna grundskollärares uppfattningar om hur ett jämställdhetsperspektiv kan genomsyra undervisningen i enlighet med vad som beskrivs i läroplanen, för att bidra med verktyg för hur lärare kan arbeta med ett jämställdhetsperspektiv på undervisningen. Studien utgår från ett normkritiskt perspektiv och består av kvalitativa intervjuer med sex grundskollärare som uppfattar sig själva som normmedvetna. Resultatet visar flera sätt på vilka normmedvetna lärare beskriver att ett jämställdhetsperspektiv kan genomsyra undervisningen: strategier för att fördela talutrymmet jämställt, reflekterande frågor för att synliggöra egna föreställningar om kön, förslag på övningar för att kritiskt granska normer om kön och etnicitet, konkreta exempel på representation i undervisningsmaterial samt tankar om hur gruppindelning och varierade arbetssätt kan bidra till jämställdhet. Lärarna utgick ofta från ett intersektionellt perspektiv, men en del lärare saknade kunskap om hur olika normer påverkar varandra. Vidare identifieras flera dilemman med ett normmedvetet jämställdhetsarbete: att synliggöra könsskillnader utan att befästa olikheter mellan könen och att normmedvetenhet tycks förutsätta en vilja att kritiskt granska sig själv, något som bygger på intresse samtidigt som det är problematiskt om jämställdhetsfrågan ses som en intressefråga. Därutöver diskuteras dilemmat att konkretisera jämställdhetsuppdraget för att bidra med verktyg och samtidigt belysa risken med att mekanisera jämställdhetsuppdraget. / The school system should be permeated by a perspective of gender equality. However, studies have shown that there are shortcomings in the work being done for gender equality; and the lack of gender equality manifests itself in several issues. Many of these can be attributed to gender norms, which is why Swedish school authorities advocate a norm critical approach. Yet, surveys have shown that teachers are lacking knowledge of gender norms. The purpose of this study is to investigate the views of norm critical elementary school teachers on how a gender equality perspective could permeate teaching in accordance with what is prescribed in the curriculum, in order to provide tools for how teachers could work with gender equality in their teaching. The study is grounded in a norm critical perspective and consists of qualitative interviews with six elementary school teachers perceiving themselves to be norm critical. The results indicate several possible ways of establishing a permeating gender equality perspective on teaching: strategies for dividing the opportunity to speak gender equally; reflective questions for identifying your own notions of gender; suggestions of exercises for challenging norms about gender and ethnicity; practical examples of representation in teaching material as well as ideas about how grouping and varied ways of working can contribute to gender equality. Many teachers were grounded in an intersectional perspective, but some teachers lacked knowledge of how different norms affect each other. Furthermore, several dilemmas of a norm critical gender equality approach were identified: to make gender differences visible without consolidating differences between the genders, and that being norm critical seems to presuppose a willingness to critically question oneself. This willingness presupposes being interested in the topic, but portraying gender equality as a question of interest is problematic. Additionally, the dilemma of turning the gender equality commitment into a set of practical tools while also acknowledging the risk of mechanizing it is discussed.

The aim of this study is to deepen the knowledge about teachers’ attitudes towards aesthetic learning processes and how they, based on their perception of opportunities and obstacles, chose to include aesthetic elements in Swedish teaching.  The study focused on the teachers’ perceptions, which means that the analysis of collected data material has a phenomenographic approach. Semi-structured interviews were used as a method to collect material. Eight active Swedish teachers working in grades 4-6 chose to participate in the study. They participated in individual digital interviews.  The teachers in this study were positive about working with aesthetic learning processes, as it was seen as engaging and knowledge-enhancing for the students. However, the teachers’ own attitudes towards working aesthetically differed between the teachers. Some expressed that they enjoyed working aesthetically, while others felt greater uncertainty and ignorance within certain aesthetic forms of expression. Uncertainty was seen as an obstacle. Other perceived challenges were lack of time, lack of resources, assessment difficulties and that aesthetic activities were not prioritized. The result showed that the teachers would like increased access to resources and requested competence development in the area. The result revealed a connection between teachers’ knowledge of, interest in and application of aesthetic learning processes. / Syftet med denna studie var att fördjupa kunskaperna kring lärares inställning till estetiska lärprocesser samt hur de utifrån sin uppfattning om möjligheter och hinder valde att inkludera estetiska inslag i svenskundervisningen. Undersökningen fokuserade på lärares uppfattningar, vilket betyder att analysen av insamlat datamaterial har en fenomenografisk ansats. För att samla in material användes semistrukturerade intervjuer som metod. Åtta verksamma svensklärare som arbetar i årskurs 4–6 valde att delta i studien och deltagandet skedde genom enskilda digitala intervjuer.  Lärarna i studien var positivt inställda till att arbeta med estetiska lärprocesser, då det sågs som engagerande och kunskapsstärkande för eleverna. Lärarnas egen inställning till att arbeta estetiskt skilde sig dock mellan lärarna. Några uttryckte att de tyckte mycket om att själva arbeta estetiskt medan andra kände större osäkerhet och okunskap inom vissa estetiska uttrycksformer. Osäkerheten sågs som ett hinder. Andra upplevda utmaningar var brist på tid, brist på resurser, bedömningssvårigheter och att estetisk verksamhet inte prioriterades. Resultatet visade att lärarna önskade ökad tillgång till resurser samt efterfrågade kompetensutveckling inom området. I studien framkom ett samband mellan lärarnas kunskap kring, intresse för och tillämpning av estetiska lärprocesser.