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Administrator and Teacher Interview
I elected to interview a vice-principal, a fifth grade teacher, and a third grade teacher. I selected these interview subjects because vice-principals are often intimately involved in the day-to-day oversight of the school, and because of the increased focus on middle-school children in evaluations of school performance through standardized testing.
The questions I asked fell into two basic categories: that of questions specific to curriculum development and teacher performance, and more general questions about the overall performance of students at the school. The interviews were conducted in a fairly structured format, which enabled the comparison of the interview data sets.
One concern that occurred and reoccurred in the responses of the vice-principal was the need to improve student test scores to demonstrate to parents and to the state that the school was performing optimally. Although teachers acknowledged the need for standardized performance measures, they were more concerned about the actual content of...
They also felt that small but subtle improvements amongst student populations were not adequately assessed by the test, particularly for students facing additional challenges, such as learning disabilities.
For teachers, the narrow way that they were evaluated was of greatest concern. They felt that they were often not given adequate flexibility to address student needs and to teacher. For administrators, the challenge of addressing a large, diverse student body within funding guidelines was paramount. The vice-principal also noted that certain types of teachers, such as math, science, and special needs educators were in short supply.
Both teachers and the vice-principal said that professional development was necessary. Teachers agreed that they could benefit from sharing different pedagogical approaches with one another more directly. The vice-principal echoed these comments. However, teachers also felt that although they were encouraged to get their…
Pedagogic Model for Teaching of Technology to Special Education Students Almost thirty years ago, the American federal government passed an act mandating the availability of a free and appropriate public education for all handicapped children. In 1990, this act was updated and reformed as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which itself was reformed in 1997. At each step, the goal was to make education more equitable and more accessible to
School Choice Program This study aimed to determine the impact of school choice through a comparative study of two private schools, which serve primarily, or exclusively African-American students, and a public school. Data in student achievement in math and reading and data on student attendance were used to determine the impact of choosing a school. Qualitative data derived from interviews with administrators and faculty as well as classroom observation were used to
Next, the researcher will conduct a query of the computer awareness of education administrators, teachers, parents, and students in the New Orleans school district, then evaluation of documented data will provide a research base of the required elements needed to consider while developing a framework that can be used as a guide by educational leaders and parents for the protection of children at school and at home. Research areas
Good researchers tend to pull methods out of a tool kit as they are needed" (2006, p. 54). Notwithstanding these criticisms and constraints, though, most social researchers seem to agree that classification by some type of research paradigm is a useful approach based on the need to determine which approach is best suited for a given research enterprise. In this regard, Corby concludes that, "The contested nature of research
The shift toward standardized testing has failed to result in a meaningful reduction of high school dropout rates, and students with disabilities continue to be marginalized by the culture of testing in public education (Dynarski et al., 2008). With that said, the needs of students with specific educational challenges are diverse and complex, and the solutions to their needs are not revealed in the results of standardized testing (Crawford &
Like Mr. Johnson, he acknowledged that student behavior was different "back then" when he was in school: "Some of the things I've seen here with kids never really occurred in my time" (personal communication, January 26, 2011). In keeping with his enthusiastic responses about Springfield Gardens, Mr. Benton was pleased to discuss the school and its community relations. He cited a technology program for grandparents offered once or twice a