Research

Evolution of a Teacher’s Problem Solving Instruction: A Case Study of Aligning Teaching Practice with Reform in Middle School Mathematics

Problem solving continues to be a major focus of K-12 mathematics education reform. This case study shows how a teacher’s middle school mathematics instruction evolved from teaching problem solving as computation exercises to teaching how to select and implement combinations of problem solving strategies. The teacher’s thinking about problem solving instruction also evolved to encompass

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Struggling Readers and Content Area Text: Interactions with and Perceptions of Comprehension, Self, and Success

This year-long case study examines how a struggling reader in a sixth-grade social studies class, a seventh grade mathematics class, and an eighth grade science class “transacted” with the reading task demands of her specific classroom. Through regular classroom observations and interviews, the researcher documents how each student responded to and worked with text and

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Why Kids Need To Be Bored: A Case Study of Self-Reflection and Academic Performance

This case study involved three middle school students in an assessment of the influence of self-reflection on general academic performance. It was hypothesized that increased self-reflection would have a positive influence on academic performance as measured by grades on tests, writing assignments, and homework. The participants were ages 13.4, 13.5, and 13.8. The study covered

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Integrated Reading and Language Arts Instruction

The goal of the middle school organization is to create a learning environment that matches the developmental abilities and needs of young adolescents. This research attempts to operationalize that goal by integrating reading and English classes in large urban middle schools. The Student Team Reading and Writing (STRW) program reconfigured instruction to actively engage students

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Effects of Interdisciplinary Teaching Team Configuration upon the Social Bonding of Middle School Students

This study compared two configurations of sixth-grade students and core teachers to measure the students’ perceived levels of social bonding with their peers, their school, and their teachers. One configuration featured a team of four teachers, each specializing in a core subject area and teaching this subject to all 100 students on the team. The

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