Faculty Publications and Presentations

"Lighting the Way" with Differentiation in Reading

Leonard W. Parker — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:00:05 PDT

Vocabulary with Character: Lessons from Newberry Books

Karen L. Parker — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:00:04 PDT

Success Despite Socioeconomics: A Case Study of a High-Achieving, High-Poverty School

Thomas Brent Tilley et al. — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 06:28:13 PDT

Effective school leadership is becoming more difficult than ever with the challenges of increased accountability and high stakes testing that are components of federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. These challenges are more pronounced in schools with high rates of poverty. This was a case study of a high performing, high poverty school that has consistently been one of the highest performing elementary schools in the state. The purpose of the study was to describe the leadership that exists at the school, the culture of the school, and programs that contribute to the school’s success. The researcher conducted observations at the school site and interviews with school personnel. School personnel also completed the School Culture Survey and the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education (VAL-ED). The study revealed school leadership that had high expectations for staff members and emphasized small group instruction, collaboration, and continuous improvement in instructional practices. The culture of the school was that of excellence, continuous improvement, school pride, and collaboration.

Comprehension with Character: Lessons from Newberry Books

Karen L. Parker — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 07:44:47 PDT

An In-Depth Analysis of Character Traits Depicted in Newberry Medal Books from the 1920s to the 2000s

Karen L. Parker et al. — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:39:10 PST

Case Studies: Developing Decision-making Skills in Diverse Simulated Environments

Samuel J. Smith — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:37:11 PST

Traditional print case studies have been a long-standing instructional strategy for educational leadership preparation programs. With the advent of interactive online environments, the possibilities for simulations have increased exponentially—opening the way for data-rich, complex cases that the instructor can easily situate in diverse settings. One program offering such a problem-solving experience is Educational Theory into Practice Software (ETIPS). ETIPS is a federally funded program developed by professors of educational administration as a tool to teach data-based decision-making skills. Available for both pre-service and in-service use, ETIPS provides 10 problems that can each be situated in nine schools. The options for schools include elementary, middle, and high schools in rural, urban, and suburban settings with low, average, or high academic achievement.

Reflection of Teacher Candidates on Differentiation in the Classroom Using Learning Style Profiles

Karen L. Parker et al. — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:29:23 PST

Applying Maslow's Hierarchy to the Parent/Teacher Relationship

Deanna L. Keith Dr. et al. — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:22:58 PST

We examine the parent/teacher relationship through Maslow’s (1943) Hierarchy of Needs, which theorizes that physiological and safety needs must be met before someone feels a sense of belonging, and that sense of belonging and esteem are needed for self-actualization (reaching one’s full potential). We discuss ways to meet the basic needs of parents with the purpose of fostering positive collaborative partnerships between parents and special education teachers.

Principal Desirability for Professional Development (AELJ)

Deanna L. Keith Dr. — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 06:53:31 PST

Principals are often required to operate educational programs under a growing number of federal and state mandates for which they have limited knowledge and available recourses. This paper presents the results of a survey of 102 principals from 52 elementary schools, 25 middle schools, and 25 high schools within the state of Virginia. The survey instrument was administered during the 2008 school year and contained 25 professional development statements that previous research indicated were necessary for practicing principals. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of Virginia public school principals concerning their desirability for professional development training in order to meet current accountability measures. The results were analyzed by the following demographic characteristics: principal experience level, level of school (elementary, middle, or high school), the percentage of minority children, children with IEPs, children with limited English proficiency, and children in poverty; Title 1 status; and AYP accreditation. These results have implications for public school systems to determine principal needs and provide the necessary training to meet current mandates. Additionally, this information would allow advocacy and outreach professional organizations for school principals to design workshops that focus their efforts on the most needed professional development areas.

Collaboration: Best Practices for Today’s Teachers

Deanna L. Keith Dr. et al. — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 07:41:05 PST

Differentiation and Faith: Improve the Learning Process by Finding Every Student’s God-Given Talents

Andrea Beam et al. — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 07:14:15 PST

Evaluating Classroom Assignments: Planning for Grading

Deanna L. Keith Dr. — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:30:01 PST

Death of a Student: Navigating a School through Grief

Samuel J. Smith — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 07:21:15 PDT

When a school family experiences the loss of a student, there are many issues to consider. This session will offer suggestions that will minister to the grieving school community.

Comprehension with Character: Lessons from Newbery Books

Karen L. Parker et al. — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:52:22 PDT

Fluency with Character: Lessons from Newbery Books

Karen L. Parker — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:32:31 PDT

Vocabulary with Character: Lessons from Newbery Books

Karen L. Parker — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:27:15 PDT

Sound Advice: Intentional Instruction for Phonological Awareness

Karen L. Parker — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:24:59 PDT

Set for Literacy: Intentional Literacy Instruction

Karen L. Parker — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:23:22 PDT

Intentionality

Karen L. Parker — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:20:23 PDT

The Intentional Teacher

Karen L. Parker — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:18:29 PDT