Graduation Year

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning

Major Professor

Lisa Lopez, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Sophia Han, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Sarah Kiefer, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Jennifer Wolgemuth, Ph.D.

Keywords

Arts, Content Integration, Education, Intermediate, Primary, Teaching Strategies

Abstract

The aim of my three-article dissertation was to investigate the methods employed by effective teachers to promote academic progress among all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Each article addressed perspectives on effective teaching strategies aimed at closing the opportunity gap from three different contexts. These contexts were 1) a focus group consisting of primary teachers, 2) a focus group consisting of intermediate teachers, and 3) personal reflections from observations of both focus groups pertaining to COVID-19. Recent scores from the Programme for International Student Assessment (OECD, 2023) revealed a growing disparity in academic achievement between students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds and their counterparts from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. This presents a challenge for teachers preparing to deliver new lesson content. Teachers must consider the foundational knowledge required for every learner to grasp a lesson. As children embark on their educational journey, they bring a diverse range of knowledge, educational experiences, and levels of school readiness to the classroom (Moll et al., 1992). It is incumbent upon teachers to recognize each child's fund of knowledge, establish connections between new information and each learner's existing knowledge base, and ensure successful learning outcomes (Ladson-Billings, 2006).

Given the responsibility of educators to foster academic growth and achievement for every student under their care, it becomes crucial for teachers to employ instructional strategies that optimize learning outcomes. Individually and taken together, the articles in this dissertation shed light on findings from two elementary teacher focus groups situated within a high-poverty suburban charter school. The selection criteria for participating teachers were based on their students' academic progress in both reading and mathematics, as evidenced by monthly and yearly assessments. The first two articles examine the teaching methods employed by effective primary and intermediate elementary teachers, and the third article provides observations from my research journal on the focus group discussions as it related to teaching after COVID-19. The teachers in the focus groups demonstrated effective strategies that led to academic accomplishments for all their students. The primary teachers focused on setting high expectations, building connections with students and the content, and using classroom discussions to model learning. The intermediate teachers emphasized being warm demanders, integrating content, personalizing learning, fostering home-school connections, and using conversations to coach and connect with students. Implications of this set of studies include setting up a positive learning environment, prioritizing content mastery—including integrating subject areas and the arts to support learning—engaging families, and leveraging coaching conversations to guide and enhance learning.

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