The classroom environment is an important aspect of classroom management that concerns many teachers. Properly engaging students in the classroom can foster a positive environment. This study examines social and emotional needs of students and its implications in developing a positive classroom. How can meeting social and emotional needs of…

Indiana's declining SAT scores prompted the publisher of a statewide magazine covering the literary, performing, and visual arts to take action and create a program to use the magazine as a supplemental resource for students. It was believed that such a supplemental resource could enhance critical thinking and writing skills and help raise SAT…

This action research project report was conducted because students' lack of sportsmanship skills in elementary school physical education was negatively affecting the physical activity level of many students. The teacher was spending classroom time giving attention to conflicts dealing with negative sportsmanship issues and therefore losing…

This action research project examines the design and architecture of schools historically through the present, asking the question if classroom and school environments change the way students and teachers work. A survey was given to students Secondary Charter School in Northern Nevada and a focus group of teachers was asked how their classes and…

A program developed interventions for improving student writing in the areas of technique and creativity. The targeted population consisted of students in the first through fourth grades in three different school sites, all being similar upper-middle class communities, located in the suburbs of a mid-western city. The problems that some students…

The purpose of this action research project report was to decrease off-task behavior through a dot/point reward system and portfolio reflections. Students involved in this research were in second, fifth, and sixth grade. There were a total of 85 student participants and 35 teacher participants. The dates of this research began on September 4, 2007…

The purpose of this action research project is to improve student social skills through the use of cooperative learning, in order to develop a positive classroom environment that is conducive to learning. The action research project will involve approximately 95 students, 95 parents, and 200 teachers. It is the intent of the teacher researchers to…

This report details one English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teacher's effort to empower students to become more effective learners during a 10-week teaching experience in Pakistan. The process entailed students' analyzing their own learning styles and strategies, learning new ones, applying them, reflecting on their experiences, and making choices…

This substitute teacher management program was developed to improve school substitute teachers' skills and confidence at one southeastern middle school. The project involved 53 classroom teachers who had completed a needs assessment survey regarding substitute teachers and 16 substitute teachers employed by the site on a regular basis. Program…

This action research project was designed to maximize learning for all students by addressing different learning styles and implementing various strategies. The students in the targeted school exhibited difficulty in experiencing academic success while exposed to conventional teaching strategies. The two target schools consisted of an intermediate…

An action research project developed and implemented a program for increasing global skills and awareness of ethnic diversity in the classroom so that students could better understand others. The targeted population at two midwestern sites consisted of middle school sixth graders and high school learning disabled students in social studies…

Seventh grade students in three schools in different communities in the Midwest were described by parents and teachers as not exhibiting acceptable responsibility for their own learning and not showing respect or ownership for their learning environments. This paper describes a program designed for improving these students' responsibility for…

This action research project reports on the effects of classroom size on the quality of work conditions, academic achievement, and students' behavior. The kindergarten through third grade levels were targeted at three schools, one in a suburban setting and the other two in a growing rural area. For the 1999-2000 school year, the urban school had…

This paper examines the use of volunteers in a rural primary school and their effects on teacher use of time and student behavior in the classroom. A survey was completed by 45 teachers and other personnel at Allendale Primary School in rural central Virginia. The school had 58 volunteers, of whom 38 volunteered on a weekly basis averaging 112…

This action research project describes a program for decreasing disruptive behaviors in the classroom and encouraging children to be more respectful of others. The targeted population was sixth- through eighth-grade students in a Midwestern suburb. The problems of disruptive behaviors and lack of respect were documented using teacher and student…