ERIC Number: ED552666
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 124
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-2679-9198-0
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The Urban Middle School Principal: The Use of Professional Development to Facilitate Academic Inclusion
Walls, Stephanie D.
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Capella University
The purpose of this study was to ascertain to what extent the urban middle school principals prepare staff for an inclusive environment using professional development activities. Professional development is the primary resource for how teachers acquire new educational knowledge. Typically, principals choose topics based upon personal ideas or assumptions about what the staff needs to learn (often without respect to teacher input). Hence, the qualitative research inquiry appraised how urban middle school principals prepare middle school teachers (regular and special education) for the academic inclusion process. Through individual in-depth interviews, this study examined four areas: instructional, structural, attitudes and skills of teachers in the process. 14 participants from 10 urban schools participated in the study. The data gathered illuminated principal and teacher perceptions which aid or abate academic inclusion of special needs students. The results of the study indicated that very few professional learning activities aimed at academic inclusion are being offered at the ten urban schools used in this study. The results also indicated that special education and regular education teachers are collaborating or planning together to foster academic inclusion and their there is an adversarial relationship between the two that is not being addressed by the administration at the respective schools. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Urban Schools, Middle Schools, Principals, Faculty Development, Inclusion, Qualitative Research, Interviews, Special Needs Students, Middle School Teachers, Regular and Special Education Relationship, General Education, Special Education
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Middle Schools; Secondary Education; Junior High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A