ERIC Number: EJ1196266
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Dec
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-5984
EISSN: N/A
"We're Just Scanning through to Find the Answers": African American Elementary Student Voice in a Test-Centered School Environment
Wasserberg, Martin J.
Elementary School Journal, v119 n2 p179-195 Dec 2018
This study used a theoretical framework rooted in student voice to explore the perceptions, experiences, and recommendations of African American students at an elementary school that had implemented a test-centered curriculum. The study used data from focus group interviews conducted with a purposefully selected group of fourth- and fifth-grade students, supplemented with data classroom observations. Additional interview and survey data were collected by the participants using a participatory action research model. Findings revealed negative perceptions of test-centered instruction and a desire for a personal connection with teachers, with potential implications for racial identity. Participants recommended a definition of teacher quality that included (a) being helpful, (b) not yelling, and (c) creating exciting lessons. Findings also revealed that classroom-based student voice work may have positive implications for the engagement of students marginalized by test-practice protocols.
Descriptors: African American Students, Student Attitudes, Elementary School Students, Grade 4, Grade 5, Action Research, Negative Attitudes, Test Preparation, Racial Identification, Self Concept, Teaching Methods, Teacher Student Relationship, Teacher Effectiveness, Teacher Characteristics, Learner Engagement, Disadvantaged, Elementary School Teachers, Standardized Tests
University of Chicago Press. Journals Division, P.O. Box 37005, Chicago, IL 60637. Tel: 877-705-1878; Tel: 773-753-3347; Fax: 877-705-1879; Fax: 773-753-0811; e-mail: subscriptions@press.uchicago.edu; Web site: http://www.press.uchicago.edu
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 4; Intermediate Grades; Grade 5; Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A