ABSTRACT

Due to variation that exists in providing Tier 2 reading intervention instruction, the purpose of the study was to identify processes and instructional strategies currently being utilized by K-2 teachers of the Gallup, New Mexico elementary schools. 17 teachers from 9 of the 10 elementary schools participated in the study. A survey instrument was designed and administered using Survey Monkey as the tool to collect the data on how teachers are implementing Tier 2 reading intervention instruction. Research Question 1 asked how teachers are currently implementing Tier 2 reading interventions as far as structure/processes, lesson planning, and collaboration. The highest percentages of teachers reported the following: one additional staff assisting grade level teachers, group sizes of 4-6 students, progress monitoring 6 or more times a year, using DIBELS scores for student placement, utilizing ability groups within the grade level with each having its own instructors, and instruction being provided 5 days a week for 30-35 minutes. Research Question 2 asked for teachers' opinions as to using available staff, instructions for benchmark students, and the amount and usefulness of meetings. A majority of teachers agreed to using all available staff, that accelerated learning opportunities are being provided to students performing at the benchmark level, and that meetings are occurring frequently and are useful. Research Question 3 inquired as to practices and processes teachers feel are effective as well as their recommendations for improving instruction and for professional development. Effective practices reported include: using phonics, decoding, and fluency; small group instruction; multi-sensory instruction or hands-on activities; Linda-Mood Bell programs; data analysis to group students; the Project Read program; word family/patterns; sight words; comprehension; materials and curriculum provided; and consistency with holding interventions daily. Though all reported feeling moderately to very confident in their ability to teach reading, they recommended that they learn more current, non-traditional strategies as well as receive more training in familiar approaches like ELL strategies, differentiated instruction, learning centers, and identifying reading difficulties. After a review of the data, the researcher recommends training teachers to conduct their own research to seek out strategies, programs, and resources; investing in and implementing an effective commercially produced Tier 2 program; and for teams to devote more time in developing, sharing, and revising lesson plans.

Although racial minorities are heavily represented in student bodies throughout the United States, school administrators who work with minority children have been overwhelmingly White. Previous research by race scholars has demonstrated that systems of racial dominance in the larger society are often replicated in schools. However, the role of White school administrators in perpetuating or disrupting racism has not been documented. This study examined the racial attitudes and resulting professional practices of White school administrators who worked in a unique environment. These administrators lived and practiced their profession in towns that lay just outside the borders of the Navajo Nation, a large Indian reservation in the Four Corners region of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Termed border towns, these communities were populated by a large majority of Native Americans, with a heavy representation of Hispanics. This placed White school administrators in the uncommon position of living and working in a place where they were a numeric minority, while simultaneously representing the majority culture in the United States. Twelve White border town administrators in four different communities agreed to participate in the interview study, conducted over a two-month period in 2010 and 2011. Using a semi-structured interview format, the researcher gathered data on participants' racial attitudes and analyzed responses to find common themes. Common responses among the interviewees indicated that there were clear racial hierarchies within border town schools and that these hierarchies were sometimes atypical of those found in mainstream American society. These racial hierarchies were characterized by a dichotomy of Native American students based on residence in town or on the reservation, as well as deferential treatment of White administrators by Native American constituents. The intersectionality of race and socioeconomic class was a key finding of the study, with implications for school administrators' professional actions. Racial attitudes also impacted White border town administrators' actions and sometimes reinforced institutionally racist practices. Finally, results of the study supported several established models of race relations and White identity formation.