ABSTRACT

This action research case study explored the ways participation in a teacher leader learning community contributed to the identity development of teacher leaders at the Canajoharie Central School District. The goal of the study was to identify how a teacher leader learning community supported the identity of teacher leaders in their work. This action research study used a case study methodology and included qualitative and quantitative data collection. Purposive sampling identified six participants for the study. The qualitative data collection included initial and final one-on-one semi-structured interviews, meeting observation notes, research journal entries and peer interaction logs. Quantitative data were gathered using pre- and post- innovation surveys. Participants completed a pre-innovation survey and initial interview prior to the start of the innovation. Structured teacher leader learning community meetings were conducted over a four-month period of time in the Fall of 2018. Study participants led the design of collaborative group norms and meeting protocols. Participants facilitated the teacher leader learning community meetings. At the conclusion of the study period participants completed a post-innovation survey and final interview. Meeting observation notes, research journal entries and peer interaction log data were collected during the study period.

Analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data of this study suggests that teacher leader identity is supported by participation in a structured teacher leader learning community. Teacher leaders benefitted from a formal structure through which to share successes, problem-solve situations and continue growth as leaders. The findings also suggest that meeting norms and protocols benefit the work of the teacher leaders in the learning community. These findings are consistent with previous research studies which indicate that teacher leaders need opportunities to come together and network to sustain their work. The findings from this action research study may assist other school districts in supporting teacher leaders in their local context.

The goal of this paper is to examine sex education in Arizona, its heteronormative nature and the structure of the curriculum that marginalizes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) student populations. Previous research has established the heteronormative practices and language used in sex education classrooms can be damaging physically and psychologically to LGBTQ youth. There has been a recent push for comprehensive sex education across the nation that has begun to tackle some heteronormative practices that we see in sex education. This research focusses on examining the sex education legislation in place in the state of Arizona and how it compares to the comprehensive sex education seen in the state of California. Additionally, an international perspective of sex education was researched in order to identify the practices used in a country known for its progressive and effective sex education program, the Netherlands. Furthermore, this paper takes into account the need of LGBTQ students in Arizona as it pertains to their sexual development and the missing discourse of desire, pleasure, and sexual fluidity in sex education that may play a role in the sexual development of adolescents. LGBTQ students deserve the opportunity to be healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally. The purpose of this research is to ensure this by developing LGBTQ specific sex education curriculum recommendations based on research and ultimately recommend Arizona to not only adopt a more comprehensive sex education curriculum but also consider the perspectives of its marginalized LGBTQ youth.

This paper explores the importance of teacher preparation and quality as evidenced by three of the top-performing countries, Canada, Finland, and Singapore, on the 2015 Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA). All three of these countries have exemplary teacher preparation programs that are consistent nationwide with rigorous entry requirements, a demanding course load, and numerous opportunities to gain in-field experience. They also all compensate their teachers at a comparable salary to that of other occupations to incentivize more people to enter the field. In the United States, on the other hand, society devalues teachers, teachers are not paid what they deserve, and there is a lack of consistency in teacher preparation programs, specifically in regards to out-of-field teaching and the alternate ways people can become certified. These two issues have plagued America's educational system, and they have resulted in under-prepared teachers and lower-performing students. Not only is there inconsistency in the way that teachers enter into the profession, but teacher preparation programs themselves vary in their requirements. In order to improve its educational system, America must obtain more rigorous teacher preparation programs, increase teacher salary, provide prospective teachers with more classroom experience, and have specific admission requirements to be a part of the teaching profession. There is much that the United States can learn from the 2015 PISA results and the many successful educational systems around the world, and it is time that America pays attention to the wealth of international educational research available to better its teacher preparation programs and obtain more quality teachers.

Critical thinking has driven pedagogical development and captured the attention of educators for years and is now an important focus in classrooms today (Fahim, 2014, p. 141). Common core and STEM education are both impressive additions to the educational process and practice and exist to encourage students to ask questions, analyze information, and create their own solutions or ideas. During my time studying education at Arizona State University, I noticed that a majority of references to critical thinking were in conjunction to STEM subjects. In this study, I explore and defend the benefit of using classical literature to promote critical thinking in 21st century classrooms. Included in this study is a section of curriculum during a unit studying the novel The Great Gatsby that is centered around developing critical thinking and problem solving skills.

For my honors creative project, I decided to create and teach an elementary school Latin curriculum. As a Classics major, I love the Latin language and I was thrilled to be able to introduce my students to the Latin language in an interesting and fun way. I have taught weekly Latin lessons for this school year on Friday afternoons at a local private school. Each class is forty-five minutes long and involves students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The Latin classes were an optional offering after school. The creative element of this honors creative project was recording and compiling my weekly lesson plans. Since these lesson plans were taught in an after school setting, I wanted to ensure that my students found the lessons enjoyable. Therefore, each lesson has a project for the students to work on which enforces the concepts learned in each lesson. I tried to teach the students a variety of vocabulary that would be found in any introductory Latin course. In addition to teaching Latin nouns and verbs, I also tried to teach the class Latin roots that are found in English. I supplemented these lesson plans with stories of Roman mythology or Roman history, so that my students would have a greater appreciation for the Latin language. Almost all of these stories had to be simplified to ensure that they would be age-appropriate to tell to my class. Although my students all had taken Spanish classes, none of them had experience with Latin instruction. It was therefore unsurprising that most of the class showed huge improvement in their pre and post tests, given at the beginning of the school year in August, and again in March. I supplemented these lesson plans in my honors project with a literature review on the history and benefits of Latin instruction. Additionally, I included an extensive annotated bibliography of scholarly and didactic works useful to Latin instructors.

The purpose of this honors thesis project is to explore the origins of science fiction and fantasy in British literature and develop a unit for a high school Freshman English classroom. Focusing on science fiction and fantasy literature, technology, and literature circles, this is a complete unit in which all lesson plans, activities, and materials are derived from the PUHSD curriculum and support the AZ Career and College Readiness Standards. The design of this unit encourages analysis of literature and other medias as well as encouraging students to explore their own imaginations.