First Grader’s Attention Span During In-Class Activity

Learning is closely related to one's ability to give focus and attention to instructional activities. The ability to maintain attention for a period of time is especially critical between 6 and 7 years. At this age, children's attentional abilities are not fully developed. This study aimed to gain knowledge of actual behavior related to the attention span of first graders in elementary school during classroom activities. The data was obtained by observing one grade 1 elementary school in its natural setting with the time sampling method. Observations are based on the 'on-task and 'off-task behavior shown by the students. What found that the longest time elementary school grade 1 students were able to show 'on-task behavior indicating their attention span was 7 minutes. These results indicate a gap with the expected attention span of grade 1 elementary school children, which is about 18 minutes

The Effects of Mindfulness on Students’ Attention

This action research project examined the effects of mindfulness and meditation on concentration among elementary students. The research was conducted at a private Montessori school in an upper elementary classroom for twenty-six children ages nine to twelve. Baseline data was collected for three consecutive days. The intervention was implemented for four weeks. The teacher led the students in mindful movements in the morning and daily meditation took place in the afternoon. The average percent of on-task behavior was collected for baseline data using observational records and journal notes. Observational records included what percent of the class was on-task for specific intervals. Journal notes contained what specific behaviors were observed as off-task. Data collection during the intervention included observational records, journal notes, group discussions and questionnaires. Data analysis showed that concentration did not increase during the intervention. However, students reported meditation and mindful breathing as useful in their daily lives. Further research could include the effects of student chosen mindful activities on concentration and student well-being. A similar study of a longer duration may also yield different results

Yoga and Its Influence on Children\u27s Behavior

This study looked at the impact ten minutes of daily yoga had on the behavior of elementary school children. Yoga was led by classroom teachers once daily for ten minutes over a sixteen-week period. At weeks one, eight, and sixteen, classroom teachers evaluated student behavior in six categories: personal awareness, attention, rapport with friends, rapport with teacher, following rules and transition between activities. The teachers rated the behaviors on a never, sometimes, mostly or always scale. The data was then analyzed and interpreted. Results revealed a significant difference in the attention, ability to follow rules, transition between activities, and personal awareness from the beginning of the yoga implementation to the eight-week evaluation. Results suggest that implementing yoga into daily routines for elementary school students will improve their behavior

Behavior Management Strategies for the Elementary School Setting

Behavior management is a facet of teaching that can be one of the largest causes of frustrations for educators, particularly novice teachers. It has even pushed many teachers to leave the profession. One of the root causes of the struggle is that teachers are not prepared with a repertoire of techniques to help them create the most effective learning environment. This study was conducted to determine effective behavior techniques for elementary teachers and future implications for supporting teachers with behavior management. The study involved ten elementary school teachers. Each teacher was given a survey that gauged their opinion on various behavior strategies and asked them to list their current effective strategies and how to best assist new teachers with behavior management. The surveys were anonymous. This paper will discuss the benefits of a variety of behavior strategies, such as creating a structured, predictable classroom, developing trusting relationships, reinforcing behavior expectations, correcting errors effectively, creating student engagement, and praising positive behavior. Upon completion of the study, it is determined that the best teachers of behavior management use many strategies to keep students engaged and motivated and to create a positive classroom environment where students want to be. This study indicates that behavior management is a critical factor in the success of a classroom and the overall happiness of teachers. Thus, the future of education lies in the importance of teacher education programs, as these programs should be restructured to include behavior management as a key component of teacher training

Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: Background and Implications

Recent estimates suggest that youth spend approximately 80-93% of their working hours in a sedentary state, such as sitting or resting longer than usual (Institute of Medicine, 2013). Schools are conducive of this sedentary behavior and because of that, they have been identified as viable locations for children to be physically active. In order for schools to accommodate the daily physical activity guidelines for youth--60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity--the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created a whole-of-school approach that aims to promote and achieve physical activity guidelines for youth throughout and beyond the school day. This whole-of-school approach, also known as Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP), is a multi-component behavioral intervention that is typically set forth by the physical education teacher and serves as a framework to increase physical activity in and outside of the classroom. As part of this backgrounder, I will provide an overview of a CSPAP, discuss the inner workings of its components, and supply a brief overview of each of the four contributors for this critical issue.Educatio

Behavior Management

Behavior management strategies are extremely influential in a successful classroom setting. Curriculum is obviously a major concern of education reform, but can students really learn the curriculum in a classroom that is not well managed? Having a classroom that is well managed allows for students to take the risks they need to in order to access new knowledge and grow as citizens of our communities. Carefully designed survey questions were distributed to multiple educators in a school of poverty to gauge the feelings of those working in the classroom on the successes and hardships of behavior management programs. Data collection occurred anonymously. Completed surveys were then analyzed for common themes of successful strategies found among educators of students living in poverty. Keywords: behavior management, poverty, Positive Behavior Management Strategies, PBI

E/BD in Inclusive Classrooms (Grades P-3)

This meta-synthesis focuses on the literature pertaining to students with emotional and behavioral disorders in inclusive preschool through third grade classrooms. The first purpose of this study was to discover the feelings and ideas that teachers, parents and community members have. Teachers, parents and community members have varying views about inclusion of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. The second purpose was to discover ideas that teachers could use in the classroom to successfully support students with emotional and behavioral disorders

Dottie’s Story: Teaching Complex Instruction

Analyzing the structures that frame classroom interactions and learning, and designing, implementing, and analyzing a Complex Instruction (CI) rotation were two requirements for completion of the senior seminar I taught to elementary education majors from 2002-2009. Dottie’s Story relates how the seminar was organized and how one student, Dottie, implemented and reflected upon her learning and the learning of her students. Upon reading this paper, the reader will have a good understanding of how undergraduates were taught CI. We see the various steps of Dottie’s progress through her reflective journal and note the academic and social effects of her work on several students in the kindergarten classroom in which she was a student teacher. Small sample T-tests showed significant academic gains for students in this classroom and qualitative analyses point out the value of status interventions for four students in this classroom. This paper is one chapter in an unpublished book manuscript written during my final sabbatical leave at the University of Vermont

The impact of fluorescent and LED lighting on student attitudes and behavior in the classroom

Abstract Introduction: This study examined empirical research on the effects of high correlated color temperature light-emitting diodes (LED) and fluorescent lighting on students in the classroom. LED is becoming the most recent lighting option for optimal energy efficiency over fluorescent technology. Background: A review of the literature indicates correlated color temperature (CCT) of lighting has nonvisual effects on students, with higher CCT positively impacting attitudes and behavior. The review also revealed current studies regarding dynamic or tunable lighting that adjusts CCT based on desired activity and mood. Data from an original survey analyzed teacher insights and perceptions regarding student attitudes and behaviors associated with existing classroom lighting and the impact of higher color temperature LED. Methods: Participants were pre-K through high school qualified teachers from three schools and/or personal contacts of the principal investigator. Seventy-five teachers responded to the online questionnaire. The survey data suggests teachers perceive higher color temperature lighting positively impacts student alertness, attitude, and energy level; and adjusting light levels throughout a school day positively impacts student engagement. Results and conclusion: Results supported the perception of higher correlated color temperature lighting positively impacting alertness, attitude, and energy level. Findings also supported the ability to change light levels throughout the school day to positively impact student engagement and mood. There were mixed results regarding higher correlated color temperature impacting attention and on-task/off- task behaviors. Results regarding the impact of sound and flickering from fluorescent lights were not significant

The effects of room design on computer-supported collaborative learning in a multi-touch classroom.

While research indicates that technology can be useful for supporting learning and collaboration, there is still relatively little uptake or widespread implementation of these technologies in classrooms. In this paper, we explore one aspect of the development of a multi-touch classroom, looking at two different designs of the classroom environment to explore how classroom layout may influence group interaction and learning. Three classes of students working in groups of four were taught in the traditional forward-facing room condition, while three classes worked in a centered room condition. Our results indicate that while the outcomes on tasks were similar across conditions, groups engaged in more talk (but not more off-task talk) in a centered room layout, than in a traditional forward-facing room. These results suggest that the use of technology in the classroom may be influenced by the location of the technology, both in terms of the learning outcomes and the interaction behaviors of students. The findings highlight the importance of considering the learning environment when designing technology to support learning, and ensuring that integration of technology into formal learning environments is done with attention to how the technology may disrupt, or contribute to, the classroom interaction practices