Teaching, Learning, Policy & Leadership Theses and Dissertations
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2759
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Item AN INVESTIGATION OF THE USE OF RESTORATIVE PRACTICES AMONG MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS AS A MEANS TO REDUCE DISPROPORTIONATE OFFICE DISCIPLINE REFERRALS FOR SUBJECTIVE OFFENSES FOR BLACK MALES IN MIDDLE SCHOOL(2022) Swift, Alice Lorraine; Anthony, Douglas; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)In middle schools, Black males receive disproportionate numbers of office discipline referrals (ODRs) for the subjective offenses of disrespect, insubordination, and disruption. Black males are also more likely to receive excessively punitive and exclusionary school disciplinary action. Middle school teachers and administrators face many challenges as they are most often responsible for managing these subjective behaviors and for choosing disciplinary responses. Research indicates that implementing Restorative Practices in middle schools can decrease the number of subjective offenses and help to reduce the disproportion in ODRs. However, little research exists concerning the use of Restorative Practices within middle school settings across a district.This study evaluated Restorative Practices implementation in the classroom and school setting in one school district. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, the study examined the impact of the implementation of Restorative Practices on the number of and disproportion in ODRs for subjective offenses, and the selection by teachers and administrators of Restorative Practices as a first-choice option to address subjective offenses by 6th-8th grade Black and White males in two district middle schools. The study also examined teacher and administrator perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs regarding the district’s expectations for the implementation and use of Restorative Practices in schools. The analysis of the categories of disciplinary response options in unduplicated ODRs for the two middle schools showed a lack of similar response options for 6th-8th grade White and Black males and a lack of implementation of Restorative Practices in the schools. Furthermore, following the issuance of an ODR, the administrators’ decisions to impose out-of-school suspension only for Black males suggest both disparity by race and gender and a lack of equity in the decision process. The analysis of teacher and administrator perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs demonstrates support for Restorative Practices, but the analysis also shows limited implementation of Restorative Practices by teachers and administrators. This contradiction suggests the need for further research and evaluation of how schools implement Restorative Practices in order to increase teacher capacity and reduce the numbers of ODRs.Item AN EXAMINATION OF PATTERNS IN EDUCATOR’S DEMOGRAPHICS AND FACTORS IN THE DISCIPLINE DECISION- MAKING PROCESS THAT LEAD TO AN OFFICE DISCIPLINE REFERRAL(2022) McNeil, Brodell Jeremy; McLaughlin, Margaret J; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The likelihood of a student being issued an office discipline referral for subjective offenses increases when students enter middle school, particularly for minority students (Theriot and Dupper, 2015). The problem investigated for this dissertation was the disproportionality of office discipline referrals issued to Black males in 6th grade and the discipline decisions made by classroom teachers in a large, suburban school district. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore factors related to ODRs using existing system data followed by exploratory focus groups of selected sixth grade classroom teachers to better understand their decision-making processes for subjective behaviors identified as disrespect, disruption, or insubordination. Discipline data were collected from two middle schools designated as disproportionate by Maryland State Department of Education in Mid Atlantic Public School System and four focus groups comprised of 6th grade classroom teachers from the two identified schools. Findings from this study revealed that Black males in 6th grade received 59% of all subjective office discipline referrals issued to 6th grade students between 2016-2020 in both schools. Additionally, the study investigated classroom teachers’ perceptions of the discipline decision making process. All classroom teachers participating in focus groups reported that relationships are critical to improving discipline outcomes, the structures in schools to support discipline decisions must be uniform and consistently implemented, and that teachers must have opportunities to authentically improve their classroom management skills. This study affirms that Black males in 6th grade continue to experience subjective discipline at rates greater than their peers, how classroom teachers perceive student behaviors differs based on student race and gender, and how the discipline decisions made by classroom teachers relies on their perceptions of student behavior and what the teacher deems to be disrespect, disruption, or insubordination.Item TEACHERS AND THE IDENTIFICATION PROCESS: MINORITY STUDENTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION(2012) Danner, Carlin Linden; MacDonald, Victoria-Maria; Curriculum and Instruction; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Racial, ethnic, and gender disproportionality in the field of Special Education is a phenomenon that has challenged our school systems since Brown v. The Board of Education (Blanchett 2006). This study of a Middle School in a Mid-Atlantic state is aimed to view disproportionality through the lens of the identification process (Kid Talk, Student Support Team Meetings, and Initial Individual Education Plan meeting). It is a qualitative study that included observations of initial IEP meetings and interviews with five professionals within the school setting. These interviews included two general educators, two special education teachers, and one administrator. Through a comprehensive data analysis, it was found that for these individuals the introduction of students into the special education depends upon a complex set of factors that include: teacher preparation, the perception of the teacher by their colleagues, and the student's academic/behavioral struggles, amongst others. Some recommendations include further professional development in the identification process and cultural competence.