Date of Award
5-2025
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Academic Program
Elementary Education BS
Department
Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education
First Advisor
Dr. Gretchen Goode, Ed.D.
Advisor Department
Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education
Abstract
The first week of school in the United States public school system constantly evolves as stakeholders strive to create the most functional programs for the students served. Multiple factors come into play during the first week, including classroom management, initial academic instruction, and socioemotional learning. This research project aims to compare and contrast these various factors through a qualitative comparative case study. The specific investigation examines similarities and differences in two public schools, second-grade classrooms at Southside Elementary School located in Lake View County School District, Mississippi (LCSD) and Local Elementary School located in Westbrook County Schools, Tennessee (WCS). Both Mississippi and Tennessee are geographically located in the southern region of the United States, and both have implemented laws requiring the retention of third-grade students if they fail to show proficiency in reading skills during state testing. Hence, students need a strong foundation in literacy skills in preceding grades, such as second grade. To obtain qualitative data, the researcher spent the first three days of the 2024-2025 school year observing one second-grade classroom from each school and conducting interviews with both teachers. Through analysis of this data, a more generalized idea of the impact of the first week of school, evidence-based instruction, and social-emotional learning on effective literacy education programs can be formed.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Roberts, Madeline, "Addressing the Gap: A Comparative Case Analysis of the First Week of School in Two Second-Grade Classrooms" (2025). Honors Theses. 1025.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/1025