investigating the lived experiences of teachers implementing response to intervention in an urban PDF
Preview investigating the lived experiences of teachers implementing response to intervention in an urban
Kennesaw State University INVESTIGATING THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF TEACHERS IMPLEMENTING RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION IN AN URBAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SETTING: A QUALITATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY by Nicole Powell Mitchell A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education In Teacher Leadership In the Bagwell College of Education Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA 2018 Copyright by Nicole Powell Mitchell 2018 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my family. To my husband, Paul, thank you for your love and support during this crazy journey and all the other journeys over the last 8 ½ years. I am looking forward to the journeys yet to come. To my Mother, Effie Powell Ross, thank you for your constant belief in me throughout my life time. You provided the roots that allowed me to have wings. To my children, Paul and Paige, you two have been my inspiration. I love you both! Thank you for understanding those days when you wanted to get out but Mommy had homework. We can play now! To my Sister-in-law Kawana and niece Khadijah who were lifesavers on numerous occasions when I needed help with the children. To my Sister Michele and Sister-in-law Deanna thank you for believing in me and for the long conversations that we shared just about life, they came right on time. To the rest of my family and friends thank you for all the support that you provided over the last 4 years. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the head of my life, thank you for giving me strength when I thought I had no more. I must begin by thanking my chairperson, Dr. Megan Adams. You stepped in when I needed someone to believe in me. Your vision and timeline gave me the opportunity to achieve this goal. Your dedication to education has been inspiring and I am honored to be your student. I am also grateful for the support of my committee, Dr. Susan Stockdale for sticking with me through the end, and for Dr.Sanjuana Rodriguez for stepping in to support my effort to finish this project. Your constant support was appreciated more than you all will ever know! Special thanks to Dr. Iván Manuel Jorrín-Abellán. You are an educational leader who showed me how to be a doctoral student. Your questions, comments, and encouragement have been invaluable. You pushed me beyond what I thought I could accomplish. To Dr. Eddie Montgomery --- thanks for everything! From reading to cheerleading to nagging, you have done it all. You made some of the difficult times not so difficult! To my study participants, thank you for being honest, open, and willing to share your experiences with me so others may benefit. To all my sister-friends, thank you for helping me to see the light at the end of the tunnel and picking me up when I became weary during this journey. You have been a blessing in my life. iv To all my family, friends, and colleagues thank you for your patience and encouragement over the last four years. I finally did it! v ABSTRACT INVESTIGATING THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF TEACHERS IMPLEMENTING RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION IN AN URBAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SETTING: A QUALITATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL by Nicole Powell Mitchell Response to Intervention (RTI) models are currently being implemented in many school districts across the country. At a time when interest in RTI is high, teachers’ experiences and the extent to which RTI is being implemented effectively in urban schools is largely unknown. There are less than 4,150 published academic studies on effectively implementing RTI in urban school settings. This research explores the phenomenon of implementing RTI using a theoretical lens of change management for elementary teachers in urban schools. The study contributes to the body of RTI knowledge by investigating the lived experiences of elementary school teachers who were involved in implementing RTI in an urban setting. The results of the study emphasize three themes that should be addressed during implementation: interventions, challenges, and training. Keywords: Response to Intervention, Learning Disabilities, RTI Implementation, Change Management for RTI, Urban Elementary Schools vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................ iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................................................. iv ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................... x LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................ xi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 Problem Statement ........................................................................................................................... 3 Background of the Problem ............................................................................................................. 3 Personal Connection with the Research Topic ................................................................................ 6 Conceptual Framework .................................................................................................................. 12 Conceptual and Operational Definitions of Key Terms ................................................................. 14 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................... 16 Historical Aspects of Response to Intervention ............................................................................. 16 Components of Tier 1 .................................................................................................................... 20 Research Supported Strategies, Approaches, and Core Programs ............................................. 20 Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring .......................................................................... 21 Differentiated Instruction ........................................................................................................... 22 Components of Tier 2 .................................................................................................................... 22 Collaborative Problem-Solving Process .................................................................................... 23 Curriculum-Based Measures and Research-Based Interventions .............................................. 24 Progress Monitoring................................................................................................................... 25 Assessment for Fidelity of Implementation ............................................................................... 26 Parent Involvement .................................................................................................................... 27 Support for General Education Teachers ................................................................................... 28 Components of Tier 3 .................................................................................................................... 29 vii Parental Rights/Consent ............................................................................................................. 30 Comprehensive Evaluation ........................................................................................................ 30 Procedural Safeguards ............................................................................................................... 31 The Role of the Teacher in RTI ..................................................................................................... 31 Leader's Role in RTI ...................................................................................................................... 32 Professional Development ............................................................................................................. 33 Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 34 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................. 36 Theoretical Framework .................................................................................................................. 36 Fullan’s Theory and RTI ................................................................................................................ 37 The Change Process ....................................................................................................................... 38 Purpose of the Study ...................................................................................................................... 41 Research Question ......................................................................................................................... 42 Research Tradition ......................................................................................................................... 42 Context and Participants ................................................................................................................ 44 School A .................................................................................................................................... 45 School B ..................................................................................................................................... 45 Sample ....................................................................................................................................... 46 Interview Protocol .......................................................................................................................... 47 Positionality Statement .................................................................................................................. 48 Entry and Reciprocity .................................................................................................................... 49 Data Collection .............................................................................................................................. 50 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 51 Trustworthiness .......................................................................................................................... 53 Member Checking ...................................................................................................................... 53 Clarifying Researcher Bias ........................................................................................................ 53 viii Triangulation .............................................................................................................................. 54 Inclusion Criteria ........................................................................................................................... 54 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS ............................................................................................................... 55 Description of Response to Intervention (RTI) .............................................................................. 56 Description of the Participants ....................................................................................................... 56 Findings ......................................................................................................................................... 61 Analysis ......................................................................................................................................... 67 Theme 1: Intervention ................................................................................................................ 67 Theme 2: Challenges.................................................................................................................. 77 Theme 3: Training..................................................................................................................... 82 Synthesis ........................................................................................................................................ 88 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................. 91 Discussion ...................................................................................................................................... 92 Methodological Worldview ........................................................................................................... 92 Interpretation of the Data Analysis, Findings, and Results ............................................................ 93 Interpretation of Core Themes ................................................................................................... 95 Theme 1: Interventions .............................................................................................................. 95 Theme 2: Challenges................................................................................................................ 104 Theme 3: Training.................................................................................................................... 109 Limitations of the Study............................................................................................................... 112 Suggestions and Implication for Practice..................................................................................... 113 Suggestions for Further Research ................................................................................................ 119 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 119 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 121 Appendix A Initial Email to Teachers’ and Principals ................................................................ 145 Appendix B Interview Protocol .................................................................................................. 146 ix
The list of books you might like
