Скачать или смотреть Exploring Educator Perspectives and Strategies for Making Sense of Student Behavioral Challenges ALJ

This preliminary defense presents a qualitative dissertation in practice focused on how effective educators understand and make sense of student behavior in a Title I middle school. Grounded in professional experience as a dean of discipline and informed by trauma related scholarship, the study responds to three intersecting problems of practice: the expanding role of educators, the complex and often traumatic lives of students, and the gap between educational theory and classroom application.
Six highly effective educators were selected based on strong evaluations, administrative recommendations, extensive experience, and notably low discipline referral rates. Data were collected through sustained classroom observations and in depth semi structured interviews. Analysis revealed three consistent and interrelated practices across all participants. First, educators prioritized relational resilience by viewing behavior as communication and placing relationships at the center of learning. Second, they established adaptive structure through clear procedures, consistency, and well organized classroom systems. Third, they demonstrated reflective engagement by modeling humility, respect, and responsiveness in their interactions with students.
These practices aligned closely with established frameworks such as trauma informed principles and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, even when educators did not explicitly name them. The findings suggest that effective behavior support in classrooms is less about formal programs and more about relational, structural, and reflective practices that foster safety, dignity, and trust. The study aims to inform practice, professional learning, and policy by identifying core approaches that can be shared across schools and systems.