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This paper presents the results of a multi-method study examining elementary students with high self-reported levels of mathematics motivation. Second- through fifth-grade students at a Title One school in the southeastern United States completed the Elementary Mathematics Motivation Instrument ( EMMI), which examines levels of mathematics motivation across three subscales: (a) Math Anxiety, (b) Self-Efficacy, and (c) Value of Math. Results from this quantitative phase were used to identify a sample for a qualitative phase examining how students who report high levels of motivation perceive mathematics. The resulting qualitative phase utilized a phenomenological design to explore mathematics motivation for a particular set of students in a fifth-grade setting. Findings indicate that elementary students with high mathematics motivation value mathematics as a present and future oriented discipline and value teachers that deemphasize testing as a measure of success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This mixed-methods study examined the relationship between middle level science students' perceptions of teacher-student interactions and students' science motivation, particularly their efficacy, value, and goal orientation for learning science. In this sequential explanatory design, quantitative and qualitative data were collected in two phases, with quantitative data in the first phase informing the selection of participants for the qualitative phase that followed. Results from phase one indicated that students' perceptions of teacher interpersonal behaviors were positively correlated with their efficacy for learning science, value for learning science, and mastery orientation. Results from phase two revealed themes related to students' construction of their perceptions of teacher interpersonal behavior and dimensions of their efficacy and task value for science. Theoretical implications, implications for educational practice, and future research directions are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this grounded theory study, 19 teachers were interviewed and then, in constant comparative fashion, the interview data were analyzed. The theoretical model that emerged from the data describes novice teachers' tendencies to select and implement differing strategies related to the severity of student behavior. When confronting mild student misbehaviors, teachers perceived their behavior management strategies to be more effective and reported implementing such strategies with greater consistency. When facing more severe misbehaviors, novice teachers perceived their management strategies to be largely ineffective and reported implementing them inconsistently. Ultimately, this grounded theory postulates that when novice teachers lack relevant college coursework their default behavior management strategies may be effective for addressing mildly disruptive student behaviors. Furthermore, the theory supports the prediction that preservice teachers might benefit most from specific training in dealing with more severe misbehaviors. Implications for teacher education and professional development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]