Evaluation of a K–5 Mathematics Program Which Integrates Children’s Literature: Classroom Environment and Attitudes

Abstract

ABSTRACT. This article describes a one-year study of 120 fifth grade students whose teachers participated in a program entitled Project SMILE (Science and Mathematics Integrated with Literary Experiences). The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which the classroom implementation of Project SMILE positively influenced the classroom environment and student attitudes toward reading, writing and mathematics. This was accomplished by, first, facilitating a series of professional development workshops with the teachers and, subsequently, asking these teachers to use the strategies with their students in their elementary school classrooms. The research represents one of the relatively few studies that have employed learning environment dimensions as criteria of effectiveness in the evaluation of educational innovations. Methodologically, our study supported previous research that successfully combined qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. The learning environment and attitude scales exhibited satisfactory internal consistency reliability and discriminant validity and, additionally, the actual form of most learning environment scales was capable of differentiating between the perceptions of students in different classrooms. The implementation of SMILE was found to have a positive impact on the students of the teachers who participated in the inservice program in that students' attitudes to mathematics and reading improved and there was congruence between students' actual and preferred classroom environment on the scales of satisfaction and difficulty. As well, prior research was replicated in that students' satisfaction was greater in classrooms with a more positive learning environment, especially in terms of student cohesiveness. Finally, qualitative data-gathering methods were used to construct a case study of the mathematics classes of a teacher who attended the SMILE professional development. This case study supported and illuminated the results from the questionnaire survey concerning the effectiveness of Project SMILE in terms of student attitudes and classroom environment.

Classroom Climate

“…In Brunei Darussalam, Majeed et al (2002) used an English-language version of the MCI among 1565 lowersecondary mathematics students in 81 classes in 15 government schools and reported sex differences in classroom climate perceptions and associations between students' satisfaction and the classroom environment. In a small-scale evaluation of a K-5 program that integrates mathematics and children's literature, Mink and Fraser (2005) used the MCI in Florida and found congruence between students' actual and preferred classroom climate. In Texas, Scott Houston et al (2008) used the MCI in an evaluation of science kits among a sample of 588 grade 3-5 students.…”

Geometry‐Related Children's Literature Improves the Geometry Achievement and Attitudes of Second‐Grade Students

“…Students learn best when they are motivated (Murphy, ; Shatzer, ), and students who are exposed to mathematics‐related literature show more excitement for mathematics and put forth continued efforts (Clarke, ). In past studies, students have reported how much they like hearing stories in mathematics class and that they enjoy being able to relate their own experiences with something concrete like a school fair or car wash presented in a piece of literature (Jennings, ; Mink & Fraser, ). Students also self‐report that stories make mathematics easier to understand and more interesting to learn (Whitin & Whitin, ).…”

“…Students also self‐report that stories make mathematics easier to understand and more interesting to learn (Whitin & Whitin, ). Furthermore, teachers note that literature sparks their students' interest and increases students’ confidence (Mink & Fraser, ). The use of literature makes students more engaged and more motivated to talk about what they are learning (Von Drasek, ).…”

Integrating Literature in Mathematics: A Teaching Technique for Mathematics Teachers

“…Project Creating Independence Through Student‐Owned Strategies (CRISS), a successful educational reform in Montana (Santa, 1996), was an attempt for school districts to change their focus from rote memorization to deep learning of content area subjects, including mathematics for secondary students by developing mathematical concepts through the use of reading, writing, listening, and discussing mathematical concepts. Mink and Fraser (2005) adapted Project CRISS for the elementary school level and renamed it Project Science and Mathematics Integrated with Literacy Experiences (SMILE). Through the implementation of Project SMILE in fifth‐grade mathematics classrooms studied, researchers were able to investigate the classroom environment and students' attitudes toward reading, writing, and mathematics by providing teachers with five professional development sessions and by asking teachers to implement what they learned in these sessions in their own mathematics classrooms.…”

“…Proficiency in the area of literacy is critical in the understanding of all content areas, including mathematics. In fact, lack of literacy proficiency with mathematics‐related texts has been cited as a reason for poor performance in the area of mathematics (Mink & Fraser, 2005). Research indicated that in the area of mathematics, U.S. teachers were not proficient in integrating content areas, instead relying mostly on lecture, worksheets, and textbook problems to teach students mathematics (Hiebert et al., 2003; Wallace & Clark, 2005).…”