Black African parents’ experiences of an Educational Psychology Service

The evidence base that explores Black African parents’ experiences of an Educational Psychology Service (EPS) is limited. This article describes an exploratory mixed methods research study undertaken during 2009–2011, that explored Black African parents’ engagement with a UK EPS. Quantitative data were gathered from the EPS preschool database and parents completed the Family Support Scale which explored the social support they accessed outside of the EPS, such as relatives. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore five parents’ experiences of the preschool EPS. The interview data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The findings highlighted key themes pertinent to educational psychology practice and are applicable to all families regardless of ethnic background. Psychological theories and frameworks are discussed alongside the implications for educational psychology practice.     

From voicing your opinion to politicised voice: a youth-led social justice class at an urban continuation high school

This article examines the work of three urban youths as they designed and taught a social justice class at an urban continuation high school in California, USA. Drawing from a two-year ethnographic study of the project, it shows that youth participants constructed a set of imagined binaries to frame teachers, schoolwork and coercion in opposition to students, voice and liberation. The article examines how the youths distinguished ordinary coercive teaching from their own liberatory teaching, creating a coercive/liberatory binary that served as metaphor for a series of binaries shaping their approach to social justice education: teacher/student, adult/youth and schoolwork/voice. It concludes that although the social justice class accomplished many important aims, the reconstruction of and reliance on a coercive/liberatory binary within the project ultimately limited its effectiveness as a social justice education effort.     

‘They were a little family’: an exploratory study of parental involvement in nurture groups – from a practitioner and parent perspective

The approach taken by nurture groups emphasises that difficult early experiences can be modified through creating opportunities to develop security and attachment from alternative sources other than parents. Despite previous research indicating the positive impact parental involvement can have on both parents and children, research into parental involvement in nurture groups has been identified as being sparse and requiring further investigation. This exploratory study provides an insight into the perceptions of parents and nurture group staff regarding parental involvement. In‐depth qualitative data were collected from semi‐structured interviews with parents and nurture group staff. Inductive thematic analysis was applied to draw out themes from the data. Findings highlight different experiences of parents and staff, but also common themes of relationships, communication and sharing practice. Findings are discussed in relation to the research questions and the relevant literature regarding parental involvement. Implications for nurture groups and schools are discussed.     

Teaching nature of science through inquiry: Results of a 3‐year professional development program

This study assessed the influence of a 3‐year professional development program on elementary teachers' views of nature of science (NOS), instructional practice to promote students' appropriate NOS views, and the influence of participants' instruction on elementary student NOS views. Using the VNOS‐B and associated interviews the researchers tracked the changes in NOS views of teacher participants throughout the professional development program. The teachers participated in explicit–reflective activities, embedded in a program that emphasized scientific inquiry and inquiry‐based instruction, to help them improve their own elementary students' views of NOS. Elementary students were interviewed using the VNOS‐D to track changes in their NOS views, using classroom observations to note teacher influences on student ideas. Analysis of the VNOS‐B and VNOS‐D showed that teachers and most grades of elementary students showed positive changes in their views of NOS. The teachers also improved in their science pedagogy, as evidenced by analysis of their teaching. Implications for teacher professional development programs are made. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 653–680, 2007     

“Every experience is a moving force”: identity and growth through mentoring

This narrative of the experience of a native English speaking (NES) cooperating teacher working with a nonnative English speaking (NNES) student teacher in an MA Teaching English as a Second Language practicum begins with a discussion of teacher identity, then outlines the significance of caring in teacher–student relations Noddings (Caring: A feminine approach to ethics and moral education, University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 1984) and personal values and beliefs within those relations Johnston (Values in English Language Teaching, Lawrence Erlbaum, Malwah, NJ, 2002). These then frame an understanding of three critical incidents Tripp (Qual. Stud. Educ. 7(1) (1994) 65), and the emergent themes of language expertise, cultural ways of knowing and doing, and conflicting religious beliefs. It concludes with a discussion of the value of writing and sharing teacher narratives for professional development.