Coping strategies among internal migrant students in Turkey

This article is based on a qualitative study that explored educational challenges and coping mechanisms of internal migrant girls whose families moved from the rural areas in the east to the western parts of Turkey. The study revealed that internal migrant girls have encountered a number of challenges that influence their educational achievement at primary schools. From the perspective of migrant girls, the emerging themes included adaptation, language, low socio-economic background, peer relations, discrimination, bullying and self-esteem. The study also confirmed that migrant girls showed resilience in the face of substantial difficulties and developed a variety of coping mechanisms in an effort to overcome their hardships. Five mechanisms were identified by the study: resort to significant others, academic orientation, forming solidarity groups, cloning identities and withdrawal. The article underlines that analysing education-related concerns and coping strategies of migrant girls is required in order to develop effective and relevant intervention programmes on behalf of students.     

Parental migration and children’s academic engagement: The case of China

In the context of China’s increasing rural-urban migration, few studies have investigated how parental migration affects children’s experience in school. The high cost of schooling, taken together with the institutional barriers in destination cities, have compelled many rural parents in China to migrate without their children, leaving them in the care of their spouses, grandparents, relatives or other caregivers. Still other parents migrate with their children, many of whom then attend urban migrant schools in their destination city. Understanding the academic engagement of children of migrant workers is particularly salient because the poor qualities of migrant schools, a lack of parental support, and exposure to competing alternatives to schooling may render both migrant children in the cities and left-behind children in the rural villages vulnerable to disengagement, and ultimately school dropout. Using data collected in 2008 in the urban Haidian and Changping districts of Beijing and rural Henan and Shaanxi provinces, the authors of this paper investigate the association between parental migration status and two measures of academic engagement, academic aspirations and the odds of liking school, by comparing migrant children attending migrant schools and left-behind children with their rural counterparts who do not have migrant parents. The authors’ findings show that migrant children attending migrant schools have lower academic engagement compared to rural children of non-migrant parents. The correlation between academic engagement and parental migration status can be accounted for in part by the support children receive from family and teachers. The association between certain measures of family and school support and academic engagement also varies by parental migration status: for example, high teacher turnover rates significantly reduce migrant children’s odds of liking schools, but do not affect children of non-migrant parents.     

Factors influencing the academic achievement of the Turkish urban poor

This study estimates the individual and combined effects of selected family, student and school characteristics on the academic achievement of poor, urban primary-school students in the Turkish context. Participants of the study consisted of 719 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade primary-school students from 23 schools in inner and outer city squatter settlements. The findings indicated that the set of variables comprising student characteristics, including well-being at school, scholastic activities and support, explained the largest amount of variance in academic achievement among the urban poor. Although the effect sizes are small, family background characteristics and school quality indicators were also found to be significantly related to academic achievement. The implications of this study for improving primary schools in urban poor neighborhoods are discussed.     

For Richer or Poorer: Building inclusive schools in poor urban and rural communities

Throughout the world, educators are struggling to shift their delivery of services to children with disabilities from a segregated to inclusive approach. This shift creates substantial opportunities and challenges. This is particularly true in poor urban and rural schools. Although our experience is based in rural and urban schools in the United States, we know that poor rural and urban schools throughout the world face similar issues as inclusive education takes hold. This article describes a framework for building more effective and successful schools in poor rural and urban communities called “Whole Schooling.” In addition, we identify the multiple barriers to inclusive schools, articulate the commonalties and differences between poor rural and urban schools, and describe specific strategies for utilising available resources to build more effective and successful rural and urban schools in which inclusive education is a central component.     

The challenges of beginning teachers in urban primary schools

This study provides insight in the variety of urban-related challenges that beginning teachers experience in urban schools. Literature on urban teaching focuses on teaching children from low socio-economic status (SES) and/or culturally diverse backgrounds. In many European cities, however, schools are populated by both children from relatively high and from low-SES backgrounds. This study examined the problems and challenges of beginning teachers in Dutch urban primary schools. Teachers were interviewed at schools with different student populations. Results showed that, although many of the challenges that beginning teachers experienced concern the same themes, their actual manifestation differed related to schools’ student populations. For instance, the problem of ‘parental contact’ referred to both the extreme involvement and demands of highly educated wealthy parents at some schools and the diverse backgrounds of parents at other schools. Results of the study can be used to develop adequate preparation and support for beginning urban teachers.     

Tracing the development of poor student motivation and performance in township secondary schools

Abstract

Unsatisfactory motivation levels related to learning and studying among students is a universal problem. Students represent a diverse collection of abilities, talents, personalities and aspirations and come from different social and political backgrounds which may affect their motivation to learn and study. Some students are taught in schools where there is an abundance of resources and facilities, whereas others are taught in schools with inadequate resources and facilities. Student motivation, however, is a prerequisite for academic performance. Consequently, students’ potential, qualified teachers and school resources and facilities count very little if students are not motivated. This article examines the development of the lack of student motivation and academic performance in township secondary schools. The study has found that the motivation of students in these schools has been eroded by the students’ and teachers’ protracted involvement in anti-academic activities which have disrupted the education process. Due to the poor motivation of students, academic performance has deteriorated markedly and this situation should be resolved.     

Non‐formal education implementations in Turkey: issues and latest challenges

The aim of this article is to analyse the latest implementations and issues raised in Turkish non‐formal education from a historical perspective in Turkey. The high population rate and lack of adequate educational opportunities for adults and migration from rural areas to urban areas caused many educational, social and cultural problems in non‐formal education. For solving all the problems, Turkey followed the latest developments in the world about the aims and functions of non‐formal adult education and organised several different adult education programs in terms of integration to international bodies such as European Union and so forth. These programs aim to reach a wide range of people from rural and urban settings, the employees, employers, farmers, students, tradesmen, housewives, artisans and many others. The most important educational characteristic of this audience is that they are not regular students. The organisation way of non‐formal education differ from other developed countries in essence. In social terms, the non‐formal education for adults does not only provide professional and technical training; but also provides the learners with basic literacy and helps continue their educational life, contributes to preservation and improvement of national and cultural values, creates an awareness of citizenship and democratic thinking in Turkey.     

An aspect on the school culture in Turkey and the United States

The purpose of this study is to get a better understanding on school culture in the United States and Turkey. In this quantitative investigation, data were collected using the “School Culture Inventory” from 157 teachers in ?zmir, Turkey and 161 teachers in the United States. The findings show that both countries have a positive culture. A positive school culture enhances academic achievement, and culture is perceived more positively in medium SES schools in Turkey and low SES schools in the USA in terms of socioeconomic status (SES). The US schools rated higher in terms of improvement culture and the teaching culture while Turkish schools rated higher in terms of teacher collaboration.     

Creating technology-enriched classrooms: implementational challenges in Turkish education

This paper provides an overview of the status of educational technology in Turkey. In the face of severe social and economic challenges, many developing nations, including Turkey, are looking to education as a potential remedy. Recognizing that in an increasingly technology-dependent world, information and communications technology skills and knowledge are critical in order to compete in the global marketplace, Turkey is firmly committed not only to improving its education system, but also to incorporating the use of educational technologies into the instructional strategy and curriculum used in schools. This is a critical initiative because, as research shows, technology-enriched educational environments can provide students with significantly expanded learning opportunities, which are linked with increased levels of academic achievement. However, like many other developing countries, Turkey is struggling to overcome a number of serious barriers to full technology integration at the classroom level, the most significant of which is non-compliance on the part of teachers. With respect to technology use in education, teachers are consistently failing to utilize technological tools for instruction purposes, for a variety of reasons. Turkey must address these reasons in order to ensure that the agenda of technology adoption into schools, an enormously expensive undertaking, does not fail.     

A profile of motivation,self-perception,and achievement in black urban elementary students

The purpose of this study was to develop a profile of a sample of black urban elementary students based on motivational tendencies, self-perceptions, and achievement. The article explores the intrinsic motivation and self-perceptions of these students and seeks to find relationships among these qualities and academic achievement and attendance. The results of the study present a profile that reflects a lack of social acceptance of vocabulary skills and a lack of social acceptance of preferring challenging work. Perception of scholastic competence was related to behavioral conduct but not to global self-worth. The results supported previous research indicating that some black students perceive schooling and academic success as inconsistent with their racial-cultural goals. Implications for urban schools are presented.This is a revised version of a paper presented in April 1990 at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Boston, MA.     

Improvement Efforts in Rural Schools: Experiences of Nine Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants

Low-performing schools in rural settings can face challenges common to all struggling schools, such as low student motivation and maintaining a qualified teaching staff. However, aspects of rural schools’ settings, such as the distance from urban areas and the commute between the schools and the students’ and teachers’ homes, can exacerbate the challenges that rural schools face. This article focuses on the experiences of nine rural schools that were part of a study for the U.S. Department of Education on the school improvement process in a purposive sample of 35 schools receiving federal funds through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program. In particular, it examines how respondents in the rural schools perceived that the schools’ rural setting influenced the schools’ challenges and improvement actions and presents findings on the recruitment and retention of teaching staff, an activity integral to school improvement efforts under SIG.     

School choice in rural Nigeria? The limits of low-fee private schooling in Kwara State

The rise in low-fee private (LFP) primary schooling serving relatively poor clients is becoming well-documented. However much of this literature focuses on urban areas whose dense populations are favourable to market growth and competition. This paper goes some way to filling a gap in the literature on whether LFP schools are serving the needs of the poor in rural areas, taking the case of one Nigerian state. It contrasts the situation in rural areas with that of urban Ilorin, where private schools cater to over half of all enrolled children. The paper shows that private schooling is currently inaccessible to the poor, with only 3.3% of children in the poorest 40% of the population attending them, and only 13% of enrolled children in rural areas. The key message is that redoubled efforts are needed to improve government schools as providers of last resort to those bypassed by the market.     

Turning the tide: creating Professional Learning Communities (PLC) to improve teaching practice and learning in South African public schools

Abstract

Poor learner performance in South African schools raises concerns related to lack of commitment and accountability from school leaders and teachers with no common vision to promote a culture of high learner performance. This paper provides a literature overview of research available on the impact of professional learning communities (PLC) on effective teaching and practices to promote higher levels of learning amongst students; the nature of PLCs; their essential characteristics, developmental stages and challenges; and an assessment of the benefits of PLC in schools and the challenges of PLC from other researchers’ observations. PLCs are necessary to encourage collaborative teamwork on essential outcomes and intervention activities in learning. Finally, I conclude by exploring how South African schools can benefit from the practices of professional learning communities which endeavour to improve teaching practices and poor learner achievement.     

标准化测试在学校问责制中的角色——美国加州的经验教训

以一年或者更短的间隔为期,通过对学生进行标准化测试的方法,收集反映学生学习程度以及学校、教师教学能力的相关数据,是当前美国学校教育改革中的一个重要内容。文章以美国加利福尼亚州为例,考察了上述改革的实施情况,认为在《不让一个孩子掉队》（NCLB）法案推动下,相应的“学校文化”正在逐渐形成,即教师、学生和家长都开始认识到标准化测试在学生学业进步中的重要作用,成绩不好的学生也可以从中得到他们需要的帮助。在此过程中,一些在测试中成绩不佳的学校,可以以标准化测验的成绩为依据,转而雇佣职业素质更佳的校长与教师。然而,学校问责制对标准化测试的过分依赖也产生了一系列问题,如学校在有限的学科里减少与测试无关的课程安排,或者由于测试成绩不佳而惩罚一些在提高学生成绩方面能力有限的学校,包括那些学生大多是穷孩子或者移民后裔的学校。     

陕西省中小学体育师资队伍现状的调查与分析

运用调查法对陕西中小学体育师资队伍现状进行调查分析，其结果表明：城镇学校体育教师的数量与质量基本达到国家的有关规定与要求，农村学校（包括陕北城镇学校）体育教师学历偏低，职称评定工作滞后，尤其是农村小体育任课教师配备随意性大，并针对陕西学校体育师资队伍建设与发展的实际需要提出4点可行性建议。     

BOOK REVIEWS

Our article is based on a study of our integration of social foundations coursework with filmmaking and participatory action research, bringing teacher candidates and middle and high school students together. The project was carried out in partnership between an urban university and two nearby public schools within a Midwestern city known for high child poverty rates and weak academic outcomes. The project sought to stretch the imagination of teacher candidates in areas related to school reform and to provide opportunities for the youth in terms of inquiry and activism concerning their schools and neighborhoods. The article discusses the direction of the project over the semester and the challenges encountered in carrying out this work. Study findings suggest that the students valued the use of film and learning of research skills, as well as the coming together each week. Technology glitches precluded a final film product, compromising the extent to which project goals concerning activism in the area of educational and public policy were achieved. The study serves as careful reminder of the challenges in carrying out PAR and the need to frequently revisit questions about project intentions and direction.     

Challenges and Choices in Urban Education: The Perceptions of Teachers and Principals

The study described in this paper was designed to investigate the perspectives of principals and teachers in urban schools across the country in regard to challenges in urban teaching. The perceptions of these educators were investigated regarding (1) the extent to which challenges commonly cited in the literature on urban teaching were evident at their schools; (2) the extent to which school personnel have the power to favorably influence challenge areas; and (3) the potential for success of promising practices commonly cited in the literature on urban teaching.     

The impact of teacher preparation on student achievement in algebra in a “hard-to-staff” urban PreK-12-university partnership

Debate about teacher supply, demand, retention, and attrition has been renewed in recent years by an increased concern about the reduced numbers of prospective teachers entering teacher education programs, the high attrition rate of beginning teachers, and the resulting teacher shortages. U.S. schools are experiencing teacher shortages, especially in low-income urban areas, because of increased school enrollment, teacher retirement, reduction in class size, teacher attrition, and turnover related to low salaries, job dissatisfaction, and lack of administrative support and influence over decision-making. Recently, the increased interest in teacher quality has been the topic of debate for policy-makers, the public, and the educational community. The purpose of this study was to determine if a nontraditional teacher preparation program, the Transition To Teaching program, was a viable way to ease the teacher shortages in a high poverty, urban U.S. school district, and at the same time, to evaluate the impact of teacher training on students' academic achievement. The results of this study afford evidence that the students taught by 1st-year, alternatively prepared teachers achieved as well as or better than their peers taught by traditionally certified 1st-year teachers, according to student achievement in mathematics, specifically Algebra I.     

Classroom management,school staff relations,school climate,and academic achievement: testing a model with urban high schools

Urban learning environments pose distinct instructional challenges for teachers and administrators, and can lead to lower achievement compared to suburban or rural schools. Today’s educational climate increasingly emphasises a need for positive academic outcomes, often measured by standardised tests, on which student educational opportunities, teacher benefits and school funding can be based. By applying an ecological framework to the urban school environment, it could be possible to better understand and ultimately improve the educational context at multiple levels. This study examined how classroom management, staff relations and school climate contribute to academic achievement, as measured by ACT scores. In a large urban American public school system, 208 teachers from 38 high schools were surveyed. A model was tested in which, when academic achievement was accounted for over time, classroom management and staff relations contributed positively to school climate, and climate in turn contributed to academic achievement. Structural equation modeling revealed that the data fitted the proposed model. Results illustrate the roles of school and classroom factors related to academic performance and underline the importance of classroom management strategies and positive learning environments. Results suggest avenues for interventions to increase academic achievement by supporting students through the lens of an ecological framework.