‘It’s a big ask when your job is to teach children to read,write and to count’: the experiences of school staff in early help and child protection

Considers the experiences of designated safeguarding staff in primary aged schools (4–11 years). The study used semi-structured interviews to explore with professionals their experiences of multi-agency working to safeguard children, of factors in making decisions around reporting concerns to statutory social work services and their role in delivering early help services in one region of the U.K. Professionals raised concerns about their understanding of decisions made by social workers, but nevertheless said that these decisions affected their future reporting of safeguarding concerns. Professionals raised concern about how current safeguarding processes triage concerns around neglect, and as the effect was cumulative, felt that it could be minimised or overlooked.     

An exploration into how the impact of interventions for pupils with special educational needs can be sustainable and support long term progress

This short piece of action research seeks to identify the characteristics which ensure that the impact from external interventions delivered by Southampton Advisory Outreach Service for SEND can be sustained over time. It considers how the service can work with schools to establish self‐sustaining systems which reduce dependency, thereby freeing the service to focus resources where there is greatest need. The research suggests that sustainable progress depends on the continued setting of specific targets which allow progress to be measured and evidenced over time. It also suggests, however, that schools need to consider the wider progress made by pupils, which cannot be captured by narrow progress measures. Furthermore, the research identifies some key factors which ensure pupils continue to make progress once external support is withdrawn. These include consistency in how support is delivered, and effective communication systems that help to maintain consistent approaches to support and allow for adaptation as part of the cycle of ‘assess, plan, do and review’. The article also considers how schools retain motivation to continue with recommendations once external support is withdrawn and the conditions that are needed to foster ongoing commitment.     

From cohort to community in a preservice teacher education program

It is often suggested that student teachers be placed in cohorts during their preservice program. In this paper we describe how we implemented a cohort model and examine the effects on our student teachers. We found there were many positive effects, such as a high level of participation in whole class and small group activities, greater awareness of the value of collaboration, and greater willingness to take risks in collegial relationships and in the practicum. However, the approach proved to be quite demanding for the faculty; strong institutional support will be needed if the model is to be widely implemented.     

Fostering multiliteracies pedagogy through preservice teacher education

Teacher education for literacy teaching is often fairly narrow in focus. New approaches are needed that are sociocultural in orientation and take due account of the diversity of language forms, both traditional and contemporary, formal and informal, literary and non‐literary. We believe this need can be met by largely adopting a ‘multiliteracies’ approach as articulated by the New London Group. This research examined the ideas and practices of 10 literacy faculty in a large school of education and 22 first year literacy teachers from the same institution. It found that despite some important advances in a multiliteracies direction, many shortcomings remained. Part of the difficulty was lack of clarity about the nature and purpose of multiliteracies pedagogy. This paper has two main purposes: first, to attempt to clarify the nature and importance of a multiliteracies approach; and second, to report on the successes achieved and challenges encountered in moving in this direction in one school of education.     

Toma el Tiempo: The Wisdom of Migrant Families in Consultation

Children of migrant farm working families often live and learn in conditions that conspire against both health and education. At the same time, these children are as capable as any in our nation. Education and health care professionals are frequently in positions to support these capabilities and migrant families can be significant contributors to the success of education and health programs. However, the variables obstructing collaboration with migrant families are numerous and often go unidentified. More invisible are the variables supporting natural and positive inclusion of these families in problem-solving processes. This article reveals both barriers and avenues to connecting with migrant farm working families so their children may gain greater benefits from health and educational services.     

‘Always allowing the voice’: expectations of student participation and the disciplining of teachers' practice

Student participation in higher education classrooms is considered important for learning and achievement, but what is meant by participation is rarely made clear. In the literature, it often refers to various forms of verbal participation, which are celebrated and also critiqued. In particular, Western pedagogical assumptions and expectations of classroom participation can marginalise students from non-Western cultures. This article discusses the findings from a study of university teaching staff in New Zealand who spoke about their experiences of teaching a diverse range of students. Analysis of narrative data investigates what participation means for these teachers and how they enact it in their classrooms. It reveals the norms and assumptions that underlie their narratives and considers how these norms discipline teachers' practice.     

Benchmarking administration: University s experience in student an Australian

The article explores the role of the Registrar (Chief Operating Officer) in a university, and the ways in which we value the contributions of professional, managerial and administrative (PMA) staff. It assesses the conditions in which PMA staff work and describes the professional development opportunities they enjoy. The article goes on to analyse some of the challenges which PMA staff face, and ends by detailing fifteen recommendations for action. It concludes that valuing PMA staff is a complex, multi-dimensional and dynamic issue, but one which universities can ill afford to neglect.     

Teaching young children: perceived satisfaction and stress

This paper explores how early years teachers feel about their work. Responses to an open-ended questionnaire indicated that teachers found working with young children both satisfying and rewarding. However, they felt they were being impeded by external factors, such as educational change and current curriculum initiatives, which caused them stress. More specifically, teachers expressed frustration in implementing policies that they felt were contrary to their own pedagogical understandings and professional values. It is concluded that teachers need to be more actively involved with consultation processes that affect their work.     

Should educators and parents encourage other-gender interactions? Gender segregation and sexism

We investigated gender differences in the association between gender-segregated peer preferences and sexism in adolescents (15–17 years, 60 boys and 85 girls). To assess gender-segregated peer preferences, adolescents nominated peers for interaction in two contexts: ‘hanging out’ at home and working on a school project. The Modern Sexism Scale [Swim, J. K., K. J. Aikin, W. S. Hall, and B. A. Hunter. 1995. “Sexism and Racism: Old-Fashioned and Modern Prejudices.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 68 (2): 199–214] measured two dimensions of sexism: Antagonism towards Women's Demands (believing feminist issues are unimportant) and denial of continuing discrimination (believing gender discrimination no longer exists). For boys, Antagonism towards Women's Demands was associated with gender-segregated peer preferences in the school and home context. For girls, Denial of Continuing Discrimination was associated with gender-segregated peer preferences in the home context. Results are informative for educators and for other professionals interested in reducing inequality and sexism among adolescents.     

Diurnal variation in cycling performance: Influence of warm-up

We examined the effects of time of day on a cycling time trial with and without a prolonged warm-up, among cyclists who tended towards being high in “morningness”. Eight male cyclists (mean?±?s: age = 24.9?±?3.5 years, peak power output = 319?±?34?W, chronotype = 39?±?6 units) completed a 16.1-km time trial without a substantial warm-up at both 07:30 and 17:30?h. The time trial was also completed at both times of day after a 25-min warm-up at 60% of peak power. Power output, heart rate, intra-aural temperature and category ratings of perceived exertion (CR-10) were measured throughout the time trial. Post-test blood lactate concentration was also recorded. Warm-up generally improved time trial performance at both times of day (95% CI for improvement = 0 to 30?s), but mean cycling time was still significantly slower at 07:30?h than at 17:30?h after the warm-up (95% CI for difference = 33 to 66?s). Intra-aural temperature increased as the time trial progressed (P <?0.0005) and was significantly higher throughout the time trials at 17:30?h (P = 0.001), irrespective of whether the cyclists performed a warm-up or not. Blood lactate concentration after the time trial was lowest at 07:30?h without a warm-up (P = 0.02). No effects of time of day or warm-up were found for CR-10 or heart rate responses during the time trial. These results suggest that 16.1-km cycling performance is worse in the morning than in the afternoon, even with athletes who tend towards ‘morningness’, and who perform a vigorous 25-min warm-up. Diurnal variation in cycling performance is, therefore, relatively robust to some external and behavioural factors.