Books for Babies means books for parents too: the benefits of situating the earliest stages of literacy in the framework of the wider community

This paper describes some findings from the Books for Babies project, a central strand of Derbyshire’s county‐wide literacy initiative, Read On – Write Away! (ROWA!). The original project, initiated by the Derbyshire Libraries and Heritage Service in 1995 was extended through ROWA! by being incorporated into wider ranging community literacy provision. This paper describes preliminary evidence that indicates that there are additional benefits for other family group members when a Book Start project includes follow‐up activities and is connected to wider ranging community literacy initiatives.     

Playing Slavery in First Grade: When “Developmental Appropriateness” Goes Awry in the Progressive Classroom

This article unfurls in the aftermath of an event where three first grade children at a reputable progressive elementary school were found playing slavery during school recess. As word caught on, parents ignited into a frenzy: some railed against the teacher, others demanded an answer, while still others believed this was precisely the meaning of progressive schooling. In swift response, school administrators sent a conciliatory email apologizing for their misjudgment. Slavery, they declared, was too difficult a topic and developmentally inappropriate for such a young age. Guided by critical childhood studies and concepts of difficult knowledge, this reflective article explores how adults drew from developmental frameworks and used children as proxies to protect themselves from the complicated conversation of race and slavery. It unpacks this event through three entry points: encountering difficult knowledge in primary school; the moralization of child development; and the ongoing work inherent to social justice-oriented schooling. It is hoped that readers can take this example into their own teacher education programs and school faculty meetings to query how adults can open up spaces for critical encounters rather than launch accusations when faced with the emotional charge of oppressive histories.     

Student Engagement at Two-Year Institutions: Age and Generational Status Differences

This study examined the relationship between participation and location of dual-credit enrollment and the educational aspirations of high school students. A total of 304 students from 5 rural Kansas high schools were surveyed. The return rate was 80.9%. Results indicated that participation in dual-credit programs had a positive and significant relationship with educational aspirations. Other independent variables that demonstrated strong predictive importance for educational aspirations were parents’ educational levels and grades. The findings further indicated that concurrent enrollment location was a significant predictor of educational aspirations.     

MAKING STUDENT RETENTION AN INSTITUTIONAL PRIORITY

A study was conducted to determine the reasons behind the unusually high rate of student attrition at Mountain Empire Community College. The results, which suggested that work and family conflicts were the primary contributors to attrition, led to the formation of a task force that was charged with the development of a comprehensive student retention plan. A college‐wide retreat involving all faculty, staff, and administrators was conducted to inform all constituents about the college's retention effort and to involve the entire college community in working together to understand how to implement effective retention strategies. Finally, a standing retention committee was formed at the college to oversee implementation of the retention plan, a plan which is research‐based and reflective of the long‐term commitment the institution has made to the improvement of the student persistence rate.     

Sexual Harassment as [Dys]Functional Process: A Feminist Standpoint Analysis

Researchers have approached the study of sexual harassment as though it were dysfunctional. However, a feminist standpoint theory analysis would suggest that it functions differently for men and women. A study using discussion groups and stimulated recall interviews was conducted in a large health care organization. A thematic analysis revealed a primary theme of sexual harassment as a [dys]functional process. For the male participants, sexual behavior served as a coping mechanism for stress, as a form of therapeutic care, and to create and demonstrate camaraderie. For the women participants, sexual behavior tended to be either nonfunctional or dysfunctional. They did not associate it with stress reduction, therapeutic touch, and viewed group camaraderie as a means of prevention. Implications are discussed.     

Building a space to dream: Supporting indigenous children's survivance through community-engaged social and emotional learning

Indigenous communities practice survivance and challenge social and political systems to support their children's identity and well-being. Grounded in transformative social-emotional learning (SEL) and tribal critical race theory, this 3-year community-based participatory research study (2019–2021) examined how a SEL program co-created with an Indigenous community in Flathead Nation in Montana supports anti-racism and anti-colonialism among Indigenous children. Critical reflexivity and thematic analyses of Community Advisory Board meetings and journals written by 60 students (M_age = 10.3, SD = 1.45; 47% girls; 60% Native American) during the SEL program revealed themes on Indigenous identity, belonging, wellness, and colonialism. These results shed light on challenging the racist and colonial roots of education to support Indigenous children's survivance and social-emotional well-being.     

High school transition – an intervention that empowers children with special educational needs and improves school practice

This article discusses the process and results of a junior school initiative from a local authority in the East of England, to ensure that vulnerable pupils in the school experience a successful transition to high school. The resulting project is the consequence of an inter‐organisational collaboration between the junior school, a secondary school and the local educational psychology service. The transition intervention, which is the first product of this project, was borne from the ideas of year 7 students with special educational needs, which were analysed and presented visually into a transition booklet, later used in the intervention with year 6 pupils. At the end of the intervention, the year 6 pupils provided feedback, which informed first changes in the intervention. Overall, the intervention was successful and because of the interest drawn, it was decided to extend the initiative to other schools with year 6 pupils.