Making America’s schools great now: reclaiming democracy and activist leadership under Trump

Trump’s vow to ‘make America great again’ seeks to usher in a policy agenda reminiscent of an era that served as a boon to the rich while devastating poor, working-class, Americans, particularly people of color. His education policy and budget blueprint prove no exception, signalling troubling priorities for those who value strong public institutions, civil rights, and investments in public schools. In this essay, I argue that the current political moment requires an educational leadership committed to making America’s schools great now by reclaiming public schools as pillars of democracy through resistance, taking a stand on issues, and actively leading change. I conclude with calls to (a) resist efforts to dismantle education as a public good, (b) reclaim a vision of education grounded in equality, liberation, and justice, and (c) revolutionise how education leadership is conceptualized, practiced, and sustained.     

A Race to the Top From the Bottom of the Well? The Paradox of Race and U.S. Education Reform

Abstract

This article explores the paradox of “race” and U.S. education reform in the 21st century. I consider how the invisible ontology of race and its entangled relationship with class divert our attention from economic inequality and undermine policies intended to redress racial inequality in schools. I conclude that the education research community must unpack its use of “race” and focus on the role of racism in the maintenance of racial caste in America's schools.     

Lessons From an Urban School Readiness Initiative: Including Family,Friend, and Neighbor Care Providers

ABSTRACT

Research Findings: Using a structured qualitative case study method, this study examined one urban school readiness initiative's efforts to identify and engage family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) care providers to promote school readiness in underserved and immigrant communities. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with 23 FFN providers, 14 parent leaders, and 35 community partners in five urban neighborhoods. Results show that 1) a community-organizing approach was the primary method of engaging FFN providers, 2) FFN providers self-reported positive impacts of their engagement for both themselves and the children in their care, and 3) the inclusion of FFN providers elicited many strong feelings among partners about potential benefits and liabilities of supporting FFN care, which in some cases acted as a barrier to successful engagement of FFN providers. Practice and policy: Results highlight key strategies and potential benefits of engaging FFN providers in comprehensive school readiness systems. The tensions that arose regarding the engagement of FFN providers point to the importance of addressing misconceptions of FFN care and its value to children, families, and communities in order to ensure a shared commitment and understanding of the value and possible benefits of such a strategy.     

Campus Subculture and Academic Underachievement

Successful Writing in All Disciplines: Language Connections: Writing and Reading across the Curriculum Edited by Toby Fulwiler and Art YoungUrbana, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English, 1982, 190 pages, $10.75 paperback. Reviewed by Richard Leahy

A Quiet Revolution: The Adult Learner on Campus By Jerold W. AppsChicago: Follet Publishing Company, 1981, 264 pages, index, $17.95. Reviewed by Gary W. Peterson     

An Experimental Evaluation of a Modified Morrison Procedure in Teaching American History

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of extensive pre-guidance, periodic checking, and detailed correction and comment on specific preliminary steps in the development of the documented research paper, written by freshman English students, according to their grade achievement. Also included was a cross-check analysis of written essays, prepared and impromptu. The study involved the research papers of forty-eight students enrolled in two classes. One group received detailed guidance, the other did not. An evaluation chart, developed by the instructor and another rater, was used on all papers; a systematic sampling of 19 percent of these was graded by the second rater. The inter-rater reliability coefficient (Pearson r) was established as .96.

The hypothesis-there will be no significant difference in the grade achievement of separate sections of second semester freshman English students on the research paper according to different instructional procedures-was not rejected. The conclusion was drawn that, within the limited scope of this study, the described methods were not validated by the classroom instructor as a means of improving the performance of students on the research paper.     

An Aging Game Simulation Activity for Allied Health Students

The Aging Game, a simulation activity, has been used successfully with medical students in the development of empathetic attitudes toward older adults. To date, the Aging Game has not been used extensively with allied health students. It has been viewed as too costly, time-consuming and labor-intensive. The purpose of this study was to examine the administrative feasibility of implementing a modified version of the Aging Game for use with allied health students. The study showed that the Aging Game can be easily modified for use with allied health students, and it can deliver positive results for improving empathetic attitudes toward older adults.