Leaving or staying in teaching: a ‘vignette’ of an experienced urban teacher ‘leaver’ of a London primary school

In the field of teacher attrition, there is a significant body of literature on why teachers leave high-needs urban schools and particularly why beginning teachers leave their schools and the profession. However, there is little research on the reasons why experienced teachers leave the teaching profession. This paper examines this subject by considering whether teachers experience an ‘identity crisis’ in their careers which prompts them to leave. Drawing on identity theory, data from a single case study of an experienced urban teacher are taken from a wider qualitative research study carried out in London, England. The case is made that decisions to leave or stay in a school are contingent on a number of personal, professional and situational factors related to the teacher’s identity. The article concludes that one way to understand why long-serving teachers leave the profession is to examine aspects of their teacher identity and explore how a crisis in professional identity can contribute towards teacher attrition. In the light of this alternative approach towards understanding attrition, at the very least, supportive structures can be put in place to encourage more teachers to stay and contribute to the success and well-being of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.     

EarlyBird in South Staffordshire: reflections on an innovative model of interagency working to deliver an intervention for families of preschool children with autistic spectrum disorder

In this article three education and health services professionals, Julia Halpin, Sally Pitt and Emma Dodd, describe and reflect upon the way in which a small group of professionals from health and education services worked in collaboration to meet the need to inform and empower parents of preschool children with a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Julia and Sally, both clinical nurse specialists, and Emma, an educational psychologist, outline the background to the project in terms of demographics, epidemiology and service needs, and explain the way in which the interagency project was initiated as a ‘bottom‐up’ response, reflecting on the advantages and disadvantages of this way of working. The team piloted an innovative evaluation method which is offered as a tool that could usefully be developed further.     

Pre-analytical mysteries: A case of severe hypervitaminosis D and mild hypercalcaemia

We describe a case of severe hypervitaminosis D and mild hypercalcaemia in a 68-year-old woman who presented with fatigue and weight loss. Her 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD) was > 400 nmol/L (50-150) and corrected serum calcium was 2.83 mmol/L (2.1-2.6). Her intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) was 4.9 pmol/L (2.0-9.5). Further investigation revealed an IgM kappa paraprotein, and a bone marrow aspirate confirmed a diagnosis of lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma/Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (LPL/WM). As the vitamin D level was discordant with the patient’s other results and presentation, the presence of an assay interferent was suspected. A 1-in-2 dilution of the sample returned a 25OHD result of 84 nmol/L in keeping with the presence of an interferent. Testing for rheumatoid factor was negative. The sample was treated with an antibody blocking reagent (Scantibodies) and results were not consistent with heterophile antibody interference. The sample was then analysed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), which returned a 25OHD result of 82 nmol/L. Testing on an alternative immunoassay platform produced a 25OHD result of 75 nmol/L. Reapeted testing on the original platform following reduction of the monoclonal paraprotein with chemotherapy, returned a result of 64 nmol/L. The patient’s mild hypercalcaemia persisted following resolution of the monoclonal paraprotein, in keeping with a diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism. This case highlights the potential for paraproteins to cause assay interference, and the importance of considering interference when results are incongruous with the clinical presentation.     

“Heritage protection for the 21st century”

This paper assesses the recent Heritage Protection Review (HPR) process, which culminated in the publication of the Heritage White Paper “Heritage protection for the 21st century” (DCMS, 2007). It argues that although the White Paper makes laudable and useful attempts at streamlining and clarifying the management and protection process, many of its proposed changes operate at the rhetorical level only. Indeed, it does little to challenge the dominant and elitist understandings of “heritage” and attendant cultural values and meanings, and thus fails to adequately address social inclusion/exclusion issues in the cultural sector.     

‘Ahead of all Beaten Tracks’: Ryle,Heidegger and the Ways of Thinking

The purpose of this article is to examine two philosophical accounts of thinking—yet examine them anew by considering what I take to be their under‐examined relationship. These are the accounts of Gilbert Ryle and Martin Heidegger. It is often supposed that these two philosophers belong to differing, even conflicting, philosophical traditions. However, this article will seek to demonstrate that an unrecognised affinity exists between them on account of their shared endeavour to venture ahead of the ‘beaten tracks’ of Modern Philosophy. In this way, I will seek to challenge a number of preconceptions that inform the way these thinkers are interpreted and utilised by philosophers of education—particularly preconceptions about Ryle that appear to be active in much ‘thinking skills’ literature. Through exploring certain under‐attended‐to aspects of Ryle's work (including his early essays on phenomenology and his later reflections on the nature of thinking) this article will seek to offer a renewed investigation into these two philosophical accounts of thinking, in terms of both their limitations and the ways of thinking they open.     

A comparative study of the impact of mainstream and special school placement on the behaviour of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The current study examined the impact of school placement in mainstream or special settings on the behavioural functioning of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Children were assessed at the start of the school year and then again at the end of the school year using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale. Children with ASD made improvements in both types of placements; however, those children in specialist provisions made greater improvements in areas of conduct and socialisation. These results confirm other recent demonstrations of superior performance in special schools for children with ASD. The need to re‐address specialist school placement as a viable alternative to mainstream education for children with ASD is discussed.     

Secondary Social Studies Teachers’ Experiences Planning and Implementing Inquiry Using the Inquiry Design Model

While the use of inquiry-based instruction has been encouraged for many years, it continues to be the exception rather than the norm. The publication of the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework, as well as the Inquiry Design Model that provides structure for its implementation, offer support for teachers to use inquiry in their social studies classrooms. This phenomenological study used semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analyses to explore three secondary social studies teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge as they planned and implemented inquiries. Findings indicate that teachers found a structured method of designing inquiries useful and that their approaches to planning and implementing those inquiries varied with individual context and personal pedagogical stances. There is no one-size-fits-all inquiry, even when teachers used the same support tool.