Supporting Two Households: Unaccompanied Mexican Minors and Their Absences From U.S. Schools

This article illustrates simultaneous household participation in the lives of undocumented, unaccompanied Mexican teenage minors in New York City and its impact on their school attendance. Emigrating without parents, some Mexican youths arrive to enter into the labor market, not school. Unable to assume monetary dependence, these youths’ absences from New York classrooms is driven by financial participation in their natal households in Mexico and current New York City households. Drawing from fifty-three interviews with Mexican teenagers in Mexico and New York City, this article explores how these youth laborers learn to, understand and fulfill monetary obligations to two households.     

Reclaiming Teacher Agency in a Student-Centred Digital World

This article examines the current dilemma faced by many teachers: the drive for a modern day pedagogy advocating student-centred, technology-enabled learning is at odds with teacher comfort zones still nestled in a teacher-talk, print-based classroom. Put another way, the 'techno-reluctance' of many teachers represents a negative reaction to the perception that new technologies represent a threat to their traditional roles and general sense of practical agency in the learning process or classroom. The paper interprets some of the key factors impacting on techno-reluctance as a means of moving beyond such a simplistic view of the connection between digital technologies and changing teacher roles. On this basis, it goes on to discuss the concept of 'technoliteracy' as a means of reclaiming teacher agency in a studentcentred, computer-mediated environment and also reframing teacher attitudes to electronic texts and related literacy practices.     

Caregivers of quality: One mother's search for child care

Too often, guidelines for quality child care emphasize the physical site, the equipment, safety, and the staff-child ratio. However, to ensure high-quality child care for our children, the personal and professional attributes of quality caregivers must be considered. The most important caregiver attributes are discussed, as one mother describes her search for child care.     

Evaluation: judgemental or developmental?

An increasing number of studies are concerned with the international comparison of the results that different education systems achieve. For example, TIMSS, PIRLS and PISA publish the results from different countries in mathematics, science and literacy. The European Commission has also published indicators and benchmarks relating to the quality of school education. This type of external evaluation is often perceived by teachers as judgemental and controlling. In contrast, internal school‐based evaluation aims to be seen as a developmental process contributing to improved teacher and student learning, where ownership of the evaluation processes remains with the school stakeholders. This paper examines the possible tensions and conflicts that may arise between these two types of evaluation and asks the question ‘How can we overcome the negative attitudes that may have resulted from external evaluation in order to encourage schools to undertake internal school‐based evaluation?’ The paper explores, using Scottish case studies, ways in which schools through their internal self‐evaluation processes may use the data in different ways to meet some, if not all, of the external demands placed on them. This strategy, it is argued, ensures that evaluation is largely done for school purposes and as an aid to the learning process, rather than as an external assessment designed to hold schools accountable for the learning achieved to date.

Il y a un nombre grandissant d'études qui s'occupent de la comparaison internationale des résultats atteints par de différents systèmes éducatifs. Par exemple, TIMSS, PERLS et PISA publient les résultats de différents pays en maths, en sciences et en alphabétisation. La Communauté européenne publie aussi des indicateurs et des standards qui se rapportent à la qualité d'éducation dans les écoles. Ce genre d'évaluation externe est souvent perçu par les enseignants comme un moyen de jugement et de contrôle. Par contraste, les évaluations internes, basées et créés dans les écoles essaient d'établir un processus de développement qui contribue à améliorer l'apprentissage des enseignants et des étudiants et qui es la copropriété des preneurs de l'école. Cet article examine les tensions et les conflits qui peuvent se présenter entre les deux genres d'évaluation et pose la question: “Comment peut‐on combattre les attitudes negatives qui résulteraient après des évaluations externes et comment peut‐on par la suite encourager les écoles à entreprendre leur propre évaluation externe?”Plus particulièrement, en utilisant des études de cas de quelques écoles en Ecosse, l'article explore aussi les moyens par lesquels les écoles peuvent utiliser les données obtenues par les processus d'auto‐évaluations internes afin d'adresser au moins quelques‐unes des exigences externes qui s'imposent à l'école. Cette strategie, l'on soutient, garantit que l'évaluation bénéficit en grande partie aux méthodes d'enseignement à l'école au contraire des évaluations externes qui généralement poussent les écoles à rendre des comptes.

Eine zunehmende Anzahl von Untersuchungen befaßt sich mit dem internationalen Vergleich der Leistung, die in verschiedenen Ausbildungssystemen erzielt wird. Zum Beispiel veröffentlichen TIMSS, PIRLR und PISA die Ergebnisse von verschiedenen Ländern in den Bereichen Mathematik, Naturwissenschaften und Lesen/Schreiben. In Bezug auf die Qualität schulischer Ausbildung hat die Europäische Kommission auch Indikatoren und Anforderungsmaßstäbe veröffentlicht. Diese Art von externer Evaluation wird von Lehrern oft als bewertend und als ein Element von Steuerungsmaßnahmen angesehen. Im Gegensatz dazu sollte die interne schulbezogene Evaluation, deren Kontrolle bei den Betroffenen in der Schule verbleibt, als Teil eines Entwicklungsprozesses aufgefaßt werden, der auf die Verbesserung des Lernens von Lehrern und Schülern abzielt. Dieser Beitrag untersucht die möglichen Spannungen und Konflikte, die sich aus den beiden verschieden Evaluationsansätzen ergeben. Es wird die Frage aufgeworfen: “Wie können wir die negativen Einstellungen, die mit externer Evaluationen leicht verbunden sind, überwinden, um damit die Schulen bereit zu machen, interne schulbezogene Evaluationen durchzuführen?” Auf der Grundlage von schottischen Fallstudien zeigt der Beitrag Möglichkeiten auf, wie Schulen im Rahmen von internen Selbstevaluationsprozessen Daten verschiedenster Art nutzen können, um zumindest einigen Anforderungen, die an sie von außen gestellt werden, genügen zu können. Die Verfasser gehen davon aus, daß eine solche Strategie sicherstellt, daß die Evaluation im wesentlichen für schulische Zwecke durchgeführt wird: Daß sie vor allem den weiteren Lernprozeß unterstützt und weniger einer externen Beurteilung dient, die darauf ausgerichtet ist, Schulen für ihre bisherigen Lernleistungen zur Verantwortung zu ziehen.

Ultimamente ha habido un incremento importante de estudios sobre los resultados que han obtenido diversos sistemas educativos en comparaciones internacionales. Por ejemplo, TIMSS, PERLS y PISA publican los resultados de diversos países en matemáticas, ciencias y alfabetización. La Comisión Europea también ha publicado indicadores y bases de datos, referidos a la calidad de la educación de las escuelas. Este tipo de evaluación externa a menudo es percibido por los profesores como un control y una crítica a su labor. En contraste, la evaluación interna realizada desde la escuela, apunta a ser considerada como un proceso de desarrollo profesional que contribuye a la mejora del profesorado y al aprendizaje de los alumnos, y donde el propietario del proceso de evaluación es el mismo centro educativo. Este documento examina las posibles tensiones y los conflictos que pueden darse entre estos dos tipos de evaluación y se pregunta, “¿cómo podemos superar las actitudes negativas que pudieron originar la evaluación externa de manera que se pueda animar a las escuelas a emprender una evaluación interna desde la escuela? El documento explora, usando estudio de casos escoceses, las maneras en las cuales las escuelas a través de sus procesos de autoevaluación interna pueden utilizar los datos de diversas maneras y dar respuesta a algunas, sino a todas, las demandas que reciben del exterior. Esta estrategia, se dice, que asegura que la evaluación esté hecha en gran parte para el propósito de la escuela y como ayuda al proceso de aprendizaje más que un examen externo diseñado para que las escuelas rindan cuentas sobre los resultados que han obtenido.     

Co-occurring forms of child maltreatment and adult adjustment reported by Latina college students

OBJECTIVES: This study had two primary objectives: First, to examine the nature and co-occurrence of various forms of child maltreatment (sexual, physical, emotional, and witnessing violence) reported by Latina college students, and second, to explore coexisting maltreatment types and acculturation status as possible contributors to long-term adjustment difficulties. METHOD: Participants were 112 Latina undergraduate students categorized by the number of childhood maltreatment types experienced (0, 1, or 2 or more) and acculturation level (1 to 5). The possible effects of co-occurring forms of maltreatment, in conjunction with acculturation status, were investigated with respect to participants' reported trauma symptomatology. Data were collected using self-report measures. RESULTS: Nearly three out of 10 participants (29%) experienced more than one type of child maltreatment and, as expected, these individuals reported greater trauma symptomatology than those reporting either a single type of maltreatment or no maltreatment at all. Those who reported multiple types also endured more severe maltreatment than did respondents who experienced a single type. Acculturation level was neither directly related to trauma symptoms nor did it moderate the lasting correlates of maltreatment among victims. Interestingly, those who experienced a single form of maltreatment reported no more trauma symptoms than did participants who reported no maltreatment history at all. CONCLUSION: This investigation documents a large degree of overlap among various forms of self-reported childhood maltreatment within a Latina college population. The results underscore the need to consider multiple forms of maltreatment, as well as severity, when making inferences regarding potential effects on later functioning.     

TEACHER BEHAVIORAL PRACTICES: RELATIONS TO STUDENT RISK BEHAVIORS,LEARNING BARRIERS,AND SCHOOL CLIMATE

Student behavioral problems pose a myriad of challenges for schools. In this study, we examine the relations among teacher and school‐level constructs (i.e., teacher collaboration, supervision/discipline, instructional management), and student‐related outcomes (i.e., high‐risk behaviors, barriers to learning, student social–behavioral climate). Teachers across 29 high schools, in a large urban school district serving primarily low‐income students, completed self‐report surveys. Multilevel regression was used to test both individual‐ and school‐level predictors of student outcomes. Findings suggest that teacher practices at the individual and school levels are linked to student high‐risk behaviors, barriers to student learning, and school climate. More specifically, findings indicate that better supervision/discipline and instructional management are associated with fewer high‐risk behaviors and barriers to learning. More instructional management is also linked to positive social–behavioral climate. Results from this study highlight the association between teacher practices and a range of student‐related problem behaviors, and suggest that system‐level interventions in the school may have positive effects.     

Latinx students’ experiences with college access and preparation at college preparatory charter schools

Charter schools that target underserved communities, including Latinxs, have proliferated in the U.S., claiming a unique, more autonomous and successful alternative to traditional public schools, often with a promise of increased postsecondary access and preparation. However, there is conflicting evidence regarding their effectiveness on academic outcomes, prompting additional research on charter schools. This study examined the college access and preparation experiences of 14 Latinxs attending college preparatory charter schools within one school system in Texas. Findings highlight how schools assisted students in preparing for college, but challenges in accessing college knowledge and assistance still existed, particularly for undocumented students.     

Political Perspectives on Church Schools and Religious Education: A discussion of the period from Thatcher to Blair

Making use of material written by British prime ministers, a case is presented for understanding church schools and religious education in a way distinct from that normally utilised in academic discourse. Politicians in democratic countries depend on attracting votes to assume power. They therefore integrate church schools and religious education within existing political positions. Conservative politicans see church schools as being an example of parental choice and religious education as being an aid to moral education. Labour politicians see church schools as contributing to a pluralistic society and aiding the cultural identity of ethnic groups.     

Making sense of technology in educational leadership programs

Conclusion Identify standards, align curricula, support technology—these are the three strategies that bring clarity to the process. As technology changes, the standards, curricula and support must change. ACTIVStudio, interactive whiteboards and cyber diaries are not just buzzwords — they are the new language of technology. The Citadel School of Education is paying attention — making sense of the challenge of keeping current technology in educational leadership programs. She is a former teacher and school administrator and currently teaches graduate courses, including microcomputers and school management, to aspiring administrators. Ms. Alice B. Hambright, a former public school teacher.