<p> This qualitative exploration in the form of multiple case studies interviewed a group of seven social workers from the St. Louis Metropolitan area to gain their perception as school social workers concerning their roles in public schools. The literature on school social workers indicated that school social workers brought unique knowledge and skills to the school system and the student services team. School social workers were instrumental in furthering the vision of the schools to help provide an improved setting and environment for teaching and learning. </p><p> This study conducted case studies of the social worker in the professional environment to document the types of activities conducted in the workplace and perceptions of the social workers regarding their place in the school setting. </p><p> To gather the qualitative data necessary to answer the research questions, participants provided responses to a survey, kept a log of activities, and participated in interviews. Qualitative data was coded for indicators of the role of social workers and their best strategies, on the job. Five major themes emerged from the study. The first of these was Monitoring Attendance and Tardy Issues. This role took much of the time during the day for social workers regardless of setting. </p><p> Home Visits to Assess Family Needs was the second most common job duty of the participants. Connecting Families to Resources did not take as much time, however was regarded by the social workers as the most important. Individual and Group Counseling was a common tool for trying to improve student behavior or coping skills. This was not a frequently used as the social workers desired. Crisis Intervention occurred on an as needed basis and required the use of the skills learned in their college training. The other major conclusion was in the difference between the single site and travelling school social workers. All of the travelling social workers thought they would be more effective if they were in only one school full time. Overall, the participants reported that they loved their job in spite of the challenges they faced.</p>

To discover possible root causes of teen pregnancy and understand why school is often uncomfortable for girls were the goals of this study, which examines questions derived from poststructural theory through case studies of five young women who became mothers during their teens. Three had dropped out of school before, two during, pregnancy; four later earned G.E.D.'s and one a high school diploma. Data were gathered by participant observation and interviews over a three-year period during which the women were enrolled for one or two sessions in a college-based summer program which emphasized development of mutual support and academic confidence among participants. Both the program and the research process, which actively involved the study subjects, urged critical examination of the heterosexual imperative which appears central in young women's lives. Findings of the study include: (1) Study participants perceive self as multiple subjectivities formed through response to people around them, particularly their parents. (2) All participants assumed that their commonly reported sense of isolation, felt particularly in school, had its only solution in finding a man to be constantly present in their lives; the study suggests this desire for "Mr. Right" is constructed by social discourses which regulate choice for women. (3) Alternative discourses which open broader options for women are accessible through learning about other women's lives and through group exploration of relational issues. (4) Personal writing is a particularly effective site for trying out discourse positions which realign relational power dynamics in women's lives. The study suggests that the root cause of teen pregnancy is a sexist agenda designed to keep women isolated from each other and powerless. Implications for the schooling of girls and preventing teen pregnancy include emphasis on classroom community, redefinition of self to acknowledge desire for connection to others, and opportunity to explore relational issues in school through shared personal writing and discussion in a single-sex environment. The study argues a view of self as process and suggests that writing to rehearse new subject positions may play a significant role in the evolution of that process.