Students in resource-scarce environments navigate through a multitude of barriers (Richter, 2007). The pathways that individuals travel through towards positive adaptation are far from fixed (Ungar, 2005a), but rather a continuous intersection of navigating through adversity and negotiating supports (Ungar, Brown, Liebenberg, et. al, 2008). Hence, resilience (adapting positively in the face of significant adversity) can be buoyed in a space where support is provided (Ebersöhn & Ferreira, 2011). Scant research warrants whether partnerships with rural schools contribute to fostering positive adaptation of students in relation to their pathways to resilience (measured by educational outcome variables). This study forms part of a larger running longitudinal project, namely: Flourishing Learning Youth (FLY; Ebersöhn & Maree, 2006); a rural school-Educational Psychology partnership which had its inception in 2006. The partnership involves numerous services, specifically career related support to grade nine students and guidance to educators. This retrospective case study (Yin, 2009; Zainal, 2007) utilised a concurrent mixed methods research design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007) within a pragmatic lens to study educational pathways to resilience. This was explored by means of qualitatively investigating partnerships, as well as quantitatively examining student access and academic performance (as indicators of educational resilience). The theoretical underpinnings rested on concepts from the Resiliency Wheel (Henderson & Milstein, 1996) through a transactionalecological understanding of resilience in learning. Data collection strategies consisted of: semi-structured interviews with two teacher-participants and retrospective document analysis of school records (performance schedules) for two grade nine cohorts. The cohorts were followed from grade 9 to grade 11. Data analysis techniques consisted of T-Tests and descriptive statistics on sampled documents for the quantitative strand. Through these statistical methods, it was anticipated that patterns in access and performance, could speak to partnerships influence as one factor in students pathways to resilience, or not. Concurrently, thematic analysis of interview transcripts was done for the qualitative strand. The triangulation of these methods assisted in creating a more comprehensive picture of the relationship between partnerships and the outcome variables used to gauge educational pathways to resilience. Results which emerged qualitatively allowed for answering questions surrounding the nature, processes and benefits of partnerships in a rural school, as well as risks and protective resources within and around the school. Quantitative results regarding outcome variables of access and performance highlighted the risks found qualitatively, to indicate that despite observable enabling partnership processes and benefits, students appear to find high academic challenging (in three measured school subjects). A better understanding on the various pathways to resilience of students in resourcescarce environments could assist with appropriate services and interventions that partners may wish to exchange. / Mini-dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

My study is informed by a partnership initiated between Gun Free South Africa and the Department of Education (District Tshwane South) with the concern of addressing violence in schools. Schools are often seen as professionalised and distant from their local communities. Learners belong to the very communities that are distanced from the school. They bring to school the unresolved issues from their families and interpersonal relations within the community. The study aimed to explore and describe the experiences of violence by a school community and how they cope with it. The study was informed by a qualitative and instrumental case study design within an interpretivist paradigm. Furthermore, the study was guided by an integrated conceptual framework derived from an asset-based and ecosystemic model, coping theories and the management system adapted from Babbie (2001). To address this I incorporated a variety of strategies such as interviews, collages, timeline and concept mapping through which a crystallisation of data could be obtained. I also used informal observations and visual data as additional data generating methods. Through a thematic analysis approach the study reveal the existence of violence as a challenge to the school community, and impacts directly or indirectly to their well-being. The study has further indicated that the perpetrators are known to the victims. The findings of the study suggest that on the basis of the integrated conceptual framework support structures could be mobilized, building partnerships between local schools and the community to provide a firm foundation for educational renewal and community regeneration and to contribute directly to the strengthening and development of the school community. The information gathered might also assist policy developers in developing support and intervention programmes for the restoration of school safety. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / MEd / unrestricted

This qualitative study should provide insight into stakeholders' perceptions of a system-wide educational partnership focused on a change effort to increase student achievement in a school system located in a large, metropolitan city in the southeastern United States. The importance of partnering to assure that all children are succeeding in school has never been more important to local communities and our nation. Not only are definitions of educational partnerships expanding, but so are the parameters, the players, and the structures. As educational improvement initiatives are put into effect by local, state, and national governments, schools across the country are realizing the need for local action. Some of the many successful school systems in our nation have implemented more than parent involvement; they have created a collaborative school-community partnership. Through investigation of surveys and interviews administered to the stakeholders of a partnership that has only been in existence for 2 years, this case study was designed to identify similarities and differences in the stakeholders' perceptions regarding their respective roles in the partnership, in improving student outcomes, and in the desired future state of this particular school system and partnership. Findings from this study confirm that there are both similarities and differences in all stakeholders' perceptions about most aspects of the partnership. In addition, many of the study's participants have changed their perceptions of the partnership over the 2 years of its existence and the challenges facing education. Finally, challenges and barriers of this partnership were identified. Differences in perceptions regarding the vision, mission, goals, action plans, and measures exist between school system personnel, school board members, and the partnership. This study focused on the implications of building partnerships and provides a section detailing recommendations and lessons learned from the process for this particular partnership as well as recommendations for future partnerships. This study might be of interest to stakeholders who are presently involved in a similar collaborative change effort or serve as a guide for other school systems that wish to replicate this type of school-community partnership.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if a relationship existed between the quality of school-community partnerships and the average score of each ACT subtest for rural Tennessee high school students. Specifically, the researcher examined the following school-community partnerships: business partnerships, university partnerships, service learning partnerships, school-linked service integration, and faith-based partnerships (Sanders, 2006). Administrators from 62 rural Tennessee high schools rated the partnerships present in their schools using the Improving Community Partnership Quality rating scale developed by Sanders (2006). Each of these ratings was compared to the participating school’s mean score for each ACT benchmark to determine whether these partnerships could be linked to success on the ACT. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated for each partnership type and each ACT subtest. The results revealed that a statistically significant relationship did not exist between school-community partnerships and ACT subtest scores.

This dissertation investigated the role of school food and food policy in three low-income, urban, predominantly African-American schools. Using critical policy analysis, this study examined two different school food programs, both of which complied with the National School Lunch Program nutritional guidelines. It employed ethnographic case study methods, including observations and interviews with a total of 59 participants over the course of two years. Findings indicated that feeling hungry interfered with students’ ability to pay attention during class, and students still felt hungry after eating prepackaged school breakfasts and lunches. On the other hand, students reported feeling more full, satisfied, and ready to learn after eating freshly-prepared foods. Additionally, participants described improved engagement within classrooms, as well as a more positive climate in the lunchroom with the fresh meals. While the tone was usually punitive and disciplinary during the prepackaged mealtimes, during the fresh meals served family-style, with students and faculty eating together, the tone was celebratory and communal. These findings indicate school food is an important, yet under-researched, aspect of schooling, with many fruitful avenues for future research and practice. / Urban Education

The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of the school community with regard to the outcomes of a school improvement program (SIP) on the effectiveness of Sidama Zone schools. It was primarily a qualitative study, which explored the experiences of the school community with regard to the outcomes of the SIP. Four schools were purposefully selected. The data were collected by means of interviews, focus-group discussions, observations and relevant documents, and analyzed focusing on thematic categories. The findings indicated that in schools where there existed a strong collaboration of the school community in the planning, decision-making, monitoring and evaluation processes, the improvement initiatives were owned by all in the school and the performance of the schools was enhanced. On the other hand, the lack of collaboration in the school community negatively affected the performance of those schools. Besides, in all the schools the CPD was challenged by the resistance of the teachers, the lack of resources and poor implementation strategies. It also became apparent that the teachers' commitment to support each other and their students, to implement active learning methods and continuous assessment contributed to the effectiveness of the better-performing schools. Findings further revealed that to the contrary, these actions were loosely implemented in the poorly-performing schools. Though the peer learning approach was implemented, it became evident that there were mixed views regarding its benefits. The availability of the necessary facilities created an environment conducive to learning in schools one and three. Although there were attempts to implement extra-curricular activities for the social and emotional development of the students, its implementation was negatively affected by a lack of coordination and resources in the schools. In the poorly-performing schools, the school environment was found not to be conducive to teaching and learning. In the better-performing schools, the feedback from the school community was used as an input to make adjustments to the improvement process, and this created a feeling of ownership that led to the effectiveness of the schools. The outcomes of the study indicated that the promotion-rate of the students to the following grade was considered as a measure of the effectiveness of the schools. Conversely, the lack of proper participation of the school community in the school’s affairs, the lack of proper leadership support, the teachers’ resistance to participate in CPD, the non-existence of training opportunities and workshops for the teachers, and the shortage of resources were reported as challenges. From the findings it has been concluded that the SIP has contributed to school effectiveness in the schools that have properly managed the change process as opposed to those schools which remained poorly performing due to low level of SIP implementation. Finally, monitoring the SIP cycles, building trust between the principals and the teachers, creating a link between the schools and other institutions, introducing recognition mechanisms, and providing support to the poorly-performing schools were indicated as strategies to enhance the effectiveness of the school. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This research involves the exploration of the potential, as well as the problems, of early adolescents’ relationships in the context of the school-and-home in a high-risk community in South Africa. Although researchers indicate that school performance and academic success is of key importance concerning positive youth development (You & Nguen, 2011), many South African adolescents are still part of the high incidence of repeating greades and drop-out statictics in this country (Louw, Bayat & Eigelaar-Meets, 2011). This study highlights one of the factors for school success, namely, the involvement of primary care givers in the school community. There is a need to explore adolescents’ perceptions of their primary care givers’ involvement in the school community, within the context of a high-risk South African community, since research within Positive Psychology also explores those resources which promote wellbeing and resilient coping. This study made use of the qualitative method and the results have been presented in an article format, as part of the dissertation. The aim of the article was to explore early adolescents’ perceptions of their primary care-givers’ involvement in the school community in a high-risk community. Participants (N=12) between the ages of twelve to fourteen years, from one school in the Delft Community, Cape Peninsula, were chosen in an un-biased fashion. The Delft community is one of the twenty identified high-risk communities in South Africa. Demographic information shows that the majority of the participants’ care-givers are not the biological parents. The findings indicate that early adolescents percieve their primary caregivers’ involvement in the school community, in a high-risk community, in the following ways: The meeting of basic needs, such as the provision of food, clothing and a home is essential for the adolescent’s school career; the emotional colour of the involvement of care givers is mostly negative, since school visitations involve the handling of problems, or the prevention of further problems; the early adolescent’s understanding of school success greatly matches that of his/her primary care- givers and is seen mostly in terms of either “pass” or “fail”; and early adolescents’ school careers and primary care-givers’ involvement within the context of a high-risk community involve experiences such as the exposure to continued poverty with various implications such as hunger, walking to school in an unsafe environment, as well as gang-violence, crime and substance abuse. This study shows that, besides the challenges that are associated with the adolescent life-phase, early adolescents also have to deal with various other problems that emanate from a high-risk community. These problems are generally matters of survival, and it is clear that these risks further strain well-being and the development thereof. Poor involvement of primary caregivers in the school community is one of the realities which early adolescents in a high-risk community have to deal with, and this poor involvement is indicative of not providing life essentials, as well as personal interest and encouragement. It is further the experience of negative emotions, such as fear in general and the “scared-ness” indicates adolescents’ fear for their own safety, as well as that of their friends and family. The participants in this study have all been affected directly and/or indirectly by the trauma of gang violence and the untimely death of a family member. In the midst of these challenges, the primary caregivers are mostly uninvolved in these vulnerable adolescents’ lives. Primary care-givers visit the school community mainly when they are summoned to handle “problems”. Primary care-givers generally have a negative association with the school community. The less negative experience of emotions indicates the absence of serious problems, such as the not-completion of school work. The scarce occurrence of positive emotions, such as primary care-givers that show compassion with early adolescents when they experience disappointment, is actually part of the participants’ experiences. The primary care- givers’ active helping with the early adolescents’ school tasks is uncommon and it is mostly focused on the prevention of the repetition of school grades. The presence of a family member (extended family) with school meetings has great value for the early adolescents’ perception of family as a protective factor for the well-being of the young person. This study presents an important contribution to Positive Psychology, as valuable information is presented to understand the early adolescent’s well-being and the context thereof. The specific descriptions of early adolescents’ perceptions of the involvement of their primary care-givers in the school community provide a description of the potential which can be unlocked in school-and-life choices. Findings have implications for policies regarding the promotion of well-being. Recommendations for further study are given. Possibilities for application includes the importance of the ecological impact and of partnerships, so that problems and the development of well-being can be addressed by primary care givers, school communities, faith communities, NGOs and universities. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

První část diplomové práce nazvaná " Multikulturní výchova v mateřské škole v integraci s rodinami" pojednává o některých termínech, týkajících se této problematiky. Dále se věnuje současné multikulturní situaci v České republice. Na toto téma jsem se zaměřila z hlediska významu spolupráce mateřské školy s rodinami a výhod multikulturní výchovy v mateřské škole s rodiči. Druhá část zahrnuje návrh třídního kurikula s multikulturním zaměřením v integraci s rodiči a jeho realizaci v soukromé anglické mateřské škole v Praze. Abstract: The first section of this thesis which is entitled "Multicultural Education in a pre-school with familial integration" starts by outlining the most common terms in this broad issue, followed by a current position of multiculturalism in Czech Republic. I focused on a topic in a sense of the co-operation between a pre-school and families from a multicultural view point. The second part includes a concept of the Multicultural Class Curriculum with familial integration and presents its realization in a privat English Pre-school in Prague.

Esta tese insere-se na linha de pesquisa “Educação científica: processos de ensino e aprendizagem na escola, na universidade e no laboratório de pesquisa”, e, neste caminho, investiga as contribuições do Programa Mais Educação (PME) à comunidade escolar. O PME é uma política pública do governo federal, que durante nove anos se propôs a induzir a ampliação da jornada escolar. Assim, apoiamo-nos na perspectiva da Educação integral, que alarga os tempos e as oportunidades educativas à luz dos saberes de Anísio Teixeira e Darcy Ribeiro. O referencial teórico-metodológico estrutura-se nos conhecimentos de Stephen Ball e Richard Bowe, especificamente no livro Reforming Education and changing schools (1994), uma vez que apresentam um conjunto de questões norteadoras para a análise da trajetória de políticas/programas educacionais com base nos cinco contextos: a) contexto de influência, b) contexto da produção de texto, c) contexto da prática, d) contexto dos resultados/efeitos e, e) contexto de estratégia política. De forma peculiar, voltamos o olhar ao contexto da prática, sem deixar de transitar entre os demais contextos. A pesquisa tem como campo onze escolas municipais de Caxias do Sul, sendo que a atenção mais específica é voltada para quatro delas, situadas na região norte, numa distância de 4 quilômetros (Km) entre uma outra. As escolas mencionadas são consideradas referência, uma vez que, não havendo vaga em uma delas, o aluno é direcionado a uma das outras três escolas. Optou-se pelas quatro escolas uma vez que duas delas aderiram ao PME em 2009 e o mantiveram de forma ininterrupta até o ano de 2015. Já as outras duas, mesmo havendo possibilidade de aderir ao PME, não o fizeram. É importante considerar que as escolas têm autonomia diante do fazer pedagógico e podem optar por aderir ou não ao PME. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de método misto, cuja amostra é não aleatória e intencional (82 alunos, 80 pais (2015), 66 pais (2018), 33 monitores, 38 professores e 2 equipes diretivas); os instrumentos utilizados são questionários (Alunos, Pais, Monitores, Professores, Equipe Diretiva); o procedimento é documental (Portaria Interministerial nº 24; Decreto nº 7.083; Trilogia do PME e o Caderno PME: Passo a Passo); estudo de caso (aplicação de questionário aos alunos que frequentam o PME; professores regentes; monitores e diretores de duas escolas municipais de Caxias do Sul); levantamento de dados (Índice de Desenvolvimento da Educação Básica (IDEB)). De forma ampla, os estudos apontam que o programa em tela foi aprovado de forma maciça pelos estudantes, teve efetividade social, ampliou o tempo e os espaços educativos, possibilitando atividades diversificadas para o desenvolvimento multidimensional do sujeito; contribuiu de forma efetiva na diminuição de desigualdades, assegurando o acesso, permanência e o sucesso escolar, embora careça de ajustes. O Programa Novo Mais Educação (PNME), que substituiu as ações do Programa Mais Educação (PME) reduz a perspectiva de educação integral ao reforço escolar às disciplinas de português e matemática, logo não se propõe a desenvolver o indivíduo de forma integral. Já o Programa Novo Mais Educação traz consigo a velha política, mais português e matemática, negando a diversidade cultural. Logo, não se mostra um programa com a perspectiva do desenvolvimento integral dos sujeitos. / This thesis is part of the research line "Scientific education: teaching and learning processes at school, university and research laboratory", and in this way, investigates the contributions of the More Education Program (PME) to the school community. PME is a public policy of the federal government, which for nine years was intended to induce the expansion of the school day. Thus, we substantiate the research into the perspective of integral education, which broadens educational opportunities and opportunities in the light of the knowledge of Anísio Teixeira and Darcy Ribeiro. The theoretical-methodological framework is based on the knowledge of Stephen Ball and Richard Bowe, specifically in the book Reforming Education and changing schools (1994), since they present a set of guiding questions for the analysis of the trajectory of educational policies/programs based in five contexts: a) context of influence, b) context of text production, c) context of practice, d) context of results / effects, e) context of policy strategy. The field of this research counts with eleven municipal schools in Caxias do Sul, and the most specific attention is focused on four of them located in the north region, distant from each other, approximately by 4 kilometers (km). The aforementioned schools are considered as reference schools, since, without having a place in one of them, the student is directed to one of the other three schools. The four schools were chosen due to the fact that two of them joined the PME in 2009 and maintained it uninterruptedly until the year 2015. Even though the other two schools were able to join the PME, they did not do so. It is important to consider that schools have autonomy in the face of pedagogical activity and may choose to join or not PME. This is a mixed method survey whose sample is non-random and intentional (82 students, 80 parents (2015), 66 parents (2018), 33 monitors, 38 teachers and 2 management teams); the instruments used are questionnaires (Students, Parents, Monitors, Teachers, Management Team); the procedure is documentary (Interministerial Ordinance nº 24, Decree nº 7.083, Trilogy of the PME and the Guide Book PME: Step by Step); case study (application of questionnaire students who attend PME, teachers, monitors and directors of two municipal schools in Caxias do Sul); data collection (Basic Education Development Index (IDEB)). Broadly speaking, studies indicate that the program on screen was massively approved by the students, had social effectiveness, extended the time and educational spaces enabling diversified activities for the multidimensional students’ development, effectively contributed to reducing inequalities by ensuring the access, permanence and school success, although it needs adjustments. New More Education Program (PNME), which replaced the actions of the More Education Program (PME), reduces the perspective of integral education to the reinforcement of Portuguese and Math disciplines, so it does not propose to develop the individual in an integral way. PNME brings with it the old politics, more Portuguese and Math, denying cultural diversity, so it does not show a program with the perspective of the subject’s integral development.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-10T10:44:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LILIAN SOARES DA SILVA.pdf: 42656407 bytes, checksum: 1ed866fb5e28b0f50ed3ada8846258bd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-21 / This study is a research of the practices of environmental education (EE) in the Full- Time Schools (FTS) from (1 st to 5th year) near the headwaters of the Meia Ponte river, which are: State Full-Time School Alfredo Nasser and State Full-Time School Ary Demósthenes, both located in the city of Itauçu-GO. It discusses how the teaching is done in the institutions cited by EE research with students, parents and teachers, managers and employees. It describes the main conceptions of the EE and the importance of conservation in the FTSs for the Meia Ponte River, some theories are used to thinking of a new way of working the EE to preservation of life. It notes to the research field in which the school community is aware of some superficial information, related to EE, but these do not Always turn into knowledge, the results show that teachers work with their students some concepts of EE, but is still a working with shy fragmentation of contents with deficit contextualize the themes worked and little cares to relate learning with local environmental issues and specially with Meia Ponte river that occurs a certain indifference to perform its conservation. It is observed that teachers are not trained to work EE specifies it can be one of the justifications, the difficulties in addressing the issue. We conclude that in these cases to develop effective environmental practices and commitment it is necessary to change the process of teaching and learning for the whole community, as students show proved receptive to working with EE, and there is a need for qualified teachers they can pass on the knowledge so that students understand, they absorb and live what was learned. / A dissertação analisa as práticas de Educação Ambiental (EA) nas Escolas de Tempo Integral (ETIs) (de 1º ao 5º ano) próximas às nascentes do rio Meia Ponte, (Escola Estadual de Tempo Integral Alfredo Nasser e a Escola Estadual de Tempo Integral Ary Demósthenes), localizadas no município de Itauçu-Go. Aborda como é realizado o ensino de EA nas instituições citadas mediante pesquisa realizada com alunos, pais, professores, gestores e funcionários. Descreve as principais concepções acerca da EA a sua importância nas ETIs para a conservação do rio Meia Ponte, e algumas teorias para reflexão de uma nova forma de trabalhar a EA, para preservação da vida. A pesquisa de campo constata que a comunidade escolar tem noção de algumas informações superficiais, relacionadas à EA, mas que nem sempre transformam-se em conhecimento. Os resultados mostram que os docentes trabalham com seus alunos alguns conceitos de EA, mas ainda é um trabalho tímido com a fragmentação dos conteúdos, descontextualizados e os temas trabalhados pouco se preocupam em relacionar o aprendizado com os problemas ambientais locais e principalmente com rio Meia Ponte, o que gera certo descaso para realizar sua conservação. Observa-se que os docentes não têm formação especifica para trabalhar com EA, e essa carência sinaliza uma das justificativas nas dificuldades em abordar o tema. Ressalva-se que para ocorrer um efetivo desenvolvimento de práticas ambientais é necessário mudança e comprometimento no processo de ensino e aprendizagem de toda a comunidade, uma vez que os alunos mostram se receptivos em trabalhar com EA, mais existe a necessidade de qualificar os professores para que possam transmitir o conhecimento a fim de que os alunos compreendam, assimilem e vivam o que foi aprendido.