<p> In the United States, a staggering four thousand students drop out every school day. Moreover, in 2016, the graduation rate in Oregon was only 74.8%, one of the lowest in the nation. Research shows that a disproportionate number of youth leaving school are from historically marginalized communities. Many of these youth resiliently return to education at alternative schools. This research sought to explore the educational experiences of youth in alternative schools in their own voices and perspectives. From a theoretical framework based in sociocultural theory, cultural capital, and critical theory, this study underscored the importance of youth voice in changing the education system by incorporating qualitative methods and YPAR (Youth Participatory Action Research). Working alongside seven youth co-researchers who attended an alternative school in Oregon, we interviewed eight other students at the same school about their educational experiences and perceptions of the education system. The youth co-researchers and I co-constructed four themes collectively: &ldquo;I felt invisible to the teachers&rdquo;; &ldquo;Teaching is a sacred act&rdquo;; &ldquo;Regular high school is like drowning, it&rsquo;s cruel&rdquo;; and &ldquo;Dropping out was [actually] a success.&rdquo; We also compiled counternarratives in the words of the eight student participants, which highlighted how the school system pushed them out despite their desire to learn. Finally, we spoke truth to power, in solidarity with the youth in this study, by presenting our recommendations for educational change to teachers, including how they can co-create spaces with students that foster care and empathy, value youth voice, and are culturally sustaining and identity affirming.</p><p>

Violence against students in the name of school discipline has led in many instances to hardship, and in extreme situations, the death of students in the Ghanaian secondary system (see myjoyonline.com, 2015). As a former secondary school teacher and now teacher educator, this presents an obvious motivation for examining the concept and actuality of school discipline in Ghana with the intention of finding potential for a change of approach in policy, teacher professionalism and practice. Behaviour management presents an established scope for educational research globally and has been researched for some years (Powel and Tod, 2004). The term Positive Behaviour Management (PBM) is used to denote forms of behaviour management in school that seeks to ensure that the dignity and self-esteem of students are safeguarded (e.g. Raths 1964; Wolfe 1991; Black and William 1998; Grundy & Blandford 2006; Brookfield 2006; Hayes et al. 2011). A qualitative case-study of four state Senior High Schools in Ghana was conducted using semi-structured interviews, observation and documents analysis. A sample of 28 respondents; 20 members of staff (headteachers or their assistants, senior house masters/mistress and subject teachers) and eight students, voluntarily participated in this research. Drawing on Foucault’s concepts of Normalisation, Surveillance and Regulation as tools of analysis and Ball’s (1987) theory on school micro-politics, an analysis of the data and policy documents was done. Findings suggest that physical and emotional abuses are widespread, propelled by teacher perceptions and school policy prescriptions that punishment must be painful, reformative and deterrent. In addition, they reveal negative consequences of physical and emotional abuses, rampant student suspensions from school and an obsolete policy on school discipline. The research therefore suggests an alternative approach to behaviour management which should be contained in policy reforms, changes in teacher training, general policy reforms, and professional practice.

<p> The majority of American high school students compete in school sponsored athletics (NCES, 2017; NFSH, 2017). Therefore, it is important for students, parents, educators and other pediatric professionals to be aware of the benefits and costs of participation. High schools and their associations are also often put in a position of determining what, if any, academic requirements should exist for athletic eligibility. This paper provides a thorough literature review of more than sixty references related to the benefits, costs, eligibility standards and legal issues associated with high school athletic participation. In addition, to gather and analyze input directly from the classrooms and playing fields, a novel survey on the topic was conducted with more than 130 high school employees at various high schools in Northern California, including teachers, coaches, athletic directors, administrators, psychologists, counselors and other staff. Findings from the literature and survey overwhelmingly support the immediate and long-term academic, occupational, social-emotional and health benefits of high school sports. More controversial, however, is suspending athletic participation for students who do not meet academic requirements. The author explores this issue taking into account the proven benefits of high school sports, procedural and legal concerns, and best practices for students. In particular, the effects are considered by gender, race, English-language status, socio-economic status and students with disabilities. Conclusions and recommendations are provided to assist stakeholders in understanding the role of high school athletics and developing fair and appropriate procedures and interventions for supporting all student-athletes. </p><p>

abstract: Peer learning is one of the longest established and most intensively researched forms of learning. As a form of peer learning, peer tutoring is characterized by specific role-taking as tutor or tutee with high focus on curriculum content. In the late 18th century, Andrew Bell undoubtedly became the first person in the world to use peer tutoring in a systematic fashion within a school setting. Due to its miraculous success, Bell affirmed that peer tutoring was the new method of practical education and was essential to every academic institution. Early in American education, teachers relied on certain students to teach others (i.e., peer tutoring) but this occurred on an informal, impromptu, as needed basis. This type of peer tutoring lasted well into the 20th century. A recent change in the traditional face of peer tutoring arrangements for U.S. schools has occurred due to more than 30 years of research at four major tutoring centers. Peer tutoring has moved away from an informal and casual approach to a more formal and robust method of teaching and learning. However, at the researcher's high school, peer tutoring was still very casual, informal, and practically non-existent. Consequently, the researcher created a peer tutoring club, and developed, and implemented a peer tutoring program. The researcher conducted a mixed-methods study with design-based research (DBR) as the preferred research design in order to discover what constitutes an ideal peer tutor and an ideal peer tutoring session. The researcher utilized qualitative means to analyze the following data: 1) field notes, 2) impromptu interviews, 3) questionnaires, 4) focus group interviews, and 5) a semi-structured interview. The researcher utilized quantitative means to analyze the following data: 1) sessions tutored survey and 2) archival data (e.g., daily attendance, school records). Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data suggested that the ideal peer tutor was qualified (e.g., desire, character traits, content mastery), trained (e.g., responsibilities, methodologies, procedures), and experienced. Likewise, in addition to having an ideal peer tutor, an ideal peer tutoring session took place in an environment conducive to learning and tutees were prepared and actively participated. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Leadership and Innovation 2014

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine how high school principals in a large urban district in the Southeastern United States view their professional development by gathering data on the essentials of professional development that support principals in carrying out their expanding roles, promoting the professional growth and efficacy of principals, and fostering the overall success of the schools they lead. Principal perceptions of professional development directly affect the extent to which they engage in and garner knowledge and skills from professional development activities. This semi-structured qualitative interview study asked 16 high school principals about their professional development experiences. Three major themes emerged from the data including: (a) improved outcomes and efficacy for practicing high school principals, (b) development of the characteristics desired for professional development, and (c) Adult Learning Theory correlated to preferred delivery models. Within each theme, implications of the study are discussed and recommendations for high school principal and districts are presented. </p><p>

<p> Research indicated the transition from eighth grade into ninth grade can be a difficult time for students. His Grace High School (HGHS) ninth grade students illustrated this difficulty. The purpose of this study was to examine African American student and parent perceptions regarding the transition process into high school. Currently, all students and parents at HGHS participate in a two-part orientation session to prepare and acclimate to the new school community and learning environments. Orientation sessions are facilitated by predominately African American staff members; however, the premise of the session was developed and implemented by Caucasian staff and faculty. Furthermore, the manner in which the information is developed and shared with the African American students and parents does not consider or address the cultural needs of African American parents and students. Critical Race Theory, CRT, was used to measure inequality in education. According to Hiraldo (1994) scholars have used CRT as a framework to analyze and critique educational research and practices. Critical Race Theory attempts to address the cultural needs and disparities of minority students when compared to students of the dominant race. </p><p> The research questions provided additional information about the transition process and how the administration, faculty, staff, and school community can develop and implement a transition program that will assist both students and parents transitioning into HGHS. A qualitative analysis of the current transition process was conducted. Current freshmen students and parents completed surveys and participated in interviews about their experience with the transition process at HGHS.</p><p>

<p> This research study involved examination of the quality of globalized character-based education in Missouri and the reasons secondary public schools have been slow to adopt globalized educational programs such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). This established programme has been the standard-bearer across the globe during the last 40 years and continues to promote the evolution of new globalized educational programs (IBO, 2017c). The International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme is now in 3,662 schools worldwide with 1,465 schools located in the United States (International Baccalaureate Organization [IBO], 2015b), but only 11 of the 573 Missouri public secondary schools have instituted a working IBDP (IBO, 2017c). A quantitative research study was conducted using a survey based on global characteristics as established by the IB Learner Profile. Data were collected from four specific groups within Missouri: 103 students currently enrolled in an IB Diploma School, 10 IB coordinators, 16 admissions directors of post-secondary institutions that offer IB credit, and 86 human resources directors at Missouri-based globalized businesses. These groups were chosen because of their relationship with the IB Learner Profile characteristics as demonstrated by IB Diploma candidates and the hiring process of employees in the 21st-century workplace. The further a student progresses educationally, the less often evaluators see the criteria of globalized learners being followed. The weaknesses revealed through this study can help drive the evolution and possible expansion of more globalized character-based programs in secondary schools in Missouri.</p><p>

In 1997, New Labour introduced a national ICT strategy for schools and went on to spend over £3.54 billion on educational technology. This exploratory study examines whether changes to government funding for educational technology has altered the view of the role of ICT in the thinking of senior leaders. It contrasts views of the role of ICT in the classroom from those in the ‘Edutopian’ school (Chen and Armstrong, 2002) who see it as transformational, innovative and an essential part of preparing children for modern life, with those who adopt a more cautious ‘Dystopian’ narrative as found across the work of a range of academics, such as, Cuban (2001), Selwyn (1999, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2011, 2014) and Facer (2011). This exploratory study draws on a small sample of interviews with key decision makers based in different schools that are all located within a single county in the North of England. The findings suggest that ICT remains one of the top five spending priorities for schools who explain this with the use of the Edutopian globalisation and economic arguments. In the study, a minority of key decision makers for ICT had formal training and this was reflected in the range of processes and procedures they adopted. The movement by government away from a centralised planning approach was welcomed across the sample and the loss of some ring-fenced funds was deemed by the ‘rural schools’ to have improved outcomes and created solutions more attuned to local requirements. Edutopian arguments were used by all participants to explain their planning and vision for the future with some desiring to move to ubiquitous or 1:1 tablet teaching solutions.

The notion of ‘authenticity’ has been revisited and discussed by the researchers and practitioners in the field of English language teaching (ELT) over recent years. However, it is usually described within a limited framework that focuses on the quality of texts used in ELT, often without paying attention to the ways and contexts in which those texts are used by language learners and teachers. Following van Lier’s definition of authenticity as ‘the result of acts of authentication, by students and their teacher, of the learning process and the language used in it’ (1996, p.128), this study focuses on the dynamic and multi-dimensional nature of authenticity in the language classroom. In ELT literature, there are a limited number of studies on this issue and the majority of them have provided prescriptive or theoretical discussion or focused on ‘text authenticity’ and the ‘correspondence account’ of authenticity rather than encompassing different dimensions and accounts of authenticity in a more holistic way. The present study addresses this gap and explores the relationships between different dimensions of authenticity in four 9th grade classrooms in two Anatolian High Schools in Ankara, Turkey. This study adopts the qualitative research tradition and is tailored as an embedded multiple-case design with multiple data collection methods such as classroom observations, semi-structured interviews and documents (e.g. textbook extracts). The data was analysed separately for each unit of analysis (i.e. classroom) and themes were developed inductively. The findings revealed that authenticity should be seen as a phenomenon (co)constructed through human actors’ engagement and validation in the classroom context rather than as an inherent quality of materials or activities. The main characteristics of this process were discussed under the key themes that emerged from cross-case comparison. These themes were listed as Spontaneity, Discrepancy, Personalisation, Humour, Didacticity (genesis and accommodation) and Localisation.

The purpose of this study was to examine the challenges facing the teaching and learning of Accounting in secondary schools of the Mthatha education district. There are 69 secondary schools that offer Accounting in the Mthatha education district. In order to attain the objectives and fulfil the aim of the study, the researcher used the qualitative research approach, both in collecting and analysing the data. The case study design was used to describe and access the phenomenon of challenges facing the teaching and learning of Accounting in the Mthatha education district. Convenience sampling method was used to select twelve Accounting teachers from six different secondary schools in the Mthatha education district. Face-to-face in-depth interviews and non-participant observation were used to collect the data. Themes were drawn from the responses of the participants and these were analysed. The study revealed the following factors as challenges facing the teaching and learning of Accounting in secondary schools of the Mthatha education district: Teachers had professional qualifications in teaching, but fewer of them had Accounting as subject of their specialisation. Frequency of workshops was identified as a challenge by interviewed teachers. The study revealed that teachers are unfamiliar with the content to teach, and as a result, they are unable to develop the learner guides. The study found that teachers are using insufficient LTSM to teach Accounting. Instructional strategies used by teachers for teaching and learning of Accounting affected the process of teaching and learning of this subject. Redeployment is a challenge that affects the capacity of schools in the teaching and learning of Accounting. The study also revealed that there is a lack of parental involvement and support in the education of their children, which negatively affects the teaching and learning of Accounting. Limited commitment from teachers and learners was also revealed as one of the challenges in teaching and learning Accounting. The researcher made recommendations towards mitigating the effects of the challenges in teaching and learning of Accounting.