ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Beyond Involvement and Engagement: The Role of the Family in School-Community Partnerships
Author: Stefanski, Amanda
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Participation,Learner Engagement,Partnerships in Education,Family School Relationship,School Community Relationship,Neighborhoods,School Community Programs,Community Relations,Family Involvement,Family Role,Research Methodology,Literature Reviews,Grounded Theory,Comparative Analysis

Research indicates that partnerships between schools and neighborhood communities support student learning, improve schools, and strengthen families and neighborhoods. These partnerships expand the traditional educational mission of the school to include health and social services for children and their families and to involve the broader community. School-community partnerships typically arise out of a specific need in the community and, as such, differ across a range of processes, structures, purposes, and types of family involvement. In previous work, we developed a typology to more closely examine various school-community partnerships (Valli, Stefanski, &amp; Jacobson, 2013). From that review of the literature, we identified four increasingly complex and comprehensive partnership models. In this article, we reexamine the literature, focusing on the role of the family in those partnership models, and discuss implications for productive family-school-community relations. Our analysis of the literature indicates that the role of parents and families differed considerably across the four models. In contrast to the simple family &quot;involvement&quot; versus family &quot;engagement&quot; dichotomy found in much of the current literature, we found eight distinct ways in which family roles were envisioned and enacted. This article provides a detailed picture of those roles to guide policies and practices that strengthen the family's role in school-community partnerships.
Identifying Barriers: Creating Solutions to Improve Family Engagement
Author: Baker, Timberly L.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Parent Participation,Parent School Relationship,Barriers,Focus Groups,Opportunities,Organizational Communication,Elementary Schools,Middle Schools,High Schools,School Personnel,Time,Interviews

Reframing notions of parent involvement (being present in the school building) to parent engagement (viewing multiple constructions of how parents are involved) is the purpose of this paper. The authors highlight the knowledge gained from data collected from a series of family and staff focus groups regarding parent and staff perceptions of barriers to family involvement and from families' suggestions as to what could be done differently to increase engagement. Using applied thematic analysis, five themes common to both families and staff are discussed: providing opportunities for involvement, improving communication, welcoming families into the building, making time, and moving from involvement to engagement. Findings show that, generally, parents and school staff agree on barriers to parent involvement but offer contrasting solutions. While parent solutions directly address the barriers identified and support parent engagement, staff frequently offered disconnected solutions, reiterating parent involvement--the necessity of parents being present in the building, rather than parent engagement--multiple constructions of how parents are involved.
Variations in Form and Skill: Supporting Multiple Orientations to Reflective Thinking in Leadership Preparation
Author: Carver, Cynthia L
Date: 2016-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Masters Degrees,Beginning Principals,Reflection,Semi Structured Interviews,Administrator Education,Instructional Leadership,Action Research,Writing (Composition),Student Attitudes

Drawing on data collected as part of a qualitative action research study, our analysis examines the reflective thinking skill of candidates as they begin a two-year principal preparation program. As leadership educators, we noticed that our highest performing students were also the most skilled at thinking reflectively. Using candidates' writing samples as a proxy for reflective thinking, we looked systematically at students' written work to assess their skill at engaging in reflective thinking. Using Valli's (1997) &quot;Orientations to Reflective Thinking&quot; as an analytic frame, we found that candidates varied in their readiness to engage in reflective thinking. We now use this framework with candidates to assess and guide their development as reflective practitioners. We believe that aspiring leaders need robust practical and conceptual tools for anticipating and solving the complex problems and challenges they will ultimately face. Given the difficulty that our students demonstrate when asked to reflect on their learning and development as leaders, reflective thinking can and should be one of those tools.
A Community-Based Parent Group's Collaboration to Inform School Choice in Detroit: Findings from the First Year
Author: Hill, K. Dara
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Choice,Urban Schools,Parents,Cooperation,Participatory Research,Action Research,Parent Participation,Public Schools,Private Schools,Charter Schools,Parent Surveys,Interviews,Observation,Preferences,Expectation,Institutional Characteristics,Check Lists,Kindergarten,Mixed Methods Research,Structured Interviews

This community-based, participatory action research study examined the outcomes of parent participation in the Best Classroom Project, an organized group of parents in Detroit seeking the best school options for children about to enter kindergarten. These parents' residency and school choices have emerged against the grain of public schools that have racially charged histories (Carter, 2007) and decades of residential mobility trends. Examined are the ways in which parents collaborated during the group's first year and organized daytime public, private, and charter school visits to inform their school choices. Surveys, interviews, and observations captured in field notes illuminated parents' preferences and expectations for school characteristics across public, private, and charter school entities. Documentation in school evaluation checklists also reflected the characteristics of parents' preferred schools, particularly factors that satisfied parents' expectations. Documentation also showed participants' willingness to advocate and contribute resources to preferred schools. Field notes additionally revealed features of school and district entities and their efforts to collaborate with and attract parents.
Towards Project-Based Learning: An Autoethnographic Account of One Assistant Professor's Struggle to Be a Better Teacher
Author: Greer, Wil
Date: 2016-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Projects,Teaching Methods,Ethnography,Educational Administration,Qualitative Research,Educational Theories,Course Descriptions,College Faculty,Teacher Improvement,Teacher Effectiveness,Administrator Education,Teacher Attitudes,Cultural Awareness,Student Diversity,Homosexuality,Sexual Identity,Social Differences,Racial Differences,Gender Differences,Course Evaluation,Student Attitudes

This paper outlines an approach to incorporating project-based learning (PBL) in a master's level educational administration diversity course. It draws on the qualitative methodology of autoethnography, and details the characteristics of this technique. In alignment with that method, the author discusses his positionality and engages in self-reflexivity throughout. Further, the paper provides a conceptual definition of PBL, examines theories recently used in its study, highlights the struggles of the professor-researcher in his first time teaching the course, and describes the path he took to improve his instruction and his students' learning. Mistakes made and lessons learned are shared as well. Providing a space for self-reflexivity and autoethnographic research, particularly for new faculty members, is recommended.
Homework as a Family Literacy Practice: What Counts as Best Practices for Children Deemed as High Risk for Academic Failure Due to Socioeconomic Status
Author: Fox, Kathy R.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Family Literacy,Homework,Best Practices,At Risk Students,Socioeconomic Status,Academic Failure,Socioeconomic Influences,Interviews,After School Programs,Home Visits,Public Housing,Low Income Groups,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students,High School Students,Parent Participation,Educational Legislation,Elementary Secondary Education,Federal Legislation,Literacy Education,Siblings,Feedback (Response)

Homework is a constant yet often controversial practice in homes and other settings. This study set out to determine answers to the question: &quot;What practices were used to support children with homework in families deemed as at risk due to low socioeconomic factors?&quot; Homework was examined as a common practice that routinely took place in a variety of settings with diverse participants. Interviews were conducted at an afterschool program and on home visits with families living in a small urban subsidized housing development. Findings showed that homework was viewed, shared, discussed, handled, and ultimately accomplished in ways which differed from established recommendations and mainstream teacher expectations. Implications from the reported cases showed that families held perceptions of the benefits, purposes, and effects of homework that had the potential to inform teachers in the design, implementation, and evaluation of meaningful, culturally responsive homework assignments.
System-Level Instructional Leadership--A District-Level Leadership Case: Implementing PLCs in Schools
Author: Archbald, Doug
Date: 2016-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Strategic Planning,School Districts,Communities of Practice,Central Office Administrators,Communication Skills,Educational Change,Resource Allocation,Faculty Development,Curriculum Development,Skill Development,Budgeting,Decision Making,Academic Achievement,Superintendents

Objective of the Case--There is a large volume of theoretical and &quot;how to&quot; literature on professional learning communities (PLCs), but little documenting the challenges of implementation and even less on the challenges of system-wide implementation of PLCs. This case is about the role of the central office in initiating and supporting system level change to improve student learning through the implementation of PLCs. Change of this nature and scope raises many difficult challenges--decisions affecting resources, staff relationships, union policies, school scheduling, curriculum, professional development, and instruction--and these are challenges and decisions that prospective school and district leaders need to understand and anticipate in order to lead successful change. This case is intended to deepen learners' understanding of the theory and research behind PLCs and the complexities and challenges of implementing change at the district level. The case is also intended to promote skill development: in communications (writing, speaking, tailoring messages to specific audiences), strategic planning (clarifying objectives, analyzing options and consequences, allocating resources, budgeting, adapting to stakeholders' interests, establishing timelines), instructional leadership (professional development, curriculum improvement, best practices for instruction) and human relations (empathy, supportiveness, self-efficacy). The case has three main portions: (1) theory and research background; (2) the case narrative concerning the initiative to implement PLCs in Marshall County School District; (3) and the list of discussion questions and tasks to extend and apply the learning from the case. The case could be covered in three class sessions: the first session, discussing the background readings and understanding the theory and research related to system level leadership and implementing instructional change; the second, discussing the case narrative and the end-of-case discussion questions; and the third, presenting and debriefing on tasks selected for more in-depth assignments to complete.
Parent-Teacher Conflict Related to Student Abilities: The Impact on Students and the Family-School Partnership
Author: Lasater, Kara
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Partnerships in Education,Family School Relationship,Professional Development,Qualitative Research,Interviews,Student Attitudes,Parent Teacher Cooperation,Teacher Attitudes,Conflict,School Community Programs,School Community Relationship,College Students

Family-school partnerships have a positive impact on both students and schools, yet they remain challenging to establish and maintain, particularly in the presence of parent-teacher conflict. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of parents, teachers, and students when parents and teachers disagreed about a student's abilities; of particular importance was the perceived impact of these divergent accounts on students and the establishment of effective family-school partnerships. The goal of the study was to gain insights from these experiences that could help build effective family-school partnerships, even in the presence of conflict. This purpose was achieved through a qualitative investigation of parent, teacher, and student experiences when parent and teacher perceptions of student abilities diverged. Analysis of data collected from 10 in-depth interviews with students, parents, and teachers revealed four themes: impressionability of student attitudes, failure to resolve conflicts, challenging parents, and lack of teacher training. The themes &quot;impressionability of student attitudes&quot; and &quot;failure to resolve conflicts&quot; describe the perceived impact of discrepant parent and teacher perceptions of student abilities on students and the family-school partnership. The themes &quot;challenging parents&quot; and &quot;lack of teacher training&quot; represent two barriers to partnership development. Implications and recommendations are discussed that may help educators improve their partnership efforts.
Evaluating Positive Social Competence in Preschool Populations
Author: Joy, Jennifer M.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Interpersonal Competence,Preschool Children,Preschool Education,Parents,Parent Child Relationship,Structural Equation Models,Kindergarten,Child Rearing,Parenting Styles,School Readiness,Self Concept,Self Esteem,Likert Scales,Personality Measures

Social competence is seen as a critical aspect of academic and social success; however, the construct is often minimized to a set of social skills or the absence of negative behaviors. The current study aims to broaden the understanding of social competence by incorporating the factors associated with the development of social competence and the outcomes associated with social competence into one model. Additionally, the multifaceted construct of positive social competence included in the model is entirely positively framed. Participants in the current study were 153 sets of parents and children attending preschool in a large suburban preschool program in Colorado. Structural equation modeling was used to simultaneously examine how early risks and protective factors relate to social competence and how social competence relates to outcomes (social school readiness and self-concept/self-esteem). Data resulted in a well fitting model overall. Significant pathways were found between Child's Self-Regulation and Positive Social Competence and between Positive Social Competence and the two other endogenous variables in the model (i.e., variables explained by other variables in the model), namely Social School Readiness and Self-Concept/Self-Esteem.
Classroom Discourse: An Essential Component in Building a Classroom Community
Author: Lloyd, Malinda Hoskins
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Community,Academic Discourse,Classroom Environment,Models,Facilitators (Individuals),Listening,Learner Engagement,Teaching Methods

Based on findings from a recent qualitative study utilizing grounded theory methodology, in this essay, the authors focus on the building of community within the classroom by emphasizing classroom discourse as an essential component of instruction in exemplary teachers' classrooms. The authors then provide insights as to how to encourage and support classroom community through discourse, defined as a written or spoken representation of one's knowledge. Specifically, the authors present a progressive approach--the &quot;Facilitate-Listen-Engage&quot; (FLE) model--designed to create a discourse-intensive community of learners. In this model, which can be applied to multiple content areas and across various grade levels, the teacher, serving as the &quot;Facilitator&quot;, intentionally plans lessons, engaging students in discourse. Classroom members then participate in the &quot;Listen&quot; phase in which teacher and students cohesively exchange information through bidirectional communication. In the &quot;Engage&quot; phase, the teacher purposefully provides opportunities for students to engage in rich discussions which stimulate the development of community. Ultimately, this progressive framework is designed to establish a sense of belonging for all students while actively engaging them in the learning process, forging the idea that every member of the classroom is valued. Finally, the authors describe three instructional strategies for promoting classroom discourse, supporting practitioners as they translate theory into practice.
What School Principals Need to Know about Libraries: Implications for Practice and Preparation
Author: Pickett, Janie
Date: 2016-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Principals,Elementary Secondary Education,School Libraries,Delphi Technique,Knowledge Level,Skills,Personality,Administrator Education,Expertise

Principals in K-12 education face increasingly complex responsibilities and must maximize student learning within the boundaries of available funding and staffing. Effective library programs have been correlated to higher test scores and can be a resource for principals to meet improvement goals. The purpose of this Delphi study was to describe the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed by K-12 administrators to direct effective school library programs. Across three expert profile groups, 23 panelists participated in three rounds of the Delphi process. A high level of consensus led to 44 statements of application for aspiring and practicing administrators. The four highest ranked items were statements of dispositions about the library program. Implications for administrators in preparation and practice are noted.
A Study of Preferred Conflict-Management Behaviors among Small-School Principals: Effects of Gender and Experience
Author: Vestal, Brad
Date: 2016-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Conflict Resolution,Gender Differences,Comparative Analysis,Instructional Leadership,Administrator Role,Principals,Preferences,Administrator Behavior,Small Schools,Skill Development,Measures (Individuals),Administrator Characteristics,Regression (Statistics),Surveys

It cannot be overstated the broad skill set managers must have to manage conflict in modern organizations (Lang, 2009; Ramani &amp; Zhimin, 2010). Few studies have explored this topic in smaller organizational settings where leaders often assume a greater number of roles and responsibilities. For this reason, this study analyzed preferred conflict management behaviors for small-school principals. A sample of head school principals answered a series of questions on a modified Thomas-Kilmann Instrument (TKI)--an instrument widely used in conflict-management studies. Behavioral preferences for male and female respondents were compared as in addition to exploring the effect of leadership experience. Although the gender of the principal had no statistical effect, leadership experience significantly explained preference for competing and compromising behaviors. Implications for conflict resolution skill development and research are discussed.
A Matter of Health and Safety
Author: Roseman, Jerry
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Safety,Teaching Conditions,Educational Environment,Educational Facilities,Educational Facilities Improvement,Site Analysis,School Buildings,Hazardous Materials,Case Studies

The many negative effects that deficient building conditions have on educational quality have long been ignored. Until school systems can ensure all students have access to school buildings that are healthy, safe, comfortable, and dry, we cannot hope to adequately protect the well-being of students and staff, recruit and retain teachers, or provide quality education. Author Jerry Roseman is the director of environmental science and occupational safety and health for the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers Health &amp; Welfare Fund. Since 1985 he has served as the director of environmental science and occupational safety and health for the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) Health &amp; Welfare Fund. The Health &amp; Welfare Fund is a freestanding PFT-affiliated organization that was established in 1974 through the union's collective bargaining agreement to provide supplementary benefits and related support to promote the health, safety, and well-being of all PFT-represented employees in the School District of Philadelphia. In his role with the Health &amp; Welfare Fund, he reviews information and data as provided by the district about environmental exposures and related building conditions; conducts school-site visits and evaluations to assess mold, asbestos, lead, and a range of other environmental hazards; and works with school district officials to find practical solutions to ensure safe building conditions. Roseman writes that while he could provide a laundry list of the environmental facility defiencies he's seen throughout his career, this article primarily focuses on what he and his team have found are the best and most effective ways to improve conditions in schools
Principal Evaluation in Indiana: Practitioners&apos; Perceptions of a New Statewide Model
Author: Andrews, Kelly A.
Date: 2016-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Principals,Administrator Evaluation,School Districts,State Legislation,Superintendents,Feedback (Response),Educational Change,Educational Policy,Mixed Methods Research,Models,Administrator Attitudes,Administrator Qualifications,Public Schools,Administrator Surveys,Rating Scales,Likert Scales

This study examines administrators' perspectives of a state-developed principal evaluation model adopted by a majority of Indiana school districts after legislation mandated policy reform in educator evaluation. Feedback was gathered from public school superintendents (the evaluators) and principals (those being evaluated), with 364 participants. Mixed-methods analyses revealed areas of model utility, implementation challenges, and statistically significant differences between principals' and superintendents' perceptions of model efficacy. Both superintendents and principals agreed the new model was an improvement over traditional, locally developed models; however, superintendents rated the model higher in efficacy and implementation fidelity. Principal participants did not perceive the new model to be effective for principal evaluation and would not recommend the model to colleagues. Implications for future policy development in educator evaluation include the integration of findings from essential evaluative research. Recommendations for practice include suggestions for facilitating field-based support when developing and implementing evaluative models.