scholarly journals Children’s Right to Belong?—The Psychosocial Impact of Pedagogy and Peer Interaction on Minority Ethnic Children’s Negotiation of Academic and Social Identities in School

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 383
Author(s):  
Deirdre McGillicuddy ◽  
Malgosia Machowska-Kosciak
Keyword(s):  
Policy Development ◽  
Ability Grouping ◽  
Social Identities ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
Social Worlds ◽  
School Practices ◽  
Teacher Pedagogy ◽  
Children’S Voices ◽  
Minority Ethnic

Migration across the OECD this decade is reflected in increasingly diverse societies. Although migration into Ireland remains relatively low, increasing pupil diversity is evident in the physical, pedagogical, curricular, and socio-relational aspects of schooling. While the intensity of such changes are evident in teacher pedagogy, children’s social worlds, and classroom/school dynamics, most notable is the lack of policy development to support school practices. Drawing on two in-depth case studies, this paper aims to foreground minority ethnic children/young people’s voice(s) as they negotiate the complexity of identity (re)formation and belonging in school. It explores whether mis/recognition impacts teacher pedagogical practices through ability grouping, and minority ethnic children’s navigation of social spaces within/between the classroom. Using a children’s rights lens, this paper interrogates whether minority ethnic children’s right to education preparing them “for responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of understanding, peace (and) tolerance” (Article 29 (1), UNCRC, 1989) is being realised. Findings indicate the need to foreground minority ethnic children’s voices and rights to ensure how they “do”/”feel” learning is in their best interests and affords them equal opportunities in their school lives.

The lives and identities of UK Black and South Asian head teachers

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 842-862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauri Johnson
Keyword(s):  
South Asian ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Role Model ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Social Identities ◽  
Head Teachers ◽  
Policy Context ◽  
History Approach ◽  
Changing Attitudes ◽  
Minority Ethnic

This article reports on the preliminary findings from a national UK study of the life histories of 28 Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) educators who led schools across a 47-year period (1968–2015). BAME head teachers were grouped by generations (i.e. pioneer, experienced, and novice) and questioned about the critical life experiences that influenced their path to leadership, the intersection of their professional and social identities, and their metaphors for leadership. Participants claimed leadership metaphors which included the head teacher as parent, ambassador, moral steward, role model, and community advocate. Pioneer Black and South Asian headteachers narrated more collectivist identities as community leaders and race equality activists, while current BAME headteachers appear more individually focused on raising attainment for students who have been marginalized. A life history approach across generations emphasizes the influence of changing attitudes toward race and the shifting policy context on professional identities.

The way of WalDorF: fostering creativity in LIS programs

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keren Dali
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
Creative Potential ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Analytical Work ◽  
Fostering Creativity ◽  
Litmus Test ◽  
Participation Requirement

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to call into question the most longstanding pedagogical practices in academia while analyzing their potential to foster student creativity and innovation in the classroom. While some suggestions advanced in this paper may not have the same importance in other fields and disciplines, they are highly relevant in the applied, interdisciplinary, and very fast moving field of Library and Information Science (LIS). Design/methodology/approach Positioning creativity as a teachable skill and relying on the learner-centered pedagogy of Carl Rogers, the paper presents a model that can serve as a litmus test for the creative potential of graduate-level assignments in LIS programs. The model is called “Walls,” “Doors,” and “Fences” (WalDorF); these terms refer to specific statements in graduate assignment descriptions that are necessary (“Walls”); conducive to creative expression (“Doors”); or unjustifiably restrictive (“Fences”). The paper uses a sample assignment from a “Foundations of LIS” course to illustrate the model; it also provides several examples of the WalDorF model application in other LIS courses. Findings Using the WalDorF model, the paper revisits and challenges some of the most common pedagogical practices in graduate LIS teaching, including the prevalence of written papers as course assignments; the implications of equating “research” with an overview of secondary literature; the need for professors’ approvals of research topics; the meaning of the “quality of writing;” the imperative of “academic” writing as opposed to other types of writing; the word/page limit; the use of standardized reference styles; the class participation requirement; and the late assignment policies, among others. Originality/value The real change in education is foundational and goes beyond cosmetic improvements. If we want to develop learning experiences that tap into students’ creative potential, the very core of our approaches needs to be scrutinized and questioned, even the centuries-old staples of academic teaching. At the end of the day, we may decide that changing things is not in the best interests of learning. However, a complete critical analytical work must be done to convince and reassure ourselves that tried-and-true methods are the best way to go. The proposed WalDorF model presents one possible frame for critical revision.

scholarly journals Institutional context, classroom discourse and children's thinking: pedagogy re-examined

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 378-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaysu R. Arvind
Keyword(s):  
Educational Practice ◽  
Social Identities ◽  
Public Schooling ◽  
School Practices ◽  
Psychological Understanding ◽  
Life Chances ◽  
Pedagogic Discourse ◽  
Structure Of Knowledge ◽  
Children’S Thinking

At this time when credibility of public schooling in India is at low ebb, there is a need to analyze pedagogic discourse in terms of organization and structure of knowledge, school practices that mediate it, and the ways in which it is experienced by children. Building upon the works of Vygotsky, Bernstein and Bruner, a more encompassing account of pedagogic analysis can be realized that links sociological perspective of teaching practices with psychological understanding of learning processes. Drawing on findings from research in two different genres of pedagogic setting, the study provides a body of evidence that suggests strong role of the schooling context in framing social identities and life chances of learners; and its implications for reforming educational practice and policy.

scholarly journals The Moral Foundations of Child Health and Social Policies: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Avram E. Denburg ◽  
Mita Giacomini ◽  
Wendy J. Ungar ◽  
Julia Abelson
Keyword(s):  
Social Policy ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
Social Policies ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
Critical Interpretive Synthesis

Background: Allusions to the uniqueness and value of childhood abound in academic, lay, and policy discourse. However, little clarity exists on the values that guide child health and social policy-making. We review extant academic literature on the normative dimensions of child health and social policy to provide foundations for the development of child-focused public policies. Methods: We conducted a critical interpretive synthesis of academic literature on the normative dimensions of child health and social policy-making. We employed a social constructivist lens to interpret emergent themes. Political theory on the social construction of target populations served as a bridge between sociologies of childhood and public policy analysis. Results: Our database searches returned 14,658 unique articles; full text review yielded 72 relevant articles. Purposive sampling of relevant literature complemented our electronic searches, adding 51 original articles, for a total of 123 articles. Our analysis of the literature reveals three central themes: potential, rights, and risk. These themes retain relevance in diverse policy domains. A core set of foundational concepts also cuts across disciplines: well-being, participation, and best interests of the child inform debate on the moral and legal dimensions of a gamut of child social policies. Finally, a meta-theme of embedding encompasses the pervasive issue of a child’s place, in the family and in society, which is at the heart of much social theory and applied analysis on children and childhood. Conclusions: Foundational understanding of the moral language and dominant policy frames applied to children can enrich analyses of social policies for children. Most societies paint children as potent, vulnerable, entitled, and embedded. It is the admixture of these elements in particular policy spheres, across distinct places and times, that often determines the form of a given policy and societal reactions to it. Subsequent work in this area will need to detail the degree and impact of variance in the values mix attached to children across sociocultural contexts and investigate tensions between what are and what ought to be the values that guide social policy development for children.

scholarly journals (Re) conceiving Student Engagement: What the Students Say They Want. Putting Young People at the Centre of the Conversation

2007 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Zyngier
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Young People ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Teacher Pedagogy ◽  
Middle Years Of Schooling ◽  
Australian Education ◽  
Compare And Contrast

The challenge of student engagement has been recognised as a serious issue, especially in the middle years of schooling in Australian education. This qualitative study seeks to understand the experiences of one group of students beginning their high school years. Students are often left out of the discourse on student engagement. Traditionally they are objectified and omitted from the dialogue because often they are viewed as products of formal education systems. By giving voice to students, I compare and contrast the various and contested understandings of authentic or generative aspects of student engagement and what these might mean for classroom practice. I suggest that pedagogical practices that connect to students’ lives are too often ignored but necessary elements of teacher pedagogy for all students, particularly, those from disadvantaged and minority backgrounds. I identify and examine three contesting epistemological constructs of student engagement in order to answer three interrelated questions: (i) What are the most worthwile conceptions of engagement? (ii) What are the purposes of engagement? (iii) Who benefits (and who is excluded) from these purposes? I conclude that not all forms of student engagement are equal.

scholarly journals AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RE-ENTRY POLICY FOR GIRLS IN SWAZILAND: SCHOOL PRACTICES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENT

2013 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-127
Author(s):  
Qand’elihle G. S. N. Simelane ◽  
S’lungile Kindness Thwala ◽  
Thuli Mamba
Keyword(s):  
Policy Development ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Missed Opportunities ◽  
School Practices ◽  
Policy Practice ◽  
Pregnant Adolescent ◽  
Historical Developments ◽  
The Right ◽  
International Conventions

Swaziland has no stand-alone re-entry policy. Practices vary from school to school, but generally a pregnant adolescent girl has to drop out of school although those who become pregnant may be allowed to return to write their exams at the same school or they may be advised to find another examination centre. The Swaziland Education and Training Sector Policy of 2011 (EDSEC) explicitly states that ‘every child, irrespective of their life circumstances… has the right to be re-integrated into the same institution that the girl was previously attending.’ The study documents school practices that appear to be informed by ignorance of the provisions of the EDSEC Policy of 2011 and historical developments in national policy; international conventions and declarations the country is signatory to, with missed opportunities. Schools are not coping with the evolving and expanding role in helping children develop. The study concludes that there is need for awareness raising as well as legislation which will compel schools not to expel such pupils but that they are given time to deliver their babies and be allowed to re-join the school. It is thought that institutionalising and publicising the EDSEC policy should lead to more and better reporting, more re-entry, and fewer abortions. There is necessity for awareness development among stakeholders, rigorous and vigorous campaigns and preparedness to tackle strong resistance which has been shown through the practices reported in this study to be hypocritical. Key words: counselling, policy, practice, pregnancy, re-entry, Swaziland.

scholarly journals Introduction to the Issue: “Promoting Children’s Participation in Research, Policy and Practice”

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 89-92
Author(s):  
Jo Aldridge
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Rights Of The Child ◽  
The Status ◽  
Systemic Factors ◽  
Children’S Voices

It is more than twenty years since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child gave governments and states an international mandate to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people and to promote their participation in decisions that affect their lives. Considerable advances have been made since that time that have, in some but not all instances, seen transformations in the status, roles and responsibilities of children and young people and in the ways in which they are perceived and treated. These advances have included greater inclusion of children’s voices in research, policy and practice underpinned by children’s rights to participation and ‘best interests of the child’ decision-making. Bringing together a unique collection of international articles from authors with considerable expertise in researching and working with children and young people, this thematic issue explores some of the ways in which facilitating constructive dialogues with children and young people, and engaging them more directly in consultation about their lives, has led to genuine improvements in the way they are treated and understood. It also considers some of the barriers that exist to prevent children and young people from full participation in public life, some of which occur as a result of structural or systemic factors, while others are the result of the decisions adults make on their behalf.

In Whose ‘Best Interests’?: Some Mothers' Experiences of Child Welfare Interventions

1989 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 4-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Mason
Keyword(s):  
Child Welfare ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
State Intervention ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
West Region ◽  
South West ◽  
Future Policy ◽  
The Impact

ResumeThis paper reports on a small study in the south west region of Sydney, in which mothers discussed their experiences as recipients of child welfare interventions for alleged child abuse.The research methodology is within a feminist framework, utilising qualitative data and placing importance on the impact of the implementation specific public policy on aspects of private functioning.Data was obtained from focused interviews conducted by students on placement. The analysis highlights major themes of women's experiences of service delivery, using their own words. Themes concern feelings of powerlessness, factors determining the perception of interventions as ‘helpful’ or otherwise and issues of rights to information and access.The findings of this study are considered in relation to feminist analysis of ‘mothering’ and State intervention; previous research on recipient experiences of service delivery and implications for future policy development and research.

The political-administrative and the professional approach to errors and mistakes in Swedish child protection

2020 ◽  
pp. 135-152
Author(s):  
Inger Kjellberg ◽  
Staffan Höjer
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Learning From Errors ◽  
Professional Groups ◽  
Child Deaths ◽  
Unaccompanied Children ◽  
Children’S Voices ◽  
Work Education

The discourses and debates on errors and mistakes in child protection in Sweden hold many different sub-themes. Relatively recently, the Swedish state both recognised and apologised to persons maltreated in the Swedish child welfare system before 1980. At times, the discourse has been dominated by parents’ abuse or neglect resulting in child deaths. The role of social services in these cases has been depicted as faulty. Other areas of discourse focus on strengthening children’s rights in child protection, and impact on the day to day work of social services arising in part from the increase in unaccompanied children entering Sweden over recent years. This chapter aims to describe and discuss past and current strategies to avoid and handle errors and mistakes in child protection in Sweden. The chapter describes legal errors, organizational errors and professional errors as well as strategies to handle them. It builds on research from the two authors and others. The strategies are presented in themes, including: a) the different measures within the quality assurance systems – such as mandatory reports of mistreatment to the regulatory authority; b) the strategies to avoid errors and mistakes including increased legislation, control and governmental inspections and more attention to children’s voices; c) strategies originating from professional groups aiming to avoid errors and mistakes. Finally, the chapter discusses possible strategies designed to promote learning from errors and mistakes in social work education and for policy development.

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