Creating something out of nothing: Enacting critical civic engagement in urban classrooms

Critical civic engagement (CCE) is a pedagogical framework for civic education in urban settings. CCE as a pedagogical approach engages student lived experience, develops critical thinking, and facilitates informed civic action projects. In this phenomenological study of teachers in four urban high schools in a large urban school district, the author seeks to understand how teachers experience the enactment of CCE elements in schools with majority African American or Latinx student populations. The author argues that CCE practices can and should lead to the development of civic identity as a critical outcome for students in contrast to more formal measures of academic achievement. Civic identity is the foundation upon with engagement in public life is built. The study suggests that the enactment of CCE elements provides a powerful learning and identity formation experience for students and a pedagogical process that inspires teachers and their student-centered practices.

Born a Culturally Responsive Educator: A Conversation With Dr. Cathy Kea

Dr. Cathy Kea is a professor of special education in the Department of Educator Preparation at North Carolina A&T State University. Dr. Kea’s research interests focus on the intersection among general education, special education, and multicultural education, which she has labeled “a trilogy to be transformed.” Her current research focuses on preparing preservice teachers to design and deliver culturally responsive instruction in urban classrooms as well as providing methods, materials, and philosophy to educator preparation programs (e.g., via syllabi, lesson plans, lectures).

A Systematic Review of Science Discourse in K–12 Urban Classrooms in the United States: Accounting for Individual, Collective, and Contextual Factors

The literature on science discourse in K–12 classrooms in the United States has proliferated over the past couple of decades, crossing geographical, disciplinary, theoretical, and methodological boundaries. There is general consensus that science talk is at the core of students’ learning; however, a synthesis of key findings from the expansive literature base is needed. This systematic literature review is guided by a complex systems framework to organize and synthesize empirical studies of science talk in urban classrooms across individual (student or teacher), collective (interpersonal), and contextual (sociocultural, historical) planes. Findings are discussed in relation to contemporary approaches that integrate theories and methodologies to account for the complex phenomena of science discourse, including interacting elements across levels as well as stable and changing patterns that influence students’ access to, and nature of, science talk in urban classrooms. Unresolved questions related to high-leverage, equitable, and sustainable discourse practices; future lines of inquiry that can benefit by drawing from diverse theoretical traditions and mixed methodological approaches; and practical implications for classroom-based strategies to support science discourse are also discussed.

Remote and Rural Education in Australia and the Pacific

Remote and rural education is a resonating issue worldwide, given the new and emerging capabilities of digitization to reduce barriers of distance, time, and space, particularly for Oceania. Issues based on achieving equitable educational access and participation that ameliorates the disadvantages for many students in remote and rural locations of Australasia and the Pacific, compared to those in urban classrooms, are pertinent. Nonetheless, students in remote and rural locations also show great resilience and have built up a trove of informal knowledge from the demands of daily life requiring a high degree of independence and maturity. This is evident in the distance education School of the Air in Australia, the University of the South Pacific, and the Marshall Islands College in the North Pacific. These sites provide insights into strength-based reform strategies intended to improve rural and remote education and training and, consequently, work and life choices.

Countering Complacency With Radical Reflection: Supporting White Teachers in the Enactment of Critical Multicultural Praxis

Although White teachers can be effective teachers of racially diverse students, studies continue to document factors that can undermine their success, such as color-blindness and unawareness of racial privilege. We argue that these factors contribute to a sense of complacency among White teachers regarding the implementation of culturally affirming practices. In this review, we advance an argument for the need for radically reflective practices that are necessary for the constitution of effective educational praxis for White teachers who teach in urban classrooms of mostly Black and brown students. Using Critical Multiculturalism as a framework, we address a gap in the translation of theory to practice by providing a set of process-oriented strategies that are necessary for the constitution of teacher praxis that is both radically reflective and radically hopeful, and where complacency is not an option.

Globalization and Culture: A Sociolinguistics Study

A significance feature of globalization is the transaction of ideas as indicated by internet. The concern engages the clash of cultures and the spread of acquisitive values. This has enormous influence on hoe people think, act or behave. The values that this entertainment industry reflects often promote materialism, violence and immorality. Hence, this paper examines the concept of globalization and culture as well as the study of sociolinguistics. It also scans the impact of globalization on culture. Since the turn of the Millennium, globalization has become a major focus in sociolinguistics and discourse analysis, investigating themes such as: learning and teaching in diverse urban classrooms (Spotti, 2011; Karrebæk, 2012) complementary education (Blackledge & Creese, 2010); internationalisation in higher education (Piller & Cho, 2013) mass media and the internet (Androutsopoulos, 2007; Varis & Wang, 2011) popular culture and advertising (Jacquemet, 2005; Kasanga, 2010) hip-hop and graffiti (Pennycook, 2007) language vitality (Vigouroux & Mufwene, 2008) travel and tourism (Jaworski & Thurlow, 2010) migration and asylum seekers (Vigouroux, 2008; Dong, 2011; Maryns, 2006) the new globalised economy (Block, 2012; Heller, 2003) and long-distance financial fraud (Blommaert & Omoniyi, 2006). Papers in Coupland (2003, 2010) and such monographs as (Fairclough, 2006; Blommaert, 2010; Heller, 2011) among others, have attempted general statements outlining a sociolinguistics of globalization.

The Power of Parental Contact: Strategies for Teaching in Highly Transient, Urban Classrooms

Research states that parental involvement is associated with student success and achievement. Research also documents that currently in our society students are transferring in and out of schools at an alarming rate. Urban schools, in particular, are subject to high mobility subpopulations, and the student movement can penetrate the interaction of teachers and students around learning. This purpose of this article explores the many ways practicing teachers in an urban school in Pennsylvania are reaching out to parents of highly transient students in an effort to foster a stronger home and school connection and increased student learning. The results show that teachers use a myriad of strategies to connect with parents and not one single strategy proves to work best.