School Experiences Of Students Research Articles

Do I Belong Yet? The Relationship Between Special Education, In-School Suspension, Belonging, and Engagement

Students receiving special education services are disproportionately subjected to exclusionary discipline compared to their nondisabled peers. They also report feeling less connected and engaged at school, which is associated with exclusionary discipline experiences. Using data from the High School Longitudinal Study (2009), we examined the relationship between special education, in-school suspension, school belonging, and school engagement. In line with past research, we found that students who received special education services were at a higher risk of in-school suspension than their general education peers. Students with higher levels of school engagement were at a lower risk of receiving in-school suspension, regardless of special education services. However, higher levels of school belonging were associated with more suspensions for those receiving special education, while the inverse was true for nonspecial education students. Additional research is needed to understand this unique relationship and its implications for discipline and the school experiences of students with dis/abilities.

‘Trying differently’ towards improving school experiences: Systematically reviewing research on school experiences for students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and their teachers

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is a complex brain-based developmental disability. Research on the experiences of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and their caregivers consistently highlights the difficulties and frequent exclusion they experience with the education system as one of the most stressful aspects of their lives. Previous studies have identified the need for more integrated approaches to support and learning for children with FASD that recognize the integral role of positive teacher-student relationships on student outcomes. A systematic review of existing research on the school experiences of children and youth with FASD and their teachers was conducted, and a critical iterative approach was used to interpret the data. Key findings are discussed, and important recommendations are made for researchers, policymakers, and educators to address the longstanding gaps in research and practice regarding the complex care and support needs of those with FASD from an anti-oppressive, destigmatized, and holistic framework.

Ableism and (Neo)Racism in School Placement Processes in Quebec: School Personnel Interpretations of Immigrant Student Difficulties — A Secondary Publication

The school placement processes of students from immigrant backgrounds considered to be in “difficulty” is an international concern at the intersection of works relating to special education and those concerning the school experiences of students from immigrant backgrounds or racialized groups. The research problem of this article concerns the identification of these students as disabled or as having adjustment or learning difficulties. From a perspective anchored in Disability Critical Race Studies, this ethnographic study documents different interpretations of perceived difficulties made by school actors with regard to seven primary school students from immigrant backgrounds. Five interpretation types are presented: (1) medicalization by dismissal of cultural markers, (2) medicalization by professional constraint, (3) medicalization by cultural deficit, (4) precautionary wait, and (5) cultural differentialism. Our results help to shed light on the special education overrepresentation phenomenon regarding these students and to understand how ableism and (neo)racism contribute to it.

Teacher-student relationship and teaching styles in primary education: A model of analysis

PurposeThe teacher role in the classroom can explain important aspects of the student's school experience. The teacher-student relationship, a central dimension of social capital, influences students' engagement, and the teaching style plays an important role in student outcomes. But there is scarce literature that links teaching styles to teacher-student relationship. This article aims to (1) analyze whether there is a relationship between teaching styles and the type of relationship perceived by students; (2) test whether this relationship is equally strong for any teaching style; and (3) determine the extent to which students' perceptions vary according to their profile.Design/methodology/approachA structural equation model with four latent variables is estimated: two for the teacher-student relationship (emotional vs educational) and two for the teaching styles (directive vs participative), with information for 21,126 sixth-grade primary-students in 2019 in Spain.FindingsTeacher-student relationships and teaching styles are interconnected. The participative style implies a better relationship. The perceptions of the teacher are heterogeneous, depending on gender (girls perceive clearer than boys) and with the educational background (children from lower educational background perceive both types of teaching styles more clearly).Originality/valueThe analysis is based on the point of view of the addressee of the teacher's work, i.e. the student. It provides a model that can be replicated in any other education system. The latent variables, based on a periodically administered questionnaire, could be estimated with data from diagnostic assessments in other countries, which in turn would allow the formulation of context-specific educational policy proposals that take into account student feedback.

Why school context matters in refugee education

Education plays an important role in the successful settlement and life outcomes of young people from refugee backgrounds. Because of this, research into young people from refugee backgrounds in education systems tends to focus on examples of “good practice” in terms of how these young people experience education. Yet, examples of good practice commonly fail to take into account that schools are engaging in particular practices from very different contexts. This article contributes to the study of refugee education by drawing attention to the role that school contexts play in how different schools enact “good practice”. It presents data from a large multi-stage study which explored how the schooling experiences of students from refugee backgrounds are shaped by educational policies and school practices. By outlining case studies of seven schools, it highlights the impact of differing school contexts on how schools respond to the needs of students from refugee backgrounds. In this way, this article highlights that the notion of “good practice” within refugee-background education is always nuanced and contextual.

The Desire of Mothering Towards Educational Success: How Does “Cultural Logic” Operate in Schooling Practices?

This paper primarily seeks to explore how mothering practices in different social classes reflect on the schooling experiences of students. We particularly focus on the desire for mothering towards educational success. We draw on Lareau’s (2003) theory on “concerted cultivation” and “natural growth” to understand the possibilities of mothering embodied in various schooling practices. The data for the study were generated via 26 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with mothers from the middle and lower-class. The findings demonstrate that the educational and socio-economic status of mothers significantly modifies their children’s schooling practices. However, the results reveal that mothers from lower-class backgrounds develop some principles of academic survival skills that they transmit to their children. Strategies to support their children’s schooling that mothers from lower-class backgrounds implemented emerge where they interact with schooling practices conducted by middle-class.

Student- and school-level factors related to school belongingness among high school students

ABSTRACT Sense of belonging to school has received considerable attention due to the importance of belonging needs in social life and its broad academic and non- academic consequences. However, there is a dearth of research that identifies its multilevel predictors. Thus, this study aimed to investigate student-level and school-level variables related to sense of belonging to the school. The target population was all high school students (n=25000) in Urmia in the academic year 2018-2019. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) was used to determine the association between school-level and student-level variables. Findings of the study showed that student-level variables, such as socio-economic status, parental involvement, and peer support were related to sense of belonging to school. Moreover, school-level variables including sense of fairness and teacher-student relations could explain the variance in school belonging.The results supported the idea that family, peers, and teachers play significant roles in the school experiences of students.

Health Education in the 21st Century: A Skills-based Approach

Effective health education can positively contribute to a student's school experience. Healthier students are more likely to be ready and able to learn, and students who are academically successful often engage in less risky behaviors. Health education programs can support students' skill development and knowledge acquisition in order to help them be healthy for a lifetime. In addition, health education can help address the critical issue of low levels of health literacy prevalent in today's society. However, in order to achieve these outcomes, health education must be aligned with the National Health Education Standards and implemented using best practices. This article outlines support for health education as a vital component of an educational system and articulates key considerations for developing and implementing effective programming in the PK–12 setting.

Toward a Multivocal Research Agenda on School Gentrification: A Critical Review of Current Literature

Debates on gentrification’s effects on public education motivated two independently conducted literature reviews about (a) how the increasing presence of middle- and upper-class residents affected public schools in gentrifying communities, and (b) what were gentrification’s effects on the schooling experiences of students who resided in the communities prior to changes in neighborhood demographics (i.e., long-term and racial and ethnic minority families). Drawing from 32 peer-reviewed studies, we find that, contrary to assumptions about gentrification’s universal benefits, the lower income and minority children of long-time residents did not always benefit from investments that usually accompany gentrification. Further, low-income and minority parents were often marginalized from middle- and upper-class social networks, and central office and school personnel were less responsive to their concerns and needs. Findings from this review reveal that existing research largely centers the perspectives of (mostly white) middle- and upper-class families in gentrifying communities. We propose a research agenda that centers critical perspectives and multivocal literatures to expand the field’s understanding of gentrification’s effects on a broader array of stakeholders and on public schools.

Relationships between physical education (PE) teaching and student self-efficacy, aptitude to participate in PE and functional skills: with a special focus on students with disabilities

ABSTRACTBackground: Students with disability show an increasing incidence of school failure. Quality teaching and appropriate support may foster high self-efficacy, a predictive factor for successful school outcomes. Physical Education (PE) can provide students with a context in which self-efficacy and participation are promoted leading to improved academic achievement. The transition into secondary school can be challenging for many students with increased educational demands, developmental changes and individual social identification coinciding. A disability may add to the challenge of success.Methods: Three groups of students, aged 13 years and enrolled in Swedish mainstream schools were targeted (n = 439). Groups included students with 1. A diagnosed disability, 2. Low grades in PE (D–F) and 3. High grades (A–C) in PE. Questionnaires were collected and analyzed from 30/439 students with a diagnosed disability (physical, neuro-developmental and intellectual) from 26 classes, their classmates and their PE-teachers (n = 25). Relationships between student self-reports and PE-teachers’ self-ratings were investigated. Also examined was the potential to which students’ functional skills could predict elevated general school self-efficacy, PE specific self-efficacy and aptitude to participate in PE. Results were compared with the total sample and between the three target groups (n = 121).Results: For students with disabilities, better self-rated teaching skills were related to lower student perceived general school self-efficacy, PE specific self-efficacy and aptitude to participate in PE. The impact of classroom climate in PE was more obvious among students with disabilities. Perceived functional skills were associated with elevated general school self-efficacy, PE specific self-efficacy and aptitude to participate in PE. Better socio-cognitive functional skills had an overall positive effect on all outcomes. Students with disabilities reported results similar to the total sample, the D–F group scored lower and the A–C group higher than the total sample and the disability group. Elevated self-efficacy in PE is six times less probable in students with disabilities, compared to the A–C group.Conclusions: Our findings that better teacher planning and grading skills, are detrimental to students disadvantaged by disability is contradictive. Improving the establishment and communication of adapted learning standards at the transition to secondary school is a crucial and a predictive factor for promoting positive school experiences for students with disability. Students with disabilities need to be assured that the intended learning outcomes can be reached by doing activities differently than their typically functioning peers. Consideration of class composition is suggested as a means of promoting a positive learning climate, which would particularly benefit students with disabilities. Allocation of resources to support student socio-cognitive skills would improve experiences for the D–F group and likely promote a positive learning environment.

Abstract # P-4: School Experiences of Students in the Caribbean Living with Diabetes

Abstract # P-4: School Experiences of Students in the Caribbean Living with Diabetes

Student Voice From a Turnaround Urban High School: An Account of Students With and Without Dis/Abilities Leading Resistance Against Accountability Reform

The Every Student Succeeds Act redefines the priorities of our nation’s education system. Prior to its passage, turnaround strategies advanced solutions for low-performing schools. Research literature examining how these reforms impacted the schooling experiences of students attending these schools is lacking. We present the results of a qualitative case study of a reconstituted urban school in the Southwest United States, providing the perspectives of 10 students with dis/abilities and the effects accountability reform efforts had on their high school experience. Three expressed needs and desires were identified: (a) a positive school identity, (b) stability, and (c) to be recognized and heard.

‘Why do they make us feel like we’re nothing? They are supposed to be teaching us to be something, to even surpass them!’: Student (dis)engagement and public schooling in conflict-affected Lebanon

In conflict-affected societies, education is seen as a vital vehicle in promoting students’ well-being and social cohesion. Little is known about students’ learning experiences in conflict-affected countries in the Arab world where young people are facing violence, fragmentation and poverty. This paper draws on the perspectives of public school students in Lebanon in order to explore their experiences of student engagement. The findings yielded a disconnection between education policy initiatives for an active and democratic citizenry, and the actual schooling experiences of students who desire to make schooling a more meaningful endeavour. In particular, students’ descriptions reflect the contradictions of the ideals of educational reforms that ostensibly aimed to promote social cohesion and democracy in Lebanon and yet have failed to address inequities in schooling. This disconnection necessitates developing a contextualised and critical understanding of how students experience schooling in Lebanon in order to better inform policy-making and practice.

Emotional and behavioural difficulties: the effects of structures, ethos and understandings on provision in Irish post-primary schools

Emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) in mainstream schools in Ireland attract much attention and significant resources, yet little research has been conducted in the Irish context about how this concept is understood by practitioners, what influences that understanding nor how that influences provision in schools. This paper is based on the findings of a study which investigated these issues among principals, special education teachers and guidance counsellors in mainstream post-primary schools, employing questionnaires (n = 36) and semi-structured interviews (n = 10). Several themes are presented regarding how EBD is conceptualised and responded to. The findings of the study suggest definitions of EBD appear to focus mostly on intrapersonal characteristics of students and suggest a resignation in the attitude of practitioners. The effectiveness of behaviour policies is ambiguous due to an imperative to produce written policies in many areas, traditional views of the homogeneity of the school population and a tendency to rely on SEN policy to address EBD issues. Responses to EBD vary considerably. Responsibility for most aspects of the school experience of students presenting with EBD appears to rest predominantly with special education teachers, even where there is access to guidance counsellors. Gender impacts on several of these issues, particularly in the type of language used in schools when discussing EBD.

School Experiences of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder Within the Context of Student Wellbeing: A Review and Analysis of the Literature

There has been an increasing body of research on student wellbeing in recent years. Despite this, there is much debate on the notion of student wellbeing, along with a lack of studies focusing on the wellbeing of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 12 studies on the wellbeing of typically developing students were used to identify the domains that comprise student wellbeing. Four studies on the school experiences of students with ASD were also included to investigate how the school experiences of students with ASD relate to the domains of student wellbeing. These articles were located through electronic and hand searches. Eight domains of student wellbeing were identified, along with 8 themes derived from the school experiences of students with ASD. Results support several recommendations for schools to promote the development of the domains of student wellbeing for students with ASD.

Asperger's and Girls: What Teachers Need to Know

Individuals with the pervasive developmental disorder Asperger's syndrome (AS) are generally of average or above average intelligence and attend mainstream schools. Despite their intelligence, some of the characteristics and challenges associated with AS can impact upon the quality of life they experience at school. Although both males and females are diagnosed with AS, females have been underrepresented and unrepresented in much of the AS research. Consequently, much of what is known about the school experiences of students with AS is based on studies consisting predominately of male perspectives. This article discusses what adult females with AS and parents of females with AS currently attending school wish teachers understood about AS in females. Many of the experiences described by participants indicate there is a lack of understanding about AS, both generally and specifically, in relation to females. Implications of these findings and recommendations for educators and schools are provided, and directions for future research are outlined.

Race and opportunity in a public alternative school

This qualitative case-study explores questions about the stratifying role of public alternative schools created for ‘at-risk’ youth by analyzing the school experience of students who attend a single continuation high school and the process of student enrollment and referral to that school. Drawing on the concept of whiteness as property, this article demonstrates how the continuation high school maintained and protected the property functions of whiteness through acts of symbolic violence and the systematic removal of non-white students from the school district’s mainstream high school. Instead, students were placed in a substandard alternative school lacking in material and intellectual resources. Furthermore, teachers, counselors, and administrative staff at the mainstream and continuation high schools alike drew upon the racial ideology of merit to rationalize the overrepresentation of non-white youths at the study school and to ‘deracialize’ the student referral process.

Extending a Community of Care Beyond the Ninth Grade: A Follow-Up Study

ABSTRACT This qualitative within-site case study (N = 10) is a follow-up study to a 2006–2007 investigation that analyzed how 1 high school created a community of care for its ninth-grade students through the implementation of a ninth-grade transition program—Freshman Focus. All participants were interviewed again 3 years later during students’ senior year to investigate how Freshman Focus might have fostered a long-lasting community of care that extended throughout students’ high school years. Findings suggest teacher–student and program–student relationships served as ways to foster a community of care that promoted a positive school experience for students. While findings indicate that Freshman Focus fostered a community of care that lasted throughout these students’ high school years, it is unclear whether this caring community extended to the broader school community.

Commitment to Teach in Under-Resourced Schools: Prospective Science and Mathematics Teachers’ Dispositions

In this exploratory study, we sought to gain an understanding of what motivates prospective teachers who are Noyce Scholars at a research-intensive southeastern US university to commit to teaching secondary level science or mathematics in school districts that have a high proportion of students who come from low-socioeconomic households. An interpretive methodology revealed three themes associated with Noyce Scholars’ motivations to teach (1) awareness of educational challenges, (2) sense of belonging to or comfort with diverse communities, and (3) belief that one can serve as a role model and resource. The paper describes and compares the significance of each theme among six prospective teachers who identify with the schooling experiences of students who came from low-income or poor households and nine prospective teachers who identify with the schooling experiences in a middle-income school or district. The implication of this study supports the importance of recruiting prospective science and mathematics teachers who have knowledge of and a disposition to work with learners from low-income or poor households, even if those prospective teachers are not themselves the members of under-served populations.

Book and Software Review: Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experiences of Students with Disabilities

Book and Software Review: Assistive Technology in the Classroom: Enhancing the School Experiences of Students with Disabilities