What about the parents? : a focus on parent perceptions regarding parent involvement in the middle school setting

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Marilyn K. Jackson

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] The purpose of this phenomenological bounded case study was to understand parent perceptions regarding their involvement at the middle school level. This was significant to understanding why middle schools struggle with fostering parent involvement. Three focus groups comprised of sixteen parent participants from one middle school in Missouri were utilized. As parents discussed their views and experiences a deeper understanding of parent involvement emerged. The perceptions of parents were analyzed to understand how they perceive, define, and understand their role in terms of academic and social outcomes for their adolescent child's education. They considered parent participation as a partnership with the school requiring their involvement within three major constructs: learning in the home, parenting, and volunteering. However, the transition to middle school left them wondering how to support their child and knowing what role they should take in their education. This contributed to weakened parent self-efficacy and role construction. Difficulty navigating parent social networks emerged as a significant barrier to parent participation, suggesting it as another possible construct parents perceive as critical for parent participation. Findings suggest that parents have different perceptions about their role and efficacy for involvement. However, relationships with other parents may serve to lessen the disconnect between parents and middle schools, especially as students transition during the first year of middle school.

2021 ◽  
pp. 155545892098233
Author(s):  
Connor J. Fewell ◽  
Michael E. Hess ◽  
Charles Lowery ◽  
Madeleine Gervason ◽  
Sarah Ahrendt ◽  
...  

This case explores the complexities of how consolidation perpetuates stereotypes among different social classes in a rural Appalachian school setting. Examined are the experiences at the intersection of social class in rural U.S. school districts when two communities—one affluent and one underresourced—are consolidated. We present a nuanced critical incident that focuses on how school leaders perceive and address students’ experiences with tracking and stereotyping—particularly at a middle school level where elementary schools from diverse backgrounds attend school together for the first time.


2020 ◽  
Vol 135 (2) ◽  
pp. 220-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven H. Kelder ◽  
Dale S. Mantey ◽  
Duncan Van Dusen ◽  
Kathleen Case ◽  
Alexandra Haas ◽  
...  

Objectives: From 2017 to 2018, electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use increased 78% among high school students and 48% among middle school students in the United States. However, few e-cigarette prevention interventions have been evaluated. We determined the feasibility and initial effectiveness of “CATCH My Breath,” an e-cigarette prevention program, among a sample of middle schools in central Texas. Methods: Twelve middle schools in Texas (6 intervention schools and 6 control schools) participated in the CATCH My Breath pilot program during 2016-2017. CATCH My Breath is rooted in social cognitive theory, consists of 4 interactive in-class modules, and is collaboratively administered via classroom and physical education teachers, student–peer leaders, and social messaging (eg, school posters). We collected 3 waves of data: baseline (January 2017), 4-month follow-up (May 2017), and 16-month follow-up (May 2018). Using school as the unit of analysis, we tested a repeated cross-sectional, condition-by-time interaction on e-cigarette ever use, psychosocial determinants of use, and other tobacco use behaviors. Analyses controlled for school-level sociodemographic characteristics (eg, sex, race/ethnicity, and percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch). Results: From baseline to 16-month follow-up, increases in ever e-cigarette use prevalence were significantly lower among intervention schools (2.8%-4.9%) than among control schools (2.7%-8.9%), controlling for covariates ( P = .01). Intervention schools also had significantly greater improvements in e-cigarette knowledge (β = 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21-1.21; P = .008) and perceived positive outcomes (β = –0.12; 95% CI, –0.23 to –0.02; P = .02) than control schools, controlling for covariates from baseline to 16-month follow-up. Conclusion: Ever e-cigarette use was lower among middle schools that implemented the CATCH My Breath program than among those that did not. Replication of findings among a larger sample of schools, using a group-randomized, longitudinal study design and a longer follow-up period, is needed.


Author(s):  
Catherine Schifter

Like fifth grade, sixth grade may be in an elementary school or a middle school. In my elementary school way back when in time, sixth grade was the highest grade. This meant we were the oldest in the school and had leadership opportunities – like helping out in the school office or in the cafeteria. We were the ‘big kids on campus,’ so to speak. In some middle schools in Philadelphia, sixth grade has been the youngest group. As noted with fifth grade, there is no doubt a difference in the experiences for students depending on whether they are in an elementary school setting or middle school setting. To such ends, many middle schools are being phased out of the district in exchange for elementary schools that have Kindergarten through eighth grades. Two of the schools represented by these sixth grade teachers were undergoing such changes starting in fall 2005.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 1327-1336
Author(s):  
Tiffany R. Cobb ◽  
Derek E. Daniels ◽  
James Panico

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the ways in which adolescent students who stutter perceive their school experiences. Method This study used a qualitative, phenomenological research design. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 7 adolescent students who stutter (3 in middle school and 4 in high school). Participants were interviewed about their school experiences, including the effects of stuttering on academics, learning, teacher relationships, peer relationships, speech therapy experiences, and self-image. Data analysis consisted of transcribing interviews and analyzing them for emerging themes. Results Findings revealed that participants described a variety of experiences around the school setting. Participants reported less favorable middle school experiences. Middle school participants reflected more on teasing, bullying, and feelings of embarrassment, whereas high school participants revealed that teachers, staff, and peers were receptive and accepting of them and their stuttering. All participants reported that their speech therapy helped with classroom participation. Conclusions As a result of the participants' varied experiences, it is important to listen to and incorporate the voices of students who stutter into school, classroom, and therapy decision-making practices.


Author(s):  
Eunyoung Kim ◽  
◽  
Soonbum Kwon ◽  
Meejung Chin ◽  
◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Yuri Sasaki ◽  
Yugo Shobugawa ◽  
Ikuma Nozaki ◽  
Daisuke Takagi ◽  
Yuiko Nagamine ◽  
...  

The aim of the study was to investigate rural–urban differences in depressive symptoms in terms of the risk factors among older adults of two regions in Myanmar to provide appropriate intervention for depression depending on local characteristics. This cross-sectional study, conducted between September and December, 2018, used a multistage sampling method to recruit participants from the two regions, for face-to-face interviews. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 15-item version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Depressive symptoms were positively associated with living in rural areas (B = 0.42; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.12,0.72), female (B = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.31,0.79), illness during the preceding year (B = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.45,0.91) and non-Buddhist religion (B = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.001,1.15) and protectively associated with education to middle school level or higher (B = −0.61; 95% CI: −0.94, −0.28) and the frequency of visits to religious facilities (B = −0.20; 95% CI: −0.30, −0.10). In women in urban areas, depressive symptoms were positively associated with illness during the preceding year (B = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.36, 1.20) and protectively associated with education to middle school level or higher (B = −0.67; 95% CI: −1.23, −0.11), middle or high wealth index (B = −0.92; 95% CI: −1.59, −0.25) and the frequency of visits to religious facilities (B = −0.20; 95% CI: −0.38, −0.03). In men in rural areas, illness during the preceding year was positively associated with depressive symptoms (B = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.33, 1.42). In women in rural areas, depressive symptoms were positively associated with illness during the preceding year (B = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.36, 1.30) and protectively associated with primary education (B = −0.62; 95% CI: −1.12, −0.12) and the frequency of visits to religious facilities (B = −0.44; 95% CI: −0.68, −0.21). Religion and wealth could have different levels of association with depression between older adults in the urban and rural areas and men and women. Interventions for depression in older adults should consider regional and gender differences in the roles of religion and wealth in Myanmar.


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