Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Articles



Boys in Poverty and High School Dropout
References to Articles of significance:
Alexander, K.L., Entwisle, D.R., & Horsey, C.S. (1997). From first grade forward: Early foundations of high school dropout, Sociology of Education, 70 (2), 87-107.

Abstract:   In tracking the educational progress of a sample of Baltimore school-children from entrance into first grade in fall 1982 through early spring 1996, the authors examined the children's personal qualities, first-grade experiences, and family circumstances as precursors to high school dropout. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of dropout involving family context measures (stressful family changes, parents' attitudes, and parents' socialization practices), children's personal resources (attitudes and behaviors), and school experiences (test scores, marks, and track placements). These various measures were found to influence dropout independently of socio-demographic factors and account for much of the difference in the odds of dropout associated with family socioeconomic status, gender, family type, and other "risk factors." The authors take a life-course perspective on dropout, viewing it as the culmination of a long-term process of academic disengagement.


          Semeniuk, I. (2013). How Poverty Influences a Child’s Brain Development, The Globe and Mail. Retrieved on January 27, 2013 from:



Smith, E. (2005). Failing Boys and Moral Panics: Perspectives on the Underachievement Debate, British Journal of Educational Studies, 51 (3), 282-295.

Abstract: The paper re-examines the underachievement debate from the perspective of the ‘discourse of derision' that surrounds much writing in this area. It considers the contradictions and inconsistencies which underpin much of the discourse -- from a reinterpretation of examination scores, to the conflation of the concepts of 'under' and 'low' achievement and finally to the lack of consensus on a means of defining and measuring the term underachievement. In doing so, this paper suggests a more innovative approach for understanding, re-evaluating and perhaps rejecting the notion of underachievement.




Abstract:  The purpose of the present study is to examine associations between quality of teacher-child relationships from preschool through third grade and children's third-grade achievement using Phases I, II, and III data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Care and Education, a prospective study of 1,364 children from birth through sixth grade. There are three main findings. First, positive associations were found between quality of teacher-child relationships and achievement. Second, high quality teacher-child relationships buffered children from the negative effects of insecure or other maternal attachment on achievement. Third, the effect of quality of teacher-child relationships on achievement was mediated through child and teacher behaviors in the classroom. In sum, high quality teacher-child relationships fostered children's achievement. Implications for educational practice are discussed.



ABSTRACT: The present study explored connections between African identity, study habits, and academic achievements. Correlation analyses, using data from 96 Black high school students, indicated multiple connections between these factors. The most important finding was that a sense of collective identity, a sub-factor of African identity, was positively related to academic achievement. Implications of the results for the improvement of school curriculums and environments are discussed.


Sharkey, P. (2009) Neighborhoods and the Black White Mobility Gap, Economic Mobility Project, Retrieved on March 3, 2013 from:


Weismann, J. (2012). Occupy Kindergarten: The Rich-Poor Divide Starts with Education, The Atlantic, Retrieved on March 3, 2013 from:

5 comments:

  1. I love the way you put all your articles together in one post. They look like a great source for more information!

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  2. Thank you! I hope this blog is a "teaching tool" with our faculty and I NEED things organized! =)

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  3. Love the collection of information...I am especially interested in the first article that looks at high school drop out and the relationship to personal qualities! It bothers me that so many children (especially boys) drop out of school! I can not help put think that making these personal connections would help keep them in school!

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  4. Relationships are my priority, too!! Look at the O'Connor/McCartney article. It is all about high quality teacher relationships can "buffer children from the negative effects of insecure or other maternal attachment." I have printed this one and am highlighting the important points for our faculty. This study gives us HOPE! =)
    My school is full of poverty and single parents who do the best they can but that leaves too many children without supervision or necessary role models. My prayers are that I can SOMEHOW make a difference!

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  5. These articles look like great resources. I did not use any of them for my 5, but I may read over some of them to gather more info. before presenting to my faculty.

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