This piece illustrates some of the practices/discourses enacted by four displaced Puerto Rican mothers as they strived to support the academic success of their children in the receiving Pennsylvania public school system. The study, couched in Critical Pedagogy and Community Cultural Wealth (CCW), documents (a) the ways mothers supported and…

In this post the author reflects on their own experience alongside those of peer freshmen across U.S. college campuses. Data were collected through 10 focus groups conducted over two months in-person and via Zoom using a combination of purposeful and snowball sampling to identify diverse demographics. While this is a small data set for a large…

The authors, youth leaders in Philadelphia and New York, believe that researchers can do a better job of listening to and including youth in their research. Since October 2021 they have been collecting essays from high school students (and some middle school and college students too) written during this time of community, national, and global…

Flux pedagogy refers to the integration of relational and critical pedagogy frameworks into a transformative and responsive teaching approach. It is constructivist, student-centered, relational, adaptive, and reflexive; it's a humanizing pedagogy that can help educators to examine the goals and processes of schooling in this moment of extreme…

From the health pandemic to the increase in racial tensions, as a Black educator, William N. Thomas, IV has had to lead others during these difficult events and attempt to take care of himself and support his family. The many intersections of health, criminal justice, education, and race come into collision as his attempt to complete a…

The Coronavirus Pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated educational inequalities, particularly among families of low-income status. As schools switched to remote learning, the digital divide among affluent and non-affluent families has shined a light on the existing inequality in resources like never seen before. The digital divide is the…

This article examines the development of conceptual and theoretical frameworks through the lens of one doctoral student's qualitative dissertation. Using Ravitch and Carl's (2021) conceptual framework guide, each key component is explored, using my own dissertation as an example. Breaking down each framework section step-by-step, my journey…

Obtaining a college degree is positively correlated with gains in socioeconomic mobility. However, college is expensive. Given the importance of college in increasing social mobility, lawmakers have proposed eliminating student debt. Joe Biden, for example, has incorporated eliminating student debt into his presidential campaign promise. While…

As the world grows more diverse and our educational institutions continue to expand, it is imperative to ensure that a Culturally Responsive Pedagogy is promoted within every classroom. According to Rychley and Graves (2012), research has shown that diverse students are "consistently underperforming mainstream students". Historically in…

Students with Emotional and Behavioural Disorders (EBD) pose a challenge for students themselves and those in their close environment, including parents, teachers, and peers. In light of the inclusion movement more students with EBD are assigned to mainstream classrooms. The aim of this article is to present a comprehensive six step work protocol…

This article focuses on the role of cooperating teachers (CTs)/mentors in supporting pre-service teachers in urban middle schools. This article examines stories of ten middle school teachers at Baldwin Middle School, located in a mid-Atlantic urban center, who served as CTs in the Spring of 2016. After comparing the mentors' experiences, four…

Research shows that Black Women principals are often assigned to lead and turn around the most challenging schools with limited resources. This article provides a brief review of the historical trauma and incessant work-related stressors that Black Women principals encounter. The strategy of Revolutionary Rest is proposed as a collaborative and…

Despite multiple creative approaches to integrating Minnesota's segregated urban public schools, students of color in these schools remain the majority. The state's progressive, anti-racist sentiment toward education has not evolved into action on the part of White families, which leaves under-resourced urban districts struggling beneath a mere…

There are significant inconsistencies in the levels of preparation of teachers placed in high-need urban schools and those placed in suburban, middle-class schools. In this qualitative research study, I surveyed, interviewed, and observed three highly qualified teachers and one principal from an urban-intensive, high-need school community.…

This research examines the relationship between student ratings of school climate and three student outcome variables: Number of credits earned in one semester, number of days in attendance in one academic year, and number of discipline referral incidents in one academic year. The research further examines whether these relationships were…