Increasing Our Holding Power: Educators' Perspectives on Increasing Their School's Graduation Rate Open Access
Juergensen, Miyoshi (2016)
Abstract
Over the course of this yearlong study, I considered the beliefs and practices of educators who work with students who are at risk of dropping out of high school. Using ethnographic case study methodology and drawing from Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Appreciative Inquiry frameworks, I investigated the social and cultural contexts of educators' beliefs and practices toward moving students closer to graduation. The study finds that educators' beliefs and practices hinge on culturally relevant approaches to dropout prevention through attention to the school's a) culture and climate, b) instruction and curriculum, and c) personal and academic support structures. In addition to culturally relevant approaches, the study also finds that educators' beliefs and practices are consistent with African American educators who worked to increase the graduation rates of African American students during the postwar era. Understanding the role of schools in the dropout process in both contemporary and historical contexts has implications for dropout prevention and teacher education.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: OVERVIEW OF THE ISSUE. 1
Statement of the Problem. 3
Purpose of the Study. 5
Theoretical Frameworks. 7
Definitions. 10
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW. 12
Overview of General Factors Influencing Discourse on Dropouts. 13
Stereotypes of Students who Drop Out of School. 13
Risk Factors Associated with Dropping out of School. 15
Dropout Intervention Approaches. 19
An Overview of Dropout Prevention for African American Students. 24
Historical Efforts. 24
Current Efforts. 29
Summary of Literature Review. 31
CHAPTER THREE: METHODS. 33
Setting. 34
Data Sources and Collection. 39
Data Analysis. 47
Reliability and Validity. 49
CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS. 53
Culture and Climate of MSHS. 54
RQ1: Participants' Beliefs and Practices. 60
RQ2: Participants' Culturally Relevant Practices. 77
RQ3: Relationship to Historical African American Model. 92
Summary of Findings. 109
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION. 113
Implications for Dropout Prevention. 113
Implications for Teacher Education. 115
Future Research. 119
Conclusion. 121
REFERENCES. 122
APPENDICES. 136
Appendix A: Consent to Participate Form. 136
Appendix B: List of Participants. 139
Appendix C: Examples from Artifacts Log. 140
Appendix D: One-on-One Interview Guide. 142
Appendix E: Focus Group Interview Guide. 143
Appendix F: Examples of Codes and Code Definitions. 145
About this Dissertation
| School | |
|---|---|
| Department | |
| Degree | |
| Submission | |
| Language |
|
| Research Field | |
| Keyword | |
| Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor | |
| Committee Members |
Primary PDF
| Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Increasing Our Holding Power: Educators' Perspectives on Increasing Their School's Graduation Rate () | 2018-08-28 14:32:08 -0400 |
|
Supplemental Files
| Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Actions |
|---|