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Formative Assessment Practices of Middle School Mathematics Teachers in the Dominican Republic
No full textThis descriptive phenomenology study investigated middle school mathematics teachers\u27 formative assessment practices in the Dominican Republic. The study explored three research questions about the types of formative assessment strategies teachers implemented, how they used formative assessment data to make instructional decisions, and the challenges they faced implementing these strategies. Eighteen middle school mathematics teachers from public and private schools in three southern cities participated. The data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews, focus interviews, and reviews of mathematics lessons. The findings of this investigation indicate that teachers implemented various formative assessment strategies and took an active role in the process. Thus, teachers rarely engage students in peer assessment, self-assessment, collaborative work, and other methods that promote students’ ownership of the learning process. Some teachers used formative assessment data to adjust instruction, while others provided academic intervention to students or assigned a grade. Finally, teachers experienced contextual and personal challenges implementing formative assessment, such as students’ limited skills in mathematics and motivation, large class sizes, limited resources, and time to plan and implement formative assessment. Contextual factors relating to students’ current performance and motivation were the most common challenges reported by teachers
Bergen Koster, Debra
No full textDebra Bergen Koster was born in the Bronx at Bronx Lebanon Hospital on December 14, 1955. Her family moved to the Bronx in the 1930s and she grew up there until 1964, living on Shakespeare Avenue in a predominantly Jewish and Irish neighborhood. Bergen Koster recalls a close-knit community, where her family experienced significant events like the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. She also has fond memories of local spots like Featherbed Lane, where she would run errands for her mother, and of communal activities like playing on the streets with friends and attending local events.
In 1964, her family moved to Yonkers, and then later to Queens, where she attended junior high and high school. Bergen Koster graduated from Newtown High School in 1973 and later attended Rutgers University, where she studied journalism and women’s studies, one of the first programs of its kind in the country. She then graduated from SUNY New Paltz in January 1978 and obtained a joint MS degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University-Baruch College/CUNY in 1987.
After graduating from SUNY New Paltz she moved to Syracuse, NY where, while working at Syracuse University, her involvement in the union movement began when she volunteered as a member of the organizing committee with the UAW. Influenced by her husband’s family’s union background, upon returning to New York City in 1980, she became an active union organizer, working for such organizations such as the National Association of Working Women, Local 1199NY, SEIU and the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY, NYSUT. She also taught for Cornell University’s ILR program, where she held an adjunct lecturer position.
Her family background also played a significant role in shaping her identity. Her paternal grandmother, Anna Stern, was a political figure in the Bronx, deeply involved with the Socialist Party. Stern ran for political office twice in the early 20th century and testified before the Lusk Committee, defending the Socialist Party. Bergen Koster has conducted extensive genealogy research on her grandmother’s life and career and remains deeply proud of her family’s immigrant roots and political activism.
Bergen Koster retired in 2018 and after a long career in the labor movement, she currently mentors young union activists through her involvement with the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee (EWOC) affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Her deep connection to the Bronx and her Jewish immigrant heritage has influenced much of her later life and interests
Phenomenological Inquiry of Disclosures in Romantic Relationships Among Undocumented Immigrants with DACA
No full textThis qualitative study explored how undocumented immigrants who are receiving Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) navigate the decision-making process of sharing their immigration status with romantic partners and the implications of such disclosure on their relationships. Informed by the literature on stigma (Goffman, 1963) and concealable stigmatized identities (Quinn, 2006), the study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of disclosure decision-making and to identify common themes and patterns in the experiences of DACA recipients. A purposive sample of 17 individuals, aged between 23 and 34 (M = 27.17, SD = 2.89), all currently receiving DACA and in a relationship with a U.S. citizen partner, participated in the study. Participants represented a culturally diverse Latin American population. Data were collected through a brief demographic questionnaire and a semi-structured, audio-recorded interview that ranged from 42 to 100 minutes in length (M = 63.56, SD = 15.43). The interviews were analyzed using a phenomenological research methodology approach (Moustakas, 1994) to identify emerging themes. The data analysis resulted in five major themes: perceived safety in the disclosure process, motivation to disclose in romantic relationships, the effect of disclosures on romantic relationships, the psychological impact of disclosures, and additional forces impacting disclosure decisions. Additionally, findings demonstrated 17 minor themes that further contextualize the major themes. Study results give voice to the lived experiences of undocumented immigrants, particularly those who are receiving DACA, and offer insights and information for their disclosure decision-making processes. Implications for future research, clinical practice, training, and limitations, are also discussed
Teachers, Power, and the Belief in School Meritocracy
No full textIf our education contributes significantly to our position in society, then the belief that our education is fair is related to the belief that society is fair. System justification theory argues that, under certain conditions, people tend to defend and justify aspects of institutions and society as fair. This study drew on the literature of system justification theory to explore how teachers’ sense of powerlessness relates to defending and justifying aspects of schools and society as fair. Survey data were collected from two hundred schoolteachers across the nation, recruited by Mechanical Turk. Four scales measured teachers’ sense of power defined as financial dependence on their job and their perception of the school administration’s power over them. Four scales measured various beliefs that teachers had about 1) schools as institutions that reward based on merit alone, 2) the defense of societal conditions, 3) the justification of their school administrators’ behavior and 4) the explanation of one of their underperforming student’s academic work. Results showed that teachers who endorsed a perception of restrictive and directive schools tended to endorse the belief that schools rewarded based on merit alone. Further, they tended to explain academic failure as permanent and outside of student control. These teachers also tended to perceive their school administration as supportive, a perception that was correlated with the defense of societal conditions and the justification of their administration’s behavior. Financially dependent teacher participants tended to reject the defense of societal conditions. Future directions, limitations and implications were discussed
Barriers and bridges to well-being for Latinx immigrant youth in a new Latinx destination: A digital narrative inquiry
No full textAn increasing number of Latinx young people in the United States are facing unique challenges to attaining and maintaining well-being as residents of new Latinx destinations. This study analyzes the testimonios of 12 Latinx immigrant youth (aged 18–21) who participated in a digital narrative research project in New Orleans – a new Latinx destination in the US South. Findings are interpreted and discussed through the lens of the Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST), revealing Latinx young people’s perspectives on the barriers to experiencing well-being, the “bridges” that helped them to experience well-being despite those barriers, and the ways in which broader contexts and identities shaped their lived experiences. This study offers evidence of the detrimental health impacts of racialization and marginalization on Latinx youth in a new Latinx destination, as well as the assets, resources, coping skills, and meaning-making processes that supported their well-being
“From depression, to an overdose of crack, to trying to kill myself”: Post-trafficking Mexican women survivors’ challenges and NGO’s strategies in rehabilitation
No full textSexual trafficking in Mexico continues to be a significant crisis raising multiple challenges for women who exit this oppressive network. This study examines two sides of post trafficking: the interrelated needs and challenges these survivors face when they return or escape from a trafficking situation, and how NGOs strategize. A significant aspect of the study focuses on employment: the transition from sexual exploitation to securing legitimate employment and acquiring an independent life and how NGO staff work to support them. Drawing on survivor testimonies along with interviews (both published and two conducted for this project), the study delineates that they have numerous needs and face layers of challenges for reintegration. The study considers how NGOs strategize to meet complex needs for re-entry— for finding new kinds of work after forced sexual labor. Furthermore, the study also examines the long-term impacts on survivors, investigating the aftermath of their traumatic experiences and how these effects can influence their ability to recover. Hence, this study contributes to understanding this important later phase of perpetual rape and violation of human dignity. Inadequate legal structures, cultural factors and stigmatization, psychological trauma and vulnerability are some of the obstacles survivors face with few resources –besides a network of NGOs– available for their recovery
Urban Agriculture: Sowing Seeds of Sustainability in New York City
No full textThis paper critically examines urban agriculture as a vital strategy for addressing the interconnected challenges of food insecurity and climate resilience in New York City. Chapter 1 employs quantitative data to illuminate the complex interplay between climate change and food injustice in New York City, highlighting reciprocal impacts and underscoring the urgency of intervention. Chapter 2 traces the historical trajectory of urban agriculture in New York City, emphasizing its anticipated contributions to the city\u27s food security and climate resilience. This section also explores the diverse forms urban agriculture takes and assesses their suitability for the contexts of New York City. Chapter 3 delves into the economic dimensions of urban agriculture, exploring its feasibility and sustainability while drawing on successful business models. By analyzing the costs and benefits of urban agriculture initiatives, this chapter provides insights into the economic implications of investing in urban farming. Expanding on these themes, Chapter 4 employs an environmental justice framework to evaluate urban agriculture\u27s impact on fostering a more equitable urban landscape. It sheds light on the grassroots origins of urban agriculture in New York City, emphasizing the pivotal role of residents in shaping its trajectory, while also illuminating persistent power imbalances within the movement. Finally, Chapter 5 presents a set of targeted policy recommendations aimed at advancing urban agriculture in ways that prioritize equity and resilience. These recommendations seek to amplify the positive impacts of urban agriculture while mitigating the risk of exacerbating existing injustices, thereby fostering a more inclusive and sustainable urban future for all New Yorkers
The Politics of an Impossible Situation: Italian Parties Muddling Through the Migrant Crisis
No full textItaly’s geographical location in the Southern Mediterranean has long made it a popular European entry point for migrants arriving from Africa. During the 2010s, the issue of migration was catapulted into the center of Italian politics as hundreds of thousands of migrants arrived each year. Successive Italian governments enacted countless measures to securitize and externalize Italy’s borders, from cooperating with non-state actors in Libya to criminalizing NGO ships providing aid to migrants at sea. However, while some policies have been successful in limiting the flow of migrants, Italy has proven incapable of cutting the flow off completely, and today, the number of arrivals is reaching a total as high as ever. While the policies towards migration enacted by Italy’s different political actors may seem similar, examining the rhetoric of opposing political parties and their leaders exposes the various ways in which political actors justify restrictive policies. These justifications are becoming more crucial than ever before as Italy juggles competing forces of ethno-nationalism, demographic and economic stagnation, and increasing migrant arrivals
The New Jersey Tiered System of Support: Creating a School-Wide Protocol
No full textWise Ways School District (pseudonym) is a public school district in northern New Jersey which consists of grades K–12. The high school is a four-year comprehensive institution that serves 583 students in 9th–12th grade. Wise Ways High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school whose goal is to address the needs of all of its students. The purpose of this study was to lead efforts to align core programs, intervention supports, and enrichment activities with New Jersey Tiered System of Supports, as well as to guide improvements to create a framework that is implemented school-wide that will meet the needs of each student. This six-month mixed methods study used improvement science through a Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle. Because of the lack of a school-wide intervention protocol, one needed to be developed. A well thought-out school-wide intervention protocol for the tiered system of supports not only impacts student learning within the classroom, but it also helps to sustain school improvement. Through this mixed methods study, both quantitative and qualitative data was collected. The quantitative data included a staff readiness survey for the faculty. An exit survey and observations made up the collected qualitative data. Based on the results of the classroom observations, the indicators established that the staff has begun to embrace the new protocol. The 10 teachers who were observed have all successfully implemented Tier 1 supports effectively within their classrooms
A Qualitative Study of the Psychosocial Impacts of the School-To-Prison Pipeline and Associated Factors
No full textThe school-to-prison pipeline refers to the disproportionate tendency to use zero-tolerance policies and police presence in U.S. schools attended predominantly by Black and Brown youths. This phenomenon has resulted in increased rates of expulsion, suspension, and arrest being made in schools, often as the result of minor infractions. Over the past two decades, this has led to the systematic removal of a significant number of Black and Brown youths from public education, onto a path towards prison. To date, there is little to no empirical data on psychosocial impacts specific to the school-to-prison pipeline. The present study consisted of a qualitative, participatory research study of the life stories and psychosocial development of five Black-identified adolescent males who were impacted by the school-to-prison pipeline and associated factors. Attention was given to the sociocultural contexts in which the school-to-prison pipeline phenomenon is embedded. Drawing from critical constructivism and critical race theory frameworks, participants\u27 lived experiences, and meaning-making of these, were analyzed using a narrative analysis approach. Results indicate that the school-to-prison pipeline and associated factors negatively impact psychosocial development, while compromising normative socialization processes and identity formation. Interventions aimed at addressing these negative psychosocial impacts ought to use Afro-centered frameworks that foster empowerment, critical race consciousness, and liberation among affected Black and Brown youths