Adolescent Lives in Transition: How Social Class Influences the Adjustment to Middle School

Chapter 13. Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice

261 C H A P T E R 13 Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice A Research Agenda Giroux (1988) argued that schools are “cultural and political spheres actively engaged in the production and struggle for voice . . . Schools do not allow students from subordinate groups to authenticate their problems and lived experiences through their own individual and collective voices” (p. 206). Four research recommendations arise from this project and from the very real “struggle for voice” I encountered. Consult Students and Teachers About Policy and Practice Decisions The students in this study were reliable, articulate, and authentic sources of knowledge and enthusiastic research participants. Researchers need to consult young people more often in order to gain better understanding of the conditions of their lives and to inform educational policy and practice. The insights of these students regarding social and academic grouping, for example, provided valuable information that could not have been derived from any other source. Teachers also possess untapped knowledge about classroom interactions. School districts would do well to enable teachers to undertake more systematic exploration of teaching through school-based action research projects. School districts must provide resources for data collection, personal reflection, team analysis, and effective links to policy and curriculum development. Study These Issues in Larger, More Differentiated Populations This study examined the adjustment to middle school in a relatively low-risk but economically diverse group of students. A handful of students in my study struggled during the transition year, leading me to wonder about these questions: Would I find Mountainview Middle School to be as strong in meeting the needs of a broader group of students? Would some students benefit from a K-8 model where they would not have to undergo a disruptive transition at the age of twelve and then again two years later? Would the patterns of high and low self-esteem be the same in a larger population? A similar comparative study with a broader range of students would provide valuable information about how students who face academic and social challenges fare during the transition. Document Resilience and Strength Using Creative Methodologies Some researchers have critiqued the standardization of middle-class values in school programs (e.g., Bourdieu & Passeron, 1977; Bowles & Gintis, 1976; Freire, 1970; Giroux, 1983) but very few researchers have explored, in-depth, the beneficial values and lifestyles of low-income communities (for an example, see Willie, 1985). More research about how people thrive needs to come out of the experience of people from less known communities. Many questions about children’s experiences in school are phenomenological in nature and therefore require phenomenological approaches. Ethnographic community and classroom comparisons provide multidimensional, contextualized information that have relevance to teachers, administrators and policymakers. Collect and Analyze Population Specific Data on Educational Outcomes When I tried to access information concerning drop-out rates, college enrollment and completion, standardized test results, and course selection , I found that school districts seldom collect information or examine results by gender, town of residence, or socioeconomic status. Careful collection and analysis of this sort of data would provide communities and schools with important and valuable information. While general information is sufficient for some purposes, corrective efforts require population-specific information in order to appropriate resources and implement useful programs to overcome deficits. Finally, there is a need for much more understanding of schooling in rural areas, the lives of rural youth, and the issues families and communities face. An Agenda for Policy and Practice Review Policy and Practice Decisions and Promote Equity When making educational policy decisions, such as dress codes, expulsion rules, tracking structures, standards for sports team selections, 262 Adolescent Lives in Transition student evaluation methods, graduation requirements, or how academic credit is awarded, it is important to investigate and fully understand the way the policy would affect diverse students. To limit risk to vulnerable students, questions like these need to be addressed: Whom does this policy (or practice) protect? Who might benefit and who might be hurt? Are there students who would be placed at greater risk if this policy/practice were implemented? Does the outcome justify the potential risks of this policy/practice? What or who is the impetus for this change? Whose values or desires are affirmed by this policy/practice and whose values or desires are not considered? If this is not a reasonable risk, are there other ways to attain similar results? Policy development in schools must be...