Current Search: Education and state--Florida (x)
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(1 - 12 of 12)
- Title
- PERCEIVED ROLE OF STATE BUSINESS EDUCATION DIRECTOR AND CONSULTANTS AT THE COMMUNITY JUNIOR COLLEGE LEVEL IN FLORIDA.
- Creator
- LUSK, T. JANE S., Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose was to determine what services instructors and administrators who work with business education programs at Florida community junior colleges expect or desire from state business education personnel. The study sought to determine how the role of state personnel was perceived by business education instructors and department heads, division directors who supervised them, and occupational deans; whether position held, education, years of teaching/supervisory experience, or age had a...
Show moreThe purpose was to determine what services instructors and administrators who work with business education programs at Florida community junior colleges expect or desire from state business education personnel. The study sought to determine how the role of state personnel was perceived by business education instructors and department heads, division directors who supervised them, and occupational deans; whether position held, education, years of teaching/supervisory experience, or age had a relationship to perceptions expressed; and whether perceptions would result in profiles for the four groups that would be helpful to state staff. A six-point Likert-type forced choice questionnaire was developed from review of the literature. It contained 10 major task areas and 38 specific tasks directors and consultants agree they should perform. Respondents supplied additional tasks deemed important. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was applied to analyze the data. Conclusions. Background variables resulted in one age, four position, two education, three teaching experience, and four supervisory experience task ratings with significant differences related to perceptions of supervisory task importance. Six tasks were rated unimportant by over 50% of the respondents and five additional tasks as unimportant by three of the four groups. Combined important and extremely important ratings at or above the 50% level of importance resulted in profiles of services considered important by each group. Eleven additional services were listed and rated by respondents. Recommendations. State staff should evaluate services rendered to determine if college personnel consider them important and to learn if adequate services are being provided, should make an effort to provide services that at least 50% of the college personnel consider important, and should disseminate to colleges, universities, and professional groups a listing of services being provided. State staff should encourage college staffs to seek assistance when needed. Those conducting in-service training for colleges should review tasks considered important/unimportant when planning workshops. Teacher education institutions should include in instructional programs information about state services available. Further studies in other states would be helpful to state staffs if multistate profiles could be compiled and refined.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1983
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11830
- Subject Headings
- Higher education and state--Florida--Evaluation, Higher education and state--Florida--Information services
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE IMPACT OF FLORIDA SENATE BILL 1720 ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS.
- Creator
- Shand, Olivia Aleida, Shockley, Robert, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Florida Senate Bill 1720 on student performance in Mathematics. Prior to its enactment, placement testing was mandatory in the State of Florida. The results determined if a student was required to enroll in any developmental courses prior to enrolling in college-level Mathematics courses. For many students, particularly those at the State College level, this extended the number of required courses, lengthening the path to...
Show moreThe primary purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Florida Senate Bill 1720 on student performance in Mathematics. Prior to its enactment, placement testing was mandatory in the State of Florida. The results determined if a student was required to enroll in any developmental courses prior to enrolling in college-level Mathematics courses. For many students, particularly those at the State College level, this extended the number of required courses, lengthening the path to completion for a volume of students. The results over time proved a costly burden on institutions that serve populations of students not prepared to perform at the college-level, as well as a major obstacle for student degree completion.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013344
- Subject Headings
- Education and state--Florida, Mathematics education, Student achievement, Placement testing
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE CONSEQUENCES OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STATE ACCOUNTABILITY DATA USAGE IN ONE FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICT.
- Creator
- Killeen, Mary K., Mountford, Meredith, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
- Abstract/Description
-
The accountability era has produced school grading systems that purport to evaluate school effectiveness yet utilize hegemonic formulas that label low-scoring schools and neighborhoods, depriving them of incentive monies tied to their school grades. This quantitative study analyzed the publicly available data of 106 elementary schools in one large urban district in Florida through the lens of Effective Schools Research. Significant findings revealed that the work of Edmonds (1982) and Lezotte...
Show moreThe accountability era has produced school grading systems that purport to evaluate school effectiveness yet utilize hegemonic formulas that label low-scoring schools and neighborhoods, depriving them of incentive monies tied to their school grades. This quantitative study analyzed the publicly available data of 106 elementary schools in one large urban district in Florida through the lens of Effective Schools Research. Significant findings revealed that the work of Edmonds (1982) and Lezotte (1991) supports a growth model when it comes to school-based assessments and outcomes. The schools in the sample earned cumulative incentive rewards over time that were negatively correlated with the schools’ average percentage of economically disadvantaged students. The lower a school’s average percentage of economically disadvantaged students, the higher the school's average grade. This finding held true for the “A”-graded schools with the lowest average economically disadvantaged percentages from 1999 to 2019. This study also found that the schools in the sample with the larger average percentages of economically disadvantaged students would exhibit higher school grades if calculations using only their language arts and math gains were used. These findings have implications for how we might rebuild the assessment of our neighborhood schools and transform the policy structures that contribute to social and educational inequities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014331
- Subject Headings
- Educational evaluation, Elementary schools--Evaluation, Education and state--Florida
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Florida's School Choice Policies and Democracy: Origins and Destinations.
- Creator
- Miller, Adam, Mountford, Meredith L., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
School choice is a fast growing alternative to traditional public school education across the nation. According to the Florida Department of Education, school choice policies and laws are rapidly moving Florida away from more traditional forms of schooling toward an increasingly evolving school choice state landscape. The purpose of this study was to examine school choice in Florida by investigating the school choice policies enacted by the Florida legislature leading to the school choice...
Show moreSchool choice is a fast growing alternative to traditional public school education across the nation. According to the Florida Department of Education, school choice policies and laws are rapidly moving Florida away from more traditional forms of schooling toward an increasingly evolving school choice state landscape. The purpose of this study was to examine school choice in Florida by investigating the school choice policies enacted by the Florida legislature leading to the school choice environment in Florida today. Specifically, this investigation was limited to legislation in Florida between 1997 and 2014 and further limited to charter schools, home schooling, virtual education, and two choice options specific to Florida in which public dollars follow students to private schools, the Tax Credit and McKay Scholarship programs. These particular school choice options were chosen as the focus of this study because they change the where of education outside of tradit ional public schools. Other choice options such as magnet schools, inter-district choice, and intra-district choice simply move students among traditional public schools but keep them enrolled in traditional public schools. Ultimately the study hoped to provide a possible road map for the future of school choice policies in Florida. This study utilized a qualitative methodology utilizing document reviews and interviews. This study found that school choice policies in Florida have continued to expand and evolve over the years to increase the liberty available to families to choose the education of their children. This study also found that the Florida legislature has laid the groundwork for Florida school districts, through a focus on equality, to take advantage of a portfolio management model to increase student achievement. Although a focus on equality led to the enactment of various school choice options, some of these options have moved away from their original intent to financially benefit specific organizations and groups. Finally, as reported by Holme, Frankenberg, Diem, and Welton (2013), Florida's charter school, virtual education, and home education policies have been enacted as race-neutral policies that have no regard for diversity, which could lead to resegregation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004522, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004522
- Subject Headings
- Education and state -- Florida, Educational change -- United States -- Florida, Educational equalization -- United States -- Florida, John M. McKay Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities, School choice -- United States -- Florida, School districts -- Florida -- Management
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A Comparative Analysis of Required Continuing Education in Florida SB1108 and Teacher Self-Efficacy for Inclusion.
- Creator
- Scruggs, Leigh A., Weber, Roberta K., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
-
While classroom teachers report alarming rates of unpreparedness, and even unwillingness to include diverse populations in the classroom, our nation is continuing along a trend started in the 1990s to include students with disabilities (SWD) in general education settings. This quasi-experimental research study uncovered the impact of completing the required continuing education course in teaching SWD course mandated by Florida Senate Bill 1108 ([SB1108]; The Florida Senate, 2013b), which...
Show moreWhile classroom teachers report alarming rates of unpreparedness, and even unwillingness to include diverse populations in the classroom, our nation is continuing along a trend started in the 1990s to include students with disabilities (SWD) in general education settings. This quasi-experimental research study uncovered the impact of completing the required continuing education course in teaching SWD course mandated by Florida Senate Bill 1108 ([SB1108]; The Florida Senate, 2013b), which amended Florida Statute 1012.585 (3) (e) (Process for Renewal of Professional Certificates, 2017) on perceived teacher ability to implement inclusion practices. An online version of the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices (TEIP) scale developed by Sharma, Loreman, and Forlin (2012) was utilized, along with demographic and experiential factors for classroom teachers in the study district to examine their self-efficacy toward inclusion. Analysis of the data indicated statistically significant differences in mean TEIP scale scores for exceptional student education (ESE) and general education teachers. Data analyses revealed that almost half of the teachers had a negative view of and did not perceive any benefit from the course. While ESE and general education teachers had similar preparation needs, they also reported areas of concern specific to their subset. Overall, the course did not provide enough continuing education in the areas most needed by the participants. SB1108-mandated course completion was also not found to be an indicator of higher teacher self-efficacy for the majority of teachers. Analysis of the differences in TEIP scale scores found that only elementary school teachers benefited from completing the course, while it had the opposite effect for general education high school teachers and no significant effect for ESE teachers. Differences in TEIP scale scores from demographic and experiential factors accounted for 13% of the variance in the population and was not significant for the ESE teacher subset. One percent or less of the variance was attributed to completion of the required continuing education course. Implications include reviewing the legislation’s effectiveness for teachers in different areas and grade levels, hiring and evaluation decisions based on TEIP scale scores of applicants and employees, and designing more meaningful continuing education courses. Recommendations for state legislatures, school administrators, designers of continuing education courses, and for future research regarding improvement of teacher self-efficacy for inclusive practices are offered.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005956
- Subject Headings
- Continuing education, Students with disabilities--Education--United States, Inclusive education, Education and state--Florida, Professional development for teachers
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The Impact of Voluntary Remediation on Gateway Course Success and Minority and Low-Income Students in Florida Colleges.
- Creator
- Pain, Karen D., Floyd, Deborah L., Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The primary purpose of the study was to explore the potential impact of voluntary remediation on success in ENC1101 and MAT1033 (gateway courses) and on minority or low-income students in Florida. The study was prompted in 2013 when the Florida Senate exempted most students entering the Florida College System from placement testing or developmental education regardless of their skill level. A quantitative design compared the gateway course success of 10,703 exempt students in 2014 and 2015 to...
Show moreThe primary purpose of the study was to explore the potential impact of voluntary remediation on success in ENC1101 and MAT1033 (gateway courses) and on minority or low-income students in Florida. The study was prompted in 2013 when the Florida Senate exempted most students entering the Florida College System from placement testing or developmental education regardless of their skill level. A quantitative design compared the gateway course success of 10,703 exempt students in 2014 and 2015 to the success of 8,644 students who would have been exempt had the law been in effect when they completed their gateway courses in 2012 and 2013. Data were collected from three FCS institutions. Using Astin and Astin's 1992 Input-Environment-Outcome model (Astin & Astin, 1992), independent variables included demographics, such as race and Pell grant eligibility, and prior academic performance, as well as enrollment status and remedial course decisions and perf ormance. The study found the policy to have a statistically significant (α = .05) negative effect on student success in the gateway courses. The voluntary remediation policy that was in part enacted to improve college completion rates threatens to have the opposite effect. The results show that fewer proportions of students were successful (grade of C or higher) in both courses once remediation became voluntary (12.8% decrease for English; 19.3% decrease in math). The study revealed a need for further research to investigate the degree of this impact on minority and low-income students. The results also suggested a need for more research to learn which students are likely to benefit, or not, by taking a remedial course. Of the students in the study who voluntarily took a placement test and scored below credit level, 11.3% chose remediation before taking ENC1101 and 24.5% chose remediation before taking MAT1033. Of those students, most who earned an A or B in the remedial course were successful in the credit courses; most who did not earn at least a B in the remedial course were unsuccessful at the credit level. Results were significant (α = .05), and effect sizes were moderate (.344 for English; .430 for math).
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004531, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004531
- Subject Headings
- Academic achievement -- United States -- Florida, Developmental studies programs -- United States -- Florida, Educational attainment -- United States -- Florida, Remedial teaching, School failure -- Prevention, Universities and colleges -- Florida -- Administration
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Bilingual education and biliteracy in the Brazilian community: An attitudinal study.
- Creator
- Martins, Minouche C., Florida Atlantic University, Augustyn, Prisca
- Abstract/Description
-
This study investigated parents' attitudes and expectations regarding Portuguese-English bilingual education, biliteracy, and language use at home in the Brazilian community in South Florida, specifically in the tri-county area of Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. Sixty-seven Brazilian parents participated in an online/print questionnaire study. The results show that parents strongly support bilingual education and the development of bilingualism. An overwhelming majority of parents strongly...
Show moreThis study investigated parents' attitudes and expectations regarding Portuguese-English bilingual education, biliteracy, and language use at home in the Brazilian community in South Florida, specifically in the tri-county area of Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. Sixty-seven Brazilian parents participated in an online/print questionnaire study. The results show that parents strongly support bilingual education and the development of bilingualism. An overwhelming majority of parents strongly encourage the use of Portuguese in the Brazilian homes. However, a discrepancy was found between parents' expectations and actual practices for their children's biliterate development. The majority of parents encourage the development of their children's speaking skills in Portuguese, but only few parents have strategies to develop their children's literacy in Portuguese. The lack of print-media in the heritage language in the home shows that parents look to formal education to fulfill their expectations in their children's biliteracy.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13313
- Subject Headings
- Bilingual education--United States--Florida, Bilingualism--United States--Florida, Multiculturalism--United States--Florida, Literacy--Study and teaching, Language arts (Early childhood), Education--Parent participation--United States--Florida
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Examining Student Level Variables as Predictors for On- Time High School Cohort Graduation.
- Creator
- McMahon, Brian M., Sembiante, Sabrina, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
-
Recent literature on high school graduation and drop out have shifted the focus from identifying causes of drop out to identifying students who are at risk of dropping out. The Early Warning Systems (EWS) used to identify students seek to use existing data to predict which students have a greater risk of dropping out of school so that schools can intervene early enough to reengage students. Despite widespread attention to individual indicators, there is no defined system of indicators proven...
Show moreRecent literature on high school graduation and drop out have shifted the focus from identifying causes of drop out to identifying students who are at risk of dropping out. The Early Warning Systems (EWS) used to identify students seek to use existing data to predict which students have a greater risk of dropping out of school so that schools can intervene early enough to reengage students. Despite widespread attention to individual indicators, there is no defined system of indicators proven to be generalizable across grade levels, specifically at the elementary grade levels. Drawing on the tenets of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) Ecological Systems Theory, the purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine to what extent the State of Florida’s EWS model can predict on-time cohort graduation in grades 3-8. Using a retrospective longitudinal sample, this study first established that Allensworth and Easton’s (2005) grade 9 on-track indicator was predictive of dropout, finding that 92.2% of students who were on-track in grade 9 graduated on time. Using this grade 9 indicator as a proxy for graduation, this study then examined the effectiveness of the Florida EWS at predicting on-track status. Through this a priori link to graduation, this study was able to shed light on predictive indicators in the elementary and middle school years without the temporal distance between the predictor grade levels and graduation typically associated with longitudinal studies of this nature. The findings that the Florida EWS successfully predicted 71.6% of future on- and off-track status confirms its use as a predictive indicator of students at risk of not graduating. The academic, behavioral, and engagement indicators found in both Allensworth & Easton’s (2005) grade 9 on-track indicator and the Florida EWS were found to successfully capture the molar activities of students within the school ecological system and were successful at providing an indication of a student’s development in terms of being on track to graduate on time from high school.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005958
- Subject Headings
- Graduation (School), High school dropouts--Prevention, Education and state--Florida
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Middle Grades (6-8) Reading Teachers’ Beliefs Regarding the State’s Academic Reading Standards, Curriculum Materials, and Instructional Practices.
- Creator
- Dacres, Lascelia Cadienne, Baxley, Traci P., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
-
Teachers’ beliefs about the reading standards as well as curriculum materials used to address the standards affect how teachers implement the standards, which further impacts student learning. In this case study, 26 middle grades (6-8) reading teachers each participated in a 90 minute one-on-one audio-taped interview consisting of 33 openended questions. Analysis was conducted on the teachers’ beliefs regarding the state’s academic reading standards, content materials the teachers used to...
Show moreTeachers’ beliefs about the reading standards as well as curriculum materials used to address the standards affect how teachers implement the standards, which further impacts student learning. In this case study, 26 middle grades (6-8) reading teachers each participated in a 90 minute one-on-one audio-taped interview consisting of 33 openended questions. Analysis was conducted on the teachers’ beliefs regarding the state’s academic reading standards, content materials the teachers used to teach reading, the teachers’ self-reported instructional practices, and how the selected teachers understand the relationship between their beliefs and instructional practices. Likewise, content analyses were performed using documents such as lesson plans, classroom assignments, and assessments that were collected from the participants. There were six major findings in this study. The first finding indicated that participants had mix feelings regarding the standards; they were viewed by some teachers as guides and building blocks while others viewed the standards as not being beneficial to have in the classroom. The second finding depicted that participants had mixed experiences of collegial planning; some shared that collegial planning assisted their efforts with understanding the standards while others indicated that collegial planning could be improved. The third finding portrayed that the curriculum materials used to teach reading were both district-given and supplemental. Due to a lack of rigor with the district-given resource, some participants opted to use supplemental resources that better aligned to the expectation of the standards. The fourth finding addressed both teacher and student challenges faced by the participants. Teacher challenges included the fast pace and implementation of the standards while student challenges included lack of motivation and student misbehavior. The fifth finding highlighted how participants viewed the relationship between their beliefs and instructional practices. Participants discussed the impact, or lack thereof, of the implementation of the shifts in the standards. The sixth and final major finding of this study emphasized that professional development was needed to teach the reading standards. As a result of these findings, implications include providing teachers with professional development opportunities that target practical ways on how to implement the shifts of the standards in day-to-day instruction and instructional strategies to enhance student motivation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005964
- Subject Headings
- Reading teachers, Education and state--Florida, Reading--Standards, Middle school education--United States--Standards
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The Social Construction Of Teachers and the Teaching Profession Among Florida State Legislators from 1984 to 2015.
- Creator
- Crespo, Janny, Weber, Roberta K., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
-
Public officials at the state level currently are called upon to create, evaluate, and implement policies that assess the effectiveness of teacher performance and hold teachers accountable for student achievement. Therefore, understanding the social construction of the teaching profession among those public officials is crucial to understanding the impact of the policy agenda on the work of teachers as well as being essential to exercising influence on the policy process itself. This study...
Show morePublic officials at the state level currently are called upon to create, evaluate, and implement policies that assess the effectiveness of teacher performance and hold teachers accountable for student achievement. Therefore, understanding the social construction of the teaching profession among those public officials is crucial to understanding the impact of the policy agenda on the work of teachers as well as being essential to exercising influence on the policy process itself. This study was an analysis of legislation regarding teacher accountability in an effort to provide insight into how the Florida State Legislature socially constructs the teaching profession. This study used a qualitative methodology to place teachers, as a group, in Schneider and Ingram’s (1993) typology of target populations and made use of historical analysis to trace the changes that have occurred in the social construction of teachers during the period from 1984-2015. In doing so, it found teachers are negatively constructed with a positive power component, correspondingly labeled contenders, on Schneider and Ingram’s typology. Ultimately, the effect of the pressures placed upon teachers has been to create projections of ongoing teacher shortages and to discourage potential candidates from pursuing the profession.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005928
- Subject Headings
- Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University, Education and state--Florida., Social constructionism., Teachers--Florida., Florida. Legislature
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Perspectives of Florida Middle Social Studies Teachers Regarding the Impact of High-Stakes Testing on Their Instructional Choices and Resulting Student Learning.
- Creator
- Mulhall, Jennifer, Schoorman, Dilys, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
-
This mixed-methods study was situated within one Florida county and investigated the impact of a newly initiated end-of-course Civics examination upon middle school teachers’ instruction and student learning. High-stakes testing is often a polarizing issue regarding the perceived benefits and challenges for both students and teachers. Participating teachers completed surveys comprised of Likert-type items and short-answer questions inquiring about their instructional choices and resulting...
Show moreThis mixed-methods study was situated within one Florida county and investigated the impact of a newly initiated end-of-course Civics examination upon middle school teachers’ instruction and student learning. High-stakes testing is often a polarizing issue regarding the perceived benefits and challenges for both students and teachers. Participating teachers completed surveys comprised of Likert-type items and short-answer questions inquiring about their instructional choices and resulting student learning with and without the presence of the Civics EOC examination. A subset of department instructional leaders were interviewed providing additional qualitative data with a wider scope due to their dual positioning as teachers and as links between the social studies teachers at their school and the School District of Sunshine County. The analysis of the data reveals that while civics teachers value the increased prestige brought to the subject area with the introduction of the end-of-course examination, the heightened importance of standards has a resulted in a focus on breadth of content coverage rather than depth of learning, leading to content-centered rather than student-centered classroom environments and subsequent loss of voice and choice in curricular decisions for teachers and students. Teachers feel intense pressure to cover the curriculum, raise test scores and engage in test preparation; they question the soundness of the examination to adequately assess the learning of all students and to capture the essence of civics education: active engagement. Teachers’ perspectives on the effect of the examination on teacher practice and student learning were framed within contextual factors that emerged in the analysis: the abandonment of the policy to introduce foundational content at the elementary level; a lack of communication among stakeholders, but particularly between state-level decision makers and local educators; and an absence of the ongoing scaffolding required to create a strong foundation of knowledge and skills to foster continued growth. Consequently, the recommendations of this study of educators’ voices on the policies that impact their profession are directed primarily at state level policy makers and future researchers regarding the flow of communication, inclusion of teacher feedback, continued teacher development, addition of a participatory component, and curricular alignment.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013134
- Subject Headings
- Middle school teachers, Social studies--Study and teaching (Middle school), Civics--Examinations, Education and state--Florida, Mixed methods research
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Between Home and School: Guatemalan Maya Students and Cultural Gender Roles in South Florida.
- Creator
- Robbins, Kristin L., Brown, Susan Love, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
Second-generation Guatemalan Maya children and adolescents who were born in Palm Beach County had to balance two cultures. As children of Guatemalan Maya parents, these youths belonged to Guatemalan Maya households--but many of their other roles in the United States, particularly their roles as students, involved the wider American culture. As such, they endured many of the same acculturation challenges that first generation immigrants do. They often had to choose between fulfilling student...
Show moreSecond-generation Guatemalan Maya children and adolescents who were born in Palm Beach County had to balance two cultures. As children of Guatemalan Maya parents, these youths belonged to Guatemalan Maya households--but many of their other roles in the United States, particularly their roles as students, involved the wider American culture. As such, they endured many of the same acculturation challenges that first generation immigrants do. They often had to choose between fulfilling student roles, family roles, and contrasting cultural beliefs and values, and negotiate shifting cultural, familial, community, and gender dynamics. My primary research interest was to understand how home, community, and cultural roles and identities affected students' school experiences and how their student identities and school experiences affected their home lives. 1 found that second-generation Guatemalan Maya faced maJor obstacles as students such as poverty, language barriers, and rigid grading standards and views of knowledge that educational institutions adhere to. In addition, because of the extreme persecution against indigenous Maya in Guatemala. most of the students' parents received little fonnal education; thus, they were often unable to help their children with homework. Further, Maya also have adopted cautious views of fonnal education because of the tendencies of mainstream curriculums to devalue an indigenous lifestyle. Maya beliefs about the usefulness of a Western education also influenced students' perceptions of school. Moreover, most Maya immigrants came to the United States poor, and often had to work several jobs and long hours to financially support their families. Poverty was the primary factor that created hardships in students' lives. Families faced challenges of poverty by staying interdependent and working together to maintain the household. Thus, Guatemalan Maya children were expected to fulfill Maya adult roles, which varied for women and men, and contribute to the household by doing chores. Students' responsibilities at home diverted time and energy away from school, but these roles also gave students a greater understanding of adult roles and responsibilities. Thus, Guatemalan-Maya students gave family, home, community, and adult Maya roles priority while giving school identities and roles second priority.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000990
- Subject Headings
- Education and globalization--Cross-cultural studies, Mayas--Social conditions--Florida--Indiantown, Mayas--Cultural assimilation--Florida, Home and school--United States--Florida
- Format
- Document (PDF)
