Jeffrey N. Jones

Relational strategies in after-school settings: How staff-youth relationships support positive development

Staff–youth relationships are a key strength of after-school settings, though more research is needed to understand the actual processes whereby these interpersonal connections lead to beneficial outcomes. This qualitative study focuses on the relational strategies that staff employ within an urban youth organization, and the ways in which those strategies contribute to a positive developmental climate. Researchers observed staff–youth interactions for a year and conducted a series of interviews with 17 youth between the ages of 12 and 18. We found three specific relational strategies that staff used to develop relationships with youth. These were minimizing relational distance, active inclusion, and attention to proximal relational ties. These strategies contribute to an overall supportive culture, suggesting a relational pedagogy in this after-school setting. The staff–youth relationships serve as the foundation for both youth engagement in programs and the promotion of positive developmental outcomes.

Social and Identity Development in an After-School Program: Changing Experiences and Shifting Adolescent Needs

The negotiation of complex social settings and the creation of an integrated identity are major tasks of adolescence. Institutions such as after-school programs can influence social-emotional development through organizational and interpersonal practices, and prosocial growth can be encouraged through the alignment of supportive structures with developmental needs. This qualitative study explores the developmental and environmental fit of an urban after-school program for its participants. Using participant-observation and interviews, we explore how youths’ experiences in this setting are congruent with the developmental needs of pre-, early, and midadolescence. We find that program activities and relationships shift as youth mature to provide levels of support congruent with youths’ changing social-emotional and self-representation needs. These shifts provide contexts aligned with contemporary theories of adolescent development.

The Kalamazoo Promise and Perceived Changes in Teacher Beliefs, Expectations, and Behaviors

ABSTRACT High teacher expectations are an essential component of quality education and are known to lead to positive outcomes for students. The authors examined perceived changes in teacher beliefs, expectations, and behaviors that result from the introduction of the Kalamazoo Promise, a universal postsecondary scholarship program. These perceptions were accessed through interpretive interviews with principals, counselors, teachers, and through interviews and surveys with students in the school district. Educators and students reported marked improvements in teacher attitudes and behaviors since the announcement of the Kalamazoo Promise. The authors discuss the implications of research findings and the potential of this scholarship program as a catalyst for systemic change in the district.

Narratives of Student Engagement in an Alternative Learning Context

The concept of student engagement is critical in the discussion of school reform. This issue is particularly important in dropout prevention programs such as the alternative high school, although little empirical work guides intervention efforts. In this qualitative research, ethnographic observations were combined with interviews with 24 students and 12 teachers to examine how the offerings of the learning environment interact with the processes of engagement through the perspective of students in a high-functioning alternative high school. Youth narratives provide an account of the development of engagement in the context of supportive relationships and a caring school community. Findings suggest that affective engagement precedes school identification and behavioral commitments to learning. Their narratives aid in understanding how students construct stories of transition in the schooling process, and help to contextualize current theories that describe engagement in learning for youth placed at risk.

Promoting the Development of Moral Identity, Behavior, and Commitment in a Social Action Program.

Involvement in social action and community service can promote the construction of prosocial identities and enduring patterns of civic behavior. This article explores this important process for youth that participate in the PeaceJam Ambassadors program. High school-aged ‘PeaceJammers’ study the lives of Nobel Peace laureates while creating projects to affect change in their local communities. Multiple methods were used to access youth perceptions including surveys and interpretive interviews. Participants reported high levels on indicators on personal and social change. Their narratives articulated salient influences on their identities and actions. They shared how advisors promote social identity, participation, and the development of moral identities. These findings add to a growing empirical literature on moral development and youth engagement in peace education and community transformation.

Kalamazoo Promise: Can a Universal College Scholarship Reform Urban Education?

Academic optimism has unlocked and unleashed the aspirations of teachers, parents, and students in an urban district in the Midwest.