This paper demonstrates how aesthetic engagement can encourage empathy and caring in the art classroom. As artful inquiry, this hybrid form of arts-based educational research and teacher research examines my own classroom practice and pedagogy exploring how aesthetics can become a philosophy of care. Part 1 outlines the "Living Compositions…

This study evaluates the psychometric properties of a measure of mattering to other people. A confirmatory factor analysis supported a four-factor model. In addition, mattering was positively related to measures of well-being and negatively related to measures of worry. The four factors related differently to these variables, providing additional…

Understanding what factors influence positive youth development has been advocated by youth development researchers (P. L. Benson, 2006; J. S. Eccles & J. A. Gootman, 2002). Consequently, the purpose of this study was to examine whether perceptions of a caring youth sport context influenced prosocial and antisocial behavior through…

It is imperative to take account of the many faces of justice when exploring the elements of a curriculum for justice. Justice is not only about equity, equality and fairness, but about creating spaces where people can learn to prioritise a significant Other and practise doing so. The curriculum needs to provide a space where the legal,…

In this study, 600 school teachers completed a 116-item questionnaire consisting of questions regarding classroom communication as well as a general list of social skills. The aim of the study was to compare the self-perceptions, given by the teachers of art and the teachers of science and the male and female teachers to the statements of social…

Educators are increasingly pressured to raise standardized test scores. Test-focused school leaders, however, may neglect school climate factors associated with positive student development and increased student achievement. The California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) and its Resilience Youth Development Module (RYDM) represent a research-based,…

Arguing that education, as being practiced today is generally fearful of spirituality, and that real education ought to cultivate inner lives in an integrated way; this paper put forwards a way for integrating spirituality to everyday life of schools in secular societies. It explores the meaning of spirituality, spiritual intelligence, and…

Can accreditation-related requirements and mission statements measure learning outcomes? This study focuses on triangulating accreditation-related requirements with mission statements and learning activities to learning outcomes. This topic has not been comprehensively explored in the past. After looking into the requirements of AACSB, ISO, and…

Despite the laudable intent of various educational initiatives in raising the achievement level of all children, limited progress has been made. In an effort to diminish the achievement gap of students of color, some researchers have examined the cultural relevancy of the curriculum in promoting student achievement. The purpose of this mixed…

Pioneers in reclaiming youth sought to build relationships and environments that responded to the needs of "wayward youth." Now, neuroscience and trauma research show the primacy of human connections in assessment, treatment, and youth development. Interventions with challenging children and youth are now being evaluated against principles…

This article offers a snapshot of children's sentient and relational spirituality within a moment of disobedience in a kindergarten classroom. It is a portion of a study that employed a combination of qualitative inquiry (by Eisner in 1998) and rhizoanalyis, adapted from the work of Deleuze and Guattari (of 1987), MacNaughton (of 2005). The…

During my experiences as a student, teacher, and math/science professional staff developer, I noticed that there was a lot of sadness, sorrow, frustration, and anger in the institutions where I worked. I wanted to understand what makes people happy in education. This qualitative research study utilized narrative inquiry and narrative analysis to…

In an effort to figure out what it means to educate "ecologically," I decided to track down some of the stories that I was living, telling and making as an educator. I ended up lost in the house of environmental education, stuck within the rooms of ecological science and political advocacy. Outside on the lawn sat the story of place…

In this study, researchers qualitatively analyzed middle school teacher participant perceptions of qualities of teacher effectiveness across 3 years (2006-2009) through 66 focus group sessions by comparing the participants' identified qualities to Stronge's (2007) Teacher Skills Assessment Checklist. Surprisingly, a disproportionate number (42.6%)…

This study used phenomenology to investigate doctoral student perceptions of "good teaching." Six semi-structured interviews were conducted and transcribed verbatim. Common themes were identified using domain analysis and four domains emerged. Participants perceived "good teaching" to involve an educator who: (1) exhibits…