Research Colloquium:Narratives of Success in Challenging Circumstances

November 28th, 2008
11:00 a.m. to 1:00p.m.
WH 305
Narratives of Success in Challenging Circumstances:
Case Studies of Elementary Schools Ontario, Canada
Dr. Darlene Ciuffetelli Parker and Heather Becker, Brock M. Ed. Student
This colloquium presents findings from a funded case study research project conducted in Ontario, Canada during the 2007-2008 school year. The proposal describes success stories of students and communities affected by poverty from a diverse sample of 11 Ontario elementary schools. Through school visits, interviews, focus groups and document analysis, researchers developed narratives to describe the ways that adults in sample schools think about and shape their work with students living in challenging socio-economic circumstances. The study contributes to the research literature and to the practical understanding of how schools can best work with students affected by poverty.