Emotions as Mediators of Science Education in an Urban High School

Kenneth Tobin; Reynaldo Llena

This research employs multiple methods in a multi level investigation of the ways in which emotions afford interactions and participation in a science class and an associated cogenerative dialogue (cogen). A teacher researcher identified a vignette involving an altercation he had with a student in which anger and frustration mediated what happened. We highlight the importance of cultural adaptation in enacting high quality science education. Notably, negative emotions generated in the class were reproduced in cogen involving the teacher, student, and other coteachers and students. We show how synchrony, entrainment, and shared mood facilitate the emergence of solidarity among subgroups within cogen and marginalize the teacher. Interactions in the science class and cogen highlight the ambiguity of laughter, which served the purpose of sustaining positive emotional energy and catalyzing resistance to the teacher.

Ethnicity and social class are categories that segregate and stratify urban schooling. Recent estimates suggest that between one-third and one-half of minorities do not earn a high school diploma (Education Week 2007). Graduation rates are related to race; approximately 40% of black and Hispanic compared to about 70% of Asian and white students graduated from high school in New York City (NYC). This is a problem since it is practically impossible for individuals lacking a high school diploma to earn a living or participate meaningfully in civic life (Neild, Balfanz, and Herzog 2007).

In 1989 the State of New York initiated a program called School Under Registration Review (SURR) and since that time about 70% or more of the schools identified as non-compliant are from NYC, many from the Bronx. City and State resources are allocated to improve the performance of schools on the non-compliance list and more than 20% were turned over to the control of private firms. Schools on the SURR non-compliance list that do not improve markedly within a given time are closed. New York High (NYH), which is the site of the research reported this chapter, is situated in the Bronx in a building previously occupied by a school that was closed.

Students from the Bronx have priority for admission to NYH, which offers medical internships through its partnerships with area universities and businesses. Many of the students are immigrants (or the children of immigrants), from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The Department of Education web site lists the racial distribution of the students at the school as 3% white, 46% black, 51% Hispanic and 1% Asian American. Statistical data suggest that at the time of admission students were average to below average in terms of achievement. Possibly because of the school’s emphasis on health sciences, the first cohort of students admitted to NYH was more than 90% female. The first class of seniors from the school graduated in 2007.

African Studies	Education	Media Studies
American Studies	History	Middle East and Islamic Studies
Ancient Near East and Egypt	Human Rights and Humanitarian Law	Musicology
Art History	International Law	Philosophy
Asian Studies	International Relations	Religious Studies
Biblical Studies	Jewish Studies	Slavic and Eurasian Studies
Biology	Languages and Linguistics	Social Sciences
Book History and Cartography	Life Sciences	Theology and World Christianity
Classical Studies	Literature and Cultural Studies

	All Time	Past 365 days	Past 30 Days
Abstract Views	510	360	8
Full Text Views	10	1	0
PDF Views & Downloads	6	0	0

Emotions as Mediators of Science Education in an Urban High School

Citation Info

Share link with colleague or librarian

Transforming Urban Education

Urban Teachers and Students Working Collaboratively

Metrics

Subjects

Authors

Open Access

Product Information

Company

Contact

Emotions as Mediators of Science Education in an Urban High School

Citation Info

Share link with colleague or librarian

Transforming Urban Education

Urban Teachers and Students Working Collaboratively

Table of Contents

Metrics

Metrics