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Culture of Absenteeism: an Invie~Tigation Into the Causes of Persistent Student Absenteeism

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Culture of Absenteeism: an Invie~Tigation Into the Causes of Persistent Student Absenteeism CULTURE OF ABSENTEEISM: AN INVIE~TIGATION INTO THE CAUSES OF PERSISTENT STUDENT ABSENTEEISM ANTON BIRIOUKOV A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE SfUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF EDUCATION GRADUATE PROGRAM IN EDUCATION YORK UNIVERSITY TORONTO, ONTARIO September 2013 ©Anton Birioukov, 2013. Abstract Persistent absenteeism in inner city secondary schools in Toronto is a worrying development that has profound implications not only for the Canadian educational system, but the country as a whole. Currently a disproportionate amount of disadvantaged adolescents are not completing secondary education, and absenteeism has been shown to be a precursor of this development. This critically orientated research employed a qualitative case study to investigate how absenteeism operates :in an inner city secondary school in Toronto. The study utilized the opinions and experiences of three students and two educators in hope of delineating some possible solutions to the persistent absenteeism dilemma. The data highlights the importance of training and hiring culturally sensitive educators who can aid struggling students in graduating from high school. What is also needed is the creation of alternative schools that are designed to work with marginalized youths who may have life conditions that bar them from graduation. 11 Acknowledgements To all who have made this possible I hope you know who you are 111 Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................. iii Table of Contents ................................................................................................... iv Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................... 1 Statement of Problem/Rationale ......................................................................... 3 Chapter 2: Social Context of the Study ................................................................... 5 Toronto Demographic ......................................................................................... 5 General High ..................................................................................................... 10 Piloted Background Study ................................................................................ 15 Chapter 3: Literature Review ................................................................................ 19 Contextualizing Persistent Absenteeism ........................................................... 20 Formal Education in Canada ............................................................................. 23 Impact of Persistent Absenteeism ..................................................................... 25 Atmosphere Within the School ......................................................................... 28 Teaching and Leaming in Inner City Schools .................................................. 31 Perspectives of Urban Secondary School Teachers on Absenteeism ............... 35 Living In the Margins ....................................................................................... 3 6 Disillusion With Formal Education .................................................................. 39 Engaged Pedagogy ............................................................................................ 41 Proposals to Reduce Absence Rates ................................................................. 43 lV 'T' Chapter 4: Methodology ....................................................................................... 46 Interactive Paradigm ......................................................................................... 46 Critical Paradigm .............................................................................................. 4 7 Qualitative Research ......................................................................................... 50 Researcher Positionality .................................................................................... 51 Collaborative Research ..................................................................................... 53 Chapter 5: Methods ................................................................................................ 5 5 Life History Interviews ..................................................................................... 57 Ethics ................................................................................................................. 59 Researcher Subjectivity .................................................................................... 60 Presenting Respondents' Voices ....................................................................... 61 Critical Paradigm .............................................................................................. 62 Informed Consent .............................................................................................. 63 Use of Jargon .................................................................................................... 64 Chapter 6: Results ................................................................................................. 66 Joel .................................................................................................................... 67 Background Information ................................................................................... 67 Attendance Patterns .......................................................................................... 69 Causes for Absences .......................................................................................... 69 Involvement of Family in Schooling ................................................................ 72 General High ..................................................................................................... 74 Relationship With the Faculty .......................................................................... 75 v , ... Relationship With Peers .................................................................................... 76 Identity .............................................................................................................. 77 Perception of Attendance Patterns of Peers in General High ........................... 78 Culture of Absenteeism ..................................................................................... 81 Reintegration of Absentees ............................................................................... 82 Fair and Equal ................................................................................................... 84 Validity of Formal Education ........................................................................... 86 Control of Personal Future ................................................................................ 88 Critical Theory ................................................................................................... 89 Proposals to Improve Attendance ..................................................................... 91 Themes Originating Out of the Interview ......................................................... 93 Mateen ............................................................................................................... 96 Background Information ................................................................................... 97 Attendance Patterns/Causes for Absences ........................................................ 99 General High ................................................................................................... 100 Relationship With the Faculty ........................................................................ 101 Relationship With Peers ................................................................................... 105 Reintegration of Absentees ............................................................................. 106 Fair and Equal/Culture of Absenteeism .......................................................... 107 Validity of Formal Education ......................................................................... 108 Proposals to Improve Attendance .................................................................... 111 Rashmee ............................... ·.................... ;...................................................... 112 Vl Background Information ................................................................................. 113 Attendance Patterns/Causes for Absence ........................................................ 114 Involvement of Family in Schooling .............................................................. 116 General High ................................................................................................... 119 Relationship With the Faculty ........................................................................ 120 Relationship With Peers .................................................................................. 121 Identity ............................................................................................................ 122 Importance of Regular Attendance ................................................................. 122 Culture of Absenteeism ..................................................................................
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