The Knowledge of Good and Evil: Black Students’ Church-Based Funds of Knowledge Concerning School Discipline

Studies of school discipline in the United States almost universally report that children of color are disproportionately subject to disciplinary action, specifically disciplinary action that removes or excludes students from the learning environment. Considerable focus has been afforded to the effect of this phenomenon on the educational outcomes of Black children, who routinely experience discipline in rates higher than their representation in the school population. The disproportionate discipline of Black students has been called the discipline gap (Gregory & Mosley, 2004; Gregory, Skiba, & Noguera, 2010; Monroe, 2005)

Closing the Gap Between Mammalian and Invertebrate Peripheral Nerve Injury: Protocol for a Novel Nerve Repair

Background: Outcomes after peripheral nerve injuries are poor despite current nerve repair techniques. Currently, there is no conclusive evidence that mammalian axons are capable of spontaneous fusion after transection. Notably, certain invertebrate species are able to auto-fuse after transection. Although mammalian axonal auto-fusion has not been observed experimentally, no mammalian study to date has demonstrated regenerating axolemmal membranes contacting intact distal segment axolemmal membranes to determine whether mammalian peripheral nerve axons have the intrinsic mechanisms necessary to auto-fuse after transection.Objective: This study aims to assess fusion competence between regenerating axons and intact distal segment axons by enhancing axon regeneration, delaying Wallerian degeneration, limiting the immune response, and preventing myelin obstruction. Methods: This study will use a rat sciatic nerve model to evaluate the effects of a novel peripheral nerve repair protocol on behavioral, electrophysiologic, and morphologic parameters. This protocol consists of a variety of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative interventions. Fusion will be assessed with electrophysiological conduction of action potentials across the repaired transection site. Axon-axon contact will be assessed with transmission electron microscopy. Behavioral recovery will be analyzed with the sciatic functional index. A total of 36 rats will be used for this study. The experimental group will use 24 rats and the negative control group will use 12 rats. For both the experimental and negative control groups, there will be both a behavior group and another group that will undergo electrophysiological and morphological analysis. The primary end point will be the presence or absence of action potentials across the lesion site. Secondary end points will include behavioral recovery with the sciatic functional index and morphological analysis of axon-axon contact between regenerating axons and intact distal segment axons. Results: The author is in the process of grant funding and institutional review board approval as of March 2020. The final follow-up will be completed by December 2021. Conclusions: In this study, the efficacy of the proposed novel peripheral nerve repair protocol will be evaluated using behavioral and electrophysiologic parameters. The author believes this study will provide information regarding whether spontaneous axon fusion is possible in mammals under the proper conditions. This information could potentially be translated to clinical trials if successful to improve outcomes after peripheral nerve injury

Ion homeostasis in the Chloroplast

peer reviewedThe chloroplast is an organelle of high demand for macro- and micro-nutrient ions, which are required for the maintenance of the photosynthetic process. To avoid deficiency while preventing excess, homeostasis mechanisms must be tightly regulated. Here, we describe the needs for nutrient ions in the chloroplast and briefly highlight their functions in the chloroplastidial metabolism. We further discuss the impact of nutrient deficiency on chloroplasts and the acclimation mechanisms that evolved to preserve the photosynthetic apparatus. We finally present what is known about import and export mechanisms for these ions. Whenever possible, a comparison between cyanobacteria, algae and plants is provided to add an evolutionary perspective to the description of ion homeostasis mechanisms in photosynthesis

"I Know I Can Do Harder Work": Students' Perspectives on Teacher Distrust in an Urban Mathematics Classroom

Teacher turnover broadly refers to changes in a teacher’s classroom or school assignment, either during or at the end of an academic school year (Ingersoll, 2001). Though this phenomenon affects many schools to some degree, it is especially problematic in urban settings (Ingersoll & Smith, 2003). This qualitative study examined the perspectives of five Black urban students on the experience of teacher turnover in their 7th grade Pre-Algebra classroom. Findings suggest that these students highly valued the interpersonal features of their relationship with their initial teacher, and described the types of teacher behavior that they associated with expressions of a distrusting relationship with their subsequent teacher. Specifically, the data indicated that the absence of a teacher’s trust negatively affected students’ mathematics experience and learning. Concluding comments focus on the importance of trustful student-teacher relationships to promote academic and interpersonal continuity, and to better attend to the needs of urban students in cases of teacher turnover. Keywords: Black students perspectives, distrust, teacher turnove

Teacher Education and Black Male Students in the United States

Teacher education programs in the United States (U.S.) struggle to prepare teachers to meet the complex needs of elementary and secondary students in public schools - especially those of color, those living in poverty, and those whose first language is not English. In this article, we argue for focused attention on preparing educators to teach African American male students as these students face particular institutional challenges in successfully navigating the U.S. public school system. Drawing from the significant body of research on teacher education and teacher learning for equity and social justice, four Black teacher educators discuss challenges they have faced in classes designed to prepare teachers to teach Black male students. Through an analysis of commonalities in their experiences, they propose means for teacher educators to foster greater understandings of the heterogeneity found among Black male students so that teachers can craft more responsive and responsible educational experiences for Black males

Formación del Profesorado y Alumnado Masculino Afroamericano en los EEUU

Teacher education programs in the United States (U.S.) struggle to prepare teachers to meet the complex needs of elementary and secondary students in public schools - especially those of color, those living in poverty, and those whose first language is not English. In this article, we argue for focused attention on preparing educators to teach African American male students as these students face particular institutional challenges in successfully navigating the U.S. public school system. Drawing from the significant body of research on teacher education and teacher learning for equity and social justice, four Black teacher educators discuss challenges they have faced in classes designed to prepare teachers to teach Black male students. Through an analysis of commonalities in their experiences, they propose means for teacher educators to foster greater understandings of the heterogeneity found among Black male students so that teachers can craft more responsive and responsible educational experiences for Black males.Los programas de formación del profesorado en los Estados Unidos (U.S.) trabajan para preparar a maestros y maestras que cumplan con las complejas necesidades del alumnado de primaria y secundaria de las escuelas públicas - especialmente aquel de color, que vive en la pobreza, y que su primera lengua no es el ingles. Este artículo, se centra especialmente en la preparación de los y las educadoras ya que los estudiantes afroamericanos tienen que hacer frente a retos institucionales específicos para que puedan tener éxito en el sistema de educación pública de los EEUU. Basándose en investigaciones científicas previas relacionadas con la formación del profesorado y con el objetivo de fomentar la equidad y la justicia social, cuatro educadores afroamericanos, debaten los retos que tienen que afrontar en la formación del profesorado. A través de un análisis de las características comunes en sus experiencias, proponen medios para promuevan una mayor comprensión de la heterogeneidad que existe entre los estudiantes afroamericanos chicos para que los maestros y maestras puedan llevar a cabo experiencias educativas responsables y. que den respuesta a la situación de los alumnos afroamericanos