Against all Odds: A Holistic Urban School/College Partnership—Project Scope

When Everyone Gets What They Want: A Description of a Physical Education-Teacher Education Service-Learning Project

“…Known as research bonded models (Martinek & Schempp, 1988), they often involve school practitioners in action research projects whose products rewarded all parties and stimulate change in teaching and teacher education (e.g., Catelli, 1992;Martinek & Butt, 1988;Sharpe, 1992;Sharpe, Bahls, Lounsbery, Wolf, Brown, Golden, & Deibler, 1995). Other partnerships are program assistance models that frequently target at-risk youth, foregrounding service while providing field-based practica for majors, graduate students, or both (e.g., DeBusk & Hellison, 1989;Bluechardt, 1995;Griffin & Hutchinson, 1988;Lifka, 1990;Williamson & Georgiadis, 1992).…”

“…It is unlikely that academicians purposefully set out to form these types of relationships; rather such relationships are the result of an inability for faculty to precariously balance the needs of practitioners, themselves, and their administrative hierarchy. According to Catelli (1992), faculty answer five questions before they consider their collaborative partners' needs: (a) To what degree does university administration support the partnership; (b) is the line of research pursued in the partnership valued by the university; (c) will the academic's collaborative work be weighted less than other tenure components; (d) what step of the academic ladder should one be at before initiating partnerships; and (e) will the effort required to sustain the partnership create role stress for the academician? It seems that only if each concern is adequately redressed, will faculty proceed to address the needs of those they serve.…”

Action research in the context of a school–university partnership: its value, problems, issues and benefits

“…collaborations, consortiums, cooperatives, alliances, etc., in that the intent of the parties is to work closely together, over time toward a common goal -sharing resources, responsibilities, problems and agreeing to integrate in selected areas of their programmes. The two institutions form either a 'symbiotic' relationship (Goodlad, 1988(Goodlad, , 1994 or an 'organic' relationship (Schlechty & Whitford, 1988;Catelli, 1990Catelli, , 1992Catelli, , 1997. The former connotes an arrangement where two equal parties work together in order to satisfy their mutual selfinterests (Clark, 1988;Goodlad, 1988).…”

Action Research to Effect Change for Adolescent Girls at an Urban Middle School: A Matter of Life and Death

“…They are shortchanged in school classrooms and in school gymnasiums. Numerous studies, reviews of research, and the author's own observations of urban school programs have revealed the inequities and unfair practices that occur in classroom subjects and in physical education classes (see Catelli, 1990a;1990b1992a1992b;Griffin, 1985;1989a;1989b;Sadker, 1999;Sadker, & Sadker, 1994;Orenstein, 1994;Vertinsky, 1992). One of the saddest facts is that in the 1990s when "health care and prevention" has taken priority position on our nation's agenda, girls are scoring lower than boys on health-related fitness tests, especially girls in inner-city programs (AAHPERD, 1987;Catelli, Mongiello, Moskowitz, Anslow-Chakrian, & Jordan, 1993;Gortmaker, et al, 1987;Gutin, et al, 1990;Wughalter, 1990).…”

“…For their work in the partnership, the SCOPE members and the project have received national and international recognition. Action research and curriculum change was and is an important aspect of the project (see Catelli, 1992aCatelli, , 1995Catelli, , and 1997 for an in-depth explanation of the partnership). In 1998 Project RMLE Online-Volume 23 SCOPE's model approach to change and improvement was expanded and implemented in collaborative arrangements with teachers and administrators in schools on Long Island in New York.…”