(EDU1b) Sociology of Education in K-12 Part 2

This session features papers that draw on empirical, theoretical, or methodological issues in the realm of K-12 education. Cross-listed with the Canadian Association of Sociology of Education (CASE). Tags: Children And Youth, Education

Organizers: Cathlene Hillier, Crandall University, Maria Brisbane, University of Waterloo; Chairs: Bobby Angelini, McGill University, Jordan Koch, McGill University

Presentations

Véronique Grenier, Université du Québec à Montréal

Differentiation of school offerings in Quebec: exploration of its "implementation" in a public secondary school

In the province of Quebec, there is a two-tiered hierarchical system (public versus enriched) in the public sector, especially at the secondary level. If the curriculum stratification is present in most of the high schools, little is known on how it effects the ways they operate. This presentation draws on data from an ethnographic study and uses organizational sociology. It outlines issues faced by a public high school in relation to the "implementation" of the curriculum stratification. It illustrates how a school’s local reality frames it. In conclusion, it proposes a reflection on the inequalities of treatment within Quebec’s education system.

Abigail Fisher, OISE, University of Toronto

Factors Influencing the Implementation of School-Based Mental Health Services in Ontario's Public Schools

In Ontario, there are increasing calls for more mental health supports in schools. Mental Health Leaders and Implementation Coaches work diligently to implement school-based mental health services (SBMHS). However, successful implementation relies on many factors. To uncover these factors, seven semi-structured interviews with Mental Health Leaders and Implementation Coaches were conducted. The data was analyzed using Framework analysis and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research as a framework. The results suggest that facilitators for implementation of SBMHS lie within the Outer Setting domain. Conversely, most of the barriers to implementation were categorized into the Individual Characteristics and Implementation Process domains.

Bobby Angelini, McGill University; Jordan Koch, McGill University

"It's overwhelming": Physical and Health Educators Reflect on the Practice and Provision of Mental Health Education in Québec High Schools

This presentation will explore the provision of mental health education from the perspective of Physical and Health Education (PHE) teachers in Québec. Our findings revealed a slew of structural barriers that impeded teachers’ integration of meaningful mental health content in their classrooms, including: the lack of formal training; large class sizes; stereotypes about PHE as a non–cognitive subject; and restricted time allotments. Early–career PHE teachers also credited the normalization of limited–term teaching contracts in Québec with impeding their ability to establish the strong relationships necessary to broach delicate topics such as mental health with their students.