Tough Fronts: The Impact of Street Culture on Schooling / Edition 1

by L. Janelle Dance

Overview

Tough Fronts takes the difficult issues in urban education head on by putting street-savvy students at the forefront of the discussion on how to best make successful changes for inner city schools. Individual chapters discuss scholarly depictions of black America, the social complexity of the teacher-student relationship, individual success stories of 'at-risk' programs, popular images of urban students, and implications for education policy. With close attention to the voices of individual students, this engaging book gives vitality and legitimacy to arguments for school changes that have been lacking in previous discussions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415933001
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	07/26/2002
Series:	Critical Social Thought
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

L. Janelle Dance is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland, College Park. As part of the Education/Spencer Postdoctoral fellowship, she continued her research on urban education in Philadelphia.

Table of Contents

List of Figures and Tables Props (Acknowledgments) Preface Foreword by Michael W. Apple Introduction: A Study of Street-savvy Students I. Expert Points of View CHAPTER ONE: There Are No Agents Here: Scholarly Depictions of Black Americans CHAPTER TWO: Postures Formed by Social Marginalization III. The Perspectives of Street-savvy Students CHAPTER THREE: On Being Hardcore, a Hardcore Wannabe, or Hardcore Enough CHAPTER FOUR: Social Capital, Cultural Capital, and Caring Teachers: The Perspectives of Street-savvy Students and a Magic Teacher CHAPTER FIVE: Malcolm: 24/7/365 III. Solutions, Broader Implications, and Policy Suggestions CHAPTER SIX: Shadows, Mentors, and Surrogate Fathers CHAPTER SEVEN: Fear of The Dark: The Vilification of Urban Students CHAPTER EIGHT: Policy Implications for Individuals in Positions of Influence Appendix References Glossary of Social Scientific Terms and Concepts

Editorial Reviews

"The world portrayed in Tough Fronts is real, vivid, and important to urban education... has much useful material and raisese important questions." — Anthropology and Education Quarterly
"L. Janelle Dance explodes right-wing and liberal racial mythologies while illuminating the practices of caring teachers and others who offer support in difficult times. This is a rare book filled with insight, compassion, and courage. Buy it, read it, and pass it on to everyone who still believes in racial justice and the possibilities of a substantive democracy." — Henry A. Giroux, author of Public Spaces, Private Lives
"Tough Fronts has the capacity to transform the fundamental ways educators look at children of color inside and outside of schools. And, just as importantly, it restores agency to black youth by demonstrating the creative and strategic activity they engage in to make their ways in the unequal world they inhabit." — Michael W. Apple, author of Educating the "Right" Way
"Young people spend more time out of school than in school, and for many, the time they spend outside of school is far more influential on their development. Tough Fronts provides us with a window into kids lives out of school. These are kids who are too quickly labeled 'at-risk', delinquent or incorrigible in schools. Through the window Dance has created we are able to see these young people as more complete individuals and gain a glimpse of their humanity and their potential. For those of us who've grown tired of hearing young people get blamed for problems they did not create, this book will provide useful insights and a basis for hope in the next generation." — Pedro Noguera, Harvard Graduate School of Education
"A professor of sociology draws on her ethnographic research in Boston to create a portrait of the lives, both in the classroom and on the streets, of inner-city students who are deemed at risk for failing in school." — Education Week
"High dropout rates, expulsions, and suspensions. What causes these problems in urban schools, and what are the solutions? The experts have had their say. Now let's turn to the kids." — American School Board Journal
"This book provides a detailed picture of at-risk students' lives, both in classrooms and on the streets." — District Administration
"Tough Fronts by L. Janelle Dance is a welcome addition to the literature that examines youth culture and its relationship to schooling and society." — Teachers College Record

" …Dance’s qualitative lens enriches the literature regarding facilitation of resiliency of at-risk students. Portions of Tough Fronts, if not the entire book, would be a valuable resource for teacher training programs and current educators, whether just beginning or seasoned in the profession."—Pam Guess, Education Review, December 2009

From the Publisher