Forming ‘men for others’: a phenomenological case study on the intersection of school culture and at-risk males

Abstract

This article uses a phenomenological case study to explore how at-risk male adolescents interact with a school culture that attempts to focus on ‘serving others’. Qualitative methodologies are used to understand the impact of this school culture on participants’ academic, social, and emotional lives. Findings reveal that beneath the ‘Men for Others’ mission are ideologies and actions that appear to move beyond common notions of kindness and care and towards notions of service and sacrifice. Conclusions from this study indicate that service and sacrifice may be natural, relevant, and impactful for at-risk students, and if supported by schools, could increase opportunities for collective thriving, and citizenship education in a Catholic way.

Keywords:

• Moral education
• school culture
• at-risk students

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Here, it is important to note that due to absences, rolling enrolments, and scheduling conflicts, not all students completed the initial questionnaires (13/17 consented students completed them).

2 It is important to note that when the research began all of my former students at Jesuit Prep have moved on. Moreover, in order to avoid any possibilities of response bias, I did not mention my previous affiliations with Jesuit Prep until after the interviews were completed.

3 The names of persons and places used in this paper are pseudonyms.

4 The first wave in this study consisted of 17 (out of 20) incoming sixth graders at Jesuit Prep. Due to attrition and availability constraints, the second wave in this study consisted of 8 eighth graders (out of the original 17 sixth graders).

5 Jesuit Prep utilises a ‘pay what you can’ tuition programme. At the time of the study, family tuition covered 5% of the total education cost of $17,000, which averages out to be roughly $70 per month.

6 Jesuit Prep has a ‘house’ system, which divides the entire student body into smaller groups. Each House is named after a Jesuit Saint and consists of 2–4 students from each grade and is led by a teacher or other staff member. The majority of small group activities and competitions (e.g. service trips, canned food drives, and field day events) are done within houses.

7 In the U.S. the School President typically oversees the entire operations of a school, which include responsibilities such as strategic planning and fundraising. Principals, on the other hand, typically oversee school aspects related to teaching and learning, such as professional development and curriculum development.

8 Jesuit Prep serves an average 60 students every year.

9 Given the transient nature of low-income families in Urban U.S. cities, Jesuit Prep experiences high rates of attrition – often due to unemployment, eviction, and imprisonment. Historically, Jesuit Prep classes have lost between 2–4 students after 6th grade and between 1–2 students after 7th grade. Open spots are typically filled in 7th grade, but not 8th grade.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jason Jabbari

Jason Jabbari is a Senior Analyst for the Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis. Jason has a MEd in School Leadership from Harvard University and a PhD in Education from Washington University in St. Louis. Jason’s work focuses on the social contexts of education and school policies related to equity. Previously, Jason was a middle school teacher and basketball coach.

Garrett Duncan

Garrett Albert Duncan is Associate Professor of Education in Arts & Sciences. Professor Duncan’s research focuses broadly on race, culture, education, and society. Professor Duncan’s larger programme of research, ‘Schooling as a Moral Enterprise,’ examines the moral and political contexts of the education of black students in urban and suburban schools in post-civil rights era North America.