Abstract
Kappan’s new publishing year starts in September. We’re looking for research into long-term trends showing improvement or consistent promise, pieces on how schools are evolving to better meet the needs of students and families, and stories of programs that effectively address problems in schools and communities.
Keywords
SEPTEMBER 2023
What’s going well in schools?
Deadline for submissions: May 31, 2023
Conversations about school often focus on what’s not working and where they need to improve. Despite all the gloom and doom, many schools are doing admirable work supporting young people and preparing them for their futures. This issue will start the school year off on a positive note by focusing on the ways schools are succeeding. We’re looking for research into long-term trends showing improvement or consistent promise, pieces on how schools are evolving to better meet the needs of students and families, and stories of programs that effectively address problems in schools and communities.
OCTOBER 2023
Multilingual students, multilingual schools
Deadline for submissions: June 30, 2023
The growing diversity of the U.S. population brings with it increased diversity in the number of languages spoken in our homes and neighborhoods. How are schools meeting the needs of students who come to school speaking a language other than English? How can schools equip students with skills in English while also celebrating and encouraging growth in their home languages? How are schools helping keep Indigenous languages alive for their students? How can schools ensure that students who are not fluent in English are still able to learn and demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of content areas? And how can schools support English speakers in learning new languages?
NOVEMBER 2023
Mental health in schools
Deadline for submissions: July 31, 2023
As students returned to school after COVID-19, many educators noted increased evidence of mental health challenges within their school communities. This issue will address how schools are responding to these challenges. What does research suggest about the current state of student mental health? What some of the specific difficulties students are having, and how does our current social and cultural landscape contribute to or assist students with those difficulties? What kinds of interventions are most helpful, and what common approaches are counterproductive? How can educators who are struggling to cope with their own challenges also show support to students? How can schools and educators reduce the stigma of seeking help for issues related to mental health?
DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
Preparing school and district leaders
Deadline for submissions: Aug. 31, 2023
Leaders play a crucial role in setting the agenda for school improvement, cultivating a positive and supportive climate, and making sure the work gets done every day. But how are these leaders being prepared to take on this important work? This issue will explore the pathways into leadership at the school and district level. What kinds of knowledge, skills, and dispositions should principal preparation programs attempt to instill in leaders? What options are available for practicing educators interested in building leadership skills while continuing in their current role? We’re interested in discussions of how changes in leadership structures have affected the formation of education leaders.
FEBRUARY 2024
Motivation and engagement
Deadline for submissions: Sept. 30, 2023
It’s a well-known truth that students won’t learn if they don’t see value in the learning and if they don’t feel valued themselves. So what can teachers do to help students see that value? This issue will consider the importance of student engagement in learning and discuss how to promote that engagement. What kinds of motivational strategies are most effective, and which ones should we abandon? How can teachers encourage students to persist in difficult work when the intrinsic rewards aren’t evident? What role does assessment play in motivating (or de-motivating) students? How do specific instructional and curricular approaches — such as project-based, real-world, student-led, or inquiry learning — contribute to students’ engagement?
MARCH 2024
Change that matters
Deadline for submissions: Nov. 30, 2023
In 2021-22, Kappan published a series of articles titled “Reimagining American education” that explored how schools might change in the coming decades. But, despite the massive disruption that events such the 2020 pandemic and the movement for racial justice brought to schools, it is all too easy to slip back to the status quo. How can education leaders make changes that stick? This issue will explore the changes, big and small, in the classroom and in the culture, that are needed and consider the steps educators can take to bring these changes to fruition. We’re especially interested in stories of teachers, schools, and districts that have transformed the way they work and seen positive, persistent results for students.
APRIL 2024
The inclusive school
Deadline for submissions: Dec. 31, 2023
Public schools have the responsibility and the privilege of educating students from a diverse mix of races, cultures, abilities, identities, and attitudes. So how can schools make sure that all students feel they belong at school, especially when the surrounding culture marginalizes and excludes them? We’re looking for articles about inclusive practices at the classroom, school, and community level. Articles might address how schools connect to students’ communities, how schools support students with disabilities, programs that promote social connections among students, and efforts to ensure the teaching workforce reflects the community.
MAY 2024
Students as leaders
Deadline for submissions: Jan. 31, 2024
The leaders of the future are in our schools today. If they are to be effective leaders, they need to begin practicing leadership now. Plus, these future leaders offer valuable insights that can help us improve our schools and make society better for everyone. The issue will consider how schools can cultivate students’ leadership skills and give them opportunities to influence the decisions being made. What skills and dispositions should schools seek to promote in future leaders? In what areas should schools promote student leadership and influence? We welcome stories of how students have exhibited leadership in their schools and communities.