Why Kids Love (and Hate) School Reflections on Difference

Steven P. Jones is a professor in the College of Education at Missouri State University and Executive Director of the Academy for Educational Studies. He is author of Blame Teachers: The Emotional Reasons for Educational Reform—a book that investigates how and why so many people try to justify educational change by deriding the efforts and effectiveness of our public school teachers. A former high school English teacher in Jefferson County, Colorado, Jones received his B.A. in English from the University of Denver, his MA in Educational Administration from the University of Colorado (Boulder), and his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Chicago.

Eric C. Sheffield is Professor and Department Chair of Educational Studies at Western Illinois University in Macomb. He is also founding editor of the Academy for Educational Studies' peer reviewed journal, Critical Questions in Education. A former English teacher in Putnam County Florida, Sheffield received his B.A. in Philosophy from Illinois College, and his M.Ed & Ph.D from the University of Florida.

Laura Ruth Johnson is an Associate Professor in the College of Education at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL. She teaches classes in qualitative research methods, including courses in ethnographic research, interview methods, and community-based and participatory action research. Her research focuses on civic/community engagement among Latinx and African American youth, with a focus on young parents and the development of advocacy efforts in the area of reproductive justice. In her research, she collaborates with various programs and initiatives serving youth in Chicago to develop mentorship programs and educational services; she also works with a young parent participatory action research team to conduct and disseminate research focusing on young parents' experiences and perspectives. Her recently published book, Community-based Qualitative Research: Approaches for Education and the Social Sciences (Sage Publications), includes insights gained from a graduate-level research course she regularly teaches in the Humboldt Park community of Chicago.