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This article proposes a reading of Maria! Não Me Mates, que Sou Tua Mãe! (1848), by Camilo Castelo Branco, with a special focus on the narration instance. The analysis of the narrator's perspective, configured by the rhetorical pathos, will lead to a reflection on this Camillian narrative in the light of theodicy attempts as investigated by Immanuel Kant. Since the sapiential book of the Old Testament, the problem of theodicy has arisen when the good man Job, facing a catastrophe of unusual evils, perseveres in his belief in God. The Kantian reading of the Book of Job, a substantial hypotext in Camillian fiction, will allow us to elucidate this particular narrative in its theodicy bias, namely based on Kant's critique of doctrinal theodicy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mentoring programs are suited to the needs of students at-risk of early dropout. • At-risk students hold instrumental perspectives on the value of school. • Older students did not set any academic goal in both data collection moments. • Younger students integrated SMART characteristics into their academic goals. • At-risk students' age should be considered when setting mentoring interventions. Mentoring programs are a very popular tool in educational contexts. Over the years, many schools have been using mentoring programs to improve academic adjustment and counter the disengagement of students at risk of early school leaving. Since 2016, the Portuguese Ministry of Education has implemented a universal educational policy focused on the implementation of mentoring sessions in public schools. This policy targets students older than 12 years old with multiple school retentions and diverse characteristics likely to place them at risk of early dropout. In the context of this policy, a school-based mentoring program to promote SMART goal-setting skills through the training of self-regulation was developed to be implemented with elementary and middle school students at-risk of early dropout. The 20-session program was implemented over two school terms. Throughout the program, we conducted a multiple case study to examine how students' goals and SMART goal-setting processes may change after their enrollment in the mentoring program. Students' goals were collected pre- and post-program through the fulfillment of life map diagrams. Post-program overall data indicated that most students set more academic and fewer non-academic goals. However, a granular analysis showed that a group of older students (17 years old) did not set any academic goal in both pre- or post-program moments; furthermore, only younger students (aged between 12 and 16 years old) integrated SMART characteristics into their academic goals. Limitations and future research directions, as well as implications for practice, are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of aesthetic ideas has explored, from its beginnings, an incompatibility between aesthetics and perfection. On the one hand, this explains the tension found in Plato and Aristotle between the prescribed theory and the practice. On the other hand, it also explains the modern claim of imperfection — as an attribute of the work of art — in authors such as Victor Hugo and Baudelaire. In fact, this claim was only possible in the wake of the third Kantian Critique, which restored the foundations of aesthetics while removing the idea of perfection as end. This essay proposes that an aesthetics of imperfection rests not on an apology of chance and error, but that flaw rises in the exercise of maximum freedom linked to a maximal demand. Whether in creation or reception, aesthetic experience implies moving on a risky course, without guarantees or safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Formal education is promoting changes on Gypsy cultural behaviors • Separation strategies are privileged to preserve cultural values and belongingness • Gypsy people struggle to adjust behaviors without compromising cultural values • More education fosters women's willingness to challenge gender roles and identities This work presents a multiple case study aimed at depicting the perspectives of women from Gypsy groups regarding the perceived influence of education on acculturative pathways. Data were drawn from a sample of eight semi-structured interviews with women aged between 17 and 52 years old, with different education levels. Different patterns of acculturation strategies were found across acculturation domains and generations. Despite still endorsing a separation stance to preserve cultural values, the exposure to mainstream values and expectations through education was found to shape young women's perspectives regarding gendered roles and identities. Findings contribute to the debate on the complexity of acculturation and enculturation processes and on the influence of gender issues in the systematic exclusion of Gypsy groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isoniazid (INH) is one of the two most effective first-line antitubercular drugs and is still used at the present time as a scaffold for developing new compounds to fight TB. In a previous study, we have observed that an INH derivative, an hydrazide N ′-substituted with a C 10 acyl chain, was able to counterbalance its smaller reactivity with a higher membrane permeability. This resulted in an improved performance against the most prevalent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) resistant strain (S315T), compared to INH. In this work, we have designed two new series of INH derivatives (alkyl hydrazides and hydrazones) with promising in silico properties, namely membrane permeabilities and spontaneous IN* radical formation. The kinetics, cytotoxicity, and biological activity evaluations confirmed the in silico predictions regarding the very high reactivity of the alkyl hydrazides. The hydrazones, on the other hand, showed very similar behavior compared to INH, particularly in biological tests that take longer to complete, indicating that these compounds are being hydrolyzed back to INH. Despite their improved membrane permeabilities, the reactivities of these two series are too high, impairing their overall performance. Nevertheless, the systematic data gathered about these compounds have showed us the need to find a balance between lipophilicity and reactivity, which is paramount to devise better INH-based derivatives aimed at circumventing Mtb resistance. [Display omitted] • Two series of isoniazid derivatives were designed as potential antitubercular drugs. • These derivatives showed promising in silico membrane permeabilities and reactivities. • Alkyl hydrazides decompose faster than the KatG-catalyzed reaction impairing activity. • Hydrazones hydrolyze back to INH mimicking its overall behavior. • A balance between lipophilicity and reactivity is key to overcome Mtb resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to contribute to an understanding of the emergence of (sub)(post) -subcultures in Portugal and Brazil, specifically in what it means to be a (sub)(post) -subcultural participant of the female gender. This effort is sustained in a critical analysis on youth subcultures and music scenes in a non-Anglo-Saxon context. Despite women's presence since the beginning of punk and the pretense of gender equality in recent years, what we see is the persistent negation of main roles in punk scenes to women. This "lack of women" in punk was and is felt as a severe blow to punk's ambitions, as well as an example of the persistence of male hegemony in terms of the history of popular culture and of youth culture. Seeking to explore this wide range of representations, this article analyses the narratives of women in Portuguese and Brazilian punk: ten women who lived the early beginnings of punk in Portugal (in the late 70s and early 80s) and ten women who participated in the riot grrrl movement in Brazil (1995-2016). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School engagement is considered an antidote to several academic problems found in middle and high school. Previous data highlight the importance of understanding school engagement in early years. The present systematic review aims to outline investigations regarding school engagement in elementary school. Findings are expected to (i) help educators learn about research in a comprehensible way, (ii) design future school-based interventions with strong theoretical support, and (iii) systematize information about research gaps and indicate new avenues for investigation. The systematic search for original articles published up to 2018 followed the PRISMA statement and Cochrane's guidelines. A total of 102 articles were included and organized, according to the self-system model of motivational development from Skinner et al. (Journal of Educational Psychology,100, 765–781, 2008). Results showed that balanced and quality support from peers, teachers, and parents positively influenced school engagement. Additionally, some common characteristics of the school context were found to undermine school engagement. Regarding interventions aimed to promote school engagement, we found various effective designs, differing in complexity. Moreover, studies focused on students' emotions, behaviors and cognitions, experiences, motivational variables, and learning provided important inputs to promote school engagement. Furthermore, studies focused on examining the trajectories of school engagement provided data to understand how to prevent school engagement from declining throughout schooling. Finally, most studies found a positive and significant relationship between school engagement and achievement; however, results differ regarding the source of information or school domain examined. The school engagement conceptualizations, dimensions, and measures used were analyzed and their relationships to the results were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• School transitions are challenging events in students' academic paths. • Group mentoring programs are suited to provide students with learning support. • Self-regulation, school engagement, and goal setting are key in middle school. • Fifth-grade students improved self-regulation skills and school engagement. • The level of prior mathematics knowledge did not influence program effectiveness. School transitions are labeled as challenging events in students' academic paths likely to affect students' development and engagement in school negatively. Grounded on extant research advocating the need to act preventively, school-based mentoring programs emerge as responses suited to provide students with developmental and instructional support during school transitions. Using a multivariate mixed-effects model for repeated measures quasi-experimental design, the present study assessed the effectiveness of a 12-session group mentoring program designed to promote fifth-grade students' self-regulation, school engagement, and goal setting during their first school transition. Participants were 330 fifth graders in four schools randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions. Students' self-reported measures were collected in four moments. Data were analyzed using a multivariate mixed-effects model for repeated measures analyses with two covariates (age and gender) and considering the students' level of prior mathematics knowledge. Results indicated that participating in the group mentoring program led to improvements in all dependent variables. The effect size found was large considering all dependent variables simultaneously. However, when considered individually, the effect sizes were medium, small, or null, depending on the dependent variable. Lastly, and contrary to expectations, the effectiveness of our program was not influenced by students' level of prior mathematics knowledge. The relevance of group mentoring programs in addressing students' engagement and self-regulation needs is discussed. Future research and educational implications for designing mentoring programs are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gypsy children low school engagement, high rates of school dropout, and pervasive school failure are relevant societal challenges that may be explained by Gypsy people cultural mores, but also by the discriminatory behaviors of school peers. The latter may be a consequence of insufficient accurate knowledge of Gypsy culture. The present study developed a brief school-based intervention targeting the whole class with a focus on raising awareness of Gypsy culture, the educational aspirations of Gypsy students, and their experiences with discrimination. To assess the effectiveness of the intervention, 88 classes encompassing 1505 fourth and fifth grades students enrolled in Portuguese schools were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Control Group, Focused on the Domain Group (Gypsy culture), and Non-Focused on the Domain Group (general non-dominant cultural groups such as immigrants). These groups were assessed in three waves: pretest, post-test, and follow-up. Data from this longitudinal cluster randomized trial showed the efficacy of this brief intervention in decreasing reported social distance and increasing positive attitudes toward Gypsy people. Importantly, results from the Focused on the Domain Group intervention were more positive than the Non-Focused on the Domain Group. Implications for educational practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers' homework follow‐up practices, the in‐class strategies teachers use to monitor their students' homework assignments, have an impact on their students' homework behaviors and academic achievement. The current study explored the perspectives of middle school mathematics teachers on the three domains of homework follow‐up: the practices used in class, the purposes of each practice, and the aspects that may influence this process. Data were collected from two data sources (i.e., focus groups and classroom observations) and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings showed that teachers monitored homework either using a single strategy or a combination of strategies (e.g., checking homework completion and providing individual feedback) linked to a specific purpose (e.g., promote students' involvement). The teachers also reported that they were under certain constraints when they delivered homework follow‐up practices (e.g., pressure to follow the curriculum), so their practices' effectiveness sometimes can be compromised. Implications for practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low schooling, high non-attendance and school dropout rates are critical phenomena within disadvantaged groups, especially among the Gypsy community. For example, in the UK, 10%-25% of Gypsy children do not attend school regularly and have significantly higher levels of overall absence from school (percentage of half-day sessions missed) than pupils from other ethnic groups. In Portugal, available data on Gypsy children is sparse, yet data from one geographic region of the country reports high school failure (45%) and dropout rates (15%) among this population. The present study assessed the efficacy of a four-year intervention to promote Gypsy children's behavioural engagement and school success. Gypsy communities were contacted and 30 children participating in the four waves were randomly distributed into control and experimental groups. Every school day throughout four years, 16 children in the experimental group were called at home and invited to go to school. The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated in four waves (at the end of each of the four school years), assessing behavioural engagement (i.e. school non-attendance, classroom behaviour) and school achievement (i.e. mathematics achievement, student progression). Findings show the efficacy of the intervention on promoting behaviour engagement and academic success without devaluing Gypsy people's culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high rate of school failure among Gypsy children is on the agenda of European policies. The current study assessed the efficacy of an extra-class program, eighteen weeks long, to promote the behavioral and cognitive engagement (self-regulated learning, SRL) of Gypsy children from fourth grade. Gypsy communities were contacted, and the 35 Gypsy children in the 4th grade (10 to 12 years old) participating in the study were randomly distributed in the experimental and control groups. The program used a story-tool to organize the weekly sessions due to the cultural value of stories and the oral transmission of values in Gypsy communities. Children's behavioral engagement and self-regulatory behaviors in the classroom were assessed with an observation protocol. The 35 Gypsy children were observed throughout the duration of the program in 12 five-minute intervals for a total of 60 min. The findings show the efficacy of the program for promoting behavioral engagement and enhancing SRL strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]