For more information, visit:

Community Health Systems Resource Group

UPEI Centre for Education Research

Brief Biography

Dr. Kate Tilleczek is a former teacher who is now an Adjunct Health Systems Research Scientist in the Community Health Systems Resource Group at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Kate is the Canada Research Chair in Child/Youth Cultures and Transitions and currently an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education/Sociology at the University of Prince Edward Island. She has been studying and teaching the social and cultural realities and experiences of childhood and youth for over twenty years. Her program of research demonstrates a commitment to work with and for young people across many cultures and contexts.

Dr. Tilleczek’s work is applied to the nexus of education and health (broadly defined) and employs many forms of inquiry. She has developed the practice of "developmentally-attuned" research which includes the integration of the Humanities and Social Sciences in forms of qualitative and art-based inquiry. For example, she has produced a documentary film titled Lost in the woods: Traversing rural children's mental health care, as well as a series of  "post-card testimonials" from the daily experiences of marginalized youth in schools. Her recent edited book Why do students drop out of school? Narrative studies and social critiques (2008, New York: Edwin Mellen Press) addresses the international, national and local issues and solutions pertaining to early school leaving and youth disengagement from school. Her forthcoming book from Oxford University Press titled Youth studies: Being, becoming and belonging (2010) is a critical examination of the field of youth studies as it is emerging today. It addresses theories, methodologies, myths, practices and possibilities of research and practice with, for and by young people.

Dr. Tilleczek has also published numerous academic articles, dozens of research reports and policy papers. She most often teaches the Sociology of Childhood, the Sociology of Youth, Qualitative Methods, Social Research Methods, and Human Development at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Kate is active in community endeavors and scholarly societies including the International Child and Youth Research Network (ICYRNet) and the International Sociological Association (ISA).

Research Interests

• Youth studies and childhood studies
• Youth transitions
• The cultures of education, health and community
• Youth engagement/marginalization
• Early school leaving (school retention)
• Child and youth mental health (school and community based)
• Qualitative methods and arts-informed research
• Developmentally-attuned research and practice
• Knowledge translation and exchange

Research Activities

Dr. Tilleczek is currently leading a three-year ethnographic study of elementary and secondary schools, the transitions between them, and the developmental health of young people. She has also collaborated as the lead researcher with colleagues at SickKids on a multi-method, large scale study of secondary schools and early school leavers (retention) in Ontario. She plans to extend this work and its insights into the study of transitions from secondary to post-secondary school in Canada and the transitions, retention and engagement of students at the post-secondary level. She is also currently working on collaborative research relating to the school-based mental health of young people in Canada. She is active in the children's rights movement relating to Canadian Aboriginal education and community. Dr. Tilleczek has just launched a new project to map and assess effective developmentally-attuned research processes across Canada and the world. These include the integration of the Humanities and Social Sciences in forms of literary, visual and narrative "art-based" research with and for children and youth.

Committees

• Council Member, Canadian Education Association 
• National Advisory Committee, Mental Health Commission of Canada's Evergreen Framework (Child and Youth Mental Health) 
• Steering Committee, International Art-Informed Research Symposium
• Advisory Committee, Understanding the Link between Cannabis Use and Psychosis: An Awareness Strategy for Youth At Risk, Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund, Health Canada 
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (Doctoral Fellowships)
• School-Based Mental Health and Substance Abuse Consortium, Ontario Centre of Excellence
• Secondary School Social Science Curriculum Review, Ontario Ministry of Education
• Transitions Working Group, Student Success Roundtable, Ontario Ministry of Education

Professional Associations

• International Child and Youth Research Network (ICYRNet)
• International Sociological Association
• Jean Piaget Society
• Ontarion College of Teachers
• Canadian Youth and Society Research Network

External Funding

• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
• Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
• Ontario Ministry of Education
• Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
• Ontario Ministry of Child and Youth Services
• Prince Edward Island Department of Education and Early Child Development

Hosted Symposia

Marginalized Youth in Contemporary Education Contexts. (2009). Sponsored by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and The Hospital for Sick Children.

Publications

Tilleczek, K. (2008). The failing health of children and youth in Northern Ontario. In D. Leadbeater (Ed) Mining town crises: Globalization, labour and resistance in Sudbury, Canada. Halifax: Fernwood Press.

Tilleczek, K. (Ed). (2008). Why do students drop out of high school? Narrative studies and social critiques. New York:  Edwin Mellen Press.

Tilleczek, K., Ferguson, H.B., Roth Edney, D., Rummens, J.A., Boydell, K.M. & Mueller, M.P. (2008). Reconsidering school disengagement: A sociological view from the margins. In Tilleczek, K. (Ed).  Why do students drop out of high school? Narrative studies and social critiques. New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 3-33.

Mueller, M., Tilleczek, K., Rummens, J.A. & Boydell, K.M. (2008).  Methodological considerations for the study of youth and school disengagement.  In Tilleczek, K. (Ed).  Why do students drop out of high school? Narrative studies and social critiques. New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 35-73.

Rummens, J.A., Tilleczek, K., Bodyell, K.M. & Ferguson, H.B. (2008).  Understanding and addressing early school leaving among immigrant and refugee youth. In Tilleczek, K. (Ed).  Why do students drop out of high school? Narrative studies and social critiques. New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 75-100.

Tilleczek, K.  & Cudney, D. (2008). Rural youth and school cultures: Rethinking “place” and school disengagement. In Tilleczek, K. (Ed). Why do students drop out of high school? Narrative studies and social critiques. New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 115-141.

Tilleczek, K., Ferguson, H.B., Roth Edney, D., Rummens, J.A. & Boydell, K.M. (2008).  A critical review of initiatives to redress youth and school disengagement. In Tilleczek, K (Ed).  Why do students drop out of high school? Narrative studies and social critiques. New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 189-206.

Tilleczek, K. (2008). Building bridges for young people: Transitions from elementary to secondary school. Education Canada, 68-71.

Tilleczek, K.  (2008).  Poverty and early school leaving: Addressing “what works”? Invited policy paper prepared for the Ontario Ministry of Child and Youth Services, Toronto, Ontario.
  
Tilleczek, K.  (2007).  Fresh starts/false starts:  A review of literature on the transition from elementary to secondary school. Toronto: Report to the Ontario Ministry of Education.

Tilleczek, K.  (2007).  Nouveaux départs, faux départs :une revue de la documentation sur la transition de l’école élémentaire à l’école secondaire. Toronto:  Document préparé pour le Symposium ontarien sur la recherche en éducation Ministère de l’éducation de l’Ontario.   

Tilleczek, K. & Hine, D.W. (2006). The personal meaning of smoking as health and social risk in adolescence. Journal of Adolescence, 29 (2), 273-287.

Boydell, K.M., Pong, R., Volpe, T., Tilleczek, K., Wilson, E. & Lemieux, S. (2006). Family perspectives on pathways to mental health care for children and youth in rural communities. Journal of Rural Health, 21 (2), 182-188.

Tilleczek, K., Ferguson, H.B., Rummens, J.A. & Boydell, K.M.  (2006). How do youth leave school? Current lessons from youth who know. Education Canada, 54-57.

Tilleczek, K. Pong, R. & Caty, S. (2005). Innovations and issues in the delivery of continuing education to nurse practitioners in rural and northern communities. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 37, 147-162.

Ward, M., Sahai, V., Tilleczek, K., Barnett, R. & Zimijowski, T. (2005). Child and adolescent health in Northern Ontario:  A quantitative profile for public health planning.  Canadian Journal of Public Health, 96 (4), 287-290.  

Hine, D. W., Tilleczek, K., Lewko, J. H., McKenzie-Richer, A. & Perreault, L. (2005). Measuring adolescent smoking expectancies by incorporating judgments about the expected time of occurrence of smoking outcomes.  Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 19, 284-290.

Tilleczek, K. (2004). The illogic of youth driving culture. The Journal of Youth Studies, 7 (4), 473-499.

Hine, D. W., McKenzie-Richer, A., Lewko, J. H., Tilleczek, K. & Perreault, L. (2002). A comparison of the mediational properties of four adolescent smoking expectancy measures.  Psychology of Addictive Behaviours, 16, 187-195.

Tilleczek, K. & Lewko, J.H. (2001).  Factors influencing the pursuit of health and science career pathways for Canadian adolescents in transition from school to work. Journal of Youth Studies, 4 (4), 415-428.

Invited Presentations

Tilleczek, K. A research context for early childhood in PEI and Canada. University of Prince Edward Island meeting of the pan-Canadian and early childhood research/practice group. University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI, November 6, 2009.

Tilleczek, K.  Marginalized youth in contemporary educational contexts: A tranquil invitation to a rebellious celebration. Paper presented at the International Marginalized Youth in Contemporary Educational Contexts conference. Community Health Systems Research Group, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, May 12-14, 2009.   

Tilleczek, K. Aligning health and education for and with young people: Can we collectively cultivate developmental health?  Keynote address, Joint Conference of the Centre for Education Research and the Children’s Health Research Team. University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI, May, 2009.

Tilleczek, K. Being and becoming in bodies: A discussion of adolescent puberty and risk behaviour. Invited discussant at the Successful Transitions Conference. Human Resource and Social Development Canada. Ottawa, ON, April 28-29, 2009.

Tilleczek, K. Restoring the balance of education:  Aboriginal youth, human rights and health. Invited education expert panelist at the Conference of Aboriginal Education and Human Rights: The Case of Attawapiskat. University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, November 26, 2008.

Tilleczek, K. Fresh starts/false starts: A review of literature on the transition from elementary to secondary school. Invited expert panelist and paper presentation, The Ontario Educational Research Symposium of the Ontario Ministry of Education. Toronto, ON,  January 18-20, 2007.

Tilleczek, K. Schools and the mental health of children and youth: Research directions and needs in northern Ontario. Invited panelist, Presentation for Senator Michael Kirby. Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON,  June 6, 2006.

Tilleczek, K. Lost in the woods: Traversing the rural children’s mental health system. Invited panelist and documentary film screening, Canadian Mental Health Association and Children’s Community Network, Mental Health Awareness Week. Sudbury, ON, May 16, 2006.

Tilleczek, K. Igniting student success: Cautious optimism from the margins. Invited keynote address, Toronto District School Board. Toronto, ON, February 10, 2006.

Tilleczek, K. A pedagogy of hope and freedom: The place of literacy in child health. Keynote address, Annual Meeting of Frontier College. Laurentian University. Sudbury, ON, March 4, 2005.

Tilleczek, K. Narrative film and qualitative research. Invited panelist presentation, Knowledge Transfer in Canadian Health Service Research Foundation and Health Research Seminar Series. Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research, Laurentian University. Sudbury, ON, September 22, 2005.

Sahai, V., Tilleczek, K, & Barnett, R. The Northern Ontario child and youth health report: Overview and summary. Invited presentation, Health Research Seminar Series. Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research, Laurentian University. Sudbury, ON, March 23, 2003.

Boydell, K. & Tilleczek, K. Rural children’s mental health: Pathways and barriers to care. Invited presentation, Health Research Seminar Series. Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research, Laurentian University. Sudbury, ON, November 12, 2003.

Symposium Chair/Discussant

Tilleczek, K.  Child abuse and children’s rights. Session chair, Child and Youth Research in the 21st Century: A Critical Appraisal Conference organized by the International Childhood and Youth Research Network (ICYRNet), European University of Cyprus. Nicosia, Cyprus, May 28–29, 2008.

Tilleczek, K.  Approaching a Sociology for children and youth. Session organizer and discussant, Congress of Social Sciences and Humanities, Canadian Sociological Association. York University, Toronto, ON, May 31, 2006.  

Tilleczek, K.  Rural children’s health. Session chair, Sixth Conference of the Canadian Rural Health Research Society and the First Conference of the Canadian Society for Circumpolar Health. Quebec City, QC, October 27, 2005.

Tilleczek, K. Employing institutional ethnography with children and youth. Session organizer, Conference on Institutional Ethnography. Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.  Toronto, ON,  October 2, 2004.

Tilleczek, K. Challenging institutional relations. Session chair, Sociology for Changing the World Conference. Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, November 9, 2002.

Tilleczek, K. & Stratton, M. Representations of Canadian children and youth: Images from the field. Session organizer and chair, Symposium organized for the Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences: Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association, Quebec City, QC, May 30, 2001.

Tilleczek, K. & Stratton, M. Planned educational change as heritage and identity for children and adolescents. Session organizer and chair. Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences: Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association. Sherbrook, QC, June 1, 1999.