Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Supporting Middle Grades Pre-Service Teachers In Building Professional Dispositions, Hilary Dack

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

Promoting pre-service teachers' development of professional dispositions through purposefully designed learning experiences may be middle level teacher education's most important contribution to a novice's development from student to teacher. The 2022 Revised Middle Level Teacher Preparation Standards explicitly address this expectation in Standard 5, with Component 5.d noting that middle grades pre-service teachers should become "continuous, collaborative learners who demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective, critical perspectives on their teaching." This article offers detailed illustrations of the approaches one middle grades teacher education program used to intentionally select professional dispositions to target in early coursework and teach those dispositions to candidates. Approaches included: …

Course Correction: Examining 2020’S Middle Level Teacher Education Through A Critical, Antiracist Lens-A Collaborative Self-Study Of Teacher Education Practices, Kristie W. Smith, Kristina N. Falbe

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

The work of teacher education in a 2020’s context is challenging and filled with opportunity. With a diversifying P-12 student body (Love, 2020; Pitts, 2019) and the confluence of social, political, and educational factors (Nieto & Bode, 2018), the complexities of teacher education are vast and fluid. In a historical moment that has included teaching in a time of pandemic, national reckonings over race and injustice, and explicit legislation to guide teaching about social history (Kelly et al, 2023), effective middle level teacher education is multifaceted. It calls for the development of teacher candidates skilled in creating school environments that …

Get Fit! With Math And Lit: A Pilot Program Of Physical Activity, Mathematics, And Literacy With Middle Grades Students Through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Christine L. Craddock, Brittany Pinkerton

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

In an afterschool program at a university literacy center, we piloted the integration of physical activity with multimodal mathematics and literacy exercises. We aimed to incorporate the three tenets of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) including academic success, cultural competence, and critical consciousness with middle grades participants by utilizing a sports-based youth development model (SBYD), Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR). Participants participated in 30-minute sessions bi-weekly over two months, which included reflective discussions and journaling to begin and end activities, respectively. Participants were invited to suggest activities during sessions and interact cooperatively with facilitators and peers. They also engaged in …

Female Medical Students’ Lived Experiences Of Financial Stress And Coping, Untara Shaikh, Dr. Kimberlee Bonura

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Conference

Financial stress is a pervasive concern among medical students, with documented associations with adverse physical health, psychological morbidity, and ineffective coping. This study focuses on understanding the financial stressors female medical students face and the coping strategies they employ. While financial stress and coping mechanisms have been explored in the literature, a notable gap exists in understanding these dynamics among female students.

The study employed a phenomenological research approach to obtain data from the respondents, where data collection involved face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The Adaptation Model of Nursing, complemented by Lazarus and Folkman's Coping Theory, was a comprehensive framework for analyzing …

2024 Conference Program, Georgia Southern University

South East Coastal Conference on Languages & Literatures (SECCLL)

2024 Conference Program

Hurting The Helpers: Mental Health And The United States’ Education System, Simone Fh Banks

National Cross-Cultural Counseling & Education Conference for Research, Action & Change (2016-2024)

Teachers in US public schools are in the midst of a workforce crisis. Mounting responsibilities, struggling to make a liveable wage, and the impact teaching has on a person’s mental health are reasons why teachesr are leaving the profession in huge numbers. This presentation will highlight the impact the current system has on teachers’ mental health.

Youth Unveiled: Decoding The Stages Of Growth And Of Thriving Futures, Tycee Prevatt, Kristie Popa

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Explore Positive Youth Development's focus on aligning youth development with age-appropriate practices for maximum benefit from opportunities. Join us to understand the stages of youth growth and learn effective techniques to engage them in activities.

Getting Out And Getting In: Assets And Barriers To Transitioning From Foster Care To Higher Education, Stacie K. Pettit, Ann Digirolamo

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Students in foster care have lower rates of college entry than same-grade peers. This presentation will share results on perceived barriers and facilitators to pursuing post-secondary education among youth and caregivers involved in foster care, sharing relevant resources and policies available to assist youth and families.

The Real Experts: Understanding Autism And Adhd Through The Lens Of The Individual, Mary Little

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This presentation aims to spark intentional conversation and change geared towards shattering stigmas around the autistic and ADHD experience. Attendees will enhance their understanding of neuro-divergent populations in order to modify environments and provide interventions aligning with trauma informed care and inclusion. Attendees will also be given the opportunity to embrace the power of self disclosure and mentorship.

Teaching Students About Trauma, Stress And Brain Regulation, Kathy J. Van Horn

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

All students are impacted by stress and can benefit by understanding their brains, their stress response, and strategies for regulation. This presentation will provide practical principles and ideas for teaching students strategies and skills for physical, emotional, and cortical regulation.

The Five Foundational Factors To Building Resilience In Young People, Taylor Teichman

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

The Trauma Skilled Approach when working with young people begins with the mindset-shifting question, “what happened to you?” This workshop will explore step 2 of the Trauma Skilled model: Connection, Security (Belonging), Achievement, Autonomy and Fulfillment as the five foundational factors to building resilient youth. There will be opportunities to work in small groups reviewing Purposeful Practices that can be replicated by participants in their own practice.

Helping All Herons - A School Based Mental Health Team Initiative, Kiersten H. Morgan, Erin Thrift, Teri Hendrix, Shannon Murray

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Our school system has experienced an increase in the number of students with significant mental health related issues. Interactions with these students were occuring on a crisis by crisis basis. Through a series of trial and error we developed Helping All Herons - A School Based Mental Health Team initiative. The team has regular contact with students, parents, outside counseling agencies and staffings to ensure that the needs of the students are being met. This team encourages a more proactive approach to student mental health compared to a reactive one.

Mindfulness: The Missing Link In Education, Ashley L. Baer

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Were you asked to pay attention or behave in school? As educators, we must stop expecting focus and self-regulation, and instead we must teach it. Learn how in this experiential session to connect and regulate students using the breathing ball, games, breath, and movement. Let’s practice!

Engaging Teacher-Student Relationships With All Students, Jess Teal

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Positive teacher-student relationships are essential for a safe classroom that promotes academic achievement and social/emotional development for all children. Teachers need specific practices and resources to support them in establishing positive teacher-student relationships with all their students. All students deserve a consistent adult connection and to call school a safe place to learn and grow.

How To Keep Youth Out Of Trafficking, Taylor Baierlein

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

There are more children in slavery today, more than any other time in history because of how lucrative and fast-growing the human trafficking industry has become. Many people do not realize that this is happening in their own backyards. I will be raising awareness, teaching preventative strategies, and giving tools to support the youth in your life.

Self- Determination And Student- Led Ieps, Elizabeth R. Clarke

Empowering Educators Conference

In this session, Dr. Clarke and her student, a high school senior, will analyze and instruct educational professionals about self-determination. She will explain how to give students a voice in their IEP and their educational plans, as well as the subsequent effects: boosting motivation, independence and academic success.

Using Vocabulary To Support Conceptual Understanding In Mathematics, Janel Smith

Empowering Educators Conference

Conceptual understanding is a foundation of mathematical understanding in order to solve problems and convey mathematical reasoning. The foundation of mathematics learning is built upon the language of mathematics - including numbers, symbols, and vocabulary. This session is appropriate for any grade level in grades k through 12.

Values Of Gifted Specialists As A Professional Identity, Bailey Nafziger, Seth Kaesler

Georgia Educational Researcher

Educators of gifted students (gifted specialists) face unique systematic and personal barriers daily. While programs for gifted students are mandated in most states, including Georgia, implementation choices such as identification processes, delivery models, and teacher training requirements often fall on local agencies and budgets. Gifted specialists must have a strong sense of agency to advocate for their students and programs. This study contrasts the values, beliefs, and attitudes of middle-level teachers who have taught in an honors program and gifted specialists with a gifted teacher endorsement or certificate. The two expert groups were established to contrast how teachers who self-identify …

Exploring Cooperative Learning In High School Remedial And Test Preparation Classes, Carol Solomon-Jenkins

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores how utilizing cooperative learning in remedial and test preparation in high school classes affects students’ reading comprehension on traditional standardized test scores. Theoretically, my dissertation work draws upon several bodies of literature, such as constructivism including cognitive and social constructivism in relation to cooperative learning (e.g., Dewey, 1897, 1902/1932, 1910; Piaget, 1967; Vygotsky, 1978), culturally responsive/relevant/sustaining pedagogy (e.g., Gay, 2000/2010/2018; González, Moll, & Amanti, 2005; Ladson-Billings, 1994/2009; Ladson-Billings, 2021; Paris & Alim, 2017), and caring and empathy (Noddings, 1984, 1992, 2002; Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999; Merriam, 1991; Stake, 1995, 2005) in relation to social justice education. …

Letters To Myself ~ Reflections Of A New Teacher ~ A Curriculum Of Self, Sarah Brittany S. Greneker

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This is a nontraditional, very creative approach to dissertation writing. Using reflective poetic inquiry, I reflect on my experiences transitioning from pre-service to in-service teacher in the early childhood classroom. I taught for 7 years and encountered many situations that would have been beneficial to know prior to becoming a certified teacher. I explore overarching themes of coworker relationships, undergraduate program preparation, the various responsibilities, classroom environment, teacher evaluation, teacher perspective, and teacher mental health and well-being and how they each impact a teacher’s experience in the classroom. This is accomplished through the epistolary genre and letters to myself as …

Ethics In Literature: A Case Study Of Hades And Persephone, Mckenzie A. Howard

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The increased ethical scrutiny on art in the modern era places an emphasis on how those art forms are being taught in the classroom. This thesis seeks to answer the question: how do we teach ethics, if we should at all, when we teach literature to a modern audience? This thesis explores this question by looking at how modern adaptations of an ancient text, the “Hymn to Demeter,” change the ethical issues in the original text, to show the relevance of these issues in the source text and the modern adaptations. Through an argument that the ethical concerns are often …

Historical Inquiry Deliberation (Hid): The New Republic Lesson Plan, Rhonda Kemp Webb

Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State

The following lesson plan is an example of adapting the Structured Academic Controversy (SAC) format for engaging students in the deliberation of the multiple perspectives for a current societal issue to instead create a procedure for evaluating a historical event or decision. The sample lesson included here for engaging students in this process is entitled “Historical Inquiry Deliberation: The New Republic” and requires students to deliberate the following question:

Which of the competing visions for America’s future was the best approach for the nation at the early stage of its development in the late 18^th century?

• Manufacturing: The US …

Building Civil Discourse In Social Studies Through Historical Inquiry Deliberation (Hid), Rhonda Kemp Webb

Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State

This article calls for an increased emphasis on social studies in education and highlights an effective strategy for developing civil discourse skills through what I call Historical Inquiry Deliberation (HID). As social studies educators, we want our students to become engaged in their communities and become the problem solvers of the future. Utilizing the Structured Academic Controversy (SAC) approach builds student confidence, discussion skills, and understanding of the power multiple perspectives can bring to solving a problem. Adapting this technique for analyzing historical content can allow for a collaborative twist to the widely utilized Document Based Question assignment. The article …

Never Too Old For A Field Trip: Exploring Community Assets For Middle Grades Literacy Integration, Christine L. Craddock, Stacie K. Pettit 2949136

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

Middle Grades teacher candidates participated in a “field trip” in an Integrated Reading course to model best practices in culturally responsive teaching. The college students visited their downtown city including a regional art museum and memorial sculpture garden commemorating local Black history to experience and contemplate possibilities for literacy integration in their pedagogy. Teacher candidates were encouraged to explore and understand community culture, history, and assets with respect to their future students’ lives, identities, interests, and experiences, and how these considerations should motivate their instructional decision making with literacy applications. A follow-up discussion was facilitated by the course professor along …

Culturally Sustaining Practices In Middle Schools, Chandra Diaz, Rebecca M. Nelson, Laurie A. Ramirez, Nancy B. Ruppert

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

The social unrest during the summer of 2020 in the United States has produced a renewed sense of urgency and agency for the interrogation of curriculum in K-12 education and the development of culturally sustaining practices. This urgency has encouraged more teacher preparation programs to be intentional in developing culturally sustaining teachers. This paper offers four pillars to frame classroom practices to be integrated holistically and support middle level preservice teachers’ development of their culturally sustaining practices. Pillar one focuses on understanding self. The ability to honestly self-reflect and to understand personal practice deeply and continually is critical. Pillar two …

Academic Challenges In Southeastern Middle Schools: Voices Of Teachers And Principals, Michael Dicicco, Ryan Alverson

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

This study seeks to share teachers’ and principals’ voices from middle schools in the Southeastern United States who are attempting to help their students achieve academic success. Obtaining a snapshot of middle schools in the Southeastern United States provides opportunities to recognize trends and identify challenges about the current implementation of middle level programs and practices related to academics. The last large-scale survey was completed over 10 years ago (McEwin & Greene, 2010, 2011) and was focused on principal voices only. When attempting to assess the level of implementation of various school improvement efforts or to gain a deeper understanding …

From Read 2 Rap: Moving From Words On A Page To Standing On Stage, Nate Whitsett

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Creativity will abound in your classroom as you tap into your students’ hidden talents. Learn how to use Rap, Rhyme & Poetry to teach Key vocabulary in Reading, Writing and Performance Arts Education. Teachers at all levels can benefit from seeing how enjoyable teaching is when students are actively engaged in the learning process.

Teaching Students About Trauma And Brain Regulation, Kathy Van Horn, Joshua Macneill

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

It is important to empower students with information and understanding about trauma along with concepts and interventions for brain regulation and healing. When information about the impact of trauma is shared with students without first establishing a solid foundation for hope and change, it can do more harm than good. In this presentation, we will share guidelines and ideas for teaching key trauma-informed principles to students including physical, emotional and social regulation strategies as well as an understanding of the stress response.

The Age-Less Citizen: Cultivating A Civically Engaged K-12 Community Through The Use Of Service Learning, Chelsia I. Douglas Mpa

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

The Age-less Citizen will analyze evidence-based civic education studies and explore proactive student engagement strategies to build an individualized nonpartisan action plan for each school represented. From sending election reminders home by a kindergartener, to including local school board meetings on school newsletter and calendars, attendees will take away practical tips and tools to restore faith in the younger generation's ability to improve our democracy.

Sticky Situations: Understanding The Law And Life, Krystal Banks

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Law and life go hand in hand. Understanding the law and how it connects to life can be an effective tool in teaching youth and adults the value of making good decisions when it comes to life and the law. Sticky Situations places real-world situations in the context of learning how to apply the law and effectively respond to life's sticky situations.