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Developing Critical Consciousness in the English Language Arts Classroom
Get PDFCritical consciousness, first conceived by Freire (2014), and later adopted into Ladson-Billings’ (1995) culturally relevant pedagogy, supports students in understanding systemic injustice and their capacity to create change. With a specific focus on the English Language Arts discipline, the curriculum designed for this capstone incorporates a number of reading, writing, and discussion strategies to answer the research question: What are the most effective strategies for developing critical consciousness in students in the English Language Arts classroom? In this eight week curriculum, students learn to read with and against a classical text, discuss and debate the ideologies underpinning the text, and engage in revising the text through a restorying project. The hope of this curriculum is that these strategies will help students develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between society and literature and a deeper awareness of themselves as readers with agency
Nature-Play-Based Kindergarten: Meeting Minnesota’s State Standards via Nature Play
Get PDFKindergarten is becoming more academic as a result of external pressures related to educational policies (Graue, 2011). Due to increased focus on content in schools, and other societal factors such as lack of unstructured time and risk aversion, children have less time for play (Sahlberg & Doyle, 2019) and interacting with nature (Louv, 2005). This context drove the creation of this capstone project, which aims to support Minnesota teachers in meeting state standards through developmentally appropriate nature-play-based curriculum. A review of the literature showed there was a need for this type of project. Besides external pressure on schools to improve test scores, there is a false dichotomy that kindergarten is either academic or it is developmentally appropriate, though there is considerable middle ground. Additionally, the benefits of play and nature are extraordinarily well-researched, supporting the author’s focus on nature play. The project associated with this capstone is a resource kit including a sample daily kindergarten schedule; pre-planning for emergent units with menus of nature play ideas; reflection guides; a play profile—aligned with Minnesota state standards—for documenting children’s learning through play; an informational booklet with recommendations and safety considerations for nature-based programs; and informational pages for parents about nature play. The author chose to use an emergent-planning framework, more typical for early childhood educators than elementary teachers, because it was responsive to research on developmentally appropriate practice. The main implications of this capstone are that kindergarten can be both academic and developmentally appropriate, and that all schools can incorporate nature-based learning in some capacity, though the depth and quality of experiences might differ based on space and resources. Of the limitations of this capstone, the most notable are that the author has been away from the classroom for three years at the time of publication, and this capstone does not address continued and increasing pressures on teachers from administrators and educational policies. Future research and projects could include looking at the benefits of nature play specifically—not just nature exposure and experiences—long-term effects of content-focused kindergarten, and creation of professional development resources for educators about developmentally appropriate practice and nature-play-based instruction
What Common Elementary Practices Impact Teacher Efficacy?
Get PDFEfficacy and its impact on student outcomes have often been researched. Specific practices within an elementary setting that impact teacher efficacy has not been widely researched. This research focused on gathering the perceptions of elementary teachers regarding which experiences had impacted their feelings of efficacy positively or negatively. This qualitative research followed a grounded theory process. Data collection methods involved gathering data from an email survey and following up with a focus group which allowed triangulation of data and findings. Participants from a midwestern suburban high-performing elementary school were selected for this research based on the assumption that high-performing schools would likely have teachers who self-identified as having higher efficacy. I wanted higher efficacy educators because as an outcome I wanted to create a list of practices for administrators that could build efficacy for staff, sustain efficacy if it was in place, and avoid harming successful efficacy cycles or practices for new or newer administrators when joining a building. Findings suggested that administrators should pay particular attention to four general areas to support or sustain efficacy. The four areas for positive impact include any practices that impact an educator\u27s time, areas that include support for the teacher, relationships, and reflective practices. Within these themes there were very specific practices that could be put into place for immediate impacts on efficacy, for example, one of the practices that received a 90.9% positive impact on efficacy was receiving a public oral or written compliment from a peer or administrator. The findings also suggested some practices that hinder or have a negative impact on efficacy. The two themes that emerged negatively were professional development based on how it is launched and handled and curriculum matters also dependent on how the decisions surrounding the curriculum are handled. Areas for future research include a longitudinal study that follows teachers from teacher development through their teaching career as well as research that would look at the cultural components of efficacy as that has not been covered in the existing literature
A Podcast and Website for Informal Educators and How It Can Disseminate Best Teaching Practices
Get PDFInformal educators face barriers in delivering high-quality educational experiences. As they are not formally connected with teacher training programs, they frequently receive more content-area knowledge than pedagogical instruction. Thus, informal educators are challenged to discover and master best practices in their field on their own. Economic and learning theorists indicate that professionals share best practices through various socially mediated structures, such as peer learning, culminating in a spontaneous intragroup support structure which Wegner termed a community of practice. Many informal educators, however, cannot participate in such communities because they are physically located in different sites from colleagues performing similar work. Marketing researchers like McClung and Johnson and others have noted that online tools can supplement the community of practice model for professionals separated by geographical distance. This project curates a podcast, website, and electronic newsletter for informal educators. The podcast contains conversations with dozens of informal educators; the website and electronic newsletter expand on those conversations with connections to pedagogical theory. The project’s goal is for these electronic tools to provide information and communications channels for informal educators, thus facilitating a virtual conversation that will eventually support a community of practice
Translanguaging in EFL Settings
Get PDFThis Capstone seeks to ask how can teachers embed a translanguaging pedagogy into an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) setting? It was born out of the author’s realization that the majority of the literature surrounding the topic of translanguaging practices took place in English as a Second Language (ESL) settings in Western countries. To adequately adopt the translanguaging framework into the classroom, one must understand not only translanguaging pedagogy but translanguaging theory as well. Translanguaging theory is the view that people, particularly bi/multilinguals have one complete linguistic system, which they draw from strategically in order to communicate. In covering both linguistic and pedagogical theory of translanguaging, this Capstone also heavily addresses other key influences on the practice in EFL settings; the monoglossic ideology, English’s role in linguistic imperialism, English’s promise of access to wealth, prestige, and participation in the global workforce; and circles of English and World Englishes. Translanguaging in EFL settings, when fully implemented, recognizes and honors the home language, discusses English’s role in the world, and provides choice in the English variety taught. This Capstone project was designed to teach educators in countries where English is not the home or majority language the translanguaging framework and several translanguaging practices. The goal is to begin the process of shifting beliefs and practices surrounding language from one of a monoglossic stance to one a translanguaging stance, while simultaneously honoring local language and cultural practices
Looking In to Speak Up: How White Educators Can Utilize Literacy to More Confidently and Competently Discuss Race and Racism with Early Elementary Students
Get PDFliteracy to more confidently and competently discuss race and racism with early elementary students? Research indicates children are ready to begin discussing race and racism as early as three or four years old, but that educators tend to avoid these conversations assuming their students are not yet ready to handle these topics. This paper reviews literature on racism in education, understanding bias, developmental readiness, and literacy resources supporting discussions of race. The project created in connection with this research question involves a five session professional development course aimed at supporting educators in feeling more confident and competent in discussing these essential topics with their students. This professional learning course focuses on understanding racism in the educational system, identifying and deconstructing implicit bias, and the utilization of literacy resources which support discussions of race and racism in age appropriate manners. Throughout the creation of this project, the author reflected on the need for racialized trauma healing for educators participating in the work of anti-racism education and bias awareness, as well as the ongoing nature of learning about racism and bias in education. The goal of this paper and project is to inspire educators to better serve their students by developing more confidence and competence in discussing essential topics of race and racism in the classroom
Using an Ecojustice Education Framework to Address Conservation in the Upstate
Get PDFIn an era of complex and overlapping issues, it is critical to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative interdisciplinary methodology within the fields of justice and environmental conservation. One such method is encapsulated in an ecojustice education framework. This capstone project sought to analyze the effectiveness of an ecojustice education framework to address conservation in the Upstate of South Carolina. In the process of this study’s literature review, it is evident that isolating social justice from environmental conservation is ineffective and unresponsive to the needs that historically underserved communities today face in terms of the mitigation of environmental burdens and enhancement of ecosystem services. An ecojustice education framework poses a new and more in depth way of understanding these challenges, ways to unite disciplines typically separated, and to look beyond to solutions that are holistic and intentionally consider both the needs of the environment and the needs of underserved communities. The findings of this research were presented to a diverse group of stakeholders representative of various communities and academic/professional entities in the form of an ecojustice and conservation workshop. These workshops facilitated an environment where concepts were discussed and perceptions were shared between various stakeholders regarding the potential benefits of an ecojustice framework within conservation in the Upstate. These workshops reinforced and further contributed to the overwhelming need and enthusiasm to identify holistic solutions. This capstone project demonstrates the need to reevaluate environmental justice ideology and highlights the ways an ecojustice education framework can enhance the values of holistic conservation within Upstate South Carolina communities
Helping High School English Learners Self-Regulate Their Writing Development Through Formative Assessments
Get PDFThe goal of many educators is to prepare students for lifelong learning, yet something about the U.S. school system is having the opposite effect; while students begin their educational journey with curiosity and excitement, somewhere along the way, their thirst for knowledge is extinguished and replaced with the goal of just getting by. This is especially true for English learners who are often overwhelmed with the simultaneous learning of language and content and whose diverse backgrounds create diverse needs. Through exploring the theory of self-regulated learning, characteristics of effective formative assessment, and how best to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of high school English learners, this project identifies one method educators can use to help reignite their students’ love of learning: the HyperRubric. When used in a formative way, the HyperRubric can help learners begin to take a more active, reflective role in their learning and start to shift their mindset from focus on product to focus on process
Technology and Student Centered Learning: Using Digital Tools to Instruct Student Centered Learning While Meeting the Needs of All Students
Get PDFEvery year, technology is further developing and the way that technology is being used in our classroom’s changes. As we have seen through the Coronavirus pandemic, technology has become a vital part of education. Technology can be used in many ways through many different digital applications and this capstone project leads to answer the question, How can secondary teachers best utilize technology to enhance student centered learning and meet the needs of all students? As technology continues to develop, research is being conducted to determine its effectiveness as an educational tool, the impacts of technology on student learning and engagement, and what the best ways to incorporate technology in the classroom are through different instructional strategies. This project, a professional development series, was developed to provide teachers with the knowledge and tools necessary to be able to select digital tools that serve an intentional purpose to support student centered learning. The series gives educators opportunities to explore different digital tools, discuss, and reflect on ways in which they can use these tools in their classrooms to support student learning
A Menu About Me: A Next Generation Science Standards Aligned 9-12 Life Science Curriculum Adapted for Students With Limited or Interrupted Formal Education
Get PDFIn order to face the challenges of a rapidly changing world, it is imperative that thinkers with diverse backgrounds and perspectives are supported in the development of their scientific skills and voice. However, very few, if any, high school life science curricular resources are available that are specifically adapted with the assets and needs of students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE) in mind. The widely adopted Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are uniquely designed to center the learner’s authentic thought process and pre-existing funds of knowledge–a framework which also happens to be aligned with the strengths of SLIFE students. The curriculum created for this project combines 9-12 NGSS life science standards with best practices for SLIFE students. It utilizes extensive opportunities for students to connect their learning to their rich personal experiences surrounding the biology of food science, while also providing appropriate scaffolding for developing their academic skills and English language proficiency. The 5E framework was employed to ensure fidelity to the NGSS tenet of inquiry-based learning, while the mutually adaptive learning paradigm (MALP®) was implemented to guide best practices for engaging SLIFE students. The project includes four weeks of deeply detailed lesson plans with complete student resources, and an additional blueprint for ten weeks of planned curricula without student resources. The curriculum is intended for use in high school biology classes that have adopted, or are intending to adopt NGSS, and which serve SLIFE students. However, the curriculum is flexible and could easily be adapted to the user’s setting and student population. The goal of this project is to nurture the mutually beneficial relationship between the community of SLIFE students, and the community of science, at large, through the power of storytelling and exploration