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The Power Of Language And Its Integral Role In Lgbtq+ Inclusion In Education
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Carr, J. (2021). The Power of Language and Its Integral Role in LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Education Language plays a central role in our daily lives; it is through language that we name, identify, and differentiate everyone and everything in our world. It is through language that dominant, heteronormative discourses have been established surrounding gender and sexuality. Heteronormativity positions heterosexual and cisgender (identifying with the sex / gender assigned at birth) identities as normal and natural, while excluding and oppressing LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer / questioning, + other non-conforming identities) individuals. Despite a heavy push for ‘diversity’ and LGBTQ+ ‘inclusion’ in the world of education, schools are overwhelmingly toxic environments for LGBTQ+ identified (or perceived) students (GLSEN, 2019). As a queer person working in education, I noticed that educators, the most eager allies included, often lack awareness of how to talk about LGBTQ+ topics and identities. This prompted the research question: How does understanding language enable educators to move from being LGBTQ+ allies in intention to allies in action? The literature review offers insight into historical factors that have contributed to heteronormative dialogues, and highlights the usefulness of critical theories in uncovering the ways language is used as both tools of oppression and resistance to domination and control. The final product is a website dedicated to raising awareness around the importance of language as it relates to LGBTQ+ inclusion in education. Topics included on the website are intended to encourage educators to critically examine their own language use as it relates to LGBTQ+ inclusion, as well as all language for the ways it upholds systems of power and perpetuates the marginalization of ‘others’
How can Guided Reading Help Elementary Students Read at Grade Level by Middle School?
Get PDFElementary students who struggle with reading are a common concern among elementary school teachers. This capstone project documents how teachers can use a guided reading curriculum as a way to help their students grow in their reading success. The literature review focused on two main topics; guided reading, and the importance of comprehension in reading. This project and literature review help to answer the question, How can guided reading help elementary students read at grade level by middle school? According to the literature, guided reading has a positive impact on helping elementary students learn to read (Richardson, 2016). This capstone is a combination of resources to aid teachers who are using guided reading for the first time in their classrooms, or who need a little help in organizing their guided reading materials as well as a literacy communication document. This project is important to the capstone question because when teachers have guided reading materials ready and organized, they will be able to focus on their teaching and ensure their lessons are differentiated for their students’ needs. This research should be shared so teachers can utilize the materials for guided reading in their own classrooms
Developing Mathematical Thinking in High Schoolers Through “Curricular Thinking Tasks”
Get PDFA review of the literature and reflection on personal experience show a need to rethink the way we teach and learn mathematics. A traditional math class relies on direct instruction and emphasizes decontextualized procedures and algorithms. This type of instruction does not work well for the majority of students, nor does it prescribe to the goals of math education in our modern world. We don’t need “human computers\u27\u27 like we did before the internet. Instead, the primary goal for most high school math students is to develop the mathematical thinking skills needed to tackle new problems. Inspired by Peter Liljedahl’s 2020 book Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, the unit plans designed for this capstone project are rooted in curricular thinking tasks - open-ended problems meant to help students experience the curricular content and gain conceptual understanding before formalizing mathematical procedures. The goal is that these unit plans will be a resource for other teachers to aid in promoting students’ mathematical thinking and engagement
Identity Placement In Social Justice Issues Through A Creative Writing Curriculum
Get PDFIn our current society, there is a growing need for educators to approach curriculum with the knowledge and awareness of the inequities that affect our students based on how they identify. The exploration of student identity in the classroom not only encourages reflection on how students are placed in the context of social justice issues but also promotes the reflection of educators who teach through a social justice lens. This capstone project focuses on the research question: How can curriculum be designed to place student identity in the context of social justice issues through creative writing and reading in an English Language Arts classroom? This project examines the current approaches and resources for social justice pedagogy and how using creative writing in an English Language Arts classroom can promote identity exploration and critical thinking of social justice issues. The result of the research concludes with a project that is a 12 week curriculum design of a creative writing unit for an ELA classroom. The unit focuses on reading, discussing and writing about social justice issues and identity and is broken into mini units based on three genres of creative writing: poetry, nonfiction and fiction. It can be concluded through this project that integrating identity exploration through writing and analyzing texts with a social justice focus has the potential for enhancing student growth in communication skills and their understanding of their voice in conversations surrounding social justice
How Can Teachers Increase Student-student Discourse In Math Classrooms?
Get PDFThis capstone aims to answer the question, How can teachers increase student-student discourse in math classrooms? It is answered through the creation process of a curriculum heavily based on students learning through discourse with their peers. This curriculum developed by the author aims to create unique learning experiences for students. Opportunities to struggle and learn through conversations in a safe environment is the basis of the curriculum. There is also a strong emphasis on high levels facilitating learning through student-student discourse which is typically uncommon in a traditional mathematics classroom and curriculum. Lastly there is a reflection on the creation process of the curriculum. The author concludes that the first version of the newly developed curriculum will not be the last because improvements are crucial to improve the effectiveness of the curriculum
Facilitating Awareness of Trauma for All Staff in an Educational Environment
Get PDFIt is important to address the effects of trauma in the K-12 education system because those effects can have crippling effects on how students succeed academically and in life. The research uncovered in this review of literature pointed to the fact that there are inconsistencies in even defining trauma. There are multiple versions of how to categorize trauma and various ways they manifest, with only some of them being observable. The methods used for addressing trauma have their positives and negatives, however, those methods are inconsistent. This makes it confusing and difficult to evaluate their effectiveness. The capstone project sought to answer the question, how to facilitate a comprehensive awareness about trauma for all staff in an educational environment? using the current research. The necessity of including everyone that is involved with our students’ lives was a critical part of the project. Many people are not included in adult workshops or professional development training but interact with students daily in an educational environment. The project aims to create an understanding and a language that all adults in this setting will have access to this information and can voice their concerns if they believe a student is suffering from trauma
Impact Of Modeling Practices On Middle School Science Students
Get PDFThe objective of this extended literature review was to answer the question: What is the impact of modeling practices on understanding phenomena and engaging all students in a meaningful science curriculum and pedagogy in the secondary science classroom? Through research of current literature this paper summarizes how the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) uses modeling to create an engaging and inclusive learning environment for all students. The literature suggests modeling is an effective practice to promote student self-efficacy, motivation, and engagement to help students from diverse backgrounds find success and feel as though they can do science. However, the implementation of these practices comes with a shift in teacher mindset to a student centered classroom and is most effective for all students when combined with culturally responsive teaching. Research concluded that modeling is an effective practice for middle schoolers to develop a rich understanding of phenomena in the science classroom
Deepening Student Thinking About A Text: Effective Critical Literacy Strategies In The Elementary Classroom
Get PDFWhile at a critical crossroads of a social movement to end systemic racism, and with schools simultaneously pushing for cultural competency training and practices in the classroom, educators are being asked to take on the task of bringing diversified texts to students in the classroom and deepening student understanding of those texts. While there are many strategies for implementation, one research-based strategy is utilizing critical literacy strategies to expand student view and analysis of said diversified texts. This capstone explores deepened questioning strategies, critical literacy strategies, and frameworks for implementation as support for educators to help answer the research question, How does asking questions that promote critical literacy deepen student thinking about a text? Research concludes that teachers deepening their questioning practices, by utilizing critical literacy strategies as one choice, improves students comprehension and deepens student thinking about a text, and opens the door for deepened cultural competency practices in the classroom
Addressing and Supporting Student Behaviors Related to Trauma through Social-Emotional Learning, Mindfulness, and Restorative Discipline
Get PDFResearch has shown that Adverse Childhood Experiences can have devastating and lifelong effects on children including changes in brain structure and function as well as problems with behavioral and emotional regulation. With the support of caring adults and appropriate services however, children who suffer trauma can recover and go on to lead happy and successful lives as adults. Educators and school personnel play an important role in this. Trauma-informed practices such as social-emotional learning, mindfulness, and restorative discipline are crucial in working to mitigate the long-term effects of trauma and supporting students who have faced adversity. The research conducted throughout this capstone was used to create a series of professional development sessions for elementary staff. The purpose of the sessions are to equip elementary staff with the skills and tools necessary to address and support student behaviors associated with trauma
Dangerous Teaching: An Approach To Difficult Learning In The Theatre Classroom
Get PDFOver time, social justice theatre has been used to create dialogues surrounding socially relevant issues both specific to the time and prevalent across time. Tectonic Theater Project is a theatre company that focuses on developing works that address such issues, using a method of devising that deconstructs theatre to its bare elements. This process, known as moment work, allows players to create theatre in stages, elaborating on narrative as they work through each element. Tectonic Theater Project’s process for devising using moment work has been implemented in classrooms with students and educators in order to expand understandings about what theatre looks like. The process for devising this project focused on marrying the moment work technique with teacher education in the realm of social justice. It involved creating a guide for theatre educators to introduce a social justice unit that uses moment work as a way to create socially responsive theatre. The guide was also created with the intent to introduce educators to creating a safe space for potentially challenging discussions revolving around socially relevant issues. The goal of the project is to provide educators of all backgrounds, understandings, and experience levels with a resource for approaching a social justice theatre unit and to encourage conversations regarding social justice education within the realm of theatre education