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<a href="https://psu.pb.unizin.org/holocaust3rs/chapter/new-2-5-first-person-the-artist-as-witness-falk-harnack/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">First person: The artist as witness – Falk Harnack</a>
No full textRichards-Wilson, Stephani
This chapter is part of an OER text published by Penn State. The author was invited to participate given her published research on Nazi resisters. Falk Harnack was the brother-in-law of Dr. Mildred Fish-Harnack. Dr. Fish-Harnack was the only American woman executed on Adolf Hiter's direct orders for her resistance efforts in Nazi Germany. She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She and her husband were leaders in the resistance group called the Red Orchestra. Falk Harnack was a witness to the resistance in both Berlin and Munich. This is his story.To access this material, please use the URL below
Black male teachers matter: Retention and belonging in K-12 classrooms
No full textMcFerren II, Clarence
There is minimal empirical evidence that addresses what to do to support, develop, and retain Black male teachers once recruited and hired into urban school districts. More specifically, this study explored the attributes of lived experiences that keep Black male teachers in K-12 classrooms in Memphis-Shelby County Schools in Tennessee with five or more academic years of service. I used a narrative qualitative research methodology by distributing an electronic demographic form to invite subjects to participate in the study, gain consent, and ensure they met eligibility guidelines. Additionally, I conducted individual semi-structured interviews and collected electronic visual artifacts for triangulation to understand these stories comprehensively. This design was the best method to answer the posed research question for investigation through a thematic deductive analysis of the collected data to interpret meanings. What attributes to the retention rate of Black male teachers in K-12 classrooms, and how do they describe a sense of belonging?
Using Strayhorn's (2015) elements of a sense of belonging as the theoretical lens derived from higher education and social sciences, I delved into how Black men describe a sense of belonging as a K-12 classroom teacher. This project offered insight into how a sense of belonging continues for Black men from a college student's viewpoint to a professional educator's mindset. As a result, the data revealed how to support, develop, and retain Black male teachers once recruited and hired into K-12 classrooms
Indoor wayfinding in children with visual impairments: How the use of a coding robot impacted route familiarization and spatial planning
No full textHapeman, Julie L.
Indoor wayfinding in a new school can be a challenge for students with visual impairments. As children grow, the expectation for their independence grows, often along with the size of their school buildings. Traditional methods of orientation—walking the route multiple times, verbal directions, and tactile maps—work well for many, but not all. When one student struggled to learn a route in his high school using traditional methods, coding a robot to replicate the pattern of his route was the teaching method that finally worked for him. Using single subject research design, this study investigated the effectiveness of learning a route by coding a robot versus learning a route with traditional methods. Data were collected on four participants, ages 9–15, as they learned new routes at the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (WCBVI) using traditional orientation methods and coding a robot in the pattern of a route. A calculation of route efficiency for each intervention showed that each participant performed better with a different intervention and that the use of a coding robot may be an effective tool for some who are learning new routes
No such thing as neutral: An exploration of antiracist teacher preparation
No full textFlemming, Challa I.
As student populations in the United States have become increasingly diverse, teacher education programs have worked to prepare educators to effectively teach culturally and linguistically diverse students. Scholarship on multicultural education emerged in the 1980s, followed by culturally responsive and culturally relevant pedagogy in the early 1990s. In the late 1990s, the social justice education movement evolved to address structural changes in the educational environment to benefit all students, regardless of social identity. However, these practices have failed to adequately address the role of race and racism in American schools. The persistence of individual, institutional, and systemic racism in the US education system necessitates the advancement of antiracist education. To support this priority, teacher education programs must prepare antiracist practitioners. This study explored how a one-year masters-level teacher residency program prepares antiracist secondary-level urban educators
Beyond “Here’s the question, let’s solve it”: Teachers planning generative questions for mathematical problem solving
No full textWolgan, Wendy
Critical thinking and problem solving are essential components for students to persevere in solving challenging real-world problems. With fewer students accessing upper level mathematics courses and careers, this reality is concerning. For years, mathematics pedagogy has focused on drill and memorization of algorithms in order to get one correct answer. This approach is limiting in expanding problem solving proficiency. Previous studies have shown there is a lack of teacher practice in facilitating mathematics discourse and knowing which questions to ask that guide students to comprehend information and ensure problem solving and critical thinking are at the heart of mathematical learning.
This study explored teachers’ intentional planning for use of effective questioning strategies and discourse that support generative learning through a problem solving process. It purposefully examined fifth grade students’ problem solving behaviors and perseverance linked to teachers’ questioning patterns and planning.
This phenomenological study collected data from problem solving lessons, observations, and interviews with students and teachers. This data was organized and analyzed overlaying research from Smith and Stein’s Five Practices for Orchestrating Productive Discussions, Polya’s Phases of Problem Solving, Boaler and Brodie’s Question Types, Hess’ DOK level Questions, and Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and Mathematical Practices, which functioned as a Co-Occurrence Generative Problem Solving Data Source framework.
Findings represent the complexity of logical relations between problem solving discourse phenomena and asking a variety of Depth of Knowledge questions in order for students to build understanding and devise a problem solving plan. There was a strong correlation of intentional planning, using a variety of questioning patterns, coupled with teaching a progression of problem solving phases and using Standards for Mathematical Practice both as evidence of learning while planning and defining generative learning that supported students persevering in problem solving
The impact of principals' social and emotional competence on teachers' social and emotional resilience
No full textPitchford, Trila
The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological research study guided by the social and emotional competency framework, created by CASEL, was to investigate how the social and emotional competence of 11 educational leaders impacts the social and emotional resilience of their teacher teams. Social and emotional learning can be traced back from Ancient to current times. The intersectionality between good character, positive academic outcomes and social and emotional learning was emphasized by Plato, who asserted that education should enhance students’ minds and their overall well-being, and furthered by Daniel Goleman and Dr. Comer, who proposed that focus should be placed on social and emotional wellness within schools. Participants included 11 principals from five K-8 schools, four K-5 schools and two 5th-8th grade schools in the Milwaukee area. The participants recounted their lack of education around social and emotional wellness during their leadership preparation programs or within their current roles. Participants recognized the importance of taking care of their own social and emotional needs, however, they admitted to putting the needs of others above their own. Participants affirmed that because they had not had adequate social and emotional wellness training themselves, they were not able to support the social and emotional wellness of their teaching teams. This study encourages leadership preparation programs, schools, and districts to provide additional guidance to leaders about how to better ground themselves in their own social and emotional wellness so they can better support the social and emotional needs of others
Exploring math teachers' own classroom experiences with deciding how to respond in the moment to student understanding
No full textBuchanan, Cherigale White
The math education community has made strides in understanding how math teachers help students develop a conceptual understanding of math ideas. In-the-moment instructional decisions are essential for helping students develop a conceptual understanding of important math ideas (Carpenter et al., 2003; NCTM, 2000). However, math instruction centered on rote learning and memorization dominates U.S. classrooms, especially among African American students in urban public schools (Cuban, 2007; Davenport & Slate, 2019). Math teachers can support conceptual understanding by recognizing and responding to students’ mathematical thinking as it develops during instruction (Jacobs et al., 2010; Leatham et al., 2015). I examined three male and three female math teachers’ recalled accounts of their experiences making in-the-moment instructional decisions while teaching African American students in large, high-poverty urban public schools. I also examined the roles of rational/intuitive reasoning and deliberation processes in math teachers’ decisions. Transcripts from videotaped teacher interviews were analyzed using Creswell's (2014) data analysis approach and NVIVO QDA software. Classroom observations, researcher notes, and member checking were also performed. Math teachers' in-the-moment decision processes were informed by their ideas about curriculum, teaching, learning, and their ideas about African American students. In-the-moment decision processes were also influenced by various resources, orientations, and goals (Schoenfeld, 2010). A positive relationship between decision process structures and years of teaching experience was identified. Moreover, rational and intuitive knowledge structures were integrated into math teachers’ decision processes at varying degrees (Vanlommel & Pepermans, 2021). This research contributes to our understanding of responsive math instruction among teachers of African American students. This research will contribute to future research, teacher education, and professional development initiatives
Improving teacher compensation : an exploration of teacher attitudes
No full textBurks, Robyn
Like most industries, education is facing a staffing and retention crisis, especially during this post-pandemic climate. Hiring and retaining teachers to work with the most at-risk, low-performing students and at hard-to-staff schools intensifies the educator drought and professional deluge. As the challenge to staff schools grows increasingly alarming, schools need to implement sustainable measures to address this concern. Some districts use financial incentives and performance awards to attract and retain teachers; however, these methods do not have the same impact when first introduced. Using a qualitative approach, the aim of this dissertation is to understand why financial incentives are not gaining the expected traction in recruiting efforts to motivate educators to work in districts that reward teachers for working with low-performing, at-risk, and/or rural or hard-to-staff schools. Existing research highlights programs but does not address current inhibitions that lessen attraction and retention. This study will bridge the gap between existing research and prevailing attitudes toward pay-for-performance (PFP) programs that reward stellar instruction provided to low-performing, at-risk students and hard-to-staff or rural campuses and districts
A narrative inquiry of at-risk baccalaureate nursing students' perceptions of high-risk testing and a test-taking intervention
No full textBaez, Lori A.
By 2030 there will be an estimated shortage of a half million RN (Registered Nurse) jobs in the United States. This shortage of nurses is due to a retiring nurse force and increases in the aging population who have concurrent increases in health issues. There is a need for more nurses, yet attrition rates for baccalaureate nursing programs are as high as 50%. Researchers suggest many success interventions for nursing students and those preparing for the NCLEX. Since high-stakes tests are used in some nursing programs to make decisions about progression and graduation, including after graduation for licensure, test-taking instruction is often recommended in literature. This qualitative narrative inquiry study focused on at-risk baccalaureate nursing students’ perceptions of high-stakes testing in nursing school and in preparation for the NCLEX-RN, and a test-taking intervention focused on critical thinking learned during collaborative academic coaching. Nine (9) current students and four (4) graduated students were interviewed; each had participated in coaching. The researcher concluded that students had feelings of desperation and doubt because of testing, and studying was not sufficient for success because students needed to apply critical thinking skills. The coaching intervention proved beneficial and provided academic and interpersonal support. Implications derived from this study are that each School of Nursing (SON) should address nursing students’ feelings about test-taking, inform students about NCLEX-style test-taking before use, teach analytical reading and test-taking strategies, identify and assist students early-on, allow time for students to develop skills, and provide sufficient test-taking resources throughout the program
Increasing awareness and promoting the use of yoga for inpatients with major depressive disorder: An inservice program for psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners
No full textWard, Patricia
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a disease that causes changes in mood, thoughts, behavior, and physical health (Fekadu et al., 2016). Consequently, it can predict greater disability and contribute to homelessness (Nishio et al., 2017). About 80% of adults with MDD report at least some difficulty with work, home or social activities (National Center for Health Statistics [NCHS], 2018). Non-traditional approaches for the treatment of this disease are urgently needed as traditional treatments are not effective for all patients, take a long time to work, and are not well-tolerated in many cases (Riveros et al., 2022) Yoga—a non-traditional approach to treating MDD--consists of multicomponent mind-body practices, including physical postures and movement, breathing exercises, relaxation, and mindfulness and meditation (de Manincor et al., 2015). Many psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) can safely prescribe pharmacologic agents but are unaware of the benefits of yoga particularly for inpatients with MDD. The purpose of this project was to develop an educational in-service for PMHNPs to increase their awareness and promote the use of yoga for these patients. The project is the first of a three-phase research project. Phase one (presented in this capstone) includes development of teaching documents. Phase two includes implementation of the in-service and measurement of the impact it had on the PMHNP’s decision to use yoga in the future. Phase three focuses on measuring the patient’s overall use of yoga and their outcomes. Keywords: major depressive disorder, MDD, yoga, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners, PMHNP