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Teacher Becoming of Alternatively Licensed Teachers
Get PDFIn the 2023-2024 school year, the Iowa Department of Education listed 21 teaching shortage areas. One way that more teachers can enter Iowa’s classrooms is through alternative licensure pathways. But these alternative programs need students who are willing to pursue the teaching profession, even knowing all of the challenges that today’s teachers face. The purpose of this study was to investigate why people choose to become teachers at a later point in their lives/careers, and to explore the mindsets of alternatively licensed teachers. The theoretical framework for this study includes Bakhtin’s theory on ideological becoming, interanimated discourses (Bakhtin, 1981; Gee, 2014), and Vygotsky’s (1962) sociocultural theory. The literature reviewed for this study included the topics of teacher recruitment, supporting new teachers, teaching identity, and what Lortie describes as the apprenticeship of observation. This study focused on three main research questions: (1) Why did alternatively licensed teachers decide to become a teacher later in their lives? (2) What about their life experiences led them to this path? and (3) How has their conception of being a teacher compared to the actual experience of teaching? These questions were explored using a qualitative research design and a case study methodology. The data was analyzed using emergent coding to determine overall themes. The five themes that emerged were: contextual factors, alternative pathway, teaching as a profession, interactions with educational system, and thoughts about students. This study will add to the lack of literature that is available about alternative teacher licensure programs in general, and specifically in the state of Iowa
Sunlight through Stained Glass
No full textThis collection of short stories explores seven intimate, vulnerable portraits of characters navigating various forms of isolation— from the emotional isolation of strained family dynamics, to the physical loneliness of addiction, and the quiet desolation of suburban boredom. While many of the stories are informed by a working-class experience, the collection portrays a diverse range of characters, showing how universal the feeling of loneliness is across situations and circumstances. The first story is set in the corner booth of a cafe, where the narrator’s observance borders on voyeurism. She imagines what the lives of strangers might be like, romanticising a relationship she has made up as a stand-in for the failing one her parents are in. Next, the title story, “Sunlight through Stained Glass,” follows a woman approaching middle-age who is holding onto the past, afraid to face the reality that she is moving in a different direction than her best and only friend. “Down and Across,” changes course from fear of loneliness to reflection on solitude, as a college-aged boy spends an afternoon traveling home from Chicago by train following a failed attempt to surprise his girlfriend, who has been his support system after the death of his mother. “Zest” and “Silver Spoon” explore two different lives of children with addict parents. The former features a reality in which the child is trapped in her circumstances, while the latter imagines a future in which the child leaves the family behind. “April, Again” tells the story of a young workaholic who finds herself ready for connection at an inopportune time
Why Meditation Works: Ancient Traditions & Modern Science / Health & Wellness
No full textRecent surveys suggest that those who work in higher education are experiencing significant levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout. Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of mindfulness practices--including, but not limited to, meditation--for lowering anxiety & stress, improving concentration, and enhancing overall well-being. This presentation will first will describe how the Buddha\u27s unique life led him to key insights into the nature of human unhappiness and suffering, and then discuss Robert Wright\u27s 2017 bestseller Why Buddhism is True, which examines the Buddha\u27s teachings through the lenses of neuroscience and evolutionary psychology
Integrating Movement Into the Work Day Routine / Health & Wellness
No full textThis presentation will explore innovative solutions and creative strategies for seamlessly integrating more movement into your workday, helping you boost energy, productivity, and well-being
