Now showing items 1-20 of 27

    • A Picture Book of Boston's LGBTQ+ History

      Condie, Cami; Moran, Emily (2023-05-01)
      “To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin…” (hooks, 1994). Part of respecting and caring for students, and their “souls” as hook says, is respecting and representing all parts of their identity and culture. When looking at the marginalized LGBTQ+ community, we see little representation of their history in elementary schools. Very few LGBTQ+ history resources are available for students, and none that I could find focused on my home state, Massachusetts. This gap silences the history of a whole community. My presentation will describe my process of creating a picture book designed for late elementary school students (3rd-5th graders) that presents Massachusetts LGBTQ+ history that is accessible to them. The presentation will also describe my research process learning about Boston’s LGBTQ+ history and how I told the stories of LGBTQ+ historical figures in a way that students could understand without minimizing what these advocates did for the Massachusetts LGBTQ+ community. The point of my book was not to idolize these figures but to highlight them alongside other Massachusetts historical figures like Paul Revere, Crispus Attucks, and Tom Brady. My book and presentation will give the audience a multi-view perspective of Boston’s history and will hopefully start conversations around LGBTQ+ representation in K-12 classrooms.
    • Work/house

      O'Neil, January; Miraglia, Meghan (2022-11-01)
      Work/house is a hybrid creative-research project that explores the narratives of Irish workhouse pauper inmates during the Great Famine. The project takes on multiple forms: a chapbook printed by Salem State University, a longer manuscript draft, and a digital story told through the coding platform Twine. Research on Irish workhouses was conducted independently after partaking in a free, audio-visual tour of the former Kilkenny Union Workhouse site in July 2022, the writing happening in conjunction with research. The sixteen poems included in the chapbook (and the roughly forty poems in the manuscript, still a work-in-progress) incorporate Irish poetic forms, Irish mythology, and real narratives of pauper inmates who resided in the South Dublin and Kilkenny Union Workhouses. These inmates include Eliza Dalton, a young woman who arrived in the South Dublin workhouse at age nine, and incited uprisings with other workhouse girls; Jane Kane, who drifted in and out of that same South Dublin workhouse while working at her mother’s brothel; Thomas Kelly, a deaf and blind inmate living in the Kilkenny Union workhouse, whose death circumstances were extensively investigated by workhouse Guardians; and James Heam, who, at fourteen, appealed his unjust corporeal punishment. Other phenomena typical of the time – contraction of venereal diseases, infanticide, poverty and starvation – are referenced throughout the poems. Artistic license (such as the blurring of timelines) has been taken in the creation of themes such as hunger, reclamation of femininity and humanity in oppressive social structures, bodily autonomy, complex relationships to/with land and language, motherhood, and female friendship.
    • Overwatered Classes

      Carver, M.P.; Baumann, Rachel (2023-01-01)
      Have you ever wondered when you started stressing so much or when you lost your focus and began grieving what once was? I have found that is part of being human, and I believe it is time to explore those topics and discuss them openly to understand ourselves, and our youth, better. My chapbook, “Overwatered Classes” discusses the impact of stress on a student’s education and how a broken system can emphasize or overlook difficulties in mental health. By comparing the natural world to students, I hope to help readers who desire to understand their world and their community in a more personal way. An abundance of societal and scholarly stress and a shortage of resources leaves students overburdened, or overwatered, with expectations that aren’t their own. My aspiration for this project is to start a dialogue about the stigma of stress impacting human experiences. While writing about my own experiences in the education system, I analyzed which of my experiences are not singular, but scarily common among students. I hope this will help me and my colleagues be better educators in the future but the poetry is for a wider audience. This chapbook is written for anyone who is ready to confront topics considering traumatic experiences, grief, and common disabilities. Some of the heavy subject matter discusses the cycle of frustration or depression with a bleak outlook but I believe it can have a positive end. “Overwatered Classes” is written for most students, educators, and anyone who seeks to understand and support those having difficulty. Most of all it is for anyone who is fighting to understand their own battles, as I once was. You can be understood and deserve patience, if not from others than from yourself.
    • Why Culturally Responsive Teaching & Why Now?: A Literature Review

      Cervoni, Cleti; Marotta, Ava (2022-05-01)
      The purpose of this research is to examine the role culturally responsive teaching (CRT) plays in providing equitable education for students. CRT has been defined by various scholars in the field, and the overlapping purpose is that the experience in the classroom must be reflective of the lived experiences outside the classroom with the goal of equity at the forefront. This research paints a clear picture of what CRT is and explores the position policy and law have on the ability to implement a culturally responsive practice. Many people ask the questions of why CRT and why now? The current student enrollment demographics in the United States does not reflect a White majority anymore; our student enrollment reflects a more diverse population of students that is composed of more students of color, including African American and Latinx students, which have historically been viewed as minority groups. District wide curriculum, school wide practice, and school environments should be in alignment and reflective of diverse groups of students and no longer just apply to White students. This review of current literature further supports CRT providing student-centered education while using cultural differences as leverage for all students to reach a high standard of success. Implications are provided for educators in K-12, policy makers or curriculum designers, and higher education teacher licensure program.
    • La Brecha En El Renimiento Academico: Cómo Racismo Afecta A Los Estudiantes Latinx En La Escuela

      Reeds, Kenneth; Harkins, Kaylan (2022-05-01)
      Según el National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), la brecha de rendimiento se refiere a cuando "one group of students outperforms another group and the difference in average scores for the two groups is statistically significant." Los datos del NCES miden únicamente el desempeño de los estudiantes identificando brechas y mostrando tendencias a lo largo del tiempo, "however, a relationship that exists between achievement and another variable does not reveal its underlying cause, which may be influenced by a number of other variables" (NCES). En este estudio, los datos del NCES junto con el contexto histórico ayudan a comprender cómo el sistema de escuelas públicas de Estados Unidos ha llegado a donde está. Las encuestas desde la perspectiva de los maestros actuales que trabajan con estudiantes latinx muestran una imagen de la situación actual en las escuelas y ayudan a comprender hacia dónde deben ir las escuelas a partir de aquí. Esta investigación cierra la brecha entre el tamaño de estas brechas y los sistemas de racismo que las han creado. Esta investigación pone la brecha en el rendimiento académico en un contexto histórico en un intento por comprender la verdad detrás de por qué los estudiantes de minorías, específicamente los estudiantes latinos, se quedan atrás estadísticamente en la escuela. Luego, el estudio sugiere formas de comenzar a cerrar la brecha de una manera significativa que restaure la comunidad dentro de las escuelas y permita a todos los estudiantes la igualdad de oportunidades para aprender y tener éxito.
    • Fostering Cohesive Co-Caring Relationships Between Caregivers And Families Of Infant-Toddler Aged Children

      Schumaker-Murphy, Megan; Feener, Abigail (2022-05-01)
      Instilling cohesive family-teacher relationships is beneficial for all children, especially when it relates to children at the infant and toddler age. When fostering these relationships, educators must be mindful on what a family is, what family functions are, and what the role of an educator is in relation to family functions at a young age. In working with families, it is important to remember that educators are an extension of the family’s care team, and while they can make recommendations, decisions are ultimately the families in terms of what is best for that child. To instill a relationship in which healthy communication happens, an educator must be culturally responsive, respect the family dynamic, and educate themselves in areas they may not be familiar with. There are many strategies that previous research suggests fosters cohesive co-caring relationships between a parent and an educator in infant and toddler-aged children. These include good and open communication, discrepancies between challenging and undermining the support received and eliminating tension that may be present in conflicts. In this day in age, a lot of communication is present digitally. Educators in the modern world are using mostly online or digital ways of communication, such as Zoom calls, phone calls, or applications that a center may use. While these are substantial ways of communication, we need to ensure that the methods we use are culturally responsive and apply to the needs of all the students in the classroom, including those who may not speak English at home, do not have technology access, or are working in the hours that educators are providing care to the children.
    • Does Incorporating Dance into Elementary School Classrooms Increase Academic Achievement and Enjoyment?

      McLyman, Meghan; Bythrow, Brittney J (2016-05-01)
      The purpose of this research was to determine if incorporating dance into elementary school classrooms increases academic achievement and enjoyment. Throughout this project, an experiment was done with second graders that supported this idea that by adding dance into classroom lessons, students achieve more. These students scored higher on an assessment after including movement into the lesson. Some of them enjoyed the lessons more with dance and others did not. Previous research found that dance helps the student learning process due to its ability to meet diverse needs, its effect on the memory, and increase on student engagement. Dance also connects to Bloom's Taxonomy and Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Students with different disabilities have also shown higher academic achievement when dance is used in their classrooms. It helps with attention and stimulating the brain. Along with this research, four mini units are attached that incorporate dance for teachers to use as examples as to how to incorporate dance into their lessons. These include English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies lesson made for second graders using Massachusetts State Standards and National Dance Standards for second graders. Through the experiment, research, and creation of lesson plans, it can be said that incorporating dance into elementary school classrooms increases academic achievement and may increase overall enjoyment.
    • A 21st Century Update of Gender Portrayal in Caldecott Winners

      Gonsalves, Joanna; Black, Nicole (2016-05-01)
      This study replicated previous studies that investigated the portrayal of gender in Caldecott award-winning books. Past studies found that females were nearly invisible. Females tended to be under-represented in titles, central roles, and illustrations (Weitzman, Eifler, Hokada, & Ross, 1972). In addition, they appeared in the illustrations to be indoors more often than outside and displayed gender-typical behavioral traits. The current study utilizes the methods and procedures of past researchers to present an updated account of gender-portrayal in the Caldecott winners for 2010 through 2015. A content analysis, and a character trait analysis were performed to analyze the books. The researchers found no significant increases or decreases for human single-gendered illustrations and human characters. However, there was a significant increase in the percent of females for non-human single-gendered illustrations and non-human characters. In addition, females were over-represented outdoors, which is in contrast to past research. Furthermore, only three traits were rated as being more salient for females than males: nurturant, rescue and traditional role. Compared with past studies, children's books are becoming more gender equitable in terms of representation, location and behavior traits. However, improvements can still be made to reflect the actuality of societal proportions.
    • The Relationship: Partners’ Behaviors and Their Impact on Overall Satisfaction

      Crone-Todd, Darlene; Boucher, Ashley Christine (2016-05-01)
      Relationships are a top priority for many people, perhaps because relationships fulfill an important human need: love. Relationships tend to be complex and have many predictors related to whether or not a relationship will be satisfying. It is important that one evaluates how satisfied he/she is with the relationship in order to decide whether to continue. If one learns early in the relationship that they are not satisfied, then they can terminate the relationship before it continues too long. Relationship satisfaction was examined in terms of positive and aversive behaviors commonly demonstrated in relationships. The positive behaviors analyzed included support/praise, affection, security, and communication, while the aversive behavior categories included exclusion, deceit, avoidant behaviors, undesirable actions, and potential competitors. A survey was administered through surveymonkey, in which participants completed demographic information, a pre-survey rating of their overall level of relationship satisfaction, questions regarding the frequency of certain behaviors, and a post-survey rating on their level of relationship satisfaction. When analyzing the pre and post survey responses, participants were more satisfied with their relationship after completing the questionnaire. Regarding the pre-survey satisfaction rating, a stepwise regression procedure indicated exclusion and support/praise as having the most significance in a relationship, where as the post satisfaction rating was most closely associated with exclusion, support/praise, deceit, and potential competitors. Therefore, the clearest correlations appear to be exclusion, deceit, support/praise, and potential competitors. Another finding is that filling out the survey changed both the satisfaction level and the predictor variables. It is likely that the behavioral categories tend to produce satisfying relationships because both people in the relationship are experiencing both generic and idiosyncratic reinforcement from the significant other. Also, participants' satisfaction ratings appear to increase as a result of completing the survey. Is is not clear why this is the case; however, it may be that "taking stock" of the positive and aversive behaviors may have led this sample to be more satisfied with their current relationship. These findings suggest that reviewing the positive and negative aspects of a relationship can be beneficial, but more research is indicated.
    • Service Learning in a Fifth-Grade Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Classroom

      Pierce, Michelle; Hanson, Emily (2015-05-01)
      In the public school systems of the United States, there are thousands of English language learners (ELLs) who are struggling to develop literacy skills in the English language. In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, “Sheltered English Immersion” (SEI) has been introduced to try to improve academic achievement for ELLs. SEI is a methodology in which English language learners (ELLs) learn English via the mainstream curriculum, which is delivered by a teacher skilled in making content comprehensible for English language learners. My service learning project looked at how SEI programs have been developed to try to improve literacy rates and academic achievement among ELLs and allowed me to gain first-hand knowledge of daily life in an SEI classroom. Through observations within a fifth-grade SEI setting and by assisting the classroom teacher, I sought to learn more about effective teaching strategies for ELLs, differentiating instruction, and the challenges of trying to implement best practices in SEI. This experience led me to value the importance of implementing SEI programs throughout the United States and helped me to discover effective teaching techniques to better instruct students with limited English proficiency.
    • El Uso De La Música En Las Clases De Español En Los EEUU

      Dávila Gonçalves, Michele; Waldman, Emily (2021-05-01)
      In this thesis I explore the use of music in Spanish classes in the United States. Though there are a few disadvantages, the benefits hugely outweigh them. En esta tesis se exploró el uso de la música en las clases de español en los Estados Unidos. Durante la investigación encontré ejemplos de ventajas y desventajas en el uso de la música en el salón de clases. También, hablé con dos maestras de español y estudiantes. Por lo general, la música tiene más ventajas que desventajas en las clases de español. Entre las ventajas señalé que la música tiene un buen efecto cognitivo en los estudiantes, provee algo divertido para la clase, es un buen ejemplo de texto auténtico y brinda conocimiento sobre la cultura de países hispanohablantes. Además, puede apoyar la gramática, el vocabulario, la pronunciación y la motivación entre los estudiantes. En conclusión, la música es importante en las clases de español y todos los maestros deben usarla.
    • What is Missing Here? The Absence of a Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Salem State University’s Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Program

      Schumaker-Murphy, Megan; Noonan, Anne; Morin, Julia (2021-05-01)
      The K-12 student population in the United States is becoming increasingly more diverse in terms of the cultural, linguistic, ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds of its students, with the racial identity of the students being of particular interest to researchers now that students of color make up around 50% of the school children population (Pennington, 2003). Numerous studies in this area have indicated that in order to meet the learning needs of a diverse student body and make their educational experience more equitable, a teacher must take on a culturally responsive teaching approach. This teaching approach to education has proven to be effective with students from various backgrounds as it builds on both the strengths and learning capacity of the individual student; and creates an expectation for teachers to take responsibility for their students` success, communicate high behavioral and academic expectations address their implicit biases, and work on relationship building and trust within their classroom (Souto-Manning, 2018). However, White people account for almost 90% of both teachers and teacher students in America (Ladson-Billings, 1999), and countless studies have reported that these teachers are ill- prepared to become a culturally responsive teacher, let along be able to address their implicit biases (Jett, 2012). Since the Massachusetts school system is currently seeing an increase in the diversity of its student population, as well as serious issues with segregation making it more likely for teachers to have a class where most of its` children identify as minority students (Rocheleau, 2017), an early childhood teacher preparation college in the area was observed, specifically Salem State University. The courses within the teacher preparations were examined, specifically for the purpose of finding how embedded a culturally responsive pedagogy was in the required courses for graduation. The study then gives recommendations about how to weave culturally responsive teaching and/or principles of culturally responsive teaching throughout the courses within the program, so pre-service teachers will be professionally trained to be culturally responsive educators in their future schools.
    • Pisces

      Scrimgeour, J.D.; Munsell, Kaitlyn (2021-05-01)
      Pisces is a collection of poems that give glimpses into my childhood, adolescent, and adulthood. They are also about learning how to heal, places that gave me serenity, and people that have inspired and molded me into who I am today. The title Pisces is a term that comes from astrology, and what happens to be my astrology sign. There are no poems that include or discuss my astrological sign. However, all my poems represent who I am, where I’ve come from, what inspires me, and events in my life that resonated with me the most. This collection is heavily influenced by some modern poets and their works, making use of some of their techniques to tell personal stories. Wallace Stevens and his selected poems in Sleeping on A Wing made me think about where writers get their inspiration from, and how we can see the world in a different way. In Stevens’s poem "Thirteen Ways of Looking at A Blackbird," he takes an object and looks at it from a variety perspective, exploring how one might encounter or see blackbirds. This collection uses this technique to write about objects that have sentimental value to me, such as my father’s military dog tags. These inspirations and themes represented within my collection not only represent my growth overtime, but my love for dance, my friends, and my family. I hope that my poems can shed light onto topics that are not talked about, and to send a message that you are never alone.
    • A Closer Look at How Children's Choice Book Award Programs Motivate Upper Elementary Students to Read

      Pierce, Michelle; Raynes, Ashley H. (2014-05-17)
      The purpose of my thesis was to learn more about children's choice book award programs such as the Massachusetts Children's Book Award Program (sponsored by SSU). Specifically, I wanted to know what prior research tells us about the impact of children's choice award programs and children's motivation to read, children's reasons for participating in such a program, and children's strategies for selecting books and deciding on a favorite. I completed a review of literature to see what past research has found about the effectiveness of children's choice award programs and their motivation to read. Through a survey completed by seventeen 4th and 5th graders who participated in the 2013-2014 MCBA program, I was able to find answers to support prior research done on the effectiveness of children's choice award programs as well as raise questions for further research.
    • La Importancia De Usar Literatura Auténtica En La Escuela Primaria Para Los Latinx

      Dávila Gonçalves, Michele; Gelvez, Ariana (2021-05-01)
      Cuando un libro es un espejo para el lector, como destaca Rudine Sims Bishop, este puede verse a sí mismo y su propia vida. Hoy en día en los Estados Unidos alrededor del 90% de los libros que los niños leen gira predominantemente en torno a personajes blancos. Otros niños de diferentes orígenes, ahora más de la mitad de la población infantil en Estados Unidos, no tienen acceso a ese “espejo,” simplemente están obteniendo “ventanas” a las vidas de comunidades privilegiadas. Estos jóvenes lectores que no ven ninguna representación de sí mismos en la literatura se ven afectados emocionalmente. Una mayor diversidad en la literatura infantil auténtica puede proporcionar espejos para estos niños, además de ser ventanas para los lectores blancos. En esta tesis investigaré qué dice la literatura y los maestros sobre la falta de diversidad en los libros que se les ofrecen a los estudiantes de escuela primaria en los Estados Unidos, y cómo pueden combatirla para así ayudar a sus alumnos Latinx.
    • Does Paper Presentation Affect Grading: Examining the Possible Educational Repercussions of the Quality of Student Penmanship

      Pomerantz, Francesca; Morris, Kathryn J. (2014-05-17)
      Based upon personal experience, upon being returned a graded, handwritten assignment, teachers will often extend compliments to those students who wrote in neat, legible handwriting, refraining from alluding to the quality of the content during this exchange. With these concepts in mind, the author elected to determine whether or not the presentation of handwritten assignments has any effect on a teacher’s ability to grade objectively, if, perhaps, teachers are allowing their students’ penmanship to sway their interpretation of a paper’s content. In order to discover the validity of these concerns, a thorough literary analysis was conducted with the following questions in mind: Does the quality of one’s penmanship influence grading? What are the evolving conceptions regarding the importance of handwriting and how have they affected the quality of students’ penmanship? How can teachers implement a consistent and effective handwriting education? Should students be encouraged to submit their work in a typed format in the attempt to avoid this possible bias? The results of the study were that, when presented with assignments written in varying degrees of neatness, teachers are allowing factors other than the content of the writing to affect their ability to grade impartially. While this paper supports the need for a consistent and effective handwriting education in order to improve overall handwriting legibility, it also suggests that those schools with the means should encourage all students to submit their work in a typed manner, thus presenting the information uniformly so as to potentially eliminate this bias.
    • What are you?: A case study of an individual's experience growing up Asian American

      Boun, Sovicheth; Ballard, Eleanor (2020-05-01)
      This presentation will reveal the struggles the Asian American population faces when trying to form their identity by using a case study of an individual's first-hand experiences portrayed in a Vlog. The Vlog will showcase the individual’s family dynamic, the discovery of race through self-categorization required by standardized tests, and her journey to self-acceptance. Identity is a term that unites but also divides. Asian Americans are divided by language, social class, culture, sexuality, and race. Through a series of videos presented in the Vlog, the audience will gain a better understanding of how pervasive stereotypes continue to shape how society perceives Asian Americans and how Asian Americans view themselves. Being of mixed race as well adds the struggles of feeling pressure to identify with one race over the other. By describing the bullying she suffered as a student, the audience will also see how she felt alienated by both cultural groups for not being considered “authentic enough” and did not feel a sense of belonging. By sharing her first-hand experiences through the Vlog, the audience will understand how identity is influenced by the community and how stereotypes affect Asian Americans’ sense of independence and pride. It is crucial for society to explore where these stereotypes stem from to help the Asian American community rebuild a positive self-image. This is a story of an individual's experience losing her voice as a young person after being exposed to the assumptions and prejudices associated with being Asian American, and later coming to terms with this identity and asserting her voice as an adult.
    • “Is The End Game All The Same?”: Analyzing The Importance Of German Schools And The Hitler Youth Under The Third Reich

      Seger, Donna; Rubin, Jillian (2018-01-01)
      Was the German public education system or the Hitler Youth more influential in the indoctrination of children in Nazi Germany? The German school system promoted a rhetoric built upon a Nazi ideological framework, with the end goal of having children passively think within that framework. In contrast, the Hitler Youth emphasized physical training and militarization as a critical component of the indoctrination process. Ultimately, both proved vital in the success of Nazi Germany’s re-education program and allowed for the full integration of youth into the Nazi State.
    • Teachers’ Perceptions Of Students Based On Socioeconomic Status: A Literature Review

      Gonsalves, Joanna; Noonan, Anne; Condie, Cami; Rowe, Chelsea (2018-01-01)
      The purpose of this research was to determine whether teachers’ perceptions of students are affected by students’ socioeconomic status (SES). It was hypothesized that teachers perceive students from lower socioeconomic classes as less capable than students from higher socioeconomic status, and that teachers unconsciously set lower achievement expectations for low SES students, based on these original perceptions. All empirical studies conducted in the last decade on the topic were reviewed, including studies that used both naturalistic methods and those that used hypothetical scenarios. The hypothesis was supported through the analysis of past research, finding the presence of classism in teacher perceptions. Implications for teacher training are discussed to help address the biases revealed in this research.
    • Effective Instructional Practices in the Inclusive Classroom

      Wiersma, Geertje E.; Gallo, Bianca (2014-05-17)
      The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that children with disabilities are educated in the "least restrictive environment appropriate” to meet their “unique needs.”-- otherwise known as an inclusive setting. How do teacher attitudes and practices correlate with effective inclusive education? Studies show that if a teacher gives students higher expectations, they are more likely to perform to higher standards. Thus, by giving a student with disabilities the opportunity to be included in a general education classroom, they are usually held to a higher standard. However, whether this motivates or discourages the student is then based on the teacher’s attitude and school’s resources. In this qualitative study, 61 hours were spent observing two second grade classrooms in the same town, but at schools with different demographics. One of the schools contained students primarily from lower socio-economic backgrounds, while the other school contained students who were predominately middle class. Data was recorded in a chart that contained instructional practices in inclusion classrooms. The results show that teacher attitudes and practices differed significantly in the two classrooms observed in that positive teacher attitudes and use of encouraging language, effective socialization, support services, and balanced exposure to flexible grouping strategies—all key factors for effective inclusive education, were much more prominent in one of the two classrooms observed. Future research should be conducted over a greater period of time and in a greater variety of classrooms for more accurate results.