Strange Stranger: A Visceral Skin Glaze Exploration into the Neurodivergent Sensory Experience

Sam Lucas Sam creates ambiguous figurative objects predominantly in clay. Her creative practice draws on her experience of being a neurodivergent woman today, by exploring aspects of her own unique neurotype. The visceral glaze exploration pieces were the precursor to the final forms for her body of work called ‘Strange stranger’ where she is exploring the weight and awkwardness of being in the body, the pain this alienation can cause, and ironically the beauty and humour that results from this diversity. The surfaces of the pieces were attempting to describe the interoceptive, exteroceptive and alexithymic confusion that can occur at times with incongruent sensory experiences. The skin qualities are of skin crawling, goosepimples and sweaty and clammy skin, as a bodily visceral responses to overwhelming social experiences. These objects may make you stop and stare, out of curiosity and inquisitiveness. You might be slightly confused, bemused, unnerved, and perhaps disturbed by their uncanny nature and relentless resistance to conform. Sam creates objects that are more about being than being seen. They are frozen moments in time and the position of the work is unfixed, both grasping out at the world and bound to itself, caught as if in a game of ‘cat and mouse\u27 yet with nowhere to hide from the inevitable and perpetual anxiety, only the humour can save you

Changing Prejudice Against Minority Groups: The Role of Self- and Group-Affirmation

According to self-affirmation theory, prejudice towards minority groups represents defensive reactions that individuals may exhibit to cope with threats to their ingroup. Affirming participants’ important values, reminding them of important personal or collective successes, attenuates defensive reactions such as prejudice and discrimination. A distinction is first made between self-affirmation, accomplished by recalling values that are meaningful to the individual, and group-affirmation, achieved through the recall of values important to an ingroup (e.g., family, nation). Inconsistent results were obtained in studies using self- and group-affirmation manipulations for reducing prejudice. The aim of this article is to examine factors that can increase the efficacy of these interventions. We argue that individual factors such as differences in value orientation can influence the effect of self-affirmation on intergroup attitudes. In contrast, the effect of group-affirmation on reducing prejudice may be hampered by cultural factors such as the normative context in which the intervention is implemented. Limitations of actual studies and future directions are discussed

A Comprehensive Approach for Addressing E-Cigarette Use in High School Students

The prevalence of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use among youth has increased at an alarming rate. More teenagers are falling victim to the adverse physical and mental effects of e-cigarette use despite the attempted implementation of various prevention and intervention programs. Teenagers are influenced to use e-cigarettes by their peers, social media, and e-cigarette advertisements. Schools and parents need to work together to end the teenage e-cigarette use epidemic. The comprehensive e-cigarette prevention program will seek to increase the knowledge of e-cigarettes, raise awareness of the harms of nicotine addiction, and build positive peer support influences. The overarching objective of this project will be to develop and provide an implementation guide for all high schools to use the evidence-based e-cigarette prevention program to reduce teenage e-cigarette use and promote healthier alternatives

An Examination of Positive Impacts on Students\u27 Math Success

In today’s classrooms, some students struggle to achieve at high levels in math. Yet, recent research describing the neuroplasticity of the brain means that, with a mathematical mindset, all students can achieve in math at the highest levels in school. Unfortunately, some capable students disengage from the subject due to a fixed mindset or holding beliefs in math myths, such as only some people are born with a math brain or math is about speed. Achievement in math can open more opportunities in a student’s future. Entrance into college and various careers that require mathematical skills become possible when students achieve in math and hold positive math identities. Educators’ understanding of the brain’s capabilities, their personal beliefs about math, their impact on the math learning environment and their students’ math identities can positively influence students’ math success. Professional development for teachers in these specific areas has the power to bring awareness of everyone’s capabilities of learning and succeeding in math and provides teachers with the tools needed to create a mathematical mindset classroom. Training sessions can also build teachers’ knowledge on math identities and aid them in creating tools that can be used in their classroom to learn about the personal math beliefs their students’ hold. With knowledge and skills teachers can create math learning environments that promote math success for all students

Developing Literacy Through Play

The loss of play in the classroom has had a significant impact on children’s foundational literacy skills. It has hindered children’s language development by reducing their verbal skills and language comprehension and decreasing vocabulary. Child development has not changed, and yet we continue to put more academic pressure on our youngest students. This project addresses the need for play in early education classrooms. It then provides research why play is important in developing foundational literacy skills, such as oral language and vocabulary, comprehension and recall and higher-level thinking, and possible classroom applications. The project concludes with a presentation for administrators, with the intention of administrators advocating for mandated play built into the curriculum

Review of Rubin, H., Estrada, L., & Honigsfeld, A. (2022). Digital-age teaching for English learners: A guide to equitable learning for all students (2nd ed.)

Review of Rubin, H., Estrada, L., & Honigsfeld, A. (2022). Digital-age teaching for English learners: A guide to equitable learning for all students (2nd ed.

Anatomy of a Book

Shows examples of the physical parts of a book for material culture analysis