Celebrating Creativity in Elementary Classrooms

When we think of diversity, we often refer to race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status which define a person as an individual. However, how can appreciate each person’s creativity and cognition? This presentation highlight how teachers can appreciate the diverse creativity in their elementary classrooms. Target Audience: Preservice and Practicing Teachers, Grades K-5t

The Gems of Multicultural Children\u27s Literature

Multicultural children’s literature offers a lens into different cultural traditions and symbolism that unless otherwise noted, teachers may overlook the opportunity to share with their students. This presentation will feature these cultural “gems” from such ethnic groups as African American, Arabic, Asian, Hispanic, and Indigenous. The featured books include such titles as “Carmela, Full of Wishes,” “Time for Bed, Miyuki,” “My Hair is a Garden,” and many more

Preliteracy Skills in Primary-Aged English Language Learners

This paper describes the transition of English language learners acquiring preliteracy skills in learning to read and the role of productive and receptive language in the development of phonological awareness. As English language learners transition to reading to learn, oral reading fluency becomes an important component of future reading success. Because of the lack of resources, print and language exposure, students acquiring a second language face the challenge of becoming successful readers

Population Density and Home Range Estimates of Black Rat (Rattus rattus) Populations in Southwestern Puerto Rico

Black rats are among the world’s most invasive rodent species and are responsible for considerable agricultural losses and risks to human health through zoonotic disease. In Puerto Rico, rats may also compete with the primary rabies reservoir (the small Indian mongoose) for baits during oral rabies vaccination (ORV) programs. We evaluated black rat population density and home range size on the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge, southwestern Puerto Rico. We fitted 10 rats with VHF transmitters and tracked them using radio telemetry for approximately 4 weeks. We entered locations into ArcGIS and obtained minimum convex polygon (MCP) home range estimates. We established two plots of 55 snap traps and performed removal for 5 consecutive days during January and July, to correspond roughly with wet and dry seasons for this region. To calculate abundance, we entered snap trap data using a removal model approach in Program MARK. We calculated the effective trapping area by creating a buffer around the trapping area based on the square root of mean home range estimate. We divided the abundance calculated in MARK by the effective trapping area to calculate the estimated population density. Mean MCP home range estimate was 0.28 ha (SE: 0.05, range: 0.07-0.50 ha). Population density estimates were 114.7 (SE: 201.80) and 19.3 (SE: 6.85) per ha for January and July, respectively. To reduce the potential for rat consumption of ORV baits, wildlife managers should consider conducting ORV activities in Puerto Rico during periods of lower rat abundance or density

Using End of Life Care in a Simulation Scenario in an Effort to Help Increase Student Confidence

This evidence-based project examined how using the end of life care in a simulation scenario would help in an effort to increase student confidence. A sample size of 28 Practical Nursing Students participated in the simulation scenario. The Confidence Scale (C-scale) developed by Susan Grundy, was administered to the students as a pre-test prior to the simulation and a post-test after the simulation. The C-scale measured student confidence and consisted of five questions asking the students to rate themselves on a scale of one to five in performing a task. The goal was to see if the student’s confidence level increased. In conclusion, the statistical analysis and t-test revealed a significant increase in the student’s confidence after the end of life simulation scenario. The statistical analysis and t-test did reveal there was a significant increase in the student’s confidence after the simulation scenario

Barriers To Intervening Among Witnesses Of Intimate Partner Violence In Scotland

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a problem in many parts of the world, including Scotland. Bystander interventions can reduce the number and severity of episodes of IPV. Objective: This study explored the potential barriers to intervening to stop intimate partner violence in Scotland. Methods: This research is part of a larger study that used a mixed methods approach. Thirty-one people (14 males; an age range of 18-78 years) who participated in five focus groups (each comprising around six people) which were conducted in Alloa, Glasgow, and Kilmarnock, Scotland in July and August of 2013. Results: Five key themes emerged as common to participants\u27 experiences and important to their decisions whether to intervene if they witness or overhear violence: 1) the distinction between public and private violence, 2) concern about unintended consequences of intervening, 3) collective efficacy, 4) perceptions of victim vulnerability, and 5) self-efficacy. When these themes were analyzed together two significant barriers to intervention were revealed: 1) pervasive violence in some communities makes intervention unreasonably dangerous to bystanders, and 2) the private setting in which most IPV is perpetrated makes it difficult to identify and less conducive to intervention. Conclusions: There is a need to raise awareness of IPV and the role the public can play in reducing the incidence and severity of IPV in Scotland. The findings provide insight into when and how members of the Scottish public might intervene in cases of IPV. This knowledge is important to inform the development of culturally-appropriate bystander interventions