Meeting All Students’ Needs Within A Scripted Writing Curriculum: A Self-Study

This qualitative study, conducted in a kindergarten classroom at an urban charter school, investigated what happened when a teacher implemented a scripted writing curriculum. The study sought to examine how the teacher met individual student needs within the parameters of a scripted curriculum. It also sought to examine what happens when such a scripted curriculum is used. The teacher collected data in the form of lesson plans and a research journal. Lesson plans were delivered as scripted, but at times were adapted by the teacher. Each day after lesson delivery, the teacher wrote in a research journal, reflecting on the lesson using key guiding questions. Data wereanalyzed using continual interim analysis through coding, and multiple themes emerged from the data. The implications from this study are that in order to maximize student learning within a scripted curriculum, teachers must be well-versed in current research on emergent writing, and be prepared to adapt the scripted curriculum accordingly

The Impact of Length of Relationship on Conflict Communication and Relationship Satisfaction in Couples

Variables such as relationship duration are often overlooked when trying to intervene with dissatisfied couples, making it important to evaluate the significance of such variables on overall relationship satisfaction. This study looked at the impact of length of relationship on conflict communication and relationship satisfaction. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed no significant relationship between length of relationship and relationship satisfaction for either males or females. However, length of relationship did impact males\u27 perceptions of conflict communication which in turn significantly predicted relationship satisfaction. This finding indicates that conflict communication should be further researched for its impact on relationship satisfaction

Take Flight by Cyper-Sight: The Failure of Courts to Require the Americans with Disabilities Act Title III Public Accommodations Provision to Govern Public Places Such as an Airline\u27s Website

Special issue: Intellectual Property and Technolog

In the stars

This is a book about the nature of reality and the illusions we embrace to smooth our paths through the vagaries of life in an uncertain world. It is about the dichotomies which exist in life and how our perceptions of life define our realities. It uses the stars, moon and sky as a tool to explore these differences by counterpoising the two main characters as having different views of the same subject. Thus Gabriel is an astronomer with a rational scientific approach to the universe while Lena, though brought up in a scientific tradition, has, through her experiences and personality, learnt to question this approach and developed a more aesthetic and mythological approach to the universe. While this is explored in the tensions between her and Gabriel, her own reality is questioned through her interaction with Kingston Ingovazana Mabilu. Although she is drawn to his philosophical views on life, in the end she has misgivings about the extremes to which these beliefs will eventually take her and is unable to commit to cultural beliefs which are so different from her own. The different perceptions are also explored in relation to ideas about health, medicine, causes of illness and their treatments. This brings into opposition the two prevalent paradigms in Southern Africa of the Western medical view and the alternative traditional view. The book tries to demonstrate how these are both valid with the characters showing justifications for their own points of view. Finally, the relationship between Lena and Gabriel focuses on the delicate fragility of relationships between people, in their attempts to understand each other, to communicate, to trust and to truly know each other. In the end, these challenges may be insurmountable. The themes of the book were inspired by the everyday dichotomies of life in Southern Africa; the different languages, religions and world views. It seemed important to explore issues of life and death, health and illness, particularly in a country where, less than a decade ago, the president of the country declared that HIV was not caused by a virus. The constructs of madness also warranted elucidation, as different cultures view these behaviours very differently. The second theme of astronomy versus mythology of the universe was inspired in part by Ben Okri in Starbook and The Famished Road, where magical realism opens up new ideas about the nature of reality in an African context. I also noted the tension between these ideas and the advanced technology of the Square Kilometre Array to be developed in South Africa. The book merely hints at the political past of South Africa but concentrates on the present paradigm of differing beliefs

Utility of accelerometers to measure physical activity in children attending an obesity treatment intervention

Objectives. To investigate the use of accelerometers to monitor change in physical activity in a childhood obesity treatment intervention. Methods. 28 children aged 7–13 taking part in “Families for Health” were asked to wear an accelerometer (Actigraph) for 7-days, and complete an accompanying activity diary, at baseline, 3-months and 9-months. Interviews with 12 parents asked about research measurements. Results. Over 90% of children provided 4 days of accelerometer data, and around half of children provided 7 days. Adequately completed diaries were collected from 60% of children. Children partake in a wide range of physical activity which uniaxial monitors may undermonitor (cycling, nonmotorised scootering) or overmonitor (trampolining). Two different cutoffs (4 METS or 3200 counts⋅min-1) for minutes spent in moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) yielded very different results, although reached the same conclusion regarding a lack of change in MVPA after the intervention. Some children were unwilling to wear accelerometers at school and during sport because they felt they put them at risk of stigma and bullying. Conclusion. Accelerometers are acceptable to a majority of children, although their use at school is problematic for some, but they may underestimate children's physical activity

Creative Telecollaboration and Language Acquisition Curriculum

We are requesting a Level II grant to launch two pilot intermediate-level foreign language classes, the pedagogy for which will integrate computer-assisted language learning (CALL) with the most innovative language acquisition pedagogy. The grant will support the development of digitally-enhanced curriculum in Intermediate French and Spanish, using blogging, videoconferencing, and video production to create cultural bridges between students at Purchase College and students in Marseille and Bogota. The grant will enable a new style of digital and participatory language instruction, one that emphasizes both grammatical form and the creative use of language between students constructing their own intercultural contexts online. During the project period, participants will pilot and implement new curricula, review and publish the results, and extend successful practices to additional humanities curricula at Purchase College

Enhancing Cultural Capital: The Arts and Community Development in Winnipeg

This research highlights the contribution that community-based arts organizations are making in Winnipeg ‘s inner city. The project reveals that there is not only a wealth of artistic and cultural resources in the inner city, but that these resources make an enormous contribution to building community capacity, energizing community-based revitalization efforts, educating young people, improving our public spaces, and invigorating local economies. Through a broad-based consultation process, including a case study of the arts scene in Minneapolis Minnesota, the project provides a basis for an enhanced integration of arts-based policies and programs aimed at supporting inner city communities.Art City, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canad

Digestion of Repair Sites in Rat Liver DNA by Endogenous Nucleases

The proportion of sheared rat liver DNA recovered from benzoylated DEAE-cellulose in the final stage following stepwise elution with NaCl and caffeine solutions was dependent upon the DNA isolation procedure. An increase in the proportion of DNA containing single stranded regions, consequent upon delay or addition of Mg2+ prior to phenol extraction, suggested nuclease mediated degradation. Administration of methyl methanesulphonate to rats resulted in a consistent proportional increase in the caffeine-eluted fraction. The results of caffeine gradient elution of control and alkylated DNA from benzoylated DEAE-cellulose were consistent with repair-associated single stranded regions being substrates for endogenous single strand-specific exonucleases

Leadership Matters: Supporting the Mental Health Needs of Black and Latina/o Students in a Post COVID-19 World

Communities throughout the United States were devastated by the COVID-19 virus. For instance, the mortality rates are higher within Black and Latina/o communities compared to the overall United States population. The pandemic represents another problem that will contribute to anxiety disorders and depression among Black and Latina/o students. How we combat these issues is important. During the 2020-2021 school year millions of students returned to schools and some struggled to adjust because of the traumatic experiences associated with COVID-19. Students will need the support of administrators, teachers, and mental health practitioners. For this reason, this review of literature examined the mental health challenges Black and Latina/o students encountered prior to and during the pandemic. Further, the authors developed recommendations for school leaders, mental health specialists, and teachers while providing important resources. Overall leaders can use the article as a roadmap to navigate the challenges at PreK-12 schools