Excerpt of A Tale In Three Beginnings

Though this is only a short glimpse into the lives of the Owens girls, what you need to know is this: Jeremy Rollins is missing and may never be seen again. Perhaps this isn\u27t so strange, and perhaps his wife should have seen it coming; after all, the history of their abandonment has followed them since Jomar Ferrer left her grandmother some fifty years ago. In this excerpt, you are introduced to four very important beginnings in the story of the Owens girls

Understanding insertion and integration in a study abroad context: the case of English-speaking sojourners in France

This paper draws on a recent study of British students of languages undertaking a year abroad in France, in a variety of placements (as language teaching assistants, as exchange students, and as workplace interns). The data were gathered in the context of the 2011-2013 LANGSNAP project, a larger study undertaken which investigated both the language learning and social integration of British students spending an academic year abroad in France, Spain or Mexico Having made a positive choice to specialise in languages at university, and having already reached a relatively advanced level in French during their secondary school education, it could be assumed that these students were positively motivated to further develop their language skills, to deepen their intercultural understanding, and to integrate socially within the local society. Indeed, in pre-departure interviews (in French), the participating students unanimously expressed the wish to integrate and in particular to make French same-aged friends. The paper first of all presents an overview of the range of tools used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data on participants’ social integration. The paper then goes on to evaluate the degree of success of even such highly motivated participants in achieving this declared goal, and to consider social, sociolinguistic and personal factors which appear to influence the degree of social integration achieved by individual participants

Teaching the Holocaust: Optimizing Emergent Curricular and Pedagogical Approaches.

Recent research into Holocaust education has revealed considerable debates over what, when, where, why, and how we should teach children about this horrendous time in history. Historians, teachers, curriculum developers, and even state legislators all seem to have spirited opinions about what constitutes an optimally effective Holocaust curriculum, what should be included, what age students should learn certain elements, and how teachers should be trained and supported in these endeavors. Teachers, in particular, regularly express concerns about their approach to historical accuracy and completeness, age appropriateness of content, and selection of daily activities that are intended to facilitate students’ construction of a solid knowledge base and a deeper understanding of Holocaust-related concepts and historical perceptions. A curriculum should provide the teachers with the historical and pedagogical guidance necessary to forge ahead confidently and construct meaningful lessons, and when mandated, should be accompanied by appropriate attention to teacher training and preparedness. This study focused on the pedagogical elements present within Unit IV of the New Jersey state mandated Holocaust curriculum, The Holocaust and Genocide: A Betrayal of Humanity, and examined how effectively it addresses these and related needs

Practical applications of small-angle neutron scattering.

Recent improvements in beam-line accessibility and technology have led to small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) becoming more frequently applied to materials problems. SANS has been used to study the assembly, dispersion, alignment and mixing of nanoscale condensed matter, as well as to characterise the internal structure of organic thin films, porous structures and inclusions within steel. Using time-resolved SANS, growth mechanisms in materials systems and soft matter phase transitions can also be explored. This review is intended for newcomers to SANS as well as experts. Therefore, the basic knowledge required for its use is first summarised. After this introduction, various examples are given of the types of soft and hard matter that have been studied by SANS. The information that can be extracted from the data is highlighted, alongside the methods used to obtain it. In addition to presenting the findings, explanations are provided on how the SANS measurements were optimised, such as the use of contrast variation to highlight specific parts of a structure. Emphasis is placed on the use of complementary techniques to improve data quality (e.g. using other scattering methods) and the accuracy of data analysis (e.g. using microscopy to separately determine shape and size). This is done with a view to providing guidance on how best to design and analyse future SANS measurements on materials not listed below

Metadata Basics: A Literature Survey and Subject Analysis

Librarians today are wrestling with an everchanging digital environment. In some way oranother, we must all adapt to new technologies, skills, and ways of thinking. What comes to mind when you hear the word “metadata?” Is itintimidating? Do metadatists and catalogers explain the term adequately? While this articleby no means captures all there is about metadata, it is intended to provide librarians with a basic understanding of what is involved in metadatawork

INVESTIGATING THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF TEACHERS IMPLEMENTING RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION IN AN URBAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SETTING: A QUALITATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY

Response to Intervention (RTI) models are currently being implemented in many school districts across the country. At a time when interest in RTI is high, teachers’ experiences and the extent to which RTI is being implemented effectively in urban schools is largely unknown. There are less than 4,150 published academic studies on effectively implementing RTI in urban school settings. This research explores the phenomenon of implementing RTI using a theoretical lens of change management for elementary teachers in urban schools. The study contributes to the body of RTI knowledge by investigating the lived experiences of elementary school teachers who were involved in implementing RTI in an urban setting. The results of the study emphasize three themes that should be addressed during implementation: interventions, challenges, and training

At the end of Magnolia Street: five chapters of Southern magical realism with a craft essay

“At the End of Magnolia Street” is a magical realism novel set in a fictional rural town in Middle Tennessee, taking place from the early 1990s through the 2000s. The novel explores the challenges a family can both create and endure together, following the lives of two girls as they struggle through difficult childhoods, living under the shadow of shared family history, and a fatal curse that has haunted the town for generations. The narrative alternates between Noble Williams and Liberty Allen as they struggle with unique abilities, ostracization, loss, guilt, and the need for the love and support of their family while simultaneously trying to escape the restrictions of their roots. My craft essay explores the use of counterpointed characterization to create conflict and tension as well as to develop and progress plot based upon Charles Baxter\u27s essay “Counterpointed Characterization” and exploring works that have influenced my own writing

A tool to assess nutrition and physical intervention for school-aged children

Over the last two decades the incidence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents has reached epidemic proportions in both developed and developing nations. Reducing the incidence of childhood overweight and obesity is of particular importance in countries undergoing social and cultural transitions, such as Trinidad and Tobago, where chronic diseases, such as childhood obesity may have severe social and economic impacts on public health. Although there are a number of studies that have investigated the health and lifestyle behaviours of school aged children, very little information exists about health and lifestyle behaviours of school age children in Trinidad and Tobago. Also, little information exists on the development of questionnaires to address health related issues within this culture and age group. The purpose of this study was to describe the development and pre-test of a knowledge, attitude, belief and practice (KABP) questionnaire to assess healthy lifestyle outcomes of school aged children in Trinidad and Tobago. Three data sources were used for the design and pre-testing of the questionnaire: content analysis of the literature, interview of key stakeholders, and onsite observations. An in-depth review of the literature was conducted for insights about questionnaire development. Interviews (individual and focus groups) were conducted of key stakeholder groups (school staff, the national school feeding program and curriculum officers) and children to determine current policies and practices, beliefs, barriers, and attitudes towards promoting health lifestyles (nutrition and fitness) in Trinidad and Tobago’s elementary schools. Site observations provided insight into the school food environment, class room practices, and food services offered at school. Observations were recorded using field notes and interviews were tape recorded and transcribed verbatim. Interview data from each participant was analyzed separately for dominant themes and recurring topics. The interviews were then compiled to establish the main issues which the questionnaire needed to address. The KABP questionnaire addressed general knowledge about healthy eating and activity, screen time, physical activity, snack and food choices, and self efficacy. The KABP questionnaire consisted of question items that were developed to fit the issues unique to Trinidad and Tobago, and items from previously validated questionnaires which were modified to fit the context of Trinidad and Tobago. The questionnaire was then pre-tested with a sample group of the target population. Pre-testing was done one-on one, in small groups and in the classroom setting. Based on pre-test results the questionnaire was then modified to form version 1.0 of the KABP questionnaire. Version 1.0 of the KABP questionnaire consisted of 30 questions divided into four categories. This culturally sensitive age appropriate questionnaire was the foundation of the KABP questionnaire which was used to collect baseline, midpoint and endpoint of the larger project