Thinking About Teaching: A rural social studies teacher\u27s path to strive for excellence

Thinking About Teaching: A rural social studies teacher\u27s path to strive for excellence by Casey Jakubowski (2020) offers insights about the macros and micros of teaching. The book is geared toward educators and teacher candidates who seek to know more about the teaching profession. The book comprises four parts, including: 1) an introduction of practice which details twenty brief chapters of hot education topics, 2) curriculum and instruction, 3) rural education, and 4) a conclusion that pinpoints recommendations about teaching based on his experience that spans twenty years in the education field. Throughout the book Jakubowski expresses his professional journey by detailing his trials and tribulations as an educator. In addition, Jakubowski prioritizes rural education based on his own research (Jakubowski, 2019) and his professional practice as a social studies teacher, district administrator, state education department associate, and currently a teacher educator. Jakubowski describes exemplary authentic, student-centered learning and care-filled teaching methods. Thinking About Teaching is for growth-mindset educators who aim to improve their craft

The Current State of Secondary Social Studies in Western New York

This study explored the current state of secondary social studies in Western New York (WNY) through the lens of social studies orientations, specifically the traditional, disciplinary, and progressive strands (Fallace, 2010), and their alignment with the K-12 Social Studies Framework , approved by NYS’s Department of Education in 2014, with new NYS Regents assessments to begin in 2019. It was, therefore, important to collect baseline data on secondary social studies teachers’ social studies purpose, practices, and knowledge of NYS reforms. A mixed-method study began in the spring of 2017, which collected data from the WNY S4 survey and two focus groups. Survey participants totaled n = 136, representing six counties in WNY; focus group members totaled n = 9. The WNY S4 replicated survey items from a nationwide instrument, Survey on the Status of Social Studies–S4 (Fitchett & VanFossen, 2013) and analyzed data with descriptive and inferential statistics. The researcher developed a semi-structured interview guide to collect focus group data, which were analyzed by the long-table approach (Krueger & Casey, 2009). Major survey findings were: (1) 99% reported an unawareness of their state/district standards; (2) 100% reported developing critical-thinking skills, while 64% reported content knowledge as primary goals; and (3) top-ranked instructional practices were 87% teach political history; 83% teach social history; and 82% examine sources. Analyses of t-tests indicate gender and grade level-band indicators are influential to instructional practices. For example, female and high school teachers seem to engage students more often in non-history content emphases, such as diversity of religious views, economics, and historiography while also de-emphasizing the lecture; hence aligning more with the disciplinary strand and less with the traditional strand. Focus group results pinpoint a struggle between participants’ intentions versus actual practice which may impact alignment to NYS social studies reforms. Misalignment attributed to teacher’s purpose being overshadowed by their own instructional choices or outside factors, such as assessments, time, and other school district issues. Five out of nine focus group participants associated with the hybrid disciplinary-progressive approach, suggesting that secondary social studies teachers do not situate themselves to a single social studies orientation; and also consistent with past studies (Long, 2017; Vinson, 1998). Overall, WNY S4 data suggests when purpose and practices are more closely aligned to the disciplinary and progressive approaches, secondary social studies instruction may find greater success with NYS social studies education reforms. In addition, gender and identified grade level-band (middle school and high school) differences provide insights for developing and tailoring professional development for different groups of teachers. Two recommendations for policy and practice include: (1) refine the social studies orientation model into a continuum, and (2) apply the Social Studies Purpose Compass developed by the researcher to guide instructional alignment with NYS social studies reforms

Enhancing Cosmesis While Achieving High Cure Rates For Early Stage Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer In The Outpatient Dermatology Clinic Using A Novel Non-Invasive Modality

Introduction: Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (NMSC) is generally treated in dermatology offices using surgical techniques. Objectives: We evaluate the feasibility, tolerance, effectiveness and cosmesis using an office-based non-surgical modality for NMSC. Methods: 93 patients with 133 pathologically confirmed early stage invasive and in-situ NMSC lesions treated with Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy (IGSRT) were retrospectively analyzed. All lesions received a median of twenty fractions of 50 or 70 kilovoltage(kV) IGSRT. Energy selection and subsequent kV changes were determined by ultrasound imaging. RTOG toxicity scoring was used. Treatment interruption was defined as greater than 2 weeks. Results: Median age was 69. At an average follow-up of 16.23 months, 92 of 93 patients were alive. One patient expired from unrelated causes while no evidence of disease (NED). 132 of 133 lesions achieved local control (LC) with one lesion recurring at 12.9 months. Absolute LC was 99.2%, overall Kaplan-Meier LC (KM LC) was 98.95% at 30.8 months, and Disease Free Survival (DFS) was 100%. Acute toxicities were mild with RTOG grades 0, 1 or 2 in all lesions with no grade 3 or 4 toxicity. Cosmesis was felt to be excellent or very good (VG) by the clinicians with no fair/poor cosmesis. There were no severe toxicities or complications requiring treatment interruptions. Conclusions: Office based IGSRT is feasible, safe, easily tolerable, and highly effective. Patients receiving IGSRT achieve excellent/VG cosmesis and welcome this nonsurgical option. IGSRT is an attractive non-invasive therapeutic option for NMSC and provides another valuable tool for dermatologists