Teaching in a Diverse World Conference

University of Maine Farmington
February 5th, 2009

Session Descriptions

Creating Safe and Respectful Schools

This address will provide participants with an understanding of the problem of bias, prejudice and hate in schools and with skills and strategies for intervening to prevent harassment. When faculty and staff are provided with knowledge and skills for intervening to stop harassment in school, they can create a climate in which every student feels physically and emotionally safe and ready to learn.
Presenter: Stephen Wessler is the Executive Director at the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence in Portland, Maine. The Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence is a non-profit organization that develops and implements training and educational programs to prevent bias, harassment and violence.

The ABCs and 1,2,3s of RTI

Though the term RTI is included only with the identification process for Learning Disabilities in IDEIA 2004, some districts have embraced the Early Intervening, Response to Intervention practices as part of the identification process for other disabilities as well. Learn how the Yarmouth Schools have put in place more formalized, seamless instructional support services that meet diverse learning needs of all students and how RTI data is useful information to teaching and learning as well as the special education identification process. Learn how to facilitate conversations with your team once the data from the RTI process is available to the team and how the data will inform team decision making.
Presenters: Jane E. Golding Director of Instructional Support, Yarmouth School Department, Yarmouth, ME jane_golding@yarmouth.k12.me.us Jane has worked as a teacher,and an administrator of instructional programs and has taught at the university level. Julie Olsen Instructional Strategist, Yarmouth School Department, Yarmouth, ME Julie_olsen@yarmouth.k12.me.us. Julie has worked as a behavioral consultant, a special educator, and is an instructional strategist.

Missing History: African American Experience in Maine Back to Top

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Presenter: Rachel Talbot Ross

* This session is co-sponsored by the UMF Diversity Committee

Sexual Education Strategies for the Calvin and Hobbs Mentality

This session will explore the difficult and controversial subject matter of teaching sexuality education to today’s youth. With the United States still leading industrialized nations in rates of teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted disease, what does theory and research suggest work? The objectives of this session are to analyze how the discipline of health education is very different than teaching other subjects in public schools and to explore several exciting teaching strategies that attempt to penetrate the invisibility of a “Calvin and Hobbs Mentality” among our nation’s youth.
Presenter: Dr. Lea Bryant is an Associate Professor of Health Education at UMF

Designing Student Led IEP Meetings

Research indicates that students with disabilities are more successful in their postsecondary endeavors when they have solid self-advocacy skills. Essential to successful self-advocacy are strong self-knowledge of learning profile, ability to articulate learning needs, and skill in communicating those needs to others. Students who successfully lead their IEP meetings possess these attributes. We feel it is the responsibility of secondary educators to see that students leave high school with these valuable transition skills. Learn how to design the Student Led IEP Meeting process and give your students the gift of independence.
Presenters: Jodi McGuire, Instructional Strategist, Yarmouth School Department, Yarmouth, ME jodi_mcguire@yarmouth.k12.me.us. Jodi has worked as a special educator in Maine, Florida, and New Mexico. She is currently an Instructional Strategist at Yarmouth High School.

Me in the Mirror

Using the student in the center of a culture wheel as an introduction to a middle school study of LD 291 and its implications. Middle schoolers in smaller Maine communities have a very narrow world view. Acknowledging and describing this world view is a necessary starting point for broadening it. This will be a “down to earth” description of what I do at the grade 8 level, what students can and can not be expected to understand about LD 291, and ideas for using our 1-1 laptop program to expand the discussion. The session will include an update on materials being developed to support the implementation of LD 291.
Presenter:Betsy McIlvain is teaching Literacy to grade 8 at Freeport Middle School. She is a member of the Maine Native Studies Committee and active in the writing, gathering and dissemination of curricula to support LD 291, a topic on which she maintains a blog.

Person to Person Learning Via International Study Visits
Come learn about the value of international travel with students. Dr. Dunlap will discuss how to arrange visits and share his experiences traveling with students to Finland, Ireland, Russia, Canada and beyond.
Presenter Dr. Doug Dunlap is a Professor of Rehabilitation Services at UMF.

Educational Opportunity: Low Income, First Generation Students and Upward Bound

This session will give an overview of the Upward Bound program and how it serves low-income high schools students who will be the first in their families to go to college. A panel of alumni from the Upward Bound program at UMF will then share their stories of how Upward Bound supported them in reaching their educational goals.
Presenters: Elyse Pratt-Ronco is an Educational Counselor for the Upward Bound program at UMF. She will be joined by a panel of Upward Bound students.

The Remarkable Diversity of Maine Families: Debunking the Myth of Homogeneity

In this session, I will discuss the ethnic, racial, class, and cultural differences that exist in contemporary Maine families. Such a discussion refutes the salient notion that Maine is a homogeneous state with no cultural diversity.
Presenter: Julianna Acheson is a Cultural Anthropologist and Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology in the Social Sciences Department at the University of Maine at Farmington. She is currently the acting director of Women’s and Gender Studies.

Teaching Internationally

This session will present experiences of teaching and living internationally. Dr. Thorson taught in Germany at a private school while Mrs. Miles taught in Belgium as part of the Department of Defense.
Presenters: Dr. Sue Thorson is an Associate Professor of Special Education. Mrs. Kathy Miles is a faculty member in the Special Education department, she supervises student teachers in the local area.

Clashing Cultures and More: How do prejudices begin?

We will discuss causes and forms of prejudice. For example, projection of a group’s collective shadow onto another group, prejudices against those who associate with out-groups, and unconscious biases. Participants will be involved in a hands-on demonstration of two cultures interacting.
Presenter: Lee Anna Stirling, Ed.D. teaches educational leadership classes at the University of New England and diversity and multiculturalism, project-based learning, educators keeping on track with their morale and effectiveness, and collaborative peer coaching classes at Thomas College and state wide.

Diverse Children’s Literature

This session will focus on children’s literature that features children of diverse populations. The presentation is founded on two important principles: (1) children of diversity must see themselves reflected (as in a mirror) in the literature that portrays their culture and (2) literature that portrays diversity can be a window for all children to learn about cultures different from their own.
Presenter: Dr. Blackstone, Associate Professor in Education, Elementary & Early Childhood Dept. has taught child and adolescent literature for several years. A professional educator for 39 years, Dr. Blackstone has been a classroom teacher administrator, curriculum director and professor. This is her first year at UMF.

Socioeconomic Status and School: a panel of local high school teachers
Join local high school teachers to hear their perspectives on teaching in the greater Farmington area. For these teachers, and many in rural areas issues of socioeconomic diversity dominate the classroom diversity. Discussion will begin with information about how each teacher sees the impact of socioeconomic standing in schools. Attendees are invited to bring questions and concerns to discuss.
Presenters: Hattie DeRapps, Meadow Sheldon and Beth Whittle are all teachers at Mt. Blue High School. They are enrolled in the Masters of Education program here at UMF and share a concern about connecting and motivating the students they work with.

Growing Up Poor: A Systems Perspective on the Effects of Poverty

This session will look at the impacts of poverty on adolescent development through the lens of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model. The results of a qualitative study of adolescents living in rural poverty will be discussed, along with implications for practice.
Presenter: Elyse Pratt-Ronco is an Educational Counselor for the Upward Bound program at UMF.

ResulTech Schools: A Program Designed to Motivate Students

How do you reach hard to teach students? The ResulTech Schools Model is one approach. We work to create engaging educational programs that not only reengage at-risk and disaffected youth, but are used to reduce minority isolation by bringing families back to public schools from charters and privates, and to function as economic development initiatives by preparing learners with 21st Century Skills. The formula: Real-world, project-based learning plus teachers connecting with students plus laptops equals reengaging underachievers and reaching families and employers. Discover the 9 critical components of this successful program and the lessons we have learned about educational needs programs and meeting the needs of reluctant learners.
Presenter: Mike Muir has been working to engage and motivate students for 20 years. He is an Associate Professor of Education at UMF, Director of the Maine Center for Meaningful and Engaged Learning, and Vice President for Development & Support for ResulTech Educational Services. He is especially interested in what engages hard to teach students.

Teaching Children with Autism

Teaching children with autism is such an adventure. I learn so much from my students everyday. The techniques and strategies I have learned are amazing, but the one thing that’s helped me the most is getting to know my students. There may be struggles some days, but the smiles and progress make the teaching experience worth while.
Presenter: Allyson St. Pierre graduated from UMF in 2008. She studied Elementary Education while at UMF. She is now working at the Margaret Murphy Center for Children teaching children with autism and other disabilities. She works with children ages 6-12.

The Importance of Integration of LD291 in Middle and Secondary Classrooms

This session will focus on the ways in which I have integrated Native American culture and issues in my classroom. It will also explore some of the reasons for the integration of this material in areas other than the social studies classroom. I hope to share some of my sources, successes and struggles.
Presenter: Maggie graduated from UMF in 2004, and was hired in the Fall of 2004 by MSAD#58 and currently still works for the district. She spent one year with a variety of titles, the last three as the 11th grade English teacher at Mt. Abram high school. She currently teaches 5-8th grade Language Arts in Phillips as well as an AP Language and Composition course at Mt. Abram high school. Though she has only taught for a short time, she has been Mi’kmaq her whole life. Her Mi’kmaq heritage is very important to her and her family, and she tries to share a new understanding with her students for Native people through her experiences and integrated lessons.

Differentiation in a One Room School House

There may not seem to be a whole lot of diversity in a one room school house with only six students, all who happen to be male. However, the needs and abilities of the students in The Monhegan Island School are as diverse as in any other school system. In this session come learn about what it is like to plan for and present five different lesson plans every day in every subject matter. Hear what it is like teaching in one of the last one-room school houses in the state of Maine and see true differentiation performed on a daily basis.
Presenter: Jessie Campbell is a University of Maine alumna of the class of 2007. She is currently in her second year teaching at the Monhegan Island School where she teaches six boys grades pre-school through 8th grade.

Teaching in Paraguay
This session will present the experience of teaching internationally and the effect it had on the teaching methods and different teaching strategies and the different ideas about teaching which were brought back.

Presenter Jennifer Bernhardt is a first year student majoring in Secondary Education English. She lived and taught english in schools in Luque, Paraguay.

Teaching in schools with GLBTQ students

Are schools a safe place for GLBTQ students? What can educators do? In this session we will review recent information on the State of Schools for GLBTQ students. We will also discuss what changes have taken place in the last decade and what still remains to be done.
Presenters: Kristen Gilbert has been in education for 20 years and is passionate about creating safe schools for all students whether as a teacher, school health coordinator or an administrator. Ashley Willoughby has served as an America Vista teacher at Marranacook Middle School, worked for the Prevention Coalition, and currently works at Waterville Junior High School as a Guidance Counselor

Undo the stereotyping in Native American Literature

Participants will learn how to recognize stereotyping in Native American Literature. Discussions will be geared to audience needs as participants will look at available resources and literature that are suitable for all age/ grade levels. Everyone will come away with lists of appropriate/inappropriate books and resources and a renewed sense of looking at history and point of view.
Presenter: Melanie teaches 4th grade in Ellsworth. She has presented at many conferences across the state promoting the teaching of Maine Native Americans collectively known as the Wabanaki.

Working with English Language Learners

Ms. Boynton and Ms. Bunn both teach at the Montello Elementary School in Lewiston Maine. They will share their experiences in working with students whom are English Language Learners. Ms. Boynton works with 2nd graders while Ms. Bunn works with students in the 3rd grade.
Presenters: Ms. Boynton graduated from UMF in 2007 and has been teaching for 2 years in Lewiston. Ms. Bunn graduated in 2008 and is in her first year of teaching in Lewiston.

Connecting Students

This session will focus on collaboration in a connectivist learning environment. The presenter will cover what connectivisim is, traits of the connectivist teacher and traits of the connectivist student as well as share several examples of her students’ collaborations, both national and international. Technology tools that will be covered include Skype, Wikispaces, Google, Facebook, and Twitter.
Presenter: Amity Bean teaches Spanish in MSAD 21. Amity Beane has been teaching for 9 years. She is trained as an artist and has taught art, photojournalism, and modern languages. Amity has lived and worked in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. She is currently a graduate student at UMF where her research focus is connectivism in school.

Teaching Language and Culture in Elementary School

This session will explore different strategies to help students build second language skills and knowledge of other cultures. Learn some hands-on strategies that have worked to help one teacher engage multiple learning styles. Additionally hear how one teacher has found ways to help students see similarities between cultures to build appreciation of diversity. Even if you are not going to be a teacher of foreign languages this session will provide useful ways to integrate cultural connections.
Presenter: Carlos Ochoa teaches Spanish in Jay Elementary Schools.

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