Montgomery County Public Schools

In this quasi-experimental study, 608 fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students explored 5 historical investigations. In the experimental condition, teachers used a cognitive apprenticeship model to teach students historical reading and writing strategies. Comparison teachers used the same materials to deliver a business-as-usual form of instruction. Random assignment was at the individual level for fourth and fifth graders and at the classroom level for sixth graders. After controlling for gender, ethnicity, and pretest scores, the findings indicated that experimental students outperformed their peers in control classrooms on measures of essay length (ES = 0.25), holistic writing quality (ES = 0.59), and argumentative historical writing (ES = 0.67). Differences in students’ argumentative historical writing remained after six weeks (ES = 0.71). Finally, students with disabilities as well as those who did not meet annual reading proficiency benchmarks on state-administered assessments all benefited from experimental instruction. These results suggest that with appropriate supports and the opportunity to engage in meaningful historical content, students in fourth through sixth grade can analyze primary and secondary source documents and write evidence-based historical arguments. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

This chapter will discuss the intersection of the alternative black curriculum and advocacy during the early twentieth century. The author will consider and erase the organizational history of the International Council of the Women of the Darker Races, established in 1922 by a group of prominent black women activists. The chapter will introduce the conceptual framework of dialogical spaces to illuminate the work of the ICWDR at the intersection of the alternative black curriculum and policy advocacy. Finally, the chapter considers how the country of Haiti played an important role in the development of the alternative black curriculum.

ABSTRACTThis pilot study investigated the efficacy of Qigong Sensory Training, a parent-implemented tactile intervention, in improving sensory processing and self-regulation in children with or at-risk for autism who were enrolled in early intervention. A pretest-posttest, single-subject design was implemented with three families. After 5 months, atypical sensory processing and self-regulation improved by more than one standard deviation for all children. Parenting stress decreased by more than one standard deviation for two of the mothers. These results suggest that Qigong Sensory Training can be effective for children with or at-risk for autism when provided through a coaching model in an early intervention setting.

Abstract The ability to harness the benefits of big data has had a revolutionary impact on science, with its focus on the volume and variety of data sources and application of both traditional and innovative analytic methods appropriate for large, aggregated datasets. We are concerned, however, about the opposite: small data for which the size, dispersion, or accessibility of the population of interest makes it difficult to obtain adequate sample sizes to test specific research questions. Data from these groups, however, are critical if we want to include health-related issues across all populations in cancer research. An example of the potential negative ramifications of not including underrepresented groups in research or inappropriately aggregating them across groups-- comes from the study of racial and ethnic health disparities and issues of equity in the US. Intervention research often does not include a wide range of racial/ethnic subgroups; so it is not feasible to test whether an intervention created specifically for the majority group is also efficacious for the subgroups. Likewise, the ability to test whether an intervention can be altered for a particular subgroup is also often not possible. Epidemiologic and surveillance research usually involves the inclusion of “minority or underserved populations” in addition to white/non-Hispanic white (NHW) groups. While this has allowed for a better understanding of these smaller populations and provides some progress toward addressing health inequities, there remain pockets of communities that are severely underrepresented within the broader minority and underserved populations. Citation Format: Shobha Srinivasan, Richard P. Moser, Gordon Willis, William Riley, Mark Alexander. Challenges of implementing interventions in “small populations.” [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Seventh AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 9-12, 2014; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2015;24(10 Suppl):Abstract nr IA53.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to give an overview and a few highlights from the author's experience at the 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair.Design/methodology/approachThe author visited the Frankfurt Book Fair from October 10 through October 12, visiting a wide variety of vendors across all exhibition halls and attending a number of special presentations. All empirical data are based on personal observations recorded by journal during and directly after each fair visit.FindingsThe fair was an excellent chance to learn more about the publishing industry, particularly with respect to the author's prior interests in education and children's and young adult literature. The event is so large, and the vendors so numerous, that all areas of interest to publishers, librarians, educators, booksellers, and others in the book trade are represented.Originality/valueThis report should be of particular interest to those thinking of attending the Frankfurt Book Fair for the first time, as well as those who are familiar with the event but were unable to attend in 2012. Educators and library media specialists will find this viewpoint to be written from a perspective that is especially relevant to them and their work.

Abstract Learning to write is critical in today's world, yet many students are not developing the writing abilities they need to use writing as a powerful tool for learning and for showing what they know. Research indicates that failure to acquire strong writing abilities restricts opportunities for both post‐secondary education and employment. This article addresses why writing is important and its place in the Common Core State Standards, factors that contribute to the poor writing performance of so many of our students, and how we can develop strong writers across the grades. The focus of the article is Self‐Regulated Strategy Development, an evidence‐based approach supported by a long‐standing body of research meeting stringent standards that clearly indicates significant improvements in student achievement. The article includes resources for readers who wish to learn more, as well as a description of effective professional development in SRSD.

Soyfoods provide healthful options for school breakfasts and lunches that are lower in saturated fat, cholesterol, fat, and calories and can help meet demands for vegetarian choices. Researchers tested acceptance of soy-based options substituted for popular lunch items with a diverse student population. Researchers conducted a plate waste study in 5 middle schools in Montgomery County, Maryland, to test the comparability of soy-based alternatives to 4 popular meat-based menu items. Initially, students ranked taste, appearance, and texture of 15 soyfoods to narrow to "hybrid" beef patties, soy-based nuggets, soy-based chicken-less slices, and soy macaroni and cheese. After the meal, trained observers randomly tagged and collected trays with and without test items and weighed leftover entrées. Researchers used a proportional odds model to compare amounts and proportions of food consumed, and a mixed model to account for differences between schools. Students consumed the same amount of soy-based and traditional patties, nuggets, and pasta, and less soy than regular chicken in the salad (odds ratio 0.122, p value < .0001). Students consumed higher proportions (p value < .05) of traditional chicken nuggets, beef patties, chicken slices, and pasta compared to soy-based alternative products. On average, soy-based entrées had fewer calories; less total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol; and more iron, fiber, and sodium compared to traditional menu items. This study indicates that middle school students readily consume almost equal numbers of soy-based products compared to popular school lunch items. Soyfoods provide nutritional advantages.