All posts by Alexandra Villanueva

Turning risk factors into protective ones

Culturally, Linguistically, and Socioeconomically Diverse Adolescents in Urban Contexts: Framing the Conversation

“Individual case studies conducted with these youth indicated that factors such as strong goal orientations, a belief in the benefits of high school graduation, a willingness to follow school rules, and supportive relationships with teachers were protective factors that contributed to these students’ decision to stay in high school” (Murray, C. & Naranjo J., 146).

While reading this passage, I thought: what kind of steps can I, as an educator of adolescents take in my classes and school so that I can turn “risk factors” into “protective factors”? Continue reading Turning risk factors into protective ones →

Descriptions enhance our effectiveness as teachers

Observing to Learn and Learning to Observe

“Describing I pause, and pausing, attend. Describing requires that I stand back and consider. Describing requires that I not rush to judgment or conclude before I have looked. …I have to set aside familiar categories for classing and generalizing. I have to stay with the subject of my attention.I have to give it time to speak, to show itself.To describe teaches me that the subject of my attention always exceeds what I can see…I learn that when I see a lot, I am still seeing only a little and partially. I learn that when others join in, the description is always fuller that what I saw along.” (Carini 2001, 163) Continue reading Descriptions enhance our effectiveness as teachers →