Roberta Vedders

Comment on Dennis Secara's post:  

Dennis, this is an unusual use of portfolios. In grad school, I began a portfolio and continued to add to it as I grew and learned. I am grateful for the process but would hate to see it as an evaluation method.

I really enjoyed this section. I never thought that much about how allowing an ESL student to access his or her mother language could aid in learning English. When I have studied Spanish (very little), I was always connecting the base of Spanish words with the base of English words. Both often had Latin parallels. Even as I communicate with my brother and his friends whose mother language is American Sign Language (ASL), it is obvious how logically ASL aligns with English.

One factor in teaching nursing is that in the United States, the NCLEX is given in English. While… >>>

So much could be included here. I appreciate the definitions of "identity" and being reminded that it is a process with bumps along the road. I also appreciate the distinction between intercultural and cross-cultural teaching.

Comment on Julie Williams's post: 

I agree with you, Julie. Generalizations based on gender can deter a student from reaching their full potential.

I read the "Mental Health Toolkit" by Momentous Institute. I have dealt with trauma on multiple fronts, including personally and helping others through traumatic experiences. One concept I had never considered is that trauma can be an event or experience that would not be traumatic for another. Considerations were the support group, situation in life, and a person experiencing one difficult event after another. The longer I teach, the more I realize that so much can be happening in the lives behind the smiling faces of students in class. The article discussed how this trauma effects the path of a… >>>

This segment was intriguing. I have been in education for a while, receiving FERPA training regularly. This acknowledged, I do not remember discussions of the USA Patriot Act, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Solomon Amendment, or Selvis. I anticipate referring back to this FERPA training. I have a heightened awareness to not share anything unless I know it is legal to do so.

I thought that FERPA only referred to when the student was enrolled. I learned that students who have left an institution are still protected under FERPA.

I did not know that a student could approve release of grades and attendance for only one course.

I know I will need to refer back to this To keep straight all the branches straight. I forgot that FERPA has been in existence since 1974.

Good reminder that definitions vary state to state. This material stresses equal treatment of victim and perpetrator. I wish the court system followed this. My daughter was sexually abused when she was 10 y/o by a man in his 40’s. Her counselor and we parents were no allowed in the courtroom. Her testimony was thrown out because in the police report she used the word (touched) and on the stand she used the word (fondled) which was interpreted as embellishing her testimony.