Two Education students, Justice Simpson and Joy Lee, presented at the Stevenson University Fall 2023 Scholars Symposium on December 14 in the Rockland Banquet room. After a welcome from Honors Program Director Rivka Glaser, and remarks by President Elliot Hirshman, the opening session featured five presentations from Honors, Leadership, and Services Scholars on a variety of research topics. This was followed by concurrent oral presentations, roundtable discussions, and a poster session.
Justice Simpson, an Honors and Leadership Scholar, and Junior Elementary Education major, presented a poster on his Honors project, “A Helping Hand: Supporting Second Graders in Reading Fluency.” The poster described the goal and methods of the project, and reported the findings. Four of the five students who participated improved their scores on a fluency assessment, benefiting from teacher feedback and individualized instruction. Justice wishes to thank his Honors faculty mentor, Valerie Valdez, Assistant Professor of Education.
Joy Lee, Honors Scholar and Junior Elementary Education major, facilitated a roundtable discussion with two other Honors and Leadership Scholars called, “Barnyard Brawl: How to Best Teach Children Conflict Resolution.” Combining skills from three disciplines – Legal Studies, Elementary Education, and Graphic Design – the presenters created a children’s book to demonstrate healthy strategies for resolving conflicts. The final product was read to two fourth grade classes. During the roundtable the presenters discussed the process of creating the book, the students’ reactions and responses to the topic, and the importance of conflict resolution in the classroom. The presenters were assisted by faculty mentors Valerie Valdez (Education), Meghan Marx (Design), and Pamela Chaney (Legal Studies).
All participants wish to thank the Scholars Programs Faculty Directors: Ryan Clark- Leadership Scholars, Rivka Glaser- Honors Program, and Holly Lentz Schiller- Service Scholars. In addition, gratitude goes to the members of the Honors Program Committee: Jeremy Burkett, Erika Dumke, Meredith Durmowicz, Kelly Fewster, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Victoria Miller, Christopher Reed, Laura T. Smith, and Valerie Valdez.