Media mentions: Faculty members and student quoted in national and local publications
Fields-Smith quoted on Black parents’ motivations for homeschooling
Cheryl Fields-Smith, an associate professor in the Department of Educational Theory and Practice, has seen a dramatic increase in Black homeschooling inquiries.
The cause, Fields-Smith told the New York Times, is that a pattern can be seen in curriculum that fails to teach about Black Americans beyond slavery and the civil rights era and many teachers’ negative preconceptions about Black young people.
“I’ve never had a parent tell me it was one particular factor,” said Fields-Smith. “It’s a multitude of factors, and a lot of them revolve around what I would just plainly say is racism.”
Read the full story on the New York Times website.
Jones discusses the benefits of outdoor learning environments
In a graphic essay in Seattle’s Child, Stephanie Jones, a professor in the Department of Educational Theory and Practice, explains how outdoor education can help solve many issues caused by the pandemic and systemic racism.
The graphic essay highlights the benefits of outdoor learning for children, which includes spending time with classmates and educators face-to-face, a much-needed break from the computer, and learning about the land.
“Children, teachers, and community educators learn and play together in their special outdoor place,” the graphic essay reads. “They might draw and identify plants, trees, and animals they see, read and write poetry, sing songs, make up plays, learn about the history of the land and local indigenous tribes and treaties, create art with natural objects, and so many more things.”
Read the full essay on Seattle’s Child.
Leffler quoted on the challenges of teaching American Sign Language virtually
Facial expressions are essential for communicating in American Sign Language (ASL). However, the COVID-19 pandemic and the use of face masks have presented several unique challenges for the deaf community.
Brian Leffler, a lecturer in the Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education, highlighted the sophistication of this distinct language, as well as the challenges of teaching ASL via a two-dimensional screen online.
“Pre-COVID, in the classroom, you have that turn-taking … I expect students to respond and not have a blank expression on their faces,” Leffler told the Rome News-Tribune. “Now with COVID, for those who are not coming to campus, we’re experiencing some challenges trying to do this in a two-dimensional space.”
Read the full story on the Rome News-Tribune website.
Flint helps Athens children succeed
Tanderius Flint (B.S.Ed. ’21), who was born and raised in Clarke County, studies sport management in the Department of Kinesiology. While attending school at Cedar Shoals High School, he spent many summers at Thomas Lay Park making friends through football and basketball before becoming a camp counselor.
After enrolling at UGA, he got involved with the Thomas Lay After-School program. Founded in 2006, the Thomas Lay After-School program connects UGA students with underserved elementary school students in Athens-Clarke County and surrounding areas.
“Playing a sport teaches lessons that apply to more than just the game,” he told UGA Today. “It teaches kids how to be strong leaders, how to work well with others, and how hard work pays off.”
Flint is always looking for new opportunities to make a difference. Last year, he volunteered with UGA’s Shop With A Bulldog program, a student-run nonprofit that partners with Clarke County schools to host an annual event where local students and UGA volunteers spend the day shopping, wrapping presents, and enjoying holiday activities.