Project 1: Presentation 2- University of Alberta
This project described the relationship between reading, anxiety, and trauma in students. The presenter provided a concrete example of a strategy teachers could use, that being the Social Constructive approach. By using this strategy, this could help promote reading and literacy skills in students, while reducing their anxiety levels around the subject. I liked how this researcher chose this topic as it was significant and personal to herself. Her passion for the research and topic shone through, and while viewing this presentation, I was reminded of a friend of mine who had reading anxiety growing up but is now the biggest reader I know. I think a presentation like this could have really benefited my friend going through reading anxiety. I would have liked to have seen more visual examples of this idea in practice, as I think it could have been a big asset to this presentation. A few more classroom strategies that educators could implement would have been helpful as well.
Project 2: Presentation 4- University of Alberta
Overview of project: The presenter talked about cross-curricular practices between story based literature, music, and kinesthetic elements such as dance and movement in an elementary based classroom. The presenter included a variety of texts that they used which would be a good starting point for elementary music educators looking to try this out. I could see that they tried to include books from other cultures and would be curious to know if their book collection has expanded since 2015 to include more diverse titles that represent all students in their classroom. Though there was one video example, (which was cut from the presentation), I would have liked to have heard more audio or video examples of the process of this presenter’s capstone. It seems as though it was a successful implementation but any helpful guidance or words of advice for educators who try this out and are maybe not as successful the first time could have been an asset to this presentation.
Project 3: Podcast- Queen’s University
This podcast focused on science anxiety, the negative effects students may experience and how to receive support. I resonated with the topic of this podcast as I struggled with the subject during some points in high school because my teachers had a tendency to move through topics quickly and make students feel discouraged for not understanding the course content. For someone who generally excelled in school, this was the one subject I developed negative connotations of well into my early adulthood, until most recently when I connected with colleagues who were truly passionate about the subject. As this topic struck a chord with me, I wondered how we could apply some of these strategies to other core subjects that students experience challenges in, like math, or literacy. On the contrary, how could we take these strategies and tear down barriers for students who are afraid to try Music, Art, Drama, or other elective subjects because “they cannot play an instrument, draw, or act?”
Project 4: Website- Queen’s University
This Capstone explores how to implement story workshop in early childhood education. The website takes you through step-by-step instructions for how to do this, along with materials required. There is also a section for their research and rationale for why play-based learning is important. I enjoyed the visual layout of this website and found it easy to follow along. The images supported the research well, and the font was clear and legible. I appreciated how the author included book suggestions and tips to implement this practice. While viewing this project, I wondered how I could adapt story workshop practices for high school learners. This project had me considering the power of story through song and how this could be incorporated into my Vocal Music class. Through my research with story based workshops and play-based learning and assessment, there is a large focus on Kindergarten/elementary school students. I would be curious to find examples of book titles for older learners.
Personal Reflection
Reviewing and reflecting over these presentations was helpful for me to consider what I was looking for in a project, and what I could potentially add to my own project that was missing from some of these presentations. I feel more reassured about representing my ideas through a visual format such as a PowerPoint but might have to brainstorm in a more research paper style first as that is how I best organize my thoughts. I especially enjoyed the presentations that included visuals, video, or audio clips and would like to incorporate that into my Capstone. From a reviewer standpoint, even if I am not as familiar with the topic, it is more engaging for me to follow along when there is a variety of text, visuals, and audio elements.
Queen's University, Kingston, June 2022
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