Participation Type
Discussion
Session Title
Session 11.10 Education and Natural Resources
Presentation #1 Title
What is a Teacher to do? Benefits and Challenges to Changing Demographics in Appalachia
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
The presenters will facilitate a discussion on the benefits and challenges faced by teachers who are experiencing the effects of demographic changes due to the immigration of oil and gas employees and their families to Appalachia. In general, the issue is that new students are enrolled and others are leaving on a continuous basis throughout the school year. The presenters will provide an overview of the topic as well as examples and data from some their partner schools. For example, an ESL student is enrolled in the class which brings diversity into the classroom. However, after six weeks in the classroom and just when the student shows progress in communicating with teachers and peers, he is withdrawn from the school and moves out of the area. Participants in this session will be encouraged to share their experiences as the discussion focuses on the following questions: 1) What are the benefits of teaching this new population of students?; 2) What are the challenges that teachers face as their student body changes? 3) How will these demographic changes effect new state requirements for students, teachers, and schools? and 4) How do these changes effect human resources and budgets?
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Paula McMurray-Schwarz received her Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education and Child Development from The Ohio State University and is currently an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at Ohio University Eastern Campus. She actively presents at the national conferences on topics related to the preparation of early childhood professionals and has publications in Early Childhood Education Journal, Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, and International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Jacqueline Yahn earned her M.A. from The Ohio State University and is currently the Middle Childhood Education Coordinator at Ohio University Eastern Campus. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in Educational Administration at Ohio University where she specializes in rural and small schools. Her dissertation focuses on rural schools in Northern Appalachia that lease their mineral rights to natural gas companies.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3
Kimberly Ciroli received her M.S. in Elementary Reading from Nova Southeastern University and is currently a lecturer at Ohio University Eastern. She has presented previously at OAEYC conference as well as the Early Childhood and School-Age Care Conference in Columbus, Ohio on topics related to early childhood education involving relationships with parents as well as best practice in early childhood.
What is a Teacher to do? Benefits and Challenges to Changing Demographics in Appalachia
Harris Hall 135
The presenters will facilitate a discussion on the benefits and challenges faced by teachers who are experiencing the effects of demographic changes due to the immigration of oil and gas employees and their families to Appalachia. In general, the issue is that new students are enrolled and others are leaving on a continuous basis throughout the school year. The presenters will provide an overview of the topic as well as examples and data from some their partner schools. For example, an ESL student is enrolled in the class which brings diversity into the classroom. However, after six weeks in the classroom and just when the student shows progress in communicating with teachers and peers, he is withdrawn from the school and moves out of the area. Participants in this session will be encouraged to share their experiences as the discussion focuses on the following questions: 1) What are the benefits of teaching this new population of students?; 2) What are the challenges that teachers face as their student body changes? 3) How will these demographic changes effect new state requirements for students, teachers, and schools? and 4) How do these changes effect human resources and budgets?
