I have a lot of thoughts on this question and wondered at how it is a common practice to send the toddler to a day-care during the pre-school time. Having read a relevant book and found some researched and cited study on this topic, I wanted to share it with all. Here is goes....
Its from the book "Beyond Intelligence: Secrets for raising happily productive kids"
The authors of this book quote a research done by the National Institute for Child health and Human Development (NICHD). This study began in 1991 with over a 1000 infants from a variety of family backgrounds, locations through the US. Its findings showed that children who were cared for by stay-at-home mothers didn't develop differently than those who were primarily cared for by others like nannies, extended family, day care personnel. What mattered was the parental and familial characteristics they experienced, including warmth, responsiveness, and the right kinds of stimulation. Researchers did find some differences across different circumstances. Children who participated in better care settings showed higher levels of language, cognitive, and social development than those who experienced a lower-quality care. Another study by Megan Gunnar et al found that children's stress levels rise when they are in settings where they don't receive ample attention, support, guidance from the care provider. Children in the NICHD study who spent more time in non-maternal care in their first 4.5 years of life had more behavioral problems like aggression, lack of cooperation as well as minor illnesses of upper respiratory system and stomach, as compared with those with fewer hours in care. On the same lines, findings of Gunnar include that children in daycare situations have higher levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) than children being cared for at home by their parents, and this increased with the number of hours in the care.
Lastly, a child attending care-child centers do better socially and cognitively in the early years, but also have more minor illnesses upto an age of 3 and more behaviorial problems when they enter kindergarten. Gunnar's concludes that center-based care is inherently more stressful than home-based care for children younger than 3 and parents should keep tp a minimum the number of hours their infant or toddler spends in the care-based daycare.
I appreciate the importance of giving relevant citations of such an important study.
Megan Gunnar's article: "The Rise in Cortisol in Family Daycare: Associations With Aspects of Care Quality, Child Behavior, and Child Sex"
NICHD research: Backgrounder: The NICHD's 16-Year Study of Child Care & Development
Thursday, February 18, 2016
On Creativity
I am on a committee at the college that works to access and improve the growth of creativity during the academic career of students at my college. I think, it has been a great opportunity to spend time and thoughts on getting an objective hold of creativity, its measurement metrics and its nurturing characteristics.
In general, creativity is understood to be a mix of originality, flexible progressive thinking, aesthetics, and motivation. In addition to being a set of characteristics, creativity is also a potential of a person to make original, contributions as opined by experts.
Daniel Keating has defined creativity as a culmination of domain specific knowledge, divergent thinking, and effective communication. Having a domian-specific knowledge is essential part of being creative, similar to it being essential for being intelligent. To understand, this, it can be agreed that a person cannot be creative if he/she does not have the background knowledge and skills to apply to an unfamiliar situation/scenario. Its similar to saying that an author cannot create an creative work without having the fundamental tools of effective communications. Creative is not something that passes through few gifted individuals, even though it may appear that creativity is something like having a magical power. It has to depend of having relevant background knowledge and skills.
Unix/terminal-type programmers, scientists, as shown in the Hollywood are not individuals who have bought of excellent thoughts, what the movies do not show is the background work that is needed for recognizing a creative thought. I can think of Good Will Hunting's opening where Matt Damon is shown to flip through books and seemingly gain all the knowledge before the titles end and the movie begins. In reality, creativity begins after the entire movie of learning is experienced by an individual.
An occasional wave of creativity cannot go further without a through understanding of skills and knowledge to ride on. Without the relevant knowledge, one cannot draw from memory and find specific patterns, ideas, synergistic concepts. Focusing of knowledge and skills will not render an individual less creative, as popularly thought.
Having Divergent Thinking
It refers to having many thoughts stemming from a common thought but going in different thought directions. The aim being, that several divergent thought might cover more ground and eventually lead to something creatively relevant.
Recipe of having valuable creative thoughts:
Having a balance of four things: knowledge, divergent thinking, critical analysis, and communication.
Creative Thinking Habits
Creativity can be developed, parents can encourage children to cultivate essential skills for success in the ever evolving world.
In general, creativity is understood to be a mix of originality, flexible progressive thinking, aesthetics, and motivation. In addition to being a set of characteristics, creativity is also a potential of a person to make original, contributions as opined by experts.
Daniel Keating has defined creativity as a culmination of domain specific knowledge, divergent thinking, and effective communication. Having a domian-specific knowledge is essential part of being creative, similar to it being essential for being intelligent. To understand, this, it can be agreed that a person cannot be creative if he/she does not have the background knowledge and skills to apply to an unfamiliar situation/scenario. Its similar to saying that an author cannot create an creative work without having the fundamental tools of effective communications. Creative is not something that passes through few gifted individuals, even though it may appear that creativity is something like having a magical power. It has to depend of having relevant background knowledge and skills.
Unix/terminal-type programmers, scientists, as shown in the Hollywood are not individuals who have bought of excellent thoughts, what the movies do not show is the background work that is needed for recognizing a creative thought. I can think of Good Will Hunting's opening where Matt Damon is shown to flip through books and seemingly gain all the knowledge before the titles end and the movie begins. In reality, creativity begins after the entire movie of learning is experienced by an individual.
An occasional wave of creativity cannot go further without a through understanding of skills and knowledge to ride on. Without the relevant knowledge, one cannot draw from memory and find specific patterns, ideas, synergistic concepts. Focusing of knowledge and skills will not render an individual less creative, as popularly thought.
Having Divergent Thinking
It refers to having many thoughts stemming from a common thought but going in different thought directions. The aim being, that several divergent thought might cover more ground and eventually lead to something creatively relevant.
Recipe of having valuable creative thoughts:
Having a balance of four things: knowledge, divergent thinking, critical analysis, and communication.
Creative Thinking Habits
Creativity can be developed, parents can encourage children to cultivate essential skills for success in the ever evolving world.
Friday, February 5, 2016
Intelligence
I wanted to write something that I learnt after reading a book "Beyond Intelligence" written by Dona Matthews PhD and Joanne Foster Ed. D. I think its a good combination of educational expert and a science expert perspectives.
Perspectives on Intelligence:
From 3 decades of studies on people perspectives of their success and failures, Carol Dweck concluded that those who think of intelligence with a growth mindset: developing incrementally, step by step, with effort and practice, do better across in areas of academia, career, and psychological success, as compared to fixed mindset:folks who think of success as being something innate that people are born with.
This of course should not be startling as neurosciences has shown that brain activity develops from birth on wards and is affected over lifespan of an individual. A whole lot of learning is possible in a lifespan and that is what we as humans do and those who do not learn so to say have already reached their developmental state inertia.
To avoid coming back to a catch 22 situation, it needs to be stated that a mindset is not acquired at birth these refer to habits that can be developed and learned. I, being an educator myself am a witness to my college's students who have developed newer habits that tend to make oneself more successful, with all its subjectivity.
Research has shown that praising children for being smart is detrimental to their growth and instead of using the praise terms of "bright", intelligent, talented it is suggested to provide a praise children for what they have accomplished through practice, study, persistence, and good strategies. Always go for uplifting the growth mindset.
From fixed mindset perspective, does not give an elbow room for further improvement as intelligence is considered as innate, something one has from birth where as the growth mindset talks about varying degrees of intelligence, the intelligence being progressive and attainable by an individual. Ask any accomplished person and you shall hear back the experiences of an growth mindset person.
Why is that certain individuals master new ideas quickly and easily?
Well it can be thought that the above statement is valid only for new ideas that are close to concepts that these certain individuals have mastered already. So , in reality by considering their old existing knowledge possessed by them, the newly (but relatable) ideas are not really new to them.
Working hard does not mean that someone is not smart, instead it means to confront challenges and moving ahead methodically, and is the blueprint of making a person smart (not in the sense of innate smartness though).
Take away point:
The definition of Intelligence at last:
Intelligence is the ability to understand complex ideas, adapt effectively to the environment, overcome obstacles, engage meaningfully in various forms of reasoning, and learn from experience. It develops incrementally, and varies across time, situations, and domains.
Perspectives on Intelligence:
From 3 decades of studies on people perspectives of their success and failures, Carol Dweck concluded that those who think of intelligence with a growth mindset: developing incrementally, step by step, with effort and practice, do better across in areas of academia, career, and psychological success, as compared to fixed mindset:folks who think of success as being something innate that people are born with.
This of course should not be startling as neurosciences has shown that brain activity develops from birth on wards and is affected over lifespan of an individual. A whole lot of learning is possible in a lifespan and that is what we as humans do and those who do not learn so to say have already reached their developmental state inertia.
To avoid coming back to a catch 22 situation, it needs to be stated that a mindset is not acquired at birth these refer to habits that can be developed and learned. I, being an educator myself am a witness to my college's students who have developed newer habits that tend to make oneself more successful, with all its subjectivity.
Research has shown that praising children for being smart is detrimental to their growth and instead of using the praise terms of "bright", intelligent, talented it is suggested to provide a praise children for what they have accomplished through practice, study, persistence, and good strategies. Always go for uplifting the growth mindset.
From fixed mindset perspective, does not give an elbow room for further improvement as intelligence is considered as innate, something one has from birth where as the growth mindset talks about varying degrees of intelligence, the intelligence being progressive and attainable by an individual. Ask any accomplished person and you shall hear back the experiences of an growth mindset person.
Why is that certain individuals master new ideas quickly and easily?
Well it can be thought that the above statement is valid only for new ideas that are close to concepts that these certain individuals have mastered already. So , in reality by considering their old existing knowledge possessed by them, the newly (but relatable) ideas are not really new to them.
Working hard does not mean that someone is not smart, instead it means to confront challenges and moving ahead methodically, and is the blueprint of making a person smart (not in the sense of innate smartness though).
Take away point:
The definition of Intelligence at last:
Intelligence is the ability to understand complex ideas, adapt effectively to the environment, overcome obstacles, engage meaningfully in various forms of reasoning, and learn from experience. It develops incrementally, and varies across time, situations, and domains.
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Motivation for Learning and Performance
Here I document some of the interesting learning experiences in the workshop by Dr. Bobby Hoffman. The host of the workshop was conducting the workshop based on his book.
Interpretive issues:self awareness, misconceptions, calibrations
The Process: diagnostic model
Influences: culture, development, genetics
Big deal:-self-beliefs
Self-worth: self-handicapping
Part-2 post-lunch session: Strategies: context-based solutions
Implementations: overcoming them
Research findings:
1. Giving people rewards or recognition usually enhances performances: False
2. difficult task decreases motivation:False
3. Effort is more important than expertise when it comes to performance excellence:True
4. Nervousness is a part of the learning process:False
5. helping others who struggle academically is always the right thing to do:FALSE, it is usually the wrong thing to do
6. Motivational qualities are hereditary/genetic: TRUE
7. who focus on learning earn higher grades get higher grades than those focused on grades:False
8. bodily reaction are unmotivated. The emotions cannot be disguised:TRUE
9. Generally people are only interested in things than they do well:FALSE
10. Group learning based upon same-ability enhances achievements:FALSE
What is motivation
Degree of effort and intensity directed toward a goal related to learning or performance
Big Challenges
Watercooler Misconceptions
Cultural differences:
Determines the level of motivation depending on the cultural background of a person
Developmental differences:
-motivation has a developmental trajectory
-we undergo cognitive, social, moral and emotional change
-where are emotionally, or morally is not based on an individual's age
-society has difference expectations of us based upon age and gender
Biological and other influences on motivation
1. about 70% of anxiety can be attributed to genetics
2. sociability:64%
3. dominance:60%
4. emotionality:54%
5. task orientation:50%
6. control:44%
7. aggression:40%
Please consider the importance of environment that determine when the qualities are switched on or off.
Self-beliefs rule motivation.
BIG 5 BELIEFS
-control: that something else might control our destiny
-competency:this is the belief that we can do something to bring about a change about themselves
-value: what is it that one gets by being motivated to do a thing
-goal orientation: whats the goal that shall be achieved by being motivated. Is it a learning goal or a performance goal
-epistemology: belief about the nature of knowledge
-Emotions override everything, they can hijack motivation
-Context determines the motivation, who is in the room.
-task-contingent motivation: are we interested in tasks that we do well, or do we do well on tasks that interest us?
-self-beliefs are most important in determining the levels of motivation. How you think about your self determines your level of motivation
Who is behind the curtain? AKA reasons for your behavior
-fixed or external locus
-perceived degree of control
-degree of confidence
-importance of rewards
-need for recognition
-appearing competent
looking good in relation to others
-degree of sociability
Overview of intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation
intrinsic: individuals possess a predisposition to engage in the pursuit of knowledge and seek opportunities to demonstrate competence. Individuals gain pleasure and satisfaction merely from the process of reaching a learning or performance target. No reward expectation.
extrinsic motivation:
-avoidance of negative outcomes also an extrinsic motivator
Extrinsic motivation has a bad reputation
-as it shifts focus to the outcome
-it does not always work
-its temporary
-it changes "what happens when you give one monkey cucumbers but grapes for another monkey"
-its bad for learning
-its best for boring or repetitive tasks or to spark interest
-such an extrinsic motivation has to be always based on performance.
CERTAIN BEHAVIORS LEAD TO DESIRED BEHAVIORS
-focus on excellence
-desire to improve
-willingness to accept challenges
-exertion of effort
-consideration of alternative strategies
-setting stretch goals
-perseverance in the face of obstacles
-black and blue marks and gray hair (sage wisdom)
OTHER BELIEFS LEAD TO UNDESIRED BEHAVIORS SUCH AS
-avoiding work
-taking the easy way out
-not persisting in the face of obstacles
-using shallow processing strategies
-self-handicapping
-negative self-perceptions
-learned helplessness
-unhappiness
SELF-PROTECTION BY INDIVIDUALS
-the realization of who we are can be frightening
-nothing is worse than admitting you suck
-to reduce anxiety and negative emotion we self-protect
-cover oneself in the conceptual duck tape
-avoid the target
-filter out critical information and feedback
-become anxious, nervous, obsessive, or depressed
SOME-HANDICAPPING STRATEGIES
these are the reasons that are used by individual to mask one selves to cover ones failures,
-procrastination: people procrastinate as it serves them as a reason to defend their possible failure. Additionally, procrastination is a redefinition of failure.
-it is a research fact that working under pressure does NOT produce better results. It is better to divide the work and do it piece by piece rather than doing a big chunk of work at a stretch.
-setting slam-dunk (very easy) goals
-setting unobtainable goals
-defensive pessimism: getting into certain situations that leads to failure and then reasoning that the situation led them to failure.
-academic wooden legs: using one specific aspects of ones background to explain the fail outcome.
-low expectation
EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES INCLUDE....
-use the right strategy at the right time, for the right reason
-focus on self-regulation and what individuals believe is within their control
-goal setting
-self-talk
-self consecrating
-generating interest
-reflection
-feedback from within and from outside, it could be qualitative or quantitative
-set attainable targets
-gradual shift the responsibility for external to internal sources.
-strategy analysis "what worked when you were successful?"
MEDIATION AND INTERVENTION
People respond to change efforts in many ways:
-ignore
-reject
-exclude
-hold in abeyance
-reinterpret and maintain existing theory
-reinterpret and revise existing theory
-accept alternative approach and change
RIGHT MEDICINE, WRONG TIME
The 5 step plan to create and sustain motivational change
-promote awareness
-identify plausible alternatives
-present refutation evidence
-create relevance
-provide scaffolding
Interpretive issues:self awareness, misconceptions, calibrations
The Process: diagnostic model
Influences: culture, development, genetics
Big deal:-self-beliefs
Self-worth: self-handicapping
Part-2 post-lunch session: Strategies: context-based solutions
Implementations: overcoming them
Research findings:
1. Giving people rewards or recognition usually enhances performances: False
2. difficult task decreases motivation:False
3. Effort is more important than expertise when it comes to performance excellence:True
4. Nervousness is a part of the learning process:False
5. helping others who struggle academically is always the right thing to do:FALSE, it is usually the wrong thing to do
6. Motivational qualities are hereditary/genetic: TRUE
7. who focus on learning earn higher grades get higher grades than those focused on grades:False
8. bodily reaction are unmotivated. The emotions cannot be disguised:TRUE
9. Generally people are only interested in things than they do well:FALSE
10. Group learning based upon same-ability enhances achievements:FALSE
What is motivation
Degree of effort and intensity directed toward a goal related to learning or performance
Big Challenges
- Everyone thinks they know psychology
- We are poorly calibrated, they think they know everything, poor calibration
- We have poor self-awareness
- We have confirmation bias
- We reach spurious conclusions
- We focus on behaviors and not causes
Watercooler Misconceptions
- -What is your motivational type
- -you are unmotivated
- -all men are created equal
- -one is an introvert, it depends on the environment, surrounding
- -you are either extrinsically or intrinsically motivated, the motivation is transitory and changes with time
- -motivation is not personality, personality is stable and consistent for a person
- -I am objective and unbiased
Cultural differences:
Determines the level of motivation depending on the cultural background of a person
Developmental differences:
-motivation has a developmental trajectory
-we undergo cognitive, social, moral and emotional change
-where are emotionally, or morally is not based on an individual's age
-society has difference expectations of us based upon age and gender
Biological and other influences on motivation
1. about 70% of anxiety can be attributed to genetics
2. sociability:64%
3. dominance:60%
4. emotionality:54%
5. task orientation:50%
6. control:44%
7. aggression:40%
Please consider the importance of environment that determine when the qualities are switched on or off.
Self-beliefs rule motivation.
BIG 5 BELIEFS
-control: that something else might control our destiny
-competency:this is the belief that we can do something to bring about a change about themselves
-value: what is it that one gets by being motivated to do a thing
-goal orientation: whats the goal that shall be achieved by being motivated. Is it a learning goal or a performance goal
-epistemology: belief about the nature of knowledge
-Emotions override everything, they can hijack motivation
-Context determines the motivation, who is in the room.
-task-contingent motivation: are we interested in tasks that we do well, or do we do well on tasks that interest us?
-self-beliefs are most important in determining the levels of motivation. How you think about your self determines your level of motivation
Who is behind the curtain? AKA reasons for your behavior
-fixed or external locus
-perceived degree of control
-degree of confidence
-importance of rewards
-need for recognition
-appearing competent
looking good in relation to others
-degree of sociability
Overview of intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation
intrinsic: individuals possess a predisposition to engage in the pursuit of knowledge and seek opportunities to demonstrate competence. Individuals gain pleasure and satisfaction merely from the process of reaching a learning or performance target. No reward expectation.
extrinsic motivation:
-avoidance of negative outcomes also an extrinsic motivator
Extrinsic motivation has a bad reputation
-as it shifts focus to the outcome
-it does not always work
-its temporary
-it changes "what happens when you give one monkey cucumbers but grapes for another monkey"
-its bad for learning
-its best for boring or repetitive tasks or to spark interest
-such an extrinsic motivation has to be always based on performance.
CERTAIN BEHAVIORS LEAD TO DESIRED BEHAVIORS
-focus on excellence
-desire to improve
-willingness to accept challenges
-exertion of effort
-consideration of alternative strategies
-setting stretch goals
-perseverance in the face of obstacles
-black and blue marks and gray hair (sage wisdom)
OTHER BELIEFS LEAD TO UNDESIRED BEHAVIORS SUCH AS
-avoiding work
-taking the easy way out
-not persisting in the face of obstacles
-using shallow processing strategies
-self-handicapping
-negative self-perceptions
-learned helplessness
-unhappiness
SELF-PROTECTION BY INDIVIDUALS
-the realization of who we are can be frightening
-nothing is worse than admitting you suck
-to reduce anxiety and negative emotion we self-protect
-cover oneself in the conceptual duck tape
-avoid the target
-filter out critical information and feedback
-become anxious, nervous, obsessive, or depressed
SOME-HANDICAPPING STRATEGIES
these are the reasons that are used by individual to mask one selves to cover ones failures,
-procrastination: people procrastinate as it serves them as a reason to defend their possible failure. Additionally, procrastination is a redefinition of failure.
-it is a research fact that working under pressure does NOT produce better results. It is better to divide the work and do it piece by piece rather than doing a big chunk of work at a stretch.
-setting slam-dunk (very easy) goals
-setting unobtainable goals
-defensive pessimism: getting into certain situations that leads to failure and then reasoning that the situation led them to failure.
-academic wooden legs: using one specific aspects of ones background to explain the fail outcome.
-low expectation
EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES INCLUDE....
-use the right strategy at the right time, for the right reason
-focus on self-regulation and what individuals believe is within their control
-goal setting
-self-talk
-self consecrating
-generating interest
-reflection
-feedback from within and from outside, it could be qualitative or quantitative
-set attainable targets
-gradual shift the responsibility for external to internal sources.
-strategy analysis "what worked when you were successful?"
MEDIATION AND INTERVENTION
People respond to change efforts in many ways:
-ignore
-reject
-exclude
-hold in abeyance
-reinterpret and maintain existing theory
-reinterpret and revise existing theory
-accept alternative approach and change
RIGHT MEDICINE, WRONG TIME
The 5 step plan to create and sustain motivational change
-promote awareness
-identify plausible alternatives
-present refutation evidence
-create relevance
-provide scaffolding
Thursday, August 13, 2015
New Academic Year 2015-2016
Currently there are 11,900 registered students, I am not sure why
this number is more than the target figure mentioned at the previous
program. One of the numbers does not seem to be consistent.
GGC New hires
SST has had 20 new faculty new hires for AY 2015-2016. 2 Math and 1 Physics faculty from Vietnam will be visiting GGC for shadowing in lectures, it is a part of an agreement between GGC and a Vietnam's national university.
New Constructions
The C-bldg will have an addition to it to double its size, and the following year AY 2016-2017 there will be further addition to bldg C. It will have school of Business and Education in bldg-C, AEC will move into bldg-C. In AY 2015-16, the focus is on the classroom and teaching spaces, and in the following year, the concentration will be on increasing faculty spaces. Eventually faculty from RL will me moved out to free-up space for students in RL bldg.
New major
GGC has started new major in environmental science from AY 2015-16. The major in Interdisciplinary Science is being OKed by GGC. Dean suspects, that there might not be a new major added at GGC after the Interdisciplinary Science. However, there might be additions to "tracks" to existing majors.
STEM Initiation-III
Dean was not aware if USG would offer the III phase of the STEM initiative, as it is a part of GGC's teaching culture. Dean is planning to have a sustainable STEM initiative inbuilt at SST.
Foundational courses (algebra/quantitative) reasoning to Access courses. With the introduction of Co-requisite model (get information from Math faculty/Keri about the access courses)
New Hire for Administrative staff:
There are 80 applicants for this open position and the search committee would finalize its selection after starting sorting through the applications in Sept 01 2015. To aid the current admin staff, it is advised to complete travel-related documents at least 2 weeks ahead of the scheduled travel.
Budget Program Manager Position Open
Manage SST budget and coordinate with GGC campus for summer camps etc. The advert for this would be soon posted.
Current Student Enrollment
The target was 11,700 in AY 2015 beginning. It was about 11,000 students during the Spring 2015 term. Dean was not sure if GGC would meet its target, as he felt that many other colleges have been advertising in Gwinnett County and GGC has not been active on this front.
Sabbatical Leave policy
Techinically its called educational leave. Is available in GGC faculty policy hand book.
E-core courses
The USG is trying to push GGC to have e-core that circumvents students to take few courses in the college and instead they take it at home, online......It is a strange proposition. For now, GGC is not offering the e-core courses until USG mandates it to GGC. Currently, e-core courses are offered by other USG institutions, it can be taken under transient student status.
PNC committee
Alvina Atkison
Wei Liu
Peter Meso
Karen Perell-Gerson
Dave Purcell (chair)
Stella Smith
Candace Timple
-Turn in dossier the dossier in USB drive and drop off at Dean's office by 4 pm in Sept 4th 2015
-Support letters with signed waiver form to Dave Pursell directly from writeres via email by 4 pm on the deadline
-P&C recommendation given to dean by Oct 9th 2015
-P&C committee values dossier organization and brevity
-Name dossier folders and files appropriately (name and length)
-If you plan to submit the dossier:
email Dave Pursell as soon as possible
Dave Pursell eill email the status of support letters recieved by him
Faculty Senate Update
-upto 10% representation of various STEM disciplines.
-Senate website is up
GGC New hires
SST has had 20 new faculty new hires for AY 2015-2016. 2 Math and 1 Physics faculty from Vietnam will be visiting GGC for shadowing in lectures, it is a part of an agreement between GGC and a Vietnam's national university.
New Constructions
The C-bldg will have an addition to it to double its size, and the following year AY 2016-2017 there will be further addition to bldg C. It will have school of Business and Education in bldg-C, AEC will move into bldg-C. In AY 2015-16, the focus is on the classroom and teaching spaces, and in the following year, the concentration will be on increasing faculty spaces. Eventually faculty from RL will me moved out to free-up space for students in RL bldg.
New major
GGC has started new major in environmental science from AY 2015-16. The major in Interdisciplinary Science is being OKed by GGC. Dean suspects, that there might not be a new major added at GGC after the Interdisciplinary Science. However, there might be additions to "tracks" to existing majors.
STEM Initiation-III
Dean was not aware if USG would offer the III phase of the STEM initiative, as it is a part of GGC's teaching culture. Dean is planning to have a sustainable STEM initiative inbuilt at SST.
Foundational courses (algebra/quantitative) reasoning to Access courses. With the introduction of Co-requisite model (get information from Math faculty/Keri about the access courses)
New Hire for Administrative staff:
There are 80 applicants for this open position and the search committee would finalize its selection after starting sorting through the applications in Sept 01 2015. To aid the current admin staff, it is advised to complete travel-related documents at least 2 weeks ahead of the scheduled travel.
Budget Program Manager Position Open
Manage SST budget and coordinate with GGC campus for summer camps etc. The advert for this would be soon posted.
Current Student Enrollment
The target was 11,700 in AY 2015 beginning. It was about 11,000 students during the Spring 2015 term. Dean was not sure if GGC would meet its target, as he felt that many other colleges have been advertising in Gwinnett County and GGC has not been active on this front.
Sabbatical Leave policy
Techinically its called educational leave. Is available in GGC faculty policy hand book.
E-core courses
The USG is trying to push GGC to have e-core that circumvents students to take few courses in the college and instead they take it at home, online......It is a strange proposition. For now, GGC is not offering the e-core courses until USG mandates it to GGC. Currently, e-core courses are offered by other USG institutions, it can be taken under transient student status.
PNC committee
Alvina Atkison
Wei Liu
Peter Meso
Karen Perell-Gerson
Dave Purcell (chair)
Stella Smith
Candace Timple
-Turn in dossier the dossier in USB drive and drop off at Dean's office by 4 pm in Sept 4th 2015
-Support letters with signed waiver form to Dave Pursell directly from writeres via email by 4 pm on the deadline
-P&C recommendation given to dean by Oct 9th 2015
-P&C committee values dossier organization and brevity
-Name dossier folders and files appropriately (name and length)
-If you plan to submit the dossier:
email Dave Pursell as soon as possible
Dave Pursell eill email the status of support letters recieved by him
Faculty Senate Update
-upto 10% representation of various STEM disciplines.
-Senate website is up
Monday, January 19, 2015
Practical Help
-During first half of carrying a baby, it is best to leave the baby alone by doing nothing.
-Take an extra 300 calories per day\Eat fruits and vegetables, good supply of folic acid, iron, iodine, vitamin B12 and Omega-3.
-Doing 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day. Exercise is a stress-reducer, good for keeping glucocorticoids away from developing neurons
-Reducing stress in life
-For the baby:
Create a playroom with following: place for drawing, painting, musical instruments, blocks, picture books, craft area,
-For Parents:
Make a list of all behaviors that parents broadcast to the world. Have both the parents make their individual list. Ask other spouse to rate these behaviors as good or bad. Decide on which behaviors that parents would prefer their children to emulate, circle them. Decide the behaviors that parents would not like to be emulated, and cross through them. Do something about the list.
-Mention "Wow! you really worked hard" rather than praising child's innate characteristics.
-Read together, read aloud to the child
-Develop empathy
-Verbalizing emotions
-10 years of music lessons
-Understanding other's point of view
-CAP your rules:
C:Clarity
A: Accepting
P: Praise
-FIRST feedback
F:firm
I:immediate
R:reliable
S:safe
T:tolerant
All is well!
-Take an extra 300 calories per day\Eat fruits and vegetables, good supply of folic acid, iron, iodine, vitamin B12 and Omega-3.
-Doing 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day. Exercise is a stress-reducer, good for keeping glucocorticoids away from developing neurons
-Reducing stress in life
-For the baby:
Create a playroom with following: place for drawing, painting, musical instruments, blocks, picture books, craft area,
-For Parents:
Make a list of all behaviors that parents broadcast to the world. Have both the parents make their individual list. Ask other spouse to rate these behaviors as good or bad. Decide on which behaviors that parents would prefer their children to emulate, circle them. Decide the behaviors that parents would not like to be emulated, and cross through them. Do something about the list.
-Mention "Wow! you really worked hard" rather than praising child's innate characteristics.
-Read together, read aloud to the child
-Develop empathy
-Verbalizing emotions
-10 years of music lessons
-Understanding other's point of view
-CAP your rules:
C:Clarity
A: Accepting
P: Praise
-FIRST feedback
F:firm
I:immediate
R:reliable
S:safe
T:tolerant
All is well!
Let your Yes be YES and your No be NO
If you lose emotions, you lose decision-making. Emotional regulation is an important component of raising a child. For the growth of moral awareness/conscience:
1) provide clear, consistent rules and rewards
2)swift consequences/feedback
3)explaining the rules.
Every time a child follows the rules, it is desired to offer praise to the child. When warm accepting parents set clear and reasonable standards for their kids then offer them praise for behaving well, children present strong evidence of an internalized moral construct, usually by age 4 or 5. They are not everything you need in your moral toolkit, but from a statistical point of view, you might not find a good kid without these qualities.
Negative reinforcement trends to strengthen behaviors where as punishments trends to weaken them. Negative reinforcement refers to removing of avoiding aversive stimulus. Research indicates that children learn behaviors best when they are allowed to make their own mistakes and feel the consequences first-hand.
Here are the guidelines for providing healthy feedback to children:
- The feedback must be firm and not be hurting the child, its a feedback only.
-it must be consistent, every time an undesired behavior is displayed.
-it must be immediate after an undesired behavior is displayed
People respond to feedback which contain cognitive rationale. The rationale consists of explaining why the rule and its consequences exist. Parents providing clear, consistent, and quick feedback that contains reasons for its necessity help their children in assimilating the importance of the feedback.
Research about spanking
A 5-year review of the research literature by a committee of child development specialists sponsored by the American Psychological Association found evidence that spanking caused more behavioral problems than other types of feedback. It produced more aggressive, more depressed, more anxious children with lower IQs. Another 2010 study by Tulane University School of Public Health researcher Catherine Taylor found corroborating results. It found that 3 years old who were spanked more than twice in the month prior to the study were 50% more likely to be aggressive by age 5, even when controlling for differing level of aggression among kids and for maternal depression, alcohol or drug use, or spousal abuse. Author John Medina indicates that spanking is a lazy form of parenting and there are better ways of it.
Summary
-Every child has an innate sense of right and wrong
-Moral behavior develops over time and requires parental guidance
-Parents suggested feedback: realistic, clear expectatio0ns, consistent, immediate consequences for undesirable behavior, praise for good behavior.
-Children tend to assimilate moral behavior when parents explain why a particular behavior is desirable/undesirable and explain the consequences of either actions.
1) provide clear, consistent rules and rewards
2)swift consequences/feedback
3)explaining the rules.
Every time a child follows the rules, it is desired to offer praise to the child. When warm accepting parents set clear and reasonable standards for their kids then offer them praise for behaving well, children present strong evidence of an internalized moral construct, usually by age 4 or 5. They are not everything you need in your moral toolkit, but from a statistical point of view, you might not find a good kid without these qualities.
Negative reinforcement trends to strengthen behaviors where as punishments trends to weaken them. Negative reinforcement refers to removing of avoiding aversive stimulus. Research indicates that children learn behaviors best when they are allowed to make their own mistakes and feel the consequences first-hand.
Here are the guidelines for providing healthy feedback to children:
- The feedback must be firm and not be hurting the child, its a feedback only.
-it must be consistent, every time an undesired behavior is displayed.
-it must be immediate after an undesired behavior is displayed
People respond to feedback which contain cognitive rationale. The rationale consists of explaining why the rule and its consequences exist. Parents providing clear, consistent, and quick feedback that contains reasons for its necessity help their children in assimilating the importance of the feedback.
Research about spanking
A 5-year review of the research literature by a committee of child development specialists sponsored by the American Psychological Association found evidence that spanking caused more behavioral problems than other types of feedback. It produced more aggressive, more depressed, more anxious children with lower IQs. Another 2010 study by Tulane University School of Public Health researcher Catherine Taylor found corroborating results. It found that 3 years old who were spanked more than twice in the month prior to the study were 50% more likely to be aggressive by age 5, even when controlling for differing level of aggression among kids and for maternal depression, alcohol or drug use, or spousal abuse. Author John Medina indicates that spanking is a lazy form of parenting and there are better ways of it.
Summary
-Every child has an innate sense of right and wrong
-Moral behavior develops over time and requires parental guidance
-Parents suggested feedback: realistic, clear expectatio0ns, consistent, immediate consequences for undesirable behavior, praise for good behavior.
-Children tend to assimilate moral behavior when parents explain why a particular behavior is desirable/undesirable and explain the consequences of either actions.
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