Community of Scholars Schedule of Events

President Janet L. Steinmayer
Interim Provost Deanna Yameen
COS24 Co-chairs, Ellen Jackson and Diana Direiter

Join us for a warm welcome and an orientation to the day.

WHERE INFINITY ENDS - A SHORT FILM ABOUT CONNECTIONS

Matthew Nash

A father. A daughter. An infinity between them. During the pandemic, a lonely man makes videos in the park nearby. His strained relationship with his daughter is made worse by separation, and he starts to find oddities in his footage that echo his unraveling mind. "Where Infinity Ends" is a found-footage drama about family, distance and disappearing into yourself. If you live your life only to be filmed, are you living at all?

UNDERSTANDING PRESCHOOL TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR

Liz Stapleton

I will be presenting on the mixed methods study designed for my dissertation research. I sought to understand preschool teachers’ perceptions of challenging behavior and the impact challenging behavior has on relationships within the classroom. Through data collected from 30 preschool teachers using the Student-Teacher Relationship Short Form and interviews with three participants, findings suggest preschool teachers do not feel adequately prepared to teach children with challenging behavior, feelings of isolation influence their ability to teach children with challenging behavior.

HEALING FROM RELATIONSHIP ABUSE: INTRODUCING THE EMPOWERMENT WHEEL MODEL

Rachel Brandoff

Relationship abuse is rampant in our society. Counselors who understand how to help survivors break their cycle of relationship abuse are most effective. Counselors need hands-on techniques and the Empowerment Wheel model provides a practical intervention that uses art therapy to illustrate six key concepts that can promote self-awareness, healing, and growth. This presentation will provide a clear and easy-to-use approach as well as practical tools for counselors serving clients with a history of relationship abuse. Participants will leave with ready-to-apply techniques.

THE OXFORD STREET PLAYERS (OSP) AND LESLEY PERFORMING ARTS CLUB (LPAC) PRESENTS: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

Neve Pires; Anne Pluto

The Oxford Street Players and Lesley Performing Arts Club present a panel about our upcoming performance of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream! Students from the English Honors Society and Dance Team are collaborators as well. We will speak about the material, our process, as well as the spirit and magic of sharing theatrical space. This production relates to "We're Open" as a theme for various reasons. We sent the call out to all students in many clubs and classes to bring their own uniqueness to this process. We truly focused on creating a space where anyone looking to create and belong could join.

VICTIM EMPATHY AND MASK MAKING: A BODY-ORIENTED APPROACH

Nancy Jo Cardillo; Yvonne Sierra; Steve Chandy; Emmanuela (Manu) Feliciano

Developing genuine remorse for harming another includes reading facial expressions and nonverbal behavior. Considering the abandonment and violence that many incarcerated youths have sustained, we ask, ‘How might an individual’s body-self-concept effect their empathic ability?’ Mask making in a maximum secure facility reworked thru the lens of the body becomes an intimate opening to self and other. Kinesthetic empathy, beginning with the history of empathy in feeling moved when viewing the arts, is presented. Students then describe their interactive process of creating full face plaster masks.

STAFF-STUDENT COLLABORATION FOR THE CO-CREATION OF A WELLNESS CURRICULUM

Ayse Atasoylu; J'Nye Sibley; Mia Heller; Serina Medeiros; Trey Legall; Basak Bengisu; Susan Mello; Alexis Gallardo Foreman; Sophia Martin; Zoe Hristofilous; Tori Evans

Using the pillars of lifestyle medicine and mindfulness as the framework for promoting healthy habits, 6 Student Health Service staff and 5 students collaborate on the co-creation of a Lesley wellness curriculum. Students and staff launch an iterative process for learning together and developing an inclusive curriculum that has the potential for community wide integration and engagement. Future goals include weaving wellness principles into processes that exist at Lesley so that these principles live and breathe throughout the university, as a reflection of who we are and what we care about.

LESLEY UNIVERSITY’S SIGMA TAU DELTA’S CENTENNIAL CONVENTION RECIPIENTS

Abigail Dunford; Aaliyah Blackett; Maeve Rotolo

The three Lesley University students accepted to share their creative short stories at the Sigma Tau Delta Centennial Convention will read aloud and discuss their stories. Each story, a creative nonfiction piece, contains the theme of openness through their different experiences, all while discovering something about themselves. Aaliyah writes of struggling with imposter syndrome at an academically rigorous high school and how she challenged those feelings, Abigail’s story examines the impact of Waldorf education on her young adult life, and Maeve recalls their experience at an autistic summer camp.

LOOKING IN AND LOOKING OUT

Shalini Prasad

Through a syllabus I designed for Visual Communication 3, I opened an opportunity to the students to look inwards, investigate their bio- journeys and tell their own stories. By the virtue of the course, we allowed for introspection, observation, and recognition of the powerful tools we have as graphic designers to tell a compelling narrative- the good the bad and the ugly.

DEVISING THE SELF: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO ESTABLISHING STUDENT ID

Abby Lass

Devising the Self combines research and praxis to apply psychology- informed theatre practices in the classroom. By integrating narrative psychology into theatrical exploration, I seek to provide high schoolers with the tools to better embrace themselves. This project will culminate in an essay series featuring implementation guidelines for various classroom settings. Devising the Self calls for a dismantling of the boundaries that separate art and science, and of the constricting narratives students place upon themselves. Only by showing students new modalities can we help them find their authentic selves.

INFLUENCE OF HOMELAND CULTURE ON IMMIGRANT PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

Paula Duggins

As an educational advocate for parents of children with autism, my contacts with immigrants led to investigating how homeland culture influences first-generation immigrant parents. This phenomenological study explored parental decision-making, family roles/responsibilities, and outcome expectations for their children’s lives. Five Boston parents (4 continents) offered interviews and shared homeland photographs and artifacts. Researcher observations included IEP meetings. Findings revealed challenges when districts lack knowledge of parents’ homeland cultures or when cultural understandings of autism differ.

DESIGN INSTINCT LEARNING

Kristina Lamour Sansone

Can a graphic design serve as the basis for a picture-word language that couldbe cultivated in schools at every level without interruption? This presentation addresses the need for educators to validate a student’s design instincts by using key concepts from graphic design. Design instincts are preferences for shapes, colors, and texts embodying one’s values, beliefs, and cultural perspectives. Graphic design is a field of expertise that acknowledges words and pictures as one simultaneous language. How do educators use graphic design to facilitate learning in their everyday practice? What is the relationship between a student’s design instincts and learning?

TEACHING CLINICAL OBSERVATION SKILLS USING VISUAL THINKING STRATEGIES

Susan Noyes

This workshop will describe the use of Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) in a graduate occupational therapy education program to teach skills for clinical observation, communicating with interprofessional teams, and tolerating ambiguity--all elements practiced as a healthcare professional and developed through VTS. Participants will also engage in VTS 'close looking' exercises, facilitated by the trained presenter.

TEACHING CLINICAL OBSERVATION SKILLS USING VISUAL THINKING STRATEGIES

Susan Noyes

This workshop will describe the use of Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) in a graduate occupational therapy education program to teach skills for clinical observation, communicating with interprofessional teams, and tolerating ambiguity--all elements practiced as a healthcare professional and developed through VTS. Participants will also engage in VTS 'close looking' exercises, facilitated by the trained presenter.

BUILD YOUR OWN WEBSITE: INTRO TO WEB PROGRAMMING

Mary Pyrdol

What’s more open than the World Wide Web? Check out Intro to Web Programming to learn how to build your own functional website using coding languages HTML and CSS. During the workshop, guests will be able to construct a basic HTML skeleton, and then apply basic CSS properties to create dynamic, vibrant website architecture to use in various professional settings. Guests will walk away from the workshop with experience using Visual Studio Code, GitHub, and various web design skills such as composition balance, web accessibility, and much more.

DECONSTRUCTING DISABILITY: UNDERSTANDING DISABLED INTERSECTIONAL IDENTITIES

Raine Snyder; Kim Johnson; Holly Aldrich; Daze Purcell; Leonardo Briceno Zamora

Disability is often thought of as one identity, if we even consider it to be an identity. What happens when people are also queer, trans, BIPOC, first generation, and/or low socioeconomic status? We welcome you to a discussion with Lesley community members who will graciously share their lived experiences. Also, come join us to learn about upcoming opportunities for involvement with Lesley’s Disability Advocacy and Education Group (DAEG).

INVESTIGATING WHITENESS AND DISMANTLING PRIVILEGE FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Nancy Beardall; Wendy Allen; Ambrie Sward; Sophia Pray; Adele Fisk; Eliza Fish

In the spirit of “we’re open,” this workshop shares what has been investigated and learned thus far in an ongoing co-research lab composed of faculty, alums, and students that focused on the somatic aspects of white privilege and how it is embodied/expressed. The lab attempts to examine whiteness in service of dismantling systemic racism from a somatic perspective. Our hope is that building a deeper consciousness will impact our relationships across racial differences. Through movement, art, and journaling, the co-researchers reflected on their experiences and will share their ongoing processes.

AN AUDIO DOCUMENTARY OF ART AND NATURE IN THE BURREN REGION OF IRELAND

Jeffrey Perrin

In this workshop I will be sharing my audio documentary on art and nature connection in the Burren Region of Ireland. The Burren, situated in the northwest coast of County Clare, is a region famous for its natural beauty and unique ecosystem. During the spring of 2023, I spent a month in this region on an artist residency at Burren College of Art interviewing artists, art students, and recording natural soundscapes of the region as a way to explore the relationship between place, human imagination, and the creative process.

THE THERAPEUTIC INCLUSION PROGRAM

Michael Murray; Laura Balogh

Public schools and general education classrooms should communicate "we're open" to students with significant social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. Most often students with signficant social, emotional, and behavior challenges are siloed in sub-separate programs, or sent to specialized schools. Increasingly, schools are coming to terms with the imperatives of inclusion, but have little idea of how to implement it. This problem is exacerbated by an alarming dearth of inter-district professional discourse. In this presentation, you will learn about a therapeutic model designed to support inclusion.

FINDING YOUR VOICE

Amanda Shea is a two-time Boston Music Award-winning Spoken Word Artist. Shea is an artist, performer, educator, artivist, publicist, host, and curator. She co-founded and curated six iterations of Activating ARTivism, a community festival to amplify POC through art, activism, and resistance. Her work can be found in the Museum of Fine Arts, The Boston Globe, TEDX, TEDXRoxbury, Netflix, Prime Video, BBC News, GBH, and much more. Shea will be releasing her first book, “Pieces of Shea” in the Spring of 2024. Amanda's work examines her personal life experiences, social justice issues, and healing through trauma utilizing art as the tool.

LOOKING FOR SHAKESPEARE IN LONDON

Cheryl Eagan-Donovan

Looking for Shakespeare in London requires the scholar to keep an open mind. Very little evidence of the playwright’s time spent in the city exists. I will present an overview of research conducted to date in the United Kingdom. Over the past two years, I visited the British Library, the Bodleian Library at Oxford University, and Dulwich College Archives, where I examined and transcribed several important manuscripts pertaining to Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Scholarly research benefits from our ability to remain open to new discoveries, put aside our preconceptions, and view documents with fresh eyes.

DECOLONIZING ANTI-RACIST PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR PK-12 EDUCATORS

Claudia Fox Tree

Native Americans face exclusion from historical conversations, anti- racism research, and statistical data. This dissertation shares findings of a narrative study that delved into challenges faced by non- Indigenous educators when integrating Indigenous perspectives into anti-racist professional development for educators. Sub-questions explored the process of transforming PD and the importance of building relationships with Indigenous community members. This inquiry yielded 8 strategies with steps for decolonizing anti-racist PD. It informs anti-racist initiatives offered on Indigenous lands of Massachusetts.

COMMUNITY GARDEN: HEALTHY EATING, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, SOCIAL CONNECTION

Ayse Atasoylu; Susan Mello; Alexis Gallardo Foreman; Sophia Martin; Zoe Hristofilous; Tori Evans; Trey Legall

Student Health Service staff revitalize the Lesley community garden post-pandemic with the support of a mini grant from the City of Cambridge (Sasaki Foundation). Studies of college students have shown that college students often have unhealthy dietary habits, inactivity, poor sleep quality, loneliness, stress, and associated substance use. Our project aimed to promote healthy eating, physical activity and positive social connection with the belief that incorporating awareness of healthy lifestyle choices for body and mind into the college experience, has the potential for sustainable healthy life habits.

ART-IVISM

Louise Perryman; Pamela Vaughn; Eliana Nardelli; Raine Snyder

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the diverse talents and capabilities of individuals with disabilities. One area where this is particularly evident is in the realm of art. From painting and sculpture to literature and performance, people with disabilities have been creating powerful and thought-provoking works that challenge stereotypes and celebrate the richness of human experience. In this presentation, we will explore, the ways in which students are using art as a means of self-expression, empowerment, and advocacy.

EMBRACING OPENNESS: NAVIGATING EMOTIONAL WELLNESS IN THE “NEW NORMAL"

TiElla Grimes

Embark on an interactive journey designed to empower participants to take emotional response-ability & practice mindfulness amidst life's changes and transitions. Through the Six Steps to HEAL-In(G), an InnHer Uplift framework, discover how to foster a loving, honest, and compassionate relationship with yourself. Amidst the post- pandemic transition to a "new normal," we explore openness as an opportunity for self-discovery. Through cultivating harmony within ourselves and with others, we navigate collective and individual evolution as we evolve into a new era of understanding and compassion.

NEURODIVERSITY IN THE CLASSROOM AND WORKPLACE- PERSON-FIRST PERSPECTIVE

Jennifer Thorell; Stephanie Spordorcia

We're open.... to learning what is it like to be a neurodiverse student inauniversitysettingandasanemployee. Justbecausesomedon't learn as a "traditional" university student, doesn't mean one can't learn. Neurodiversity in the classroom is becoming the norm. Learn how to diversify your instruction to reach more students.

MOVING TOGETHER THROUGH GRIEF: HEARTPLAY AND THE LESLEY COMMUNITY

Jennifer Wiles; Katie McGrail; Darrell Hyche II; Selina Nieves

The HEARTplay Grief Program is directed and facilitated by Lesley faculty, alumni and graduate student interns from the Dance Movement Therapy/Mental Health Counseling program. This workshop will include a brief account of our program's survival in such challenging times, as well as experientials that highlight our mission to provide free, compassionate grief support to young people of all abilities. We will demonstrate the use of the expressive therapies to promote a sense of belonging, community, collaboration and hope as we celebrate "29 years of leading with the heart."

BELONGING CO-LAB

Reema Baniabbasi

Belonging Co-Lab is a newly launched newsletter by Reema Baniabbasi where she aims to exchange reflections and personal experiments in building social connection and sense of place in rapidly changing cities with her readers. She hopes that this will evolve into a collaborative research and development lab in the future and serve as an international hub for researchers, community members, and organizations to collaborate together and tackle belonging in urban transience. This presentation will provide an overview on urban belonging and on the newsletter and its future vision.

PROMOTING POSITIVE WHITE RACIAL IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT IN K-12 TEACHERS

Johnny Cole

The time students spend in schools can play an important role in their racial identity development (RID); thus educators’ awareness of these developmental processes can help dismantle the systems of inequity within a critical race theory framework that uplift whiteness in public schools in the United States. This dissertation presentation will share the findings of a qualitative case study that examined four white public school educators’ experiences learning about and assessing their own RID as part of a course focused on antiracism in education in an affluent suburb of the Northeastern United States.

IT’S NOT “JUST IN MY HEAD”! ON WRITING PSYCHOSOMATIC ILLNESS

Sharisse Zeroonian

Come join us for a thought-provoking film screening and discussion on writing about psychosomatic illness! Attendees will learn about common misconceptions surrounding the mind-body connection, watch scenes from “Nothing Solid”, an original dark comedy (which was written as part of the presenter’s MFA thesis and partially filmed at Lesley) about psychosomatic illness, discuss how to overcome emotional barriers to writing such stories, including self-gaslighting about symptoms and experiences, and learn how to take a psychoanalytic approach to designing characters’ stressors and triggers.

TRAUMA-SENSITIVE SELF-CARE FOR EDUCATORS: AN EMERGENT CONSTRUCT

Nick Suchecki; Kelly Vogel; Sal Terrasi

The education profession has one of the highest rates of burnout of all professions. While self-care practices can be a significant means of mitigating burnout, educators often find it hard to practice while balancing professional and personal responsibilities, especially following Covid-19. Yet, the emergent construct of trauma-informed self-care offers a promising model for educators in search of establishing a consistent and effective self-care practice. Join the team at the Lesley Institute of Trauma Sensitivity as they discuss the literature and practices related to trauma-informed self-care.

NATURAL HISTORY ILLUSTRATION FROM OBSERVATION

Armandea Connelly

I want to give a presentation about collecting material and subject matter to work from-and my own growing collection of natural history artifacts; fossils, bones, etc. I personally am interested in medical/scientific illustration and building this kind of archive is important to me-especially when the goal of scientific/ medical illustration is communication and clarity.

EXPLORING TEACHER AGENCY AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT: A HIGH SCHOOL CASE STUDY

Alexandra Kirby

Teaching and learning in the classroom calls for openness to relationships. This presentation will explore teacher agency and student engagement in a case study of a Northeastern urban high school. Data collected and analyzed includes: document review, field notes, survey, observations, and interviews. The case study probes student-teacher relationships and describes practices and teachers' perception of student engagement and teacher agency. Additionally, it explores numerous variables that impact student- teacher relationships to gain a deeper understanding of how a school system functions.

"YES, I CHEATED, BUT I WAS NOT UNFAITHFUL"

Peter Steele

How do we each define relationship “cheating” in 2024? Infidelity? Adultery? With more and more relationship structures and agreements, how do members of a romantic relationship openly communicate what is agreed upon behavior outside of the bounds of their relationship? Is masturbation cheating? Flirting? Having a sexual relationship with a sex robot designed to look like one’s ex- partner? How do we have these conversations with our partners openly and honestly? Join Peter Steele, LMHC, as he discusses how to have these conversations in couples and individual therapy.

IN THE LESLEY SCIENCE LAB: EUGLENA, PARAMECIUM, DAPHNIA, HYDRA AND PLANARIA

Nataliya Ryzhenko; Anna Labrecque

This project is to introduce students to our Lesley science lab's most interesting events. Students will learn about life forms that are taken care of in the lab, their lifestyles and needs. They will learn about techniques and methods that are supported by the lab. The goal is to inspire our scholars to learn more about science.

DRAWING CLOSER: ENHANCING CONNECTION THROUGH EXPRESSIVE ARTS

Jessica Surprenant

I believe connection is a key component to experiencing a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life. While connection can be felt through any interpersonal engagement, this workshop specifically focuses on how expressive arts activities can help to facilitate feelings of intimacy and bondedness within romantic relationships. Together, we explore how dyadic, collaborative art-making facilitates core relational skills such as communication, vulnerability, trust, and playfulness. As the loneliness epidemic continues to impact society, opening to a culture of connection within relationships may pave a path forward!

CAN’T FIND THE OPENING: THE IMPACT OF INSTITUTION RESTRUCTURING THROUGH ART

Jason Butler; Anna Cherubino; Karen Estrella; Sandi Hammond; Donna Owens; Kelvin Ramirez

How do we find openings with so many closures? To move forward we need to open an acknowledgement of lived experience. This workshop is an arts-based exploration of the impact of institutional restructuring. Using the Better Lesley initiative as focus, the Graduate Expressive Therapies community was invited to contribute artwork highlighting their experience of Better Lesley. This presentation will open a window on themes highlighted in the analysis as well as the process of collecting and showcasing submissions. Workshop participants will learn about arts-based research and be invited to create response art

MINDFULNESS AND THE ENVIRONMENT: PRACTICING FOR THE PLANET

Melissa Jean; Jeremy Yencer; Frank Matias; Mary-Carmen Wiser; Julia Van Fleet

In the era of climate change and polycrisis, contemplative studies have a unique role to play in opening up the ways that we think about the nature of environmental problems. This panel discussion will include students who have recently taken the graduate-level Mindfulness & the Environment course. They will describe their research projects and explain how a mindfulness lens informed their thinking about environmental science and theories of social change. We will discuss how contemplative practices support paradigm shifts that can transform how we think about solutions to environmental problems.

WHEN WORDS WEAVE WINGS: JUST BEYOND THE BARS

Barbara Bethea

This presentation will focus on the indigenous arts-based research based on the lived experiences of Black former justice-involved individuals and professionals that worked with this population. Artistic expressions will be shared.

EXPRESSIVE THERAPIES TECHNIQUES EXPLORING FIRST GENERATION EXPERIENCES

Maia Monteagudo

In this presentation, learn the history and evolving definition of First Generation experiences within the United States and how it impacts mental health. Explore Expressive Art Therapies techniques developed to support children and adolescents clients delve into the intersectional factors that impact identity formation and social emotional learning. Additionally, develop clinically critical skills to adapt current interventions to be more culturally inclusive to First Generation narratives.

THE INFLUENCE OF PRISON SKILLS PROGRAMMING ON THE REENTRY PROCESS

Jennifer Tatten

Prison skills programming is offered with an understanding that participation in programs during incarceration supports individuals in areas such as family reintegration and employment upon release. This presentation will discuss the findings of a recent mixed-methods dissertation study that explored the reasons that individuals chose to participate in skills programming during incarceration and their perceptions about the ways in which skills programming influenced their experiences with family and employment during their transitions from incarceration to reintegration into their communities.

URAKAWA FAMILY LEGEND AND SAVING SEAWEED, FROM HOLLYWOOD TO INDIE FILMS

Brandon Strathmann; Nicole Weber

Drawing from my personal ancestry and interests in environmental advocacy. This presentation demonstrates how either independently or in collaboration with scientists like Dr. Nicole Weber, I have taken what I have learned as a faculty member teaching students - and my Hollywood experience to create films that combine my teaching practice with creative filmmaking. Thus providing a benefit to the larger community and world. I am inspired by the work of my fellow colleagues and the Lesley mission to engage with social and environmental issues. I invite the Lesley community to contribute to this work.

EXPLORING ANTI-CARCERAL TREATMENT APPROACHES TO ACUTE MENTAL HEALTH CRISES

Eliza Carton

The standard treatment approaches available to, and often forced upon, those experiencing acute mental health crises are rooted in carceral logic–that is, the belief that surveillance, criminalization, punishment, and incarceration promote safety both for an individual and for their community. In this presentation I will challenge our existing system of “care” by exploring the oppressive history of psychiatry and identifying the weaknesses of state-sanctioned care, then provide practical, tangible, suggestions for anti-carceral care.

EXPRESSIVE BREAKSTORY: FOSTERING EMPATHY W/NARRATIVE SYMBOLIC BREAKTHROUGH

Kenisha Coy

Expressive BreakStory offers a unique approach to fostering empathy within a community by combining Storytelling with symbolic breakthroughs. This Narrativist practice, coupled with trauma-informed communication and mental health education, facilitates understanding and human capital development. Through engagement with roles, narratives, and symbolic actions, individuals explore critical issues, challenge societal norms, and cultivate a deeper appreciation for diverse perspectives. The presentation examines artful communication in facilitating emotional and cognitive engagement with martial arts breaking.

BEYOND A WARM WELCOME: RADICAL HOSPITALITY AND EDIJ VALUE IN ACTION

Stella Panzarella

How we do our part to create spaces for greater connection, learning, and change can and should begins at the door frame and the waiting room. How we gather, given all the concurrent changes about the way we share space, it is more important than ever to move intentionally. This presentation will highlight the ways that the groundwork for connection, as reconceived through the EDIJ lens, can offer a critical balm to the impact of separation that has prevailed in recent years.

OPEN TO NEW TECHNOLOGY: 3D PRINTING IN CLAY!

Ellen Schön

This presentation will introduce viewers to the way 3D printing in clay has influenced my artistic practice. Though I use and appreciate traditional ceramic methods, for the last several years, I have explored different 3D modeling software. It is surprising how a computer image translates into clay form. There is tension between control in designing on the computer and chance in the printing of clay. Using this new technology has stimulated discovery, expanding my ability to create larger and/or more complex ceramic forms. My intention is what it always has been--to create unique, personal forms, which resonate, whether they are functional, metaphorical, or somewhere in between.

WE'RE OPEN: NURTURING MENTAL HEALTH DISCUSSIONS.

Kathleen Tonne

In my extensive work in mental health, particularly focusing on marginalized communities, I've observed a distinct dynamic in discussions. While many aim to 'reduce stigma,' reactions vary when using terms like 'mental illness.' 'Breaking the stigma' means fostering open dialogues, especially about 'severe' mental illnesses. People often avoid discussing 'severe cases', leading to shifts in body language and unease. This workshop, themed 'WE'RE OPEN,' actively encourages discussions on ALL aspects of mental health. It provides a structured format for rich, judgment-free conversation.

UNLOCKING UBUNTU IN EDUCATION

Tia Lites; Monique Powe; Rick Grant; Jamila Gales; TiElla Grimes

Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning 'humanity to others'. It is often described as reminding us that 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. Schools now are facing many challenges; some deriving from lack of humility and educators understanding their role in growing and supporting the rising global citizens in their schools. There is a lack of cohesion between youth learners (students) and adult learners (Teachers).

From a teaching/leadership perspective, Ubuntu can encourage the unity of staff through consensus building and being hospitable to the ideas and needs of others in a collective.

“IS IT FUNNY?”: VULNERABILITY IN COMEDY WRITING

Liv Cummins; Madison Reed; Nicole Leone; Rose Roustom

Three undergraduate students share their work and discuss their writing process in Prof. Cummins’ Comedy Writing course. They are well-versed in a wide variety of genres and frameworks. They’ve learned the dos and don’ts of comedy and have studied multiple voices across time periods and contexts – from physical comedy of Charlie Chaplin to sketch comedy of SNL. After many drafts and workshopping with peers, they presented a final project in a genre of their choice that they would now like to share with you. Now it's time to ask the dreaded question, Is it funny?

PERREANDO A NUEVA LÍRICA: FEMINIST REGGAETON AND EXPRESSIVE ART THERAPY

Marilina Arsuaga

Feminist Reggaeton has become popular in the Latinx culture serving as an inspiration to people identifying as women and/or from the LGBTQ+ community. This presentation will conceptualize the concept of feminist reggaeton and how it can be incorporated in an expressive art therapy intervention for women empowerment.

STATE EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT DATA EXPLORATION PROJECT (SEADEP)

Kabba E Colley

The purpose of SEADEP is to build capacity in quantitative methods among candidates in the PhD in Educational Studies Program at Lesley through mining, retrieval, processing and exploration of state educational assessment data. This presentation will describe work-in-progress on SEADEP, including assumptions, planning, implementation, limitations and implications for policy and practice. The central philosophy behind the SEADEP is to make quantitative methods and statistical thinking accessible and open to doctoral students, and is therefore well aligned with the conference theme of “Openness.”

OPEN TO CONNECTION: STRATEGIES TO CONNECT WITH FAMILIES IN TROUBLED TIMES

Liz Lee

Pandemic anxiety remains although schools have reopened. Family concerns are both deeper and broader than ever before. This results in more frequent and more fraught family-school interactions. Families wonder whether their child has lost learning, if their child will be supported at school, and what kind of world their child will face. Given the importance of these concerns and the emotion accompanying them, how can educators remain open to connecting with families? This presentation will offer strategies to help educators remain open to connect – even under challenging circumstances

OPEN AND ACCOUNTABLE, MEETING THE NEEDS OF A DIVERSE TEACHING FORCE

Mike Pabian

Building on interview-based research from Mike's Doctoral Dissertation, Elementary voices of City Teachers, Historic Perspectives and Contemporary Meanings, (Pabian, 2014), this presentation sets forth a framework for examining the lived experience of diverse and non traditional teacher candidates as they navigate teacher education programs and life in public schools. Mike offers the genre of history telling as it creates a framework of Life AND times as a lens for advancing teacher testimony beyond the level of anecdote and into the realm of qualitative research enhancing and informing teacher education.

COMICS: THE IMPACT OF WORDS AND ILLUSTRATION

Nell Vale

Comics as a Fine Art has been overlooked in the illustration world until more recently. With the rise of comics and graphic novels for readers of all ages, it's important this medium is continuing to be a topic of discussion in the fine arts world.

WILLIAM BLAKE AND ME

Anthony Apesos

For over 50 years, William Blake's writing and art has influenced my work as an artist, scholar, and teacher. In my presentation I will reflect on the ways this influence has inserted itself into my work and thought, especially focusing on Blake's ideas on imagination, creativity, and personal growth.

CREATIVITY THROUGH FUNDRAISING

Brigitte Edwards; Bill Gallagher; Mike Thomas

The proposal I have is a project I have been involved in with English High School Alumni Association (EHSA). We serve the students at English High School (EHS), my alma mater. Last year, we opened our school to our community and requested that alum and others assist us in raising funds for programs. We found an innovative and creative method at Stop & Shop LLC that included customers purchasing recycled bags and a portion of the sales would be donated to EHS. Stop & Shop no longer provides plastic bags for their customers to support their initiative of sustainability.

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN MINDFULNESS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION

Maureen Johnson

When we look outwardly at the students with special needs, it is apparent that we have work to do in regard to empowering their coping strategies and mindfulness. Building positive relationships with students with special needs is a skill. We need to turn inward to our own mindfulness and examine ourselves. What is mindfulness and how can we better use this in order to build better social- emotional wellness among the challenging students that we face daily? Having rich and candid discussions surrounding social- emotional well-being and mindfulness part of this journey.

OPEN TO INQUIRY: FROM TEACHER CANDIDATES TO SCHOLAR PRACTITIONERS

Mike Pabian; Gail Cahill

GSOE Program Supervisors, Gail Cahill and Mike Pabian facilitate a panel discussion focusing on the role the Inquiry Project at Lesley holds in preparing Teacher Candidates as curious, engaged practitioners, utilizing the skills and dispositions of action research to open doors for children in classrooms. The panel includes past and present graduate students sharing their experiences with self-assessment, goal setting, implementation, and assessment of student outcomes, shedding light upon and impacting inclusive and equitable practice.

OUTDOORS IS FOR EVERYONE: LOOKING AT GREEN SPACE EQUITY IN MASSACHUSETTS

Celia Hazerjian

How can we ensure the outdoors are for everyone? My research involves GIS mapping of public green spaces in Massachusetts- those being public areas of conservation and recreation. Green space is a growing interest in urban planning, for all the health benefits it provides. But, many urban areas fall short in providing equal access to everyone. This project covers my map data and analysis of the relationship between green space area, income data and poverty rate, and public transit accessibility in local communities.

OF NOVELS, JOURNALS, & GAMES: LIKING MATH WHEN WE LEAST EXPECT IT

Christine Price

Learning Math in Early Childhood, EEDUC 5139, is a required course for Early Childhood M.Ed. students, yet a number of students enroll with trepidation, based on their previous Math journeys. They feel excluded and baffled by anything Math-oriented. As an instructor, my goal is to open minds (and hearts) to the the idea that there's a place for everyone at the "Math table,"and that theirs is an important voice. In this presentation, I'll share some of the creative strategies I've used to foster open mindsets about Math in my students, which also helped me rethink what authentic learning can be!

SEX, DEATH, AND THE ARTS: TREATING COMPULSIVE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR DISORDER

Michael Shirek

Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder, commonly called “sex addiction,” is a largely misunderstood and hotly debated topic in the field of clinical mental health. Treatment approaches historically have framed the disorder as an addiction and tend to be overly behavioral and potentially stigmatizing. I’ve developed a treatment method, integrating both expressive arts therapy and existential therapy, which could effectively and responsively target the shame and core wounds fueling CSBD. My method seeks to “open up” a larger discussion of meaningful, responsive treatment for when sex has become all-consuming.

USING TRAUMATIC EVENTS TO HEAL AND CREATE PUBLIC ART PIECES TO HELP OTHERS

Rasheeda Brown Francis; Jason Jackson; Jezire Brown Francis

Inspired by your soul
(Ensouling)
Think about the way the situation made you feel Angry
Upset
Worried
Scared
And build off of that

The only way you can get this wrong is if you don't ensoul the project From me looking in I should be able to capture the language of all of our souls by viewing the piece.

Two ways of healing:

1. Take the experience as a lesson to be the change for your future
2. Use this space to say EVERYTHING you could not say

Art is the language that your soul already speaks all you have to do is listen.

DEVELOPING ORAL LANGUAGE TO SUPPORT ENGLISH LITERACY FOR ESL STUDENTS

Jeanne Lima

This presentation investigates the impact of oral language instruction on the literacy development of ESL students. The mode continuum, a framework for developing the spoken language of a student, provides the basis for instruction. Since language varies according to the context of a situation, face-to-face discussion in a classroom utilizes more contextualized and less formal language than a formal oral presentation, which integrates more abstract, decontextualized language. The mode continuum provides a scaffold for students to move from spoken-like language to more formal written-like language.

ACCESSIBLE ADVISING FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN AN UNDERGRADUATE SETTING

Rose Nelson

This session will discuss an alumna's experience and learnings serving in an advising capacity in an international higher education setting and advising international students as they acclimate to and adjust to the United States. "We're open" really applies here as she strives to make her advising practices welcoming, accessible, and open.

ADHD REVEALED: LIGHTS ON THE NEUROSCIENCE AND PRACTICE

Heny Taraz

This enlightening lecture explores the underlying neurobiology of ADHD, signs and symptoms across developmental trajectories, causes, specific biomarkers and diagnostics, as well as the current treatments in coping with this neurodevelopmental disorder. It further delves into new discoveries, risk zones, and co-occurrences that may exhibit, which could help us to understand the learning challenges these students face.

CREATE AND JOIN THE JOURNEY: NAVIGATING EMPATHY (BELONGING?) IN THE STORY O

Lindsay Stewart; Kenisha Coy; Jen Riley Welsh

This scholarly and participatory presentation will navigate the complexities of disconnected well-being and the journey of belonging. Examining intersectional coping narratives, resulting trauma, and the effects on learning and well-being, participants will be encouraged to tap into creativity and develop personal well-being self-narratives. Through insightful discourse and storytelling, participants will be empowered to reframe negative self-talk and contribute to a modeled Community of Compassion. Emerging research will point to what can be done to bridge disconnection and cultivate compassion and empathy.

DEMYSTIFYING GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE FOR TRANS YOUTH

Athena Edmonds; Kylie Burnham

Clear, well-established, evidence-based standards of care exist for who can access what form of gender-affirming care and when they are eligible to receive it. Medically treated trans youth are at least as mentally healthy as cisgender youth (Doing Nothing = Doing Harm) Trans youth face many barriers to accessing healthcare—from lack of enough practitioners and long waitlists in MA to lack of informed consent practitioners to outright bans and restrictions in other states. This presentation asserts a good mental health practitioner can serve all populations, especially trans youth.

THE PEDAGOGY OF SELF-AUTHORSHIP

Philip Hulbig

A deep dive into the developmental and neurocognitive impact of metacognition and its role in self-transformation. It connects the latest science on learning, neuroplasticity, and self-development with the rich history of metacognitive educational practices, creating an educational vision capable to address difficult issues faced by modern education. This program is based off of my book of the same name.

WORKING WITH AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MEMORIES USING MUSIC THERAPY INTERVENTIONS

Svetlana Chashchina

Autobiographical memory is directly or indirectly involved in most psychotherapeutic interventions, regardless of the modality in which the therapist works. In this presentation, I provide an overview of music therapy techniques that have different goals and are aimed at working with different populations. I also share my practical experience with some of the interventions and pay particular attention to the limitations associated with working with clients who have experienced trauma.

FROM OPEN FORM IN NORTH AMERICAN POETRY TO CASCADIAN ZEN

Paul Nelson

It was fascinating to open the email from Lesley University and note the title of the Community of Scholars event “We’re Open.” The focus of my own graduate work was “Open Form in North American Poetry.” How does an open poetics differ from conventional poetry, what are its attributes, who are its practitioners, what changes does an open stance lead to in poetics and life in general and what has happened to my own practice since earning an M.A. from Lesley in 2007? Paul E Nelson is the Founding Director of the Cascadia Poetics Lab in Seattle, Washington.