Jenifer Williams
* Associate Professor of Elementary Education
* Elementary Program Coordinator
* Red Sox Fan
Location Alabama, U.S.A.
Activity
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@KelvynJames Powerful example!
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
I really enjoyed Week 2 because the videos presented opportunities for me to reflect upon personal experiences healthy strategies for productive confrontation. Additionally, I learned about Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, which was new and fascinating. Overall, the content in Week 2 is valuable to me personally and professionally, as it can be applied in both...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
I had to learn healthy confrontation strategies as an adult, because they were not modeled for me as a child. My family tended to avoid confrontation at all costs, which resulted in damaged relationships and many years of bitterness. Fortunately, my family and I have learned new techniques for addressing difficult topics and situations. The strategies that are...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
One example of a behavior worthy of productive confrontation is sexism. One particular example that comes to mind happened a couple of years ago when I was looking for a new vehicle. I had been researching many different SUVs with four-wheel-drive capabilities, and I was knowledgeable about the specifications of each type. This was a big purchase, and I took...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
Everyone participating in this course has taken a very intentional step to develop more competence in their interactions with diverse individuals. Moving forward, I plan to continue to focus on the further development of the following qualities: open-mindedness, willingness to ask questions, and acknowledgement of potential personal biases.
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
A safe way that I think I can help my preservice teachers learn about diversity and cultural differences is through scenarios and role-play. If you approach the dialogue based on hypothetical situations (as presented in the videos in this week's module) you can begin a dialogue to help people examine, learn about, and appreciate diversity and cultural...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
Several years ago, a former colleague and I were in a meeting at which changes to federal pell grant policies were discussed. She leaned over and said, "I don't think my tax dollars need to be funding someone else's education anyway. My parents paid for my college, and I'm paying for my kids' degrees. " She seemed embarrassed when I informed her that we would...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) is important to me because although principles are significant, they should be evident through practices. According to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, high levels of UAI indicate that the culture "maintains rigid codes for belief and behavior and are intolerant of unorthodox behavior and ideas". Personally, I try my best to...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
I tend to feel uncomfortable around individuals who suffer from dementia and/or Alzheimer's. This is because, due to a lack of knowledge, I am not sure how I should respond if, for example, they inquire about the whereabouts of a family member who passed away many years ago. One of my best friends has worked in the assisted living industry for nearly twenty...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
Lately, aside from basketball, the only thing my son wants to discuss is Fortnite. Yesterday, he told me that in the morning, he had to wait for "48 whole minutes" in a queue until at least three other players joined (he's on spring break this week). Initially, I was fairly skeptical and dismissive of his interest in this game. I am a Gen-Xer (born in...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
Given the current political climate in the United States, it is difficult for me to resist the urge to make the assumption that because an individual voted for "Candidate X", they must agree with that candidate's treatment of women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities. I have had to intentionally remind myself that I voted for "Candidate Y", even...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
This has definitely happened to me due to my strong, southern accent, and because I am an introvert. People have made inaccurate assumptions about my intelligence, political affiliations, and fundamental beliefs due to my accent. Additionally, because I am naturally introverted, people have assumed that I am unfriendly, arrogant, or unkind. Time, curiosity,...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
When it comes to human beings, stereotyping is obviously detrimental. However, this approach might be difficult for some people to relearn because in other aspects of life, generalizations can prevent injury (ex: assume that all stovetops are hot, assume that all guns are loaded, assume that every wild mushroom is poisonous). Unlike inanimate objects, humans...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
Self-confidence and self-awareness are important factors in guarding against defensive thoughts. Being more intentional about interacting with others (in general) could begin with pursuing personal interests (ex: taking karate, painting, or jewelry-making courses). Through these pursuits, one can feel more fulfilled, confident, and happy while simultaneously...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
Perhaps we stereotype because our brains are in the habit of assimilating, rather than accommodating. It is "easier" to fit new information (people we meet) into existing folders, rather than creating new folders for each person. For example, I have a very thick southern accent. When I meet people initially, often their facial expressions (and comments like,...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
Initially, the students believed that they had nothing in common with the others. We did not get to learn about Ella's internal dialogue when she entered the room, but based on her actions, we can surmise that it went something like, "Oh, there's another white person, I'll set by him." They made incorrect assumptions based on their peers' external qualities,...
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Jenifer Williams replied to Jenifer Williams
@PatsyMckenzie-Wright I'm so glad that you commented. I did not include this in my initial post, but the information I found was specific to Apostolic Pentacostals (even more specifically a group who lives relatively near me in the southern region of the United States). I truly appreciate your response, and am thankful for the opportunity to clarify my...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
After completing Week 1, I feel thankful for the opportunity to reflect upon the concepts related to diversity, and read the comments of others. I was reminded of the importance of the iceberg theory (which I vaguely remember from a professional development from days gone by), and am planning to share this image with my students when classes resume next week....
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
After spending time with both my family and my husband's over the spring holidays, it was interesting to compare their different communication styles. My family is very affectionate and loud. My mom always stops what the is doing to greet everyone with a hug and kiss at the door. My dad is always right behind her, saying something silly to my son in a very...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
The cultural iceberg theory effectively incorporates a visual to reinforce the point that diversity is more than meets the eye.
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
I can imagine that the mother felt judged, misunderstood, and penalized. Her coworkers were probably incredulous that she would arrive late to such an important meeting, and assumed that she did not take it seriously. They were operating on assumptions, and did not consider that although the meeting was important, it was not more important than her child. The...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
Many years ago, I had an administrator who seemed cold, unapproachable, and apathetic. She was critical of the students and staff, did not interact with either group in a positive manner, and often made abrupt, unilateral decisions that had detrimental effects on the entire school. I didn't like or respect this person. I assumed that she hated her job, and...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
One of my best friends and I vary sharply in our political associations (I'm a democrat, and she is a republican). We respect one another's beliefs, and do not make disparaging comments about political leaders to one another. During the presidential election in 2016, I was placed in a difficult position, when another close friend contacted me because she was...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
For my research, I began with a simple question about which I have always been curious: Why do some Pentacostal women have long, uncut hair? Over the years, I have known several individuals who did not cut their hair, wear makeup, or wear pants. Although I was fairly certain that this was connected to their religious beliefs, I was not certain about the...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
I think that in order to have successful relationships, couples must have adaptive mindsets, and be open to compromise. If a situation is approached from a "win-lose" perspective, then one party will feel negatively about the outcome. However, if situations are approached with objectivity and open-mindedness, then it is more likely that both parties will have...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
One value that is extremely important to me is equity. I acknowledge and respect that there are others who have ideas about equity that are impossible for me to relate to or accept. However, I also realize that just because it isn't "my way", doesn't necessarily mean it is "wrong"; but rather "not right for me". It is detrimental to assume that everyone shares...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
One of my dear friends from childhood was raised under very different socioeconomic circumstances. Her family employed a housekeeper, while I cleaned houses to earn money. Her family was a member of the local golf club, and I felt extremely uncomfortable there when she invited me to go swimming. She was given a brand new car before she had her license, while I...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
Recently, I attended a training about the characteristics of Generation Z. This is relevant to me professionally as a teacher educator, and perhaps even more important to me personally as a parent of a child who is within the Generation Z range. I learned quite a bit about characteristics common to Gen-Z, and left the session feeling surprisingly optimistic....
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
I researched communication preferences for members of the LGBTQ community, because many of my friends who are members of this community have experienced difficulties in various settings due in many situations to others' lack of understanding and awareness of respectful interpersonal communication practices. One resource from the National LGBT Health Education...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
The aspect of diversity that I avoid discussing directly is political belief, which is perhaps not surprising, given the current political climate in the United States. I have felt this way as long as I can remember, and this feeling has intensified over time. Most often, I avoid direct political discussions with individuals whose beliefs differ because I...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
I'm very comfortable with diversity in regards to education, simply because as a teacher educator, I interact with individuals of all educational levels, from kindergarteners to professors and administrators with terminal degrees. As a former first-grade teacher, seventh-grade teacher, and current college professor, I have developed the skills required to...
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Hi Fatima,
Here is a link to a document that contains the form that students complete and a sample analysis of results. The numbers that appear next to certain responses indicate frequency. I encourage my students to modify this form so that it is developmentally appropriate for the children that they teach.... -
Jenifer Williams made a comment
Both types of data collection are needed to benefit programs. In my program, we use both, but rely most heavily upon cross-sectional, quantitative data. One improvement that we could easily make to the longitudinal assessments we administer would be to adjust the format and incorporate more closed-response items to enable longitudinal comparison and identify...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
I serve as program coordinator, state department liaison, and I am a member of the QEP implementation team for SACS, which means that I am deeply entrenched in all accreditation processes. We identified key assessments for our program, which are aligned with CAEP, SPA, and InTASC standards. We've created mega-rubrics, which will be piloted this semester, and I...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
The old adage "Don't put all of your eggs in one basket" comes to mind because there is danger in relying too heavily upon one indicator to determine improvement. Indicators should be measured at multiple junctures in the program to determine broad, longitudinal impact. For example, if improvements are noted within one block of courses, but not another,...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
Documenting progress towards goals is currently approached through notes from program meetings. However, incorporating a visual aspect would be extremely helpful. The tool that is used to track progress must be seamless, and simple for faculty to use. It should improve and assist the progress, rather than making it more complex. Faculty do not have time for...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
We have an annual event that is hilarious called a "data retreat". There is nothing relaxing about it, but it does set aside time for faculty to analyze data, determine progress towards goals, and create new goals based on trends within the data. There is nothing sacred about the timing of the event, and it could be done each semester, rather than annually....
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
Although the experimental approach to addressing concerns has value, in this particular case, if 33% of portfolios are being returned with condition codes, this seems like an unreasonably large number that would necessitate a single-decision approach. An online checklist, auto-reminders, and incremental due dates for separate sections of the portfolio are...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
At our institution, when findings emerge that indicate action is needed, as a program we discuss the steps that should be taken to address the concern, and identify parties that are responsible for implementation. We discuss progress towards the goals during each meeting until the steps are complete. This keeps the goal on everyone's radar, which is helpful...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
The sign in Glenda’s shop was advertising lemons, but all of the lemons have been sold. Can Harry demand Glenda to supply him with a lemon? If Harry really wanted to press the matter, he could argue that the store was advertising a product that it could not provide. At the very least, Harry should be offered a rain check or voucher to purchase a lemon at the...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
“The more any quantitative social indicator is used for social decision-making, the more subject it will be to corruption pressures and the more apt it will be to distort and corrupt the social processes it is intended to monitor.” (p. 49)
While I agree that some degree of accountability is effective, too much can be detrimental. Educators could feel so...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
The infographic that displayed the size of the USA compared to Africa was highly effective because the assertion was communicated immediately. The visual was simple, yet powerful and effectively conveyed the magnitude of the one continent compared to another country.
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How did you choose to present/communicate data?
Just yesterday, I presented data that showed self-reported student engagement by grade level. The organization that collected the data published a helpful report, but the data was not represented clearly by an image. Therefore, I created a double bar graph which displayed the longitudinal trends in a way that... -
Jenifer Williams made a comment
Scenario 1: Students should be apprised initially that their usage will be tracked by the system, and that the LMS will generate an auto-reminder if they have not logged on 24 hours prior to an assignment. This notification should also be accompanied by a research-based explanation regarding why the auto-reminder system is implemented, and of the direct...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
(1 & 2) One tricky aspect of the initial data collection process is that during the first year, you are analyzing baseline data, and will be unable to compare it to previous years. It will be difficult to identify changes that need to be made to improve practices or processes until more data is collected and longitudinal patterns or trends can be analyzed. The...
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I would be happy to share the form, but I'm not sure how to do so. I'll check to see if I can send it to you in a message. :)
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
I think that informally, educators have hypotheses about the data they will review if they are familiar with the assessments used to capture the data that they must analyze. However, it is extremely important to be open to identifying trends that support unexpected conclusions, which might signify actions that will be challenging to implement or incorporate,...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
One simple way my institution solicits feedback from stakeholders each semester is including one constructed response item on the evaluation that cooperating teachers complete regarding our preservice candidates' performance. Classroom teachers are asked to provide suggestions about how our program and/or specific block of courses could be improved. We analyze...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
On the first day of each course, I ask students to complete a form that is aligned with the course evaluation categories. Students are asked to submit their expectations anonymously to encourage honesty. It only takes about 10 minutes, and I've been surprised at how effective this process has been. I transcribe the comments by category, and we analyze the data...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
We review student learning outcomes (SLOs) each year, and although we are required to do so for accreditation, it is honestly one of the most important tasks our program undertakes. During this time, we analyze data to determine areas in which the students in our program are performing well, and those in which we would like for them to improve. We target the...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
At my institution, we identified annual dates to review program and candidate data. Though these dates are considered the "closing of the loops", the "loops" are never truly closed because the collection process is ongoing. Reports are submitted based on a fiscal cycle, so that budget requests can be considered, and although I understand the need for this...
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Jenifer Williams made a comment
I selected this image of the assessment process because (a) it involves a memorable acronym (and you know we love those in education), and (b) the steps of the process are defined clearly.
