Friday, October 17, 2008

4th CESTL Program


4th CESTL Tentative Program

9am-8pm, Dec 13, 2008 (Sat)
Long Island Room, Winnick Student Center
Long Island University, C.W. Post

OPEN to the Public!


PowerPoint Presentations


0 9:00-9:20 Dr. Dengting Boyanton Opening: Welcome to the CESTL & introduction of guests!

0 9:20-9:50 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Arnold Dodge Keynote address: The meaning of teaching

9:50-10:00 Coffee Break

1 10:00-10:10 Lauren Romano Inclusion in the classroom setting: teacher’s perspective

2 10:10-10:20 Pauline Stein Evaluating the effect of a pre-school enrichment program

3 10:20-10:30 Meredith Appeibaum Personality: Where is it from and how does it affect learning?

4 10:30-10:40 Kimberly Maher How do teacher’s experience and personalities affect student’s motivation and classroom behaviors?

5 10:40-10:50 Angelo Ferrucci Facilitate students’ learning based on their learning styles

6 10:50-11:00 Melissa Hofmann Evaluating the impact of a Reading Recovery Program on at-risk first-grade students

7 11:00-11:10 Lauren Russo Intelligence = Success? Exploring the relationship between academic intelligence and life success

8 11:10-11:20 Vanda Dreyer How does culture affect one’s interest, hard work, and motivation to learn?

9 11:20-11:30 Cassie Dunn Using positive reinforcement for students’ misbehavior: A comparison between a special educational classroom setting and a regular setting

11:30-11:35 Break

0 11:35-12:30
Dr. Andrea Mcloughlin
Dr. Joan Walker
Dr. Shaireen Rasheed
Dr. Efleda Tolentino
Dr. Dengting Boyanton Invited Special Symposium:
Teaching & Learning: Perspectives from LIU Professors
This symposium will provide different perspectives on teaching and learning at the higher education level from the professors' perspective. Students will be given many opportunities to ask these LIU professors ANY questions.

12:30-1:30 Pizza Break/Poster

10 1:30-1:40 Helen Siaxabanis Why is being “book smart” unpopular in school?

11 1:40-1:50 Kevin Cherry How does family environment affect children’ learning?

12 1:50-2:00 Amy Weisburd Gender bias: Where is it from and how it affects learning?

13 2:00-2:10 Laura Fichera
How can teachers prevent the conflict between a student’s personality and his learning?

14 2:10-2:20 Xiaodan Jiang
Exploring the cultural factors that affect the students’ performance in the ESL classroom

15 2:20-2:30 Jason Crockett
Impact of undesirable behavior and classroom management on student learning

16 2:30-2:40 Kara Rubino Exploring characteristics of great teachers

17 2:40-2:50 Brittany Fedus
How does misbehavior affect that individual’s own learning and others’ in the classroom?

2:50-3:00 Break

18 3:00-3:10 Margaret Persaud A comparative study on characteristics of elementary students and middle school students

19 3:10-3:20 Annamarie Morgera Left-brained, right-brained: How can teachers keep both sides as leveled as possible?

20 3:20-3:30 Trisha Zuvich How do parents affect their children’s learning?

21 3:30-3:40 Sarah Hoenig The impact of great teachers on students’ learning

22 3:40-3:50 Jaclyn Joyce Great teachers: What personality traits do they have? Which traits are more favorable than others?

23 3:50-4:00 Sunya Bhutta How does misbehavior and discipline problem affect the learning atmosphere in the classroom?

24 4:00-4:10 Alexis Trudel
Examining the micro-moral behavior in the elementary classroom

25 4:10-4:20 Celena Ragkaswar
Who are the well-behaved, invisible students, troublemakers, or bullies in a K-6 classroom?

26 4:20-4:30 Lauren Betz How does misbehavior affect one’s learning?

4:30-5:20 Pizza Break/poster

27 5:20-5:30 Juliet Castellanos The media-raised generation: Exploring the influence of media on young children’ behavior

28 5:30-5:40 Linda Gottlieb How does the classroom structure (e.g., teaching methods) facilitate or hinder students’ learning style?

29 5:40-5:50 Andrew Romanoff How does students’ perception of their instructor’s physical appearances affect the learning environment?

30 5:50-6:00 Christine Goldstein Using technology in the classroom: students’ perspectives

31 6:00-6:10 Sean Johnsen With advancements in technology, how is student learning different today from what it used to be?

32 6:10-6:20 Matthew Unger How can we integrate technology to facilitate learning in the classroom?

6:20-6:30 Break/Poster

33 6:30-6:40 Ok-Hyun Jo Lost mother tongue: Why did Korean immigrant children lose their native language?

34 6:40-6:50 Sherry Lankford
How do teachers prepare themselves to teach a multi-cultural classroom?

35 6:50-7:00 Caitlin Bishop
Lauren Staffieri Strategies to motivate the students to learn in the classroom
What can teachers do to motivate K-12 students to learn different subjects?

36 7:00-7:10 Frank Bonanno
How motivated are today's K-12 level students about learning?

37 7:10-7:20 Ling-Yen Tseng How motivated are international students in the U.S. to learn English as a Second Language (ESL)?

38 7:20-7:30 Evdoxia Gounelas Exploring strategies to motivate students to learn

39 7:30-7:40 Lisa Rankin Introducing the most effective ways to motivate students to learn

40 7:40-7:50 Kelly Burns Motivation: How does it change as one ages?

7:50-8:00 Dr. Dengting Boyanton Closing: Special Presentation


Poster Presentations


41 James Avila Creating a positive learning environment in the classroom

42 Elizabeth Violette Growing up in a bad environment: How did children from negative family environments become successful learners?

43 Philip Novins What are the classroom environment that are most/least favorable for learning

44 Joanna Aiello Personalities: What are they and how does each personality affect one’s ability to learn?

45 Alison Greene
How does personality affect one’s relationship with his peers/teachers?

46 Marissa Morrissey How does ADHD affect a child's learning capabilities?

47 Clarivel Martinez
Devyn Giannone Lauren Volini From bullies, loners, trouble-makers, to exceptional students: What makes students to change?

48 Jamie Bunsis In the mood of learning: How does one’s mood affect one’s learning?

49 Nicole Vasheo Technology: When and how can it hinder students’ learning?

50 Carolyn Rio Learned or innate? A comparative study between elementary and college students’ learning styles

51 Jeanna Careccia
Michelle Kiernan
Ashley Pratt A comparative study on interests, learning strategies, and motivation between elementary and high school students

52 Christina Cronan From elementary to middle school: How do they learn differently?

53 Kelly Calder
Jenna Caputo How do students of different grades learn differently: A comparative study between 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 6th grade

54 Lydia DiLorenzo
Mark Donelan Gender biases: How are students treated differently due to their gender in the classroom setting?

55 Jessica Murphy Becoming a great teacher: The importance of knowing your students

56 Elizabeth Scot How to be a great teacher?

57 Christopher Conterelli Designing different instructional methods to teach culturally diverse students

58 Sarah Lefrancois Low SES, low performance? Exploring the effect of poverty in learning

58 Courtney Schmaeling How do effective teachers prevent misbehavior in the classroom

60 Patricia Selock Exploring the most effective methods for behavior management

61 Meghan Woodstock Why do they misbehave? Understanding misbehavior in the classroom

62 Jennifer Massaro Evaluating the effect of ABA behavior management methods on autism students

63 Laura Fichera How can a teacher effectively handle misbehavior in the classroom?

64 Melanie Galvin How do parents influence their children’s learning?

65 Lauren Malter Do children with parental support and guidance learn better than those who don’t?

66 Christina Wilson
How does parental involvement with student’s homework affect student’s learning?

67 David Dimola How to motivate K-12 students to learn?

68 Tara Agnesini What are the motivation problems with today’s K-12 levels students?

69 Rong Zhang Understanding the importance of emotion education in ESL teaching in primary schools

70 Jacqueline Silverman To what degree should instructional technology be integrated with traditional instructional techniques?

71 Grace Thornton What are the characteristics of great teachers?

The End! We look forward to seeing you in the CESTL!

4th CESTL Invited Speakers



4th Conference of Elementary-Secondary Teaching & Learning

***C E S T L***
***Highlights***


9:20am-9:50am, Dec 13
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Arnold Dodge
Keynote Address: The Meaning of Teaching

Dr. Arnold Dodge is Assistant Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and Administration, Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus, Brookville, N.Y. He served in the public schools for 37 years as a teacher, principal, curriculum administrator and superintendent. He has chaired numerous high-stakes testing forums and has lectured in the public schools and at the university on the impact of high stakes testing on classroom and school environments. Dr, Dodge is currently working on a project with the Associate Director of the Health, Emotions and Behavior Laboratory at Yale University, researching the relationship between performance on standardized tests and teacher and student stress. Dr, Dodge will give a talk titled "The Meaning of Teaching: the Art of Teaching."

11:35am-12:30pm, Dec 13
Invited Special Symposium
Teaching & Learning: A perspective from LIU Professors
Dr. Andrea Mcloughlin (Associate Professor of Education)
Dr. Joan Walker (Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology)
Dr. Shaireen Rasheed (Associate Professor of Education)
Dr. Efleda Tolentino (Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education)
Dr. Dengting Boyanton (Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology)


This Special Symposium will be given by our own LIU professors. This symposium will provide our students with a different perspective on teaching and learning at the higher education level from the professors' perspective. Four LIU professors will share their experiences and perspectives on teaching and learning. Students will have many opportunities to ask these professors ANY questions.

4th CESTL Keynote Address: Meaning of Teaching

The Meaning of Teaching
Keynote Address @ 4th CESTL
By Dr. Arnold Dodge
December 13, 2008

I want to thank Dr. Boyanton for inviting me to speak at this very special event. I cannot imagine anything more inspiring than students presenting their research to one another and to the wider university community. What a smart thing to do.

I must admit, putting together remarks on “The Meaning of Teaching,” was daunting. What a popular term – teaching – and oh, the variety of meanings that people ascribe to it. We use and overuse the term – in its varied forms: I was teaching my dog a trick. I taught myself the computer. Did your professor teach this concept? I taught it, they just didn’t learn it. Those who can, do, those who can’t, teach. Give me a fish, I eat for the day. Teach me to fish, I eat for a lifetime. And on and on.

For purposes of today’s thoughts, let’s focus on the profession of teaching. Public school teaching in particular since this is the arena that I played in throughout my adult life and one that perhaps many of you in the audience will venture into shortly.

So what is this school teaching all about? For me, teaching is the most important job on the planet. In fact, when I was a director of curriculum, the district I worked for brought in the Gallup organization – Gallup of poll development fame also has a strong operation in organizational developmental. Gallup was brought in to talk to administrators about hiring practices. The workshop leader told us that their findings show that those who do best in the field are those who believe that teaching is the most important work – with no exceptions. (After all, the doctors and the engineers and lawyers and the politicians – you name it – all got to where they are through the guidance and tutelage and mentorship of teachers. I thought this was a profound finding and one that reinforced for me the notion that teaching is a passion for those who take it seriously.

So after believing that teaching is so important, I need a compelling metaphor to close the deal. And, I have come to believe that this metaphor is the defining image for me of the meaning of teaching. You may have heard this already, but I am awed by the story of Michelangelo’s approach to creating his masterpiece, The David. (The David is on display in Florence and viewing it is worth the price of airfare, hotel and accommodations.) Michelangelo’s work on this sculpture is based on the artistic discipline known as disegno. Under this discipline, sculpture is considered to be the finest form of art because it mimics divine creation. With this concept in mind, Michelangelo worked under the premise that the image of David was already in the block of stone he was working on – in much the same way as the human soul is found within the physical body. For me, this elegant approach captures the meaning – the art - of teaching. The very word education comes from the root word educare – to bring forth.

When we stand in front of a class of students or sit beside an individual student or interact in any way with one of our students, we are practicing the art of uncovering the image of the child beneath the raw material that we are given to work with. Our job is to chip away at the outer layers and to coax the divine image to emerge. Gently, diligently, we trust that the image awaits us if we only have the patience and the tools to complete the task. In the deft hand of a skillful teacher, we see the results of this labor. A child will blossom in a classroom which has both a safe and a challenging culture. Vygotsky, the great thinker about children’s education, calls this place the zone of proximal development. It is the place where a child feels that he or she can stretch the limits of his or her potential because the teacher is there as a non-threatening and motivating mentor to bring forth the best that child has to offer. Such is the teacher as artist.

Let me share some thoughts (and a bit of a rant) which highlight the challenges we face to keep the true meaning of teaching as magnificent as a Michelangelo sculpture.

I had the privilege to hear a traveling artist who promotes arts education by speaking to all kinds of audiences around the country. His words are instructive in the context of our approach to the raw material in our classrooms. This speaker recounts his findings when he purposely asks the same question to various age groups. He asks, “How many of you are artists?” When he asks adults – in a crowd of 100 – a few hands go up. When he asks high school students in a similar size crowd, a few more hands go up. In junior high, still more believe that they are artists. In the upper elementary grades, more than half the hands go up. And in kindergarten, every hand goes up.

I would submit to you, that we could ask the same groups similar questions and we would get roughly the same percentages. How many of you like to write? How many of you like to skip, jump and hop? So what happens along the way? How is it that we lose the self-concept that we are skilled? Buckminster Fuller says that “All children are born geniuses; 9,999 out of every 10,000 are swiftly, inadvertently degeniused by grown ups.” We have to be on guard for this phenomenon. A conversation about the meaning of teaching should include a reminder to those in-service and those pre-service teachers that the very last thing we want to do is degenius our students. Borrow a page from Hippocrates’ admonishment to the medical profession: first do no harm.

So, now, let me tell you what I think is the sworn enemy of the artistry of teaching. (And here begins my rant.) This enemy comes disguised as one bearing gifts. The antithesis of finding the spirit in the child is ironically the driving force behind the No Child Left Behind Act. This legislation, which has bi-partisan support and which was signed into law by President Bush in 2002, has as its centerpiece the mandate that all children will be tested in grades 3-8. This high stakes testing environment which has been the prevailing ethos in our schools for the last 6 years has done more to destroy the true meaning of teaching than any other public policy initiative in our lifetime. And why is it so odious? And why if it is so bad, does NCLB have such traction. Three reasons I think.

First, its name. How can anyone argue with an act called No Child Left Behind. What are you in favor of leaving a child behind? Or as the Bush administration calls NCLB detractors: those who practice the soft bigotry of low expectations. What good intentions slogans imply. So let me be generous and say that the intentions of NCLB are good; it’s the consequences that are awful. Let me list a few of the consequences of NCLB mandated testing: Kindergarteners are getting ready for tests and losing recess and play time; preparation for reading tests is precluding the reading of novels and other good literature; “soft” subjects - like art, health, foreign language - those that have no value in the high stakes scoring tally - are being marginalized; hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars are being spent on tutoring programs with hardly an uptick in test scores; teachers and students are being paid to improve high stakes test scores and ruining perhaps for a lifetime the intrinsic love of learning. No Child Left Behind – good name, bad law.

Second reason that NCLB is popular but failing our students: the keywords, high stakes. The public believes that they are getting their money’s worth if there is high stakes accountability for both teachers and students. Finally, they say, a “take no prisoners,” “hold their feet to the fire” approach to taming the unruly and costly public schools. That’s the traction that makes the public enamored of the high stakes approach. Here’s the slippery slope: We know in fact that one shot testing once a year with results that are published for all to see does not yield schools where students want to learn and teachers want to teach. Shame is a poor motivator and stress is a debilitating companion for learning. We have students and teachers throughout the country who have been turned into test giving and taking machines. This is not the paradigm we should be striving for. Machinery is for assembly lines where widgets are made. Mechanistic, on-demand, assembly-line approaches have no place in schools. Children are unique and fragile and perishable like snowflakes - they are not like widgets.

Third and final reason why this NCLB act is a lie, in my opinion. The advocates will tell you that one-size-fits-all testing is (a)efficient (b) fair and (c)useful. I contend that the right answer is (d) none of the above. On the issue of efficiency: Our nation’s schools are rife with examples of the mismanagement of these tests – everything from problems of multiple choice tests with no right answers or two right answers, to the untimely review and grading of the tests, to instances of cheating and gaming of the system. Let’s take on fairness: The imbalances in community wealth, parental support and background knowledge do not suddenly become righted because we give the same tests to all kids in a state. In fact, the greatest predictor of test results remains SES. And finally, the test makers will tell you that their assessments yield important data for school decision making. Well, there are so many issues related to validity, reliability, why national test results are so different from state test results, etc. etc. that we may not have useful results at all. In fact we may have results that are misleading.

So, what’s a teacher (or future teacher) to do? First of all, don’t get discouraged. The policy makers and the politics always come and go. Good teachers and willing students transcend any particular moment in time.

To that end let me say that in my career, there have been several policy upheavals, changes in leadership at both the local, state and federal levels and yet my students and I were quite often oblivious to these forces.

Let me share a few anecdotes with you which help me at a very personal level understand the meaning of teaching. These stories and memories remain vivid for me although some events occurred nearly 40 years ago.

I had student who was a fabulous actor – I was the drama coach. I said to him that one day, when he was on Broadway, I wanted tickets to the show. Sure enough, Vincent played the Master of the House in Les Miz. We went to dinner before the show and then my student was on stage . I will never forget that moment.

And then there was Justine, a selective mute, who spent the entire year in my class not speaking a word. I found the patience and the love to never embarrass her and attempted to include her in all that we did. Justine eventually came to speak in the years to come.

And how about Todd who stuttered, but who insisted on taking parts in all of our class plays. How well I remember hearing Todd recite Shakespeare – “Oh J J J J J Juliet, She sp sp speaks, O sp sp speak again br br br bright angel . . .” What’s more inspiring is the patience and the support that the rest of the class gave to this young man.

These are the experiences that define my career for me – and you know what, I can’t remember how my students did on the tests they took. Sorry, policymakers.

And before I leave this personal reverie about the meaning of teaching, let me share with you a dreamy passage that I read recently by Mildred Chase from her book, Just Being at the Piano. The author elevates the act of piano playing to a transcendent experience: “Everything that you have consciously learned, all of your knowledge, emanates from within you. There is a sense of oneness in which the heart of the musician and the heart of the composer meet. The music is in your hands, in the air, in the room, the music is everywhere, and the whole universe is contained in the experience of playing.” For me, this description comes close to describing the experience of teaching. When teacher and students merge and the whole classroom sounds like a symphony you know you have made the right decision to become a teacher and it is then that you know the true meaning of teaching.

So, in closing, by the power vested in me as the chair of the department of educational leadership and administration at CW Post, I now deputize all of the aspiring teachers in this room. Your mission is to save our schools. Through the courage of your convictions and the sweat of your brow you will reclaim the true meaning of teaching which has been stolen by the politicians and the business people and the media. Your marching orders are as follows:

You are at all times to use this calculation when assessing your students: effort = reward. No more children trying and trying and trying and still failing state tests.

You are to make parents your partners. No longer will parents be afraid to come to open school night for fear of finding out that their children are failures. And you will always make time for parents when they want to discuss the most cherished individuals in their lives.

You are to work with your colleagues and share best practices whether across the halls of your school or across town with a colleague in a struggling school district. You will not compete for grades with your fellow teachers.

You will remember that you have the future sitting in front of you and you will know that you have a sacred mission to send a message to the future via the young people. Our business is future oriented; your classrooms should never be imprisoned by old ideas. (Remember that current third graders and their younger school mates have never lived one day in the 20th century.)

You are to take heart in the words of those who are in the schools now who are inspired by their work and see that teaching is truly a calling. Like the statements made by one of my current students in our administration program who is an aspiring principal: “To be a teacher is to hear the heavenly sounds of 30 seventeen-year olds genuinely laughing at one of your jokes; to be a teacher is to hear the sound of disbelief in a parent’s voice when you call to say that her child is doing well in your class; to be a teacher is to be excited to sign up for a workshop or seminar because you can’t wait to find a new way to teach your students; to be a teacher is to be genuinely proud of your students when they succeed in the classroom, on stage or on the court or field; to be a teacher is to provide your students with support during a time of personal turmoil in their lives; and to be a teacher is the idea that a heartfelt “thank you” from a student brings more personal and professional satisfaction than any perk that tends to be offered by the private sector.”

And as a deputy, you are to consider yourself a “tribune” - a person who upholds or defends the rights of the people. You need to speak out if you think a policy or a practice is harmful to your students. You will be amazed at how powerful the truth can be – especially when voiced by a dedicated teacher. And you should seek out fellow tribunes so your voice will be part of a chorus of voices on behalf of the developmental and educational needs of children.

So now I officially pronounce you ambassadors for spreading the word of the true meaning of teaching. I wish you good luck in your pursuits. And never forget that no matter how hard the raw material and how difficult the chipping away becomes, there is always a David inside each child.

The End!

4th CESTL Event Summary

One-Day’s Conference, 10-Year’s of Learning

A Powerful Learning at
the 4Th Conference of Elementary-Secondary Teaching & Learning


On December 13, 2008, the 4th CESTL took place in the Long Island Room of the Winnick Student Center at the Long Island University C. W. Post Campus for the first time. The CESTL was organized by Professor Dengting Boyanton and her students who are taking her courses EDI 15A Psychological Perspective: Teaching & Learning, and EDI 600 Educational Foundation in Education in Fall 2008. This conference was intent to be completely student-centered and family-oriented focusing student research on elementary secondary teaching and learning.

It is estimated that a minimum of 127 people attended this conference. Among them, 79 were education major student presenters (both graduate and undergraduate students); 37 were students’ family members (parents, spouses, boyfriends/girlfriends, children); and 11 were professors/family members. In addition to student presentations, Dr. Arnald Dodge’s keynote address The Meaning of Teaching and five professors’ (Dr. Andrea Mcloughlin, Dr. Joan Walker, Dr. Shaireen Rasheed, Dr. Efleda Tolentino, and Dr. Dengting Boyanton) invited symposium Teaching & Learning: Perspectives from LIU Professors were also highlights of the 4th CESTL.

As previous three CESTLs which were all held at the University of Texas at Brownsville, the 4th CESTL was also a huge success at LIU. It has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the students, the professors, and family members. All student presenters (100%) reported that they enjoyed the CESTL tremendously and described this experience as “nerve-wrecking” “exciting” “inspiring” “educational” “informative” “interesting” “meaningful” “enriching” “respectful” “positive” “community” “well-organized” “amazing” “professional” “great” “awesome” “impressive” “phenomenal” and “powerful!”


“Although I spent only one day at the CESTL, the information I learned is more than 10 years of learning.” Ok-Hyun Jo, a graduate student from Korean shared her experience. “I spent 12 hours in the CESTL, and I had a great time.” Grace Thorton, another graduate student said. Undergraduate Nicole Vasheo believed that CESTL is a very enriching experience and she just wish more education majors were involved because it is something that everyone in the education field should be exposed to. When asked for suggestions to improve future CESTLs, undergraduate Annamarie Morgera suggested that more publicity of the CESTL should be displayed in the LIU community because she believes that CESTL is “one of the most important events of the LIU institution.”

Most students worked extremely hard for this event, and their hard work is shown in their presentations. “The presentations and poster boards were a profound reflection of the devotion everyone put into their work. Everyone should be extremely proud of the work they have accomplished.” As Lauren Romano, another graduate student pointed out. Dean Dr. Kathryn Lusteg also said that she was impressed with the students’ research topics and their presentation.

As previous CESTLs, most students felt a strong sense of achievement after presenting at the CESTL. “I realized the true potential I had. I am so impressed with our research paper and I will probably never forget what this class has taught me.” Said undergraduate Michelle Kiernan. Cassie Dunn, a graduate student said that this experience made her feel very proud of herself, and she has re-decided to receive her doctorate in psychology. “I have realized that I am capable of accomplishing all that is required.” Cassie said. Another graduate student Brittany Fedus shared similar feelings “I was so proud of myself, I feel can do anything now!”

The news spread fast. One graduate student presenter Juliet Castellanos, after giving a presentation about the influence of media on students’ behavior, immediately received an invitation the Child Care Council of Long Island to host a two-hour training seminar about the dangers of media in children's lives. “I am very excited about this opportunity and owe it all to you! I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Juliet told Dr. Boyanton.

To summarize this experience, “Words can’t express the whole experience of yesterdays CESTL presentations. The amount of information I accumulated within a couple of hours would take an individual a life-time to study. I felt extremely privileged to be apart of the first CESTL at C.W. Post.” Said graduate student Celena Ragkaswar.

4th CESTL evaluations by LIU faculty

Dear Dengting,

I wish to commend you for a job well done. I am very proud that you presented the Conference of Elementary-Secondary Teaching & Learning (CESTL) on Saturday, December 13, 2008 which was a great success.

I am very admiring of your energy and creativity to provide such an intellectual and professional activity.

You deserve my kudos on a job well done.

Sincerely,

Robert Hanheimer, E.d.D.
Dean, School of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
---------------------------------------
Dear Dengting,

Congratulations on a wonderful activity for students and for faculty. The organization of the day was great!

I enjoyed Arnie’s speech and I was impressed with the students' research topics and their presentations. The professor panel was excellent!

Thank you so much for organizing this event. It was a great contribution to the C & I Department and to the School of Education.

Enjoy the break.

Cordially,
Kathy Lusteg
Associate Dean
School of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
---------------------------------------

Dengting,

I was glad I could attend and glad it was a success. You did a great job!

Tony

Dr. Anthony DeFalco
Chairperson
Department of Curriculum & Instruction
Long Island University
C.W. Post Campus
516-299-2146
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Dengting,

I enjoyed the experience of preparing remarks about the meaning of teaching. What a great event you put together! The student presentations were very well done and the panel of professors did a good job of answering questions. Your hard work was worth it.

Thanks for inviting me.

Arnold Dodge
Assistant Professor
Chair, Leadership & Administration
School of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
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Hi, Dengting!

The CESTL was a very impressive event, and I was glad to participate.

Andrea Mcloughlin
Associate Professor of Education
Curriculum & Instruction
School of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
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Dengting,

You put in an amazing amount of work. I was happy to help on the fringe.

Joan Walker
Assistant Professor
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
School of Education
---------------------------------------

Dengting,

Thank you for inviting me to part of what was an amazing conference. What a great opportunity for all our students and colleagues to get together to discuss such important and a great topics.

Looking forward to getting a blurb of the conference for the TLI newsletter.

Best,
Shaireen
Shaireen Rasheed, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
School of Education
C. W. Post Campus of Long Island University
720 Northern Blvd. Brookville, New York 11548-1300
Tel: 516-299-2156
Fax: 516-299-3312
srasheed@liu.edu

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Dengting,

I want to congratulate you for the success of your conference. It was well attended, organized, and enriching.

I enjoyed speaking with some of your students and listening to their presentations. Knowing how much work these projects entail, I am amazed with your ability to coordinate, follow-up and cohesively put together different pieces of student research.

You are phenomenal!

Efleda

P.S. Joshua enjoyed participating in your conference. He thought that your students were great!
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4th CESTL Evaluations by EDI 15A students

4th CESTL Evaluations by EDI 15A Psychological Perspective

I felt that CESTL conference was a great experience. A conference mainly organized by students was a great idea of Dr. Dengting. I found it very informative and interesting. Dengting had extremely well spoken welcoming comments and an effectiveness in describing CESTL. I was very glad that I was there to hear the keynote speaker. I felt that what he had to say was very important.

My favorite part of the conference was the panel discussion with professors. Every question that the audience had, I had in my own head. Each professor answered each question extremely thorough. I feel that I now know a little more about what to expect when I become a teacher. This part was very informative.

When it came time for me to stand by my poster I was ready. Each person that came to view my poster was impressed and interested to hear about my findings. This made me feel that all of my hard work preparing for the conference paid off. I truly think that this conference was a success and every student that presented did a great job. I look forward to attending the conference next semester even if I am not a student presenter.
Caitlin Bishop 12/16/08
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The CESTL turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences that I have ever been a part of. It was amazing to see people that were in my position look so professional and knowledgeable. Some of the presentations blew me away with the facts that they found. I never would have thought that people our age would be able to accomplish the things that we have. It has made me want to push myself in everything that I do in order to get such rewarding outcomes. I don’t think that I have ever been more proud to say that I was a part of something in my life. I would like to thank my classmates for pushing each other to do this because honestly we couldn’t have done thins process alone. CESTL is a very enriching experience and I just wish more education majors were involved because it is something that I think everyone in our field should be exposed to. Thank you so much for this experience, Dr. Boyanton!
Nicole Vasheo 12/14/08
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I found the CESTL conference to be very informative. At first I didn't know what to expect, I was even dreading the long day and was a bit nervous about my poster presentation. However once i got there i realized that there wasn't much to be nervous about, everyone was very nice and helpful. Everyone seemed interested in our research even our other classmates.

Professor Dodge made a very good speech in the beginning which stays in my mind. He talked a lot about NCLB act and about the impact teachers have on their students. I found it to be very inspirational and a good way to start off the conference. Many of the powerpoint presentations were also interesting because a lot of the students talked about their fieldwork observations. Everyone's research was well thought out and informative.

The panel discussion was also interesting because everyone was open to answer any questions. The panel was full of experienced teachers ready to answer any question. I think that overall it was a very successful day, and I'm very glad that I had the opportunity to be a part of it.
Jenna Caputo December 16, 2008
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The CESTL Conference was definitely an interesting experience. It was a nice way to say goodbye to all of our classmates before the holiday break, and it was also a great way to support the research our classmates had done.

One of the biggest problems with the CESTL however, was that there weren’t enough evaluation forms. Carolyn, Sunya, and Nicole, for example, all made really great poster presentations that I would have loved to fill out forms in support of, but, because the forms were all used up on the first group of power point presentations, I couldn’t evaluate them.

In addition, I felt that not enough attention was paid to the posters by the people who attended the conference. Although everyone was very focused on the power point presentations, when the breaks came and the focus was supposed to shift to the posters, more people were focused on eating, getting coffee, or leaving, than they were on the posters. It didn’t seem like a fair trade, because not everyone could make a power point, and I know for a fact that everyone worked really, really hard on their posters. I felt that they deserved much more attention than they received, and that they should have been noticed more for their content than for the fact that they kept falling down.

In regard to the power point presentations however, I felt that Margaret and Jaclyn did a really great job of representing the Undergrads. Jaclyn’s presentation in particular was really wonderful, and it interested me, not only because it was very well done, but because it looked at a similar topic to mine in a very different light.

Overall, the best part about the conference was that I got to spend the day supporting the friends I made in our class. It was nice to see hardworking, and intelligent people express their passions and excel.
Jessica Murphy, December 14, 2008
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The conference was very long but yet I learned a lot from it. Looking back at the conference I believe it was nothing to be worried about, I knew that the information on my poster board was great and everyone asked great questions that I was prepared for. Everyone who asked me questions about my work, said I did a great job with my research and that the facts I got out of my research was remarkable.

I believe that CESTL would be better if it wasn't such a long day but I understand a lot of people were there and a lot of students had to present. It was well organized and overall I had a great time.

The only advice I would be able to give is to the students next year. You have a whole semester to work on this presentation... Don’t put it off to last minuet because it will come back and bite you in the rear. Thank you again professor Boyanton for helping me get through this year, and I hope to have you for another class because your class was my favorite class for the years I have been here at C.W. Post... Everyone was comfortable and the class was very welcoming, I just wish more classes at post were like this one... Thank you again, Dr. Boyanton!
Mark Mark Donelan 11/16/08
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AT first I was extremely nervous when I first heard about the CESTL conference. I had never been to a conference before, let alone have to present my own research in front of them. However as the class progressed, I learned a lot about myself and instilled trust in my classmates. My fears of public speaking slowly begin to fade and by the time the conference came most of my nerves were gone.

The night before I slept at Jeanna’s house and when that morning rolled around we both felt like we were going to puke. We both kept telling ourselves that we were in it together. I guess that was my motivation. Her, my classmates, and Denting motivated me to succeed. We had spent a whole semester preparing our research for this conference. I knew by the end we were well prepared and my whole group new what they were talking about. I was extremely proud and satisfied by my group’s performance at the conference. Many people came to talk to us about our board and we received many complements. Most people were impressed with our research and knew all the hard work we had put in.

The conference overall was a great success. It was really interesting to see the diverse topics and everyone present their research. I really liked the teacher panel and being able to ask them whatever we wanted. They were once first year teachers like we soon will be and they passed on several knowledgeable facts.

This course overall was definitely a rocky road. There were many times were I was stressed and overwhelmed out of my mind. I really wanted to give up numerous times. However in the end, I gained a whole new insight. I made new friends and learned several things for Denting that I will hope to use in the future. Through out this whole experience I learned a lot about myself as well. I realized the true potential I had. I am so impressed with our research paper and I will probably never forget what this class has taught me.
Michelle Kiernan 12/14/08
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The CESTL was AMAZING! What I found most interesting was that the undergraduate students and the graduate students acted like one group. They didn’t compare us because they were older. We all appreciated each other’s works and didn’t criticize. We acted like we are one big group.

I loved how our group’s poster came out! Everyone who came up to our group thought we did an excellent job and told us it was very interesting and fun. All the great compliments gave me more motivation to talk more about what I know to the next person who came up to our poster and not to be shy. At the CESTL I felt like I knew what everyone was talking about and knew most of the answers to the questions that were asked to you and the other teachers on the education board. I would have never known any of those answers if I never took this class.

I would definitely recommend this course to my other classmates at C.W Post. It’s an excellent and fun class and I think everyone should experience the CESTL. I will also recommend any other class that you will be teaching. I loved this class and hope to be in another class that you will be teaching!
Devyn Giannone 12/13/08
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The CESTL conference went so well. I had such a great time! It also felt so good to finally display my poster. I also learned a lot from the presentations especially the panel discussion with the five professors. My classmates and I took pictures with our posters during the break and walked around to see everyone else’s. I was surprised to see that almost everyone did different topics. I was extremely impressed by how some of the shyest kids in our class were able to give amazing presentations. I think we all have came a long way and I am definitely happy I took this course with my professor. Not only did I learn, but I had so much fun, and I learned a lot about myself and what kind of teacher I want to become.
Sunya Bhutta 11/16/08
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When I first arrived at the CESTL conference I was ridiculously nervous and overwhelmed at the same time. I really did feel like I was going to faint. I didn't have to present until late in the afternoon and the anxiety just kept building up right until I had to go at 3. I was so thankful that my mom had come to see me. It meant a lot to me to have her there.

One thing I learned during this conference besides content, was that there are a lot of wonderful aspiring educators. Everyone was well informed and spent a lot of time on researching their topic. What I found very interesting was one of the boards that was hanging up. It had to do with gender bias. The young lady (Amy I believe) who did this topic had a lot of research and hands on data. I enjoyed the fact that she actually used pieces of artwork from different children and had you guess whether it was a boy or a girl.

I feel that I was very prepared for this conference, but I felt it slipping when I became nervous. I guess my nerves weren't as well prepared as my brain was. I honestly was a little disappointed with my overall performance. I felt like I was able to mask the fact that I was nervous, but it showed by the fact that I sped things up. I felt that although I did not talk too quickly, I rushed the presentation. I didn't say a lot of the things that I wanted to say and didn't go into much of the information that I had.

However, the experience was exhilarating. I was proud of myself for even being able to muster out a word. I felt that the CESTL was very well thought out. I especially enjoyed the panel discussion with the members of the education department. It was very insightful and interesting to see that many of the same ideas are shared by the best of teachers.

To improve the CESTL I think that if anything it should be a little shorter. Many people left toward the end. Me along with some of my peers felt a little discouraged and tired toward the end of the day. Perhaps if the CESTL is broken up into two days it would be better.

This course experience as a whole has been amazing. I have never been so hands-on or felt so intensely about a class before. I felt that I needed to succeed because I wanted to please the instructor and prove to her and myself that I was capable of doing well. I learned a lot about my own personal skills that I will one day incorporate into my classroom. I also learned a lot about who I am as a person and what it takes to be a loved and respected educator.
Margaret Persaud 12/15/08
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Before arriving at the CESTL, I was very nervous even though my group had a poster. After arriving there, my nerves calmed down and I enjoyed the speech that Dr. Dodge gave. I had never seen any of the professors before that were there and was excited to hear them talk during the symposium. I think that I learned a lot from this conference and that it was very successful.

Being a part of the only undergraduate class there made me feel very aware of the others around me. I noticed that the graduate students seemed nervous as well and that although there are a few years between us, we were all in the same boat. I felt very confident about my group’s poster, we really knew our material and we worked extremely hard for an entire week doing the poster itself. I think that our poster came out very well and the colors grabbed people’s attention. I am proud of myself my group and my peers for doing well at the CESTL and for surviving this semester.

Dengting, thank you for all of your support and always having faith in our class, the work load was NOT easy at all but it seemed that we all pushed through it.
Jeanna Careccia 12/15/08
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Before the CESTL I was pretty nervous because I was not really sure what to expect. But it went really well and I learned a lot. I thought that it was a really great day that was put together. It was so interesting to hear about everyone's research and what everyone learned through their observations. It was also interesting to know what topics everyone picked and to know what was interesting to all different people.

I was disappointed that there was not enough time to present our poster to Professor Boyanton, but I understand that there was a lot going on that day. I think we did well presenting to other people throughout the day. I thought today was really fun. Although it was a long day, it was nice to spend time with and get to know some of the people in our class who we did not really get to know that well throughout the semester. Overall I really enjoyed this class. I learned so much about education and myself both as a learner and as a future teacher.

Thanks for all of the work that you put into our class, I really enjoyed it and I learned so much. :) Lauren Volini 12/14/08
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Reflection: The CESTL process was very informative and education. I was very impressed to see everyone dressed so professional and to have such smart and interesting performances. I was very happy to give my presentation, it was my first experience doing so. I found myself to be nervous and I was not sure why… I am not the type to be nervous in a large crowd. I believe my presentation was more informational to theory, then my own personal observation in a classroom setting.

I was actually disappointed many of the presentations did not have more theories from philosophers and educators they use as an inspiration in the classroom. When it was my turn to go, many people had already left. I do believe that disappointed me subconsciously to believe my presentation was not as important as earlier ones; but I am well aware people left because the conference was lengthy and people had other obligations. I thought all the presentations were impressive and educational. I thought everyone to be very engaging and active with the audience. I enjoyed hearing what others had learned from their observations. From this experience I learned to use power point more effectively then in other presentations I have given using the program.

Suggestions: 1) I believe the presentation to be way too lengthy. 9am to 8pm is too long and basically impossible. I am a very active listener, but by 5 o’clock I found myself exhausted just from watching all the presentations; and then I was mad with myself I because I did not feel up to par when it was finally time to give my own presentation. My advice would be to have two separate CESTL conferences in that day. One for the undergraduate class, and one for the graduate class. This way, people have the option if they want to attend both and each will still get a good turnout because it is two separate events. I believe there is enough information displayed that both classes still appear well represented. I also believe more people will stay for everyone’s presentations if the start and end time is more reasonable, say 3 or 4 hours for example. 2) I believe the school should provide the event with the same kinds of food they provide for open houses… this event is just as important because it is a representation of our School of Education; which is what this university is well-known for. 3) I did not see any flyers around campus promoting this event we were required to attend. I am not sure if that was because people were interested and took them off bulletin boards, or if it was not displayed around campus. I do believe more representation of the event should be displayed because it is one of the most important events of the institution. Flyer form is the easiest way if program books can not be displayed.
Annamarie Morgera 12/13/08
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When I walked in to the basement of Winnick, I did not really know what to except. I was nervous, overwhelmed and excited for this conference. It was difficult enough waking up on a Saturday morning but I also did not get much sleep at all the night before. But everyone there was in the same boat as me so it was okay. One thing that I liked about this conference was that it was so informal and yet professional at the same time. Everyone was dressed up so nicely and was very quiet and respectful during everyone's presentations. I thought that Dr. Dodge, the keynote speaker, had a lot of great and important things to say. He made some excellent points about test taking that I happen to agree with and he said some things about "No Child Left Behind" that I never would have thought about. The presenters that I was able to listen to were all very organized and well-prepared. Their topics were all interesting and important.

This course overall was very challenging and a lot of work, but I did enjoy it. It was bittersweet - and I'd have to say I am glad it is over. I am very proud of myself for making it to the end; especially when I know so many people dropped out at the beginning. Advice for future students taking this course? The one important thing I would say is to STAY ON TOP OF YOUR WORK. Do your work in advance and do not get behind or it is very difficult to get back on track. Do your journals immediately after class and relfect on what you learned right away. Start your research EARLY. Pick a topic that you are truly interested in because you're going to have to think about that topic the entire semester.

Thanks for a great semester - have a nice holiday!
Joanna Aiello 11/15/08
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Yesterday we had the CESTL Conference. I thought that the conference was exactly how I pictured it. When I first got there at 9 I was still a little nervous because I thought that I might have forgetten everything that I had been working so hard on all semester. I really enjoyed seeing not only our classes presentations and posters but the graduate students as well. I thought that seeing there work really would motivate me to thrive in my undergraduate studies so that I can eventually get to that graduate program as they were.

All of the professors and guest speakers that we listened to really had valuable information and I am glad that we had that opportunity with them. Any little bit of advice that I can get now will definitely help me in the future when I become a teacher. Although I'm sad that this class has come to an end I am proud of everyone in the class because the conference went so well! Thank you for pushing me this semester in order to do the best that I knew was possible.
Kelly Calder 11/14/08
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I thought the CESTL conference went very well. All the presentation were very well and the people who give the presentation did a great good.
When I arrive I was nervous because I did not know what to expect. After it got started and listening to everyone, I started to fell more comfortable there. I loved how it was a very open and welcoming environment. Everyone there was very friendly too.
The posters when I walked around were all very interesting. Each one had a great amount of information on it. So were the power points. All the topics there where very helpful to me. I have to keep all of them in mind when become a teacher.
I thought this conference was very helpful and a good idea because we also learned what other people thought of your topic and of others.
Christina Cronan 11/14/08
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I was really prepared for the conference. I practiced and went over everything I had to do with my friends and by myself so I knew when I had to present my poster that I would be ready and know exactly what I wanted to say. When I was presenting it to my peers it came out good because I knew what I was going to say. I had note cards just to use as a guideline to keep in order and on track. I learned a lot just from my presentation, and I know that others learned a lot because they were asking questions and stayed with me to discuss it for more than the time that they stayed at others. I know that I learned a lot from others, and if I already knew what was being discussed it definitely reinforced what I knew because all the presentations were very informative.

I like how it was set up because I got to sit there and learn a lot through presentations but on the break I went around and asked others about there posters and then drew them into mine to show them all the work that I have done.

The only problem that I had was that I didn’t get to present my poster to my professor because of how busy the day was, but I would have liked to show her how much work I put into it and all the good information that I had. The best things that I learned this year was how there are many different types of learners and many different types of behaviors and a lot of how a kid does in school reflects on the teacher tremendously. Overall it was a very good course, I had fun but most of all I learned a lot of valuable information.
Philip Novins
12/20/08
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WOW!! I did it!! I was so nervous. I have a lot of trouble talking in front of people. I feel i did really well. I got my point across and stuck to my topic and my research backed my topic up. I took an immense amount of information from the other presenters that I will use when I become a teacher. It was a wonderful learning experience. I like to learn from my peers rather than always just from the teacher. My parents came to watch and to support me. I thought that it might make me more nervous with them there. But, it did the opposite it made me feel proud of what I have accomplished and the work that I have put in over the semester. I want to thank Dengting for one of the most enjoyable classes that I've ever had. Thank you for a great semester.
Jaclyn Joyce 12/14/08

4th CESTL Evaluations by EDI 600-1 students

Yesterday was the CESTL conference. I had a great time! I was pleasantly surprised at how interesting my peer's research was, and how engaged I was in the faculty discussion. I thought the flow worked really well, and that the amount of presentations seen before taking a break/ length of the presentations was perfect. It really kept me paying attention, and when it came time for me to leave, I really regretted it. I wish I could have stayed longer! I enjoyed presenting my research on SES/NCLBA/Art Education, and was filled with pride when some of the faculty members told me they were impressed with my research and that I should take it further and even publish it!

I had such a good time at the CESTL. I was pleasantly surprised. I wish that there had been more details presented to us all along so that I wasn't so against it the entire time, because it really was a great addition to my education in becoming an educator. I was really proud to hear the faculty speak and they filled me with excitement on the journey ahead in becoming an educator and touching children's lives. I'm excited to step into the classroom and change and make connections.

Thank you, Dr. Boyanton, for a great time at the CESTL conference!
Sarah Lefrancois 12/14/08
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I was very nervous and a little bit overwhelmed about today’s CESTL Conference at first. I get very nervous when I present or speak in front of a group of people. However, I found the way of presenting with my poster, as a more one on one presentation to be much more comfortable for me. I was able to speak more clearly, get my points across, and interact with the people I was presenting to in a more comfortable manner. I was not as nervous or shaky as I thought that I would be. I also felt very prepared and knowledgeable about my topic, which made me more confident.

I was also very impressed with how well all of my classmates did on their presentations. Everyone was very professional, well prepared, and informative. There were a lot of interesting topics shared by the students containing a lot of valuable information to help us as teachers.
The panel of teachers was also a great way for us to learn. Hearing their opinions and answers to our questions was very helpful. They all showed a lot of passion for teaching and I found them to be very inspiring.

Overall, I felt the conference was a success. Thank you for a great semester Dr. Boyanton!

Alison Greene 12/13/08
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I thought the CESTL was a great and informative experience. It is extremely important and wonderful experience that students were given the opportunity to unite together in order to hold a conference within the field of education. It was an enlightening day because it gave us the chance to realize the importance of education and teaching. It gave us exposure to different methods, approaches, techniques, information, tools, and strategies that can be used within our future teaching.

I was extremely impacted when listening to Dr. Dodge speak at the CESTL conference. By the end of his speech, I was fascinated and truly impacted by his perspectives, views, and ideas within the field of education. I think it was great how he discussed the importance and dedication we have to obtain as teachers, as well as to always continue to focus on the students. Unfortunately, money, opposite teaching viewpoints, and standardized testing has a negative effect on student learning. I believe his speech motivated and substantially affected me because he related education to art, as well as music.

Being in the field of Music Education, I think it is extremely important that we incorporate the Fine Arts within the field of education. I also loved how he conveyed that we have to mold our students like a piece of artwork, such as the “David” by Michelangelo. It is truly the teacher who helps in molding, as well sculpting students from a very early age. His speech was definitely motivational, positive, and encouraging. It is unfortunate that the sculpted student has to be exposed to the outside forces of administration, politics, economic wealth, and standardized testing. However, we have to continuously focus upon how we can influence students through education in order to assist them in developing into successful learners based upon their individual needs.

I also felt that the Symposium was very successful, educational, well-organized, professional, and useful. It is a great experience to be able to hear different strategies, approaches, techniques, and instructional methods based upon numerous perspectives within the field of education. This CESTL was very triumphant because it gave students educational knowledge and substantial information. We often do not gain enough experience or informative knowledge before entering the classroom and this was a great way to improve upon those specific areas.

The only thing I would have liked at the CESTL conference would have been the opportunity to approach all of the different teachers. I know that I am not the best open-discussion individual and I probably could have approached each teacher individually. However, I would have enjoyed being able to have a one-to-one and in-depth conversation on various educational topics with some of the different educators that I heard at the beginning of the conference, as well as during the Symposium.

Overall, I was fairly satisfied with my performance and presentation at the conference. There are always different areas that one can improve on. I was able to demonstrate confidence and communicate to the audience effectively, which was one of my goals before entering the CESTL. I was also able to get my main ideas and perspectives across to the audience in a well-organized, as well as professional manner.

However, I felt that I rushed through my presentation and skipped over numerous things. Time constraints were continuously on mind and it haltered me in a multitude of ways. I feel that time management and innate anxiety diminished my ability be able to explain, give examples, and elaborate on my presentation. There were numerous examples and certain ideas that I wanted to go into depth about within my presentation, but when I was up there, I tended to stick purely on the information on the screen. If I had a better comfort level, I believe I would have been able to slow my presentation down a little bit and elaborate some of my ideas in a more proficient manner.

I was also amazed by how positive, professional, and how well the audience listened throughout the presentations. I felt a sense of community, professionalism, unity, and respect throughout my presentation. This gives one a sense of pride in their work and as if the students, as well as faculty really take ones research seriously within the educational domain. However, I would have enjoyed being able to interact or incorporate audience participation within my presentation. It would have been nice to be able to hear comments, questions, and the chance to discuss my PowerPoint after it was finished.

Overall, the CESTL conference was extremely informative, educational, and beneficial. I hope that there will be more conferences throughout my education that will give future teachers exposure and the chance to participate within the educational field. The hard work, conference, research, and presentation was truly a great learning experience. This course, work, research, and conference gave me a great deal of skills, motivation, knowledge, and an innate drive in order to propel myself to be a quality educator in order to help the new generation of students succeed at the academic level.
Jason Crockett, December 14, 2008
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I really enjoyed the conference today. Although I must say before I got there I was not excited about it at all. I did not want to sit there for 5 hours. However, after doing so, it was not bad at all. I would have even stayed longer but unfortunately had to leave at 1:30.

I thought everyone who I saw presenting did a great job. I thought Dr. Dodge's speech was great. It had so many useful and wonderful things to say which I really enjoyed. I also loved the panel of professors. I like how the conference incorporated many different things. The different presenters, the professors, the keynote presentation, the posters. It made the time go by very quickly and I feel the breaks were in perfect time. The conference is something that I was very skeptical about in the beginning of the semester but now that I have experienced it, I think it was a great idea and it is full of great information that I will definitely use in my future. Meghan Woodstock 12/13/08

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Yesterday, I attended the CESTL Conference with my 10-year-old daughter. I was very nervous about the whole thing. I kept thinking I made a mistake and should have signed up to do a poster. It seemed to be a much easier task with less notoriety. My daughter said, “you’ll be fine, mommy”. I was not looking forward to this at all.

When it came time for me to present my material, I wasn’t very comfortable at first, but once I got up there and started talking, everyone in the room seemed interested in what I had to say. Gradually, I felt better. When I was finished and everyone applauded, I was very pleased with myself for going through with it. My daughter gave me a hug. As a parent, I think I taught her something important today. Even though I was afraid, I went ahead and did my presentation. I think it was important for her to see me do this.

During the conference, I had an opportunity to sit with some of the students that I really didn’t talk to during the semester because they sat on the other side of the room. They were so nice to my daughter and me. I am glad I had an opportunity to get to know them. Watching their presentations, I couldn’t get over just how knowledgeable everyone was and how much work they did. I definitely learned a lot.

I especially liked the panel discussion. I asked a question and received some very valuable information that will help me in the future. I don’t know when I will have another opportunity to ask five professors their thoughts on a subject that is important to me. The conference provided me with this chance.

The main thing I learned from this experience is that I can do anything I set my mind to. I shouldn’t have any doubt that I can get my Master’s degree. “You can do it” will be the words in my head from now on. That is the main thing I take away from the conference and this class. I will have more confidence in myself after this. At first, I didn’t like the idea of presenting at this conference, but it just goes to show you that sometimes you need to give something a chance, even if it doesn’t initially appeal to you.

As far as suggestions for future CESTL conferences, I think it would be better if there were more evaluation forms available for students. We ran short of them, and I didn’t bring any paper with me. This meant I couldn’t give evaluations to some of the students. A gentleman who I was speaking to during the break had an excellent idea about asking students to donate a small amount of money for a charitable cause. In keeping with the spirit of the season, I thought that was a wonderful idea.

Thank you, Dengting, for being so supportive of me and my classmates.
Pauline Stein 12/14/08
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Well, my CESTL presentation is finally over, and I am so happy to finally be done with it. However, I must admit that it was a very empowering experience. I was incredibly nervous prior to presenting and couldn’t even focus on the presentation occurring before mine, but as soon as I got up there it just flowed so naturally. The hours of practicing and perfecting my speaking and power point really paid off and I felt comfortable and confident in what I was presenting.

As soon as I finished I felt immense relief but also pride. I passed Dr. Doge in the hallway and he told me that I did a great job; it made me so proud of myself for overcoming my public speaking fears and for really taking the time to be confident and knowledgeable about my topic. I learned so much from all the other students, but was really the most interested to hear the topics that were similar to mine to see what conclusions other people found. Everyone was so well prepared and it was nice to see that everyone had put the same amount of time and effort into their projects so that the entire conference was professional and worthy of our time.

There are only two suggestions I would give for making CESTL better in the future. First of all I think there could have been better open communication with the students about what was going on, why, and how. Especially with this time of year many students made huge sacrifices to come to this conference and holding it during class time would have been much better for us. Secondly, I think there was a disparity between the effort for the power points versus many of the posters. Maybe in the future poster students would have to present as well. All in all CESTL was an enjoyable experience.
Kimberly Maher 12/14/08
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Yesterday was a new and exciting experience for me. I was really grateful to have an opportunity to present in front of my classmates, as well as experts in the field of educational psychology. For me, this entire semester has been a huge challenge, and the conference has been as well. I was the eighth presenter, and at first I was anxious, and honestly a bit scared; however, as soon as I walked up and stood in front of a full room of people, I realized it wasn’t really that bad. It gave me great confidence to explain my research, and to have everyone look at me as the expert in what I was presenting. I very much appreciated being able to present when the volunteering professors, and a majority of the students were there to listen.

In addition, I truly enjoyed being able to listen to all of my classmates present their information as well. The eight hours I was there went by quickly, and they were enjoyable because I was able to learn about new and exciting research. Also, I met a lot of new people who I felt I could relate to because of our common ground and interest in education.

Also, this conference has allowed me to recognize a lot about my self. When I was an undergraduate student at Stony Brook University I studied psychology, and I always had the intentions on receiving my Ph.D in the area of psychology as well. However, after working in research at Stony Brook I felt discouraged, and felt I could not accomplish everything necessary to earn my doctorate. Yet, after completing this class, and having the opportunity to apply my interest in research and psychology to education, I have re-decided to receive my doctorate in psychology. I have realized that I am capable of accomplishing all that is required; this is because I am determined, and passionate. Thank you Dr. Boyanton for giving me this opportunity and helping me to rediscover what is truly important to me.
Cassie Dunn 12/14/08
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The CESTL conference went great. It was not as bad as I thought it was going to be! Getting to hear what other people had to say about their research topics was very insightful, influential, and inspiring. I feel like I accomplished a major task and I am glad I followed through with it because I was so nervous about this conference all semester.

One of the best parts of the conference was when the professors sat down in front and we had a discussion all together. They were very insightful and gave us all great advice about what is expected of us on becoming a teacher and how important our job is. Dengting, you are a very inspiring professor and I am glad I stuck through with your class because I was so overwhelmed the first few weeks of school. Now that it is all over with I am happy and most of all I am very confident in myself and in my work. The fact that I got through this course makes me believe I can get through any course in grad school. Thank you Professor Boyanton for a very fun, knowledgeable, and inspiring semester!
Helen Siaxabanis 12/14/08
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When I was driving to the CESTL conference, I felt very nervous. Once I arrived and saw the setting and set up of the room I was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting a very large formal lecture hall; however I was pleased with the comfortable relaxed atmosphere Dengting set up for us. My fellow students, other graduate students and undergraduate students were either sitting at tables socializing and standing at their posters answering questions. Although it was early there were many smiling faces.

Dengting and Dr. Dodge began the day with great words of knowledge and motivation. I felt excited since I knew I was about to be part of a very educational and professional day. I was sitting around many experts and felt proud of what I had accomplished so far.

I was talking to my fellow students about their presentations before we officially began for the day and many of them were very nervous. To be honest, once people began presenting and stepped in front of their audience they actually were very relaxed! Everyone did a fantastic job and presented such interesting information. Everyone seemed fully engaged during mostly every one’s presentation. The presenters did an outstanding job capturing the audience and the audience did a great job giving their full attention. I enjoyed the individuality of everyone’s presentation and everyone’s power point slides. Everyone seemed to put a lot of time and hard work into the presentations and it definitely paid off!

I remember rehearsing my slides and presentation in front of the mirror at home and being so critical of myself. I was nervous it wouldn’t come out the exact way that I wanted it to. I was also afraid that I wouldn’t get any questions at the end. When I got up in front of everyone I felt relaxed and just kept saying to myself, “you host birthday parties you have no problem standing in front of people”. During my presentation I actually felt like I was having fun, I was enjoying standing up in front of everyone and sharing my information with them. When my presentation was done many of my fellow classmates said I looked and sounded so confident and was very clear with my information. This made me feel proud!

I was so proud of myself, I can do anything!
Brittany Fedus 12/14/08
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What an awesome experience! The CESTL conference was just great! I thought everyone did an excellent job and it was truly an honor to be part of it. The keynote speech given by Dr. Dodge was both exhilarating and educational – and I told him so. There’s no denying the passion and dedication Dr. Dodge possesses for teaching and it came out in his speech. (I can truly say the same for Dr. Boyanton in the way she teaches.)

I have to admit, this was a very tough day for me to attend (work is absolutely insane) and I was a little worried about my state of mind going in. However, when I got there and saw all the hard work everyone put in and felt the eagerness and excitement among the crowd, it was easy to appreciate what this day was all about… and that was the desire to learn. Perhaps the best part about it, though, was that the learning process was coming as a result of listening to my peers and observing their work. It really was special.

I can say without a doubt that I would recommend this class to friends and colleagues alike. The work may seem daunting at times, but the end result is a mind full of knowledge that you never thought you’d have. And the best advice I could give them concerning the CESTL performance would be to open their minds and give everything they have because there is nothing quite like the feeling you get when you are appreciated by your peers. And, getting something back in the process makes the experience even more rewarding. Thanks for a great day!

Christopher Basil 12/14/08
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I feel so relieved that the CESTL conference is finally over. This past week I was completely overwhelmed and stressed out. I was working up until the end, not only on this presentation, but I had another one on Thursday. Having 2 research papers and 2 presentations 2 days apart was crazy for me. I never thought this week would ever come to an end. Although I am really happy with the outcome. I put so much work in to this research project and I think it came out really well. I was so nervous getting up in front of everyone to present my powerpoint, but once it was over I was so relieved. Getting your positive feedback also made me feel good about it.

I really liked Dr. Dodge's opening speech. He really had some insightful things to say, and I enjoyed listening. Having the discussion panel the other professors in the department and being able to ask any questions was also a great think to do. It was also nice being able to meet them. Being my first semester back at school, I didn't know the other professors, so it was nice seeing who they are and what they stand for.

Unfortunately I had to go to work and had to leave early. Once I was there I thought that it would have been really great to stay at the conference. I would have liked to have heard other student's presentations. It was great seeing how everyone else's presentations and hard work played out. It was a great end to the semester.

Meredith Appelbaum 12/14/08
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I thought the Conference today was very successful. I was definitely nervous about my presentation and I am unsure what happened to my slide show but I think I pulled it off. I felt good about my presentation and I hoped everyone enjoyed listening.

I thought everyone’s presentations were extremely informative and I gained a lot of insight on becoming a better teacher. I hope I can use all the knowledge I learned from today’s conference in my future classrooms. I really enjoyed when the presenter’s got the audience involved. I felt that kept us engaged in their research and more focused on their presentations. Overall, I think everyone did a wonderful job and it was a very beneficial learning experience.

One suggestion for the CESTL I have would be to shorten the time period for the conference or break it down into groups. I stayed until end and I thought the inspirational quotes and your presentation of our own quotes should have been seen by more. I do not feel a lot of people stayed because it got late and I really think others would have enjoyed the end as much as I did. Thank you for all your hard work and I hope you enjoyed my presentation.
Sarah Hoenig 12/14/08
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The CESTL has finally come to an end and I must say I'm saddened. I was apprehensive about attending, but after getting there, setting up, and listening to the professors and peers, I was excited to be part of the event. I was extremely disappointed to have to leave in the middle of it, to take my exam, and had a very hard time concentrating on my exam, as a result. I finished, miraculously (I was so unmotivated to do it!!!), and was thrilled to return to the CESTL afterward.

I was especially happy to be able to be present for the "opening" ceremony and the "closing" one too. I was impressed with all my peers posters and especially the presentations. The powerpoint presenters worked really hard and did a great job presenting. I learned a great deal of pertinent information to carry with me through my program and into my own classroom.

I also really enjoyed our guest speaker, Dr. Dodge. It was inspiring to perceive the abundance of wisdom and passion he has for his profession. His speech gave me goose bumps and made me realize the importance of being a great teacher. The speech also made me realize, I have chosen the right field for my career and I can't wait to make a difference!

I think the CESTL was phenomenal. I have to say my favorite part was the inspirational great quotes video at the end of the conference. I found it so gratifying, I was moved to tears. There was one in particular that I cherished by Theodore Roosevelt, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Congratulations Dr. Dengting on a wonderful job!!! You worked hard and I'm happy for you the way your "baby" turned out.

Elizabeth Scott 12/14/08
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After all of the time and effort spent on our research this semester, it finally culminated today with our CESTL presentations. For most of this course I tried to block out this conference, as I have a total fear of public speaking. However, this week I had no choice but to pay great attention and detail to this conference. I spent many hours revising my presentation, which I had previously revised twice before. So when the professor emailed me back a list of further edits to make, I was quite discouraged. In the end, I think the slides balanced out nicely and I was glad I kept the on-site photos and colorful background. I feel that even though I didn’t open with a joke or story, the brightness and personality of my slides grabbed the audience. Quite a few people commented that they enjoyed the inclusion of real photos and thought the colors in my presentation were eye popping. On another note, I was also concerned about my timing going in to the conference, but I think it worked out nicely- right around the 8 minute mark.

As far as my actual delivery of information, I was overall pleased with my efforts. Upon reflection, the only genuine complaint I have with my own presentation was the way in which I answered one of my classmates’ questions. Someone questioned me about the children being aware of what guided reading group they are in, and if it negatively impacts their self-concept. This was not really my area of research, and even though I have an intelligent answer to the question, I felt I failed to articulate my thoughts appropriately. However, I was pleasantly surprised that the audience asked me quite a few questions. I hope that means that my speech was engaging, different and interesting. Normally, I would be totally mortified and embarrassed to have to answer questions on the spot like that, but I really worked hard on my research and felt more than prepared to answer most any question headed my way. I do think, with the exception of the one question, that I managed to really answer all the other inquiries with a high level of expertise.

Additionally, it was also interesting to see the various poster presentations as well. I liked that we were able to have informal conversations with classmates about their studies. I actually learned from Sarah’s (the photographer) poster presentation that my old school district, Wantagh, has the lowest per pupil expenditure on Long Island. I was greatly surprised to hear this, because the quality of education there is very high, it was even a blue ribbon school of excellence. Also, my town is a middle class area and I don’t feel like my schools lacked any physical or educational resources throughout my entire career there.

Anyway, I am happy to breathe a sigh of relief that one big obstacle of this semester is finally over. We still have to hand in our SM logs and final research papers, but hopefully our professor will feel that our efforts today were enough to eradicate the final exam☺
Melissa Hofmann 12/13/08
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The CESTL conference was an impressive gathering of educators and potential educators. When I first walked into the CESTL conference, I could feel the restless energy. How nerve-wracked and excited we all felt. We were finally about to share everything we had worked on all semester long. The presentations were very well done and everyone’s hard work was certainly obvious.

I personally felt that I was really well prepared to give my presentation at the CESTL conference today. Of course I was a little nervous; there were more than 70 people in the room, but having done extensive research throughout the semester, I knew I had a deep and comprehensive understanding about inclusion and its effects. Because I felt prepared and confident, I think I did well and I was proud of my performance.

The only problem I had, was that ten minutes did not seem like nearly enough time to talk about everything I had learned. Editing my powerpoint was an entirely separate and valuable learning experience. All students worked very hard all semester researching, reading, interviewing and observing in schools. The presentations and poster boards were a profound reflection of the devotion everyone put into their work. Everyone should be extremely proud of the work they have accomplished.

Lauren Romano 11/14/08
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I really enjoyed the conference today. It was not my favorite idea at first but I can honestly say I made the very best of it. It felt important and social and it was a nice way to end our semester. I am proud of my research and was extremely surprised by how interested my classmates were in my poster! it felt great to hear them ask questions that I could answer in a knowledgeable confident way. My peers had important and well organized information and I have a lot of respect for all of them.

The faculty speakers were very generous to share their advice with us and more importantly to believe we were worth their time on a Saturday. It was a pleasure bringing my brother and boyfriend, after a semester of talking about this class and my work they actually got to see it and meet you! It was also fun to see the children who came to support. They remind me why I’m in school to start with. Our class has come a long way and it showed today at the conference. Its hard to believe its over! :)

Amy Weisburd 12/13/08
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I have to admit that I was dreading CESTL all semester. I was scared of presenting my research in public, I was scared of speaking in public, and the length of the day wasn’t something that made me excited about either. Walking in on Saturday morning I expected the worst. I was complaining and my mood was shot before I even drove up to campus.

However, once I walked into the Long Island room and saw that it wasn’t at all what I had expected. The room was set up with tables which gave to a very informal comfortable feeling. About an hour into the presentation I found myself actually really enjoying myself. The closer that the time came for me to present, I was getting very nervous, but all of those nerves just went away as soon as I went up in front of the room. My eight minutes came and went and before I knew it I was asking if anybody had any questions.

I really did enjoy my time at CESTL and as much as I thought I would want to leave as soon as possible I found myself having such a good time that I didn’t want to leave; and ended up leaving only because I had to drive my brother to a birthday party. Thank you again Dr. Dengting for a wonderful experience.

Vanda Dreyer 12/16/08
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I was really impressed with my peers. Watching as all of the students got up in front of everyone and spoke confidently, clearly, and beautifully really made me envious of them. I think that EVERYONE that presented a power point did an absolutely incredible job and I wish I could present so freely and effectively.

The posters that everyone made were also amazing. Some of them were so creative. I LOVED Alison Greene’s poster, it was something that I had never seen before. I was glad that I got the chance to ask her how she did it because I can definitely use those skills in my future teaching career. I wish I could have spoken to more people and that more people came to speak to me, but I think overall everything went well.

I'm confident about my work and I am glad I was able to share. I was again very impressed with how well everyone did and I think that EVERYONE should be so proud of their work! The panel was interesting and I thought the feedback and advice was really beneficial.

Lauren Sichel 12/13/08
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I was very proud of all of the students performance at CESTL. I was amazed to see how every one rose to the challenge and did what needed to be done. Even though I am going through some personal matters at home it was nice to get away for the day and work through it. I think that this was a great idea that Dr Boyanton had and I hope other teachers follow in her footsteps.

Before the conference I know that a lot of students in the class did not want to attend the conference. However, I did not hear one bad word being said at the conference and most people were happy to be there. Thanks Dr Boyanton for pushing us to do our best and on a personal note thank you for being so understanding to the problems I am having in my personal life. Alexis Trudel 12/14/08
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I believe that I was well prepared for this conference; I thought I did a pretty good job in completing my presentation within the time limits set. When I was preparing my presentation slides, I found Prof. Boyanton’s input regarding the presentation slides extremely helpful.

I found the individual presentations very informative, and I look forward to incorporating the suggestions and knowledge gained from the presentations in my own classroom. I found the presentation regarding parent’s involvement with their student’s education very practical.
I firmly believe that parent’s involvement in their student is of paramount importance.

In my future endeavors as I teacher, I would not hesitate to seek/involve parents in their child’s education.

I thought that this course was excellent and I learned many teaching approaches and strategies I could incorporate in my elementary classroom. I thought one of the most effective things of the CESTL presentations was how the topics were linked, for example, presentations regarding motivation, behaviors were scheduled consecutively. This was particularly effective because the contents were related and, they complimented one another.

I thought the most profound quote at the CESTL closing, was “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent” - Eleanor Roosevelt. This provides a great and excellent example by which teachers and students alike should approach their education. On a personal note, I use this as a guide to bring the highest level of integrity in my personal life. The other quote that was very interesting was the quote by Mahatma Gandhi, “we must become the change we want to see in the world”. I believe this is the reason I am pursuing a career in education --- I want to have a positive impact on children’s learning.

As the presenters awaited their turns, nearly all expressed how nervous and terrified they were to be in the “spotlight”. It struck me that most adults always express this unfounded fear because they really did not appear nervous when they were giving their presentations. As a result of this observation today, I plan to incorporate public speaking in my elementary classroom lessons. SL 12/13/08
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The CESTL Presentation was very nerve-wracking for me to prepare for. I am not a good public speaker. However I was surprisingly happy with my performance. After hearing people present, I became less nervous. I wasn't sure if I was going to sound prepared enough or start babbling. Thankfully I didn't. After seeing how a few people did their presentations I became more confident. I was making a conscious effort to not start giggling or say "umm" a million times. (these are things I do when I am nervous). I think I did a good job.

Overall, I would say this course allowed me to think more intuitively. I discovered who I am as an aspiring teacher. I also learned a lot and received a lot of good advice from my peers. In the future, the CESTL needs to be explained and clarified in detail at the very beginning of the semester. There were many aspects of it that left the class as a whole scratching our heads and thus becoming very stressed out.

This class overall was a very good learning experience for me and I will use and apply what I learned in the future.
Lauren Russo 12/14/08
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As I have been throughout the semester, I was excited and motivated to attend tonight’s class, and was looking forward to seeing the professor’s presentation about conferences and techniques on giving good presentations, in hopes that I may be able to adopt some helpful tips for this Saturday’s event.

However, I was sad to find out that tonight was the final class of the course and that, in general, this course has almost come to an end. I felt that I made a certain connection with the professor and my classmates because of the positive feedback I obtained throughout the course which helped me get through the work loads and because of the learning and growth that we all experienced together as a group. I think that from the first day, when we participated in the name game, that exercise we did helped create this certain spirit which helped break the ice between us and helped set the tone for the rest of the semester.

It was very encouraging to have someone I look up to give me that critique along the way; it strengthened my motivation to give this course my best shot. When you know someone is listening and truly rooting for you, it makes you aspire to do more and to strive to be your best. As such -- among other important things within the course -- I learned such a great deal about motivation in this course. I am especially thankful to have had Dr. Boyanton as a professor for the topics covered under Psychological Foundations of Education because of the methods that were used in conveying and instilling the material.

I know I still have a long way to go in obtaining the knowledge that will equip me to do my job well as a future teacher, but I walk away from this course with a good base of that knowledge and, more importantly, the basic attitude and the self-efficacy to get through the remaining semesters in my endeavor to become a teacher.

I have really enjoyed this course while learning a great deal via classroom discussions, lectures, participation and activities within the classroom, via the research project itself and through my observations, as well as all the assignments that we needed to do, including the journals. It was especially beneficial that we have had reflections and extended discussions on what makes a teacher great, because I think this is such an important topic and goal for us all to try and achieve. We don’t strive to be good teachers – we strive to be great teachers!

The journals were perfect ways for us to vent and analyze our thoughts and feelings about all that we have learned, as well as about our experiences in the context of motivation, education, role models, etc. I have always believed that there is a lot of knowledge and understanding to be gained through self-reflection and this course provided different avenues of the type of learning that comes from reflection, observation and analysis. In being given a chance to write and share our experiences, it validated that what we have experienced and felt are critical to our understanding of the world around us and of ourselves.

I am thankful that this course was recommended to me; the professor did an excellent job of keeping the students engaged and learning throughout the semester. Of course, the experience would not have been the same without the timely and thoughtful feedback that the professor always provided to us during the course. Feedback is so critical to a student so that he/she knows how she is doing – it is also a reinforcing mechanism, as well as a way to guide and confirm things that we have learned, or thought that we may have learned.

As prospective teachers, we have also gained a valuable lesson on what great teachers are, by observing a live example. Of course, there are all different types of personalities and styles of great teachers in the world, and Dr. Boyanton provided an excellent example of a great teacher with her own unique style and personality. Passionate, authentic, caring, professional, effective, creative, purposeful, intelligent and humanistic in approach. These are all core qualities of a great teacher. Evdoxia Gounelas 12/8/08

Congratulations on the first successful CESTL at Long Island University! Great concept. Thank you for a memorable course experience!

Evdoxia Gounelas
December 13, 2008 10:26 PM
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I would elaborate a bit more on this past Saturday’s CESTL conference. In my opinion, all of the presenters I witnessed did a fabulous job on their presentations. Everyone seemed extremely well prepared and knowledgeable in their subject area. I’m sure most students put in an exorbitant amount of time practicing, and it showed. You could absolutely tell that some students enjoy the spotlight and excel in the realm of public speaking.

I particularly enjoyed one of the male presenters, who had planned on showing a video clip of a comedian. Even though the internet wasn’t working and the clip could not be viewed, he was still funny in how he told the story about the comedian. I thought that idea was highly creative and truly grabbed the audience’s attention.

I also wanted to note that I calmed down about the whole public speaking aspect of the day immediately after seeing the setup of the room. I had envisioned a huge auditorium with a stage and a packed audience. So when I arrived, the cozy, intimate setting let me breathe a sigh of relief. At first, I was worried that we would have to stand at the microphone podium. This was a concern for me because I did not prepare anything in writing and I planned on using my slides as a prompt. You couldn’t see the screen from the podium so I was a little bit nervous at first. However, the second presenter, Pauline, did it without the microphone and that put me at ease right away. When it was actually my turn to speak, I wasn’t nearly as nervous as I thought I’d be. Don’t get me wrong, I was definitely anxious, but it was totally manageable.

The only minor hiccup in the entire day for me was that when I first arrived on campus, I proceeded to the Winnick House near the admissions office. I knew it seemed rather deserted but I parked and got out anyway. Soon, I realized I was absolutely in the wrong area- good thing I had my campus map in the car! Finally, I was able to find the student center without too much further delay. I think it might be helpful for next year’s students to have explicit directions to the building, and note that it is not the Winnick House, but the student center. For commuters like myself, who are not too familiar with the grounds, this would be helpful. Other than that, I have to say the conference seemed to go fairly smoothly and kept to the outlined time schedule very well. I think we should all be very proud of our hard work!
Melissa Hoffman 12/15/08
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I'm really proud of the work I did at the CESTL and on my research project. I can't wait to continue it further with the head of the art department, Donna Tuman. She's invited me to attend a conference at the Metropolitan Museum of Art about art and the No Child Left Behind Act I can't wait to attend!

I was also proud of my peers who participated in the CESTL conference. I can see all of our excitement to learn and our passion. I was so engaged at the conference, and thank you for scheduling it so smoothly, professor Boyanton. I was very impressed!!

Thanks for an interesting semester, professor, and good luck in semesters to come. Happy Holidays.
Sarah Lefrancois 12/21/08