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Doctoral student in kinesiology Kevin Bigleman (R) explains to Latino students from Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School how the student's vital signs are measured during a 15-minute run on a treadmill in UGA's Body Composition Laboratory. Photo by Michael Childs.
Education profs, students work with Latino middle school students
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School students and their parents learn about science and get a taste of college in Saturday workshops directed by two associate professors in the department of elementary and social studies education.
Cory Buxton, an assistant professor in elementary education, makes a point in a science activity demonstration in a lab room at the Ramsey Center to visiting Latino students from Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School during one of several Saturday workshops. Photo by Michael Childs.
Nearly two dozen local Latino middle school students and their parents are learning about science as well as getting some college preparation thanks to a group of University of Georgia education professors and students who are conducting several Saturday workshops.
The program, which began with a Saturday workshop last month at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School in Clarke County, is being funded by a Hispanic Scholarship Fund grant, according to its directors, Martha Allexsaht-Snider and Corey Buxton, both associate professors in the department of elementary and social studies education.
UGA doctoral students speak to Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School students during their visit to UGA’s kinesiology labs at the Ramsey Center where they learned about the science of exercise and sports. Photo by Michael Childs.
“For me, the project is primarily about making things explicit that are sometimes implicit or taken for granted,” said Buxton. “Parents tell us that they want to help their kids succeed in school but often don't know the most effective things they can do.
“Communicating scientifically is an academic expectation, but academic language is rarely explicitly taught in science class – a major challenge for English learners. Kids know that they want to do well in school and go to college, but often don't know that they have choices that can influence this – such as insisting on taking more math and science courses or taking the PSAT in 10th grade,” he said. “This kind of information, along with the motivation that comes from coming to campus, participating in experiments in a research lab and hearing from successful Latino scientists and college students are the kinds of things that can make a difference in only four workshops.”
About two dozen BHL Latino students and 15 parents attended the workshop February 21 at UGA’s food science laboratories in Conner Hall. Students rotated around stations performing science experiments and tasting food concoctions.
Doctoral student in kinesiology Brad Bowser talks to Latino students from Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School about scientific research into body mechances during one of several Saturday workshops directed by Martha Allexsaht-Snider and Cory Buxton, faculty members in the department of elementary and social studies education. Photo by Michael Childs.
On March 21, the middle school students visited UGA’s kinesiology labs at the Ramsey Center where they learned about the science of exercise and sports.
Two UGA student assistants are involved in the program, Carlos Rivera, an undergrad, who also works in UGA’s Center for Latino Achievement and Success in Education, and Luis Rivas, a graduate student, who is applying to the UGA Veterinary School.
Others assisting with the workshops include a group of College of Education graduation student volunteers, four visiting Mexican teacher educators, and six BHL teachers led by principal Melanie Sigler.
Another workshop is scheduled on Saturday, March 28 at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School.
Michael Childs is Director of Public Information at the University of Georgia College of Education.
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