Bullying and School Violence

During spring semester, the College of Education, Health and Rehabilitation is sponsoring a series of events about Bullying and School Violence. These are issues that directly impacted many UMF students during their P-12 years and continue to affect them today.

To kick of the series, the documentary BULLY will be shown on Monday February 4th at 6:00 p.m. in Preble 117. This film is deeply moving, and students will find it relatable and thought-provoking. According to http://www.thebullyproject.com/about_film,

“Over 13 million American kids will be bullied this year, making it the most common form of violence experienced by young people in the nation. The documentary film BULLY brings human scale to this startling statistic, offering an intimate, unflinching look at how bullying has touched five kids and their families.”

After the viewing, Dr. Christopher Strople, Assistant Professor of Elementary Education, will facilitate a discussion about bullying and its long term impact.

 

Free Film Screening: No Small Matter

The College of Education, Health, and Rehabilitation is hosting a free film screening sponsored by Maine Association for the Education of Young Children (Maine AEYC). It’s open to students, staff, faculty, and community members.

Film Screening: No Small Matter
Thursday, December 6, 2018
6:30-8:30pm
University of Maine at Farmington
Lincoln Auditorium (in Roberts Learning Center)

FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Go to the event page to reserve your FREE seat:
https://www.maineaeyc.org/registration/no-small-matter-umf

No Small Matter is the first feature documentary to explore the most overlooked, underestimated, and powerful force for good in America today: early childhood education. Through poignant stories and surprising humor, the film lays out the overwhelming evidence for the importance of the first five years, and reveals how our failure to act on that evidence has resulted in an everyday crisis for American families, and a slow-motion catastrophe for the country.

Visit www.nosmallmatter.com or https://youtu.be/Shm-KRh4LFg to watch the trailer and learn more!

Ready, Set, the Academic Year is Here! We’re Ready, Here’s How You Can Be, Too!

Welcome back to UMF, beavers! We are so excited to have everyone back on campus as the academic year is kickstarting! As you begin this year, take time to reflect on yourself. What things you do well as a student? How can you improve as a student and a learner? Having a few months off from school is difficult, but we are here to give you advice on how to handle the transition like a champ, and to be ahead of the game!

1. Organization
Planning out your days is a huge life saver. Carrying and using a planner to help track your classes and accumulated coursework will make your time at the library more productive. Keeping track of your syllabus and highlighting due dates will keep you in the know. This way, when things come up you are able to handle the stress because you’re aware of your deadlines. Organization is one of the best ways to manage your stress. Click on some of the great apps that can help you stay on your game!
         

2. Stick to Your Plan
Having a daily plan is really important because everyone’s schedules can become so crazy that some days it feels difficult to catch a breath. That’s why creating a “to-do” list or having a handy app or planner will help you stay ahead of yourself. If you stick to your plan and study truthfully (no procrastinating), then you will have time for your social activities. Many students find that getting involved helps them plan out their days better, and they tend to procrastinate less.

3. Come to Class Prepared
Going to class prepared with all of the materials needed to succeed is a sign of excellence, and we want you all to succeed. Have you ordered your textbooks yet? ECAMPUS is UMF’s textbook ordering website, which is really convenient, since the books can be shipped right to the bookstore! Other suggested textbook ordering sites are www.chegg.com, www.amazon.com/textbooks, www.slugbooks.com and www.valorebooks.com. Completing your readings is a sign of your preparation for class.  Readings are really important to the structure of many classes, as many class meetings are spent discussing the readings. At the end of the semester, the discussion participation often contributes to your final grade. So, plan when and how long your assigned reading will take you and stick to the plan. Make the reading assignments more enjoyable by finding new places to read and put forth your best effort! Going to class prepared also means showing up on time. Review your schedule and make sure you know where you need to be. Get there early and prepare yourself for the class.

4. Go to Office Hours
Office hours are very important because they allow you to engage with your professor/advisor in an unique way. Within the first few weeks of your courses, stop by and get to know your professors, because they want to get to know you just as much! If you are stuck on homework or understanding an assignment, go to office hours! Professors are usually really helpful and understanding and love when their students go the extra mile to better themselves and to understand what is expected of them. Office hours are posted on most syllabi, but if you are unsure, email your professors or walk by their office as most professors post hours on their doors.

5. Use Down Time Wisely
After a summer of working and (hopefully) relaxing, it is difficult to jump back into the swing of things. If your class gets out early and you have an hour before your next class, try heading to the library. That is one less hour you have to work on your assignments later that night. Time is everything! Need a five minute facebook break? Don’t do it, that will end up to being a twenty, forty, or even sixty minute facebook break. Of course, Netflix is great, but create a balance between work and play and use your time wisely.  

6. Sleep is NOT Overrated
In order to stay on top of your studies, sleep is one of the most important things. Getting a full eight hours of rest will help you be successful at UMF. Classes do get tough and time often gets tight, but getting your sleep is very important.. Naps are totally awesome, but you still need a good night’s rest!

7. Take Care of Yourself (Eat healthy, Stay Hydrated and Exercise)
At times, college can be overwhelming and stressful, but don’t let that get the best of you. Find ways to manage your stress though things that you enjoy and make healthy choices. Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables for a healthy meal. Try a fruit to satisfy that sweet tooth. Getting up and moving is very important for your physical and mental health. The FRC has great workout classes and are opened until 11pm during the school year so you can squeeze a workout into your busy schedule. Even exercising for twenty minutes gets the blood flowing and can increase your academic performance!  Bring a water bottle around with you. Staying hydrated helps you focus and stimulates your brain cells. All of our classroom buildings and resident halls have water fountains, so take advantage of it. It is really easy to catch various illnesses while living with others, being stressed, and not focusing on your health. So, remember to eat healthy, stay hydrated and exercise.

8. Use Your Resources
We have great tutors on campus who can help you with almost anything, so why not use your resources? They are truly the experts and are really helpful. If your class holds SI (Supplemental Instruction) Sessions from a former student who did outstanding in the class, GO! Not only is the SI Sessions helpful at expanding and understanding the content but the SI leader often tells the professor who attends and that shows you are taking an initiative.

9. The Library is a Great Place
Utilize the quiet places on campus to stay focused on your coursework and readings. Your friends are awesome but can be really distracting and want to talk your ear off while your test is the next morning. Mantor Library has many options, including private study rooms (in the basement and on the second floor), the mezzanine, the Learning Commons (first floor), Mantor Cafe, and the third floor which is often the quietest. The Learning Commons, private study rooms and Technology Center have spaces that are designed for group work as well.

10. Get Involved
Whether its with sports teams, club teams, on-campus clubs, or the intramural teams at the FRC, get involved in something you are passionate about. By getting yourself out there, you meet new people who often times turn into friends and great study partners. UMF has a ton of awesome clubs and activities. Towards the end of September, there will be a club fair where you can learn about and sign up to join club(s). Head to our Instagram page @UMF_CEHR to hear about all of our education clubs!

Most of all, have fun! There are many resources to help you. People on our campus have been known to be very friendly and welcoming whether you are a new, transferring or returning student. We look forward to seeing you around campus this year and good luck! Study hard, take breaks, and have fun!

Visiting Author: Chris Van Dusen

On September 27th students and community members gathered in Lincoln Auditorium to meet visiting author/illustrator Chris Van Dusen. Chris is a children’s book author and illustrator known for his works Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee, If I Built a Car, and many more! The event was hosted by UMF’S Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC).

During the visit, Chris covered a lot of his work, starting with the books he illustrated for in the past, including Kate DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson stories. He then transitioned into discussing If I Built a Car, written and illustrated by Chrauthor-visit-2is himself. He went through the planning process of the book, changes his editor wanted to make, and how he moved forward with those changes.

This event was open to UMF students and faculty, as well as members in the community. The audience included professors, faculty, UMF students, parents, and children of many ages. Chris took the time to answer questions and sign autographs for his fans.

When asked if there will be any other visits of this nature in the future, UMF’S AEYC President Ranae Carlson seemed hopeful. “We definitely hope to
have future author events, but for right now, nothing is set in stone,” she said.  “We try to make our events applicable to people other than education students but I think anyone can benefit from hearing what authors, specifically those in Maine,  have to say! It’s like having a celebrity on campus!”author-visit-1

The UMF Teacher Education program would like to thank Chris Van Dusen, the AEYC, and those who attended for making this such an enjoyable event for all!

UMF Advocates for Disability Awareness Club Presents “Accessibility Through My Lens”

Kudos to UMF‘s Advocates for Disability Awareness Club (ADAC) on their incredible Symposium presentation. Members Continue reading