Leah Peña Teeters | University of Colorado, Boulder (original) (raw)

Articles by Leah Peña Teeters

Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 2023

This conceptual article argues that not only are agency and imagination key concepts in the funds... more This conceptual article argues that not only are agency and imagination key concepts in the funds of identity work, but that they are a compelling vehicle toward epistemic justice through envisioned futures. We summarize sociocultural perspectives of imagination and agency as emerging processes within a funds of identity approach and make visible the ways these evolved into future visions of epistemic justice. We illustrate three cases that engaged participants' funds of identity through creative mediating strategies that exemplify and characterize these connections in practice across different educational settings and participants. The funds of identity approaches used in each case were intentional in fostering imagination and agency to envision more equitable and alternative future possibilities. We conclude by presenting five considerations to facilitate engaging a funds of identity approach toward epistemic justice in educational contexts. These considerations are: 1) use mediational devices to support engaging imagination, agency, and aspirational funds of identity, 2) create spaces of trust and safety, 3) examine history and power within the context, 4) be open to exploring dark and invisible funds of identity, and 5) support educators in linking curriculum to student funds of identity.

In the Spring of 2021, five Latine high school students gathered over Zoom to discuss experiences... more In the Spring of 2021, five Latine high school students gathered over Zoom to discuss experiences of confianza (trust) and desconfianza (distrust) with a team of researchers. Via multimodal testimonios, students built a community of confianza and convivencia (togetherness). Students identified this process as healing and offered suggestions on how to address desconfianza in school spaces and how to leverage confianza, creating a process by which to imagine schools de confianza. This research illustrates the potential of community building characterized by trust and belonging and oriented toward activism. This opportunity can support students to recontextualize their past experiences, feel validated in their experiences, and feel a sense of belonging.

Ethnography and Education , 2023

The intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health crises, and structural racism has deepen... more The intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health crises, and structural racism has deepened sources of distrust, presenting an urgent need and opportunity to reconfigure schools in ways that cultivate trust and belonging for all students, especially students of colour. Our research engages participatory design to develop practices that support students' wellbeing and create structures for change within the school. Students use photography and testimonio-counter narrative storytelling-to articulate a vision of schools de confianza and the actions requisite to enact that vision. We investigate how multimodal testimonio can be a practice to identify and heal distrust and ignite imagination, cultivate authentic individual and institutional care, and support students' wellbeing. The findings illustrate how multimodal testimonio supports schools to enact culturally sustaining pedagogies by centreing students' experiences, cultures, and hopes.

Journal of Teacher Education and Educators, 2021

This article investigates a teacher learning program in Mexico, Desarrollo de la Inteligencia a t... more This article investigates a teacher learning program in Mexico, Desarrollo de la Inteligencia a través del Arte: DIA (Development of Intelligence through Art: DIA), that supports teachers in applying holistic approaches to instruction that support social, emotional, academic, and cognitive growth. Using qualitative and quantitative measures, this article analyzes how pedagogical approaches that emphasize social and emotional learning affect teacher well-being and support practices associated with positive classroom culture. Analyses found that the DIA professional development program promotes an increase in teacher practices attending to social and emotional learning, such as emotional awareness, self-reflection, and studentcentered learning. Teachers participating in the DIA professional development program also reported less emotional burnout and distress than control teachers. Analyses suggest that the DIA program may serve as a protective factor from emotional distress among teachers, promoting emotional support for students and student-centered learning.

Journal of Latinos in Education, 2021

It is important that children obtain not only academic knowledge but also skills to express emoti... more It is important that children obtain not only academic knowledge but also skills to express emotion and sustain relationships. Fostering school communities that embody and teach compassion is increasingly recognized as an important component of many social and emotional learning (SEL) approaches. To generate SEL programs that are inclusive of diverse perspectives, it is critical to center community expertise. We engaged the framework of community-based participatory research (CBPR) to elicit Latina mothers' perspectives on compassion in their lives and in their children's school community. We used Photovoice, an art-based participatory action approach, in which participants were invited to create photographs that expressed their understanding of compassion. A subset of participants also participated in semi-structured exit interviews. The photographs, captions, and interviews were analyzed qualitatively. The results were conceptualized in terms of the themes of "definitions and conceptualization of compassion," "family and community," "communication," and "nature." Findings from this study inform an understanding of compassion focused SEL programs and implications for practice in schools through the cultural wealth of Latina mothers.

The Teacher Educator, 2021

In the context of a study investigating a teacher learning program, DIA, designed to encourage pr... more In the context of a study investigating a teacher learning program,
DIA, designed to encourage practices of mediation and promote
teacher well-being and holistic learning for students, we evaluated
changes in teachers’ practices and perspectives following training in
the DIA program. We used qualitative measures, including focus
groups, writing samples, drawing samples, classroom observations,
and lesson plans and workbooks. Our analysis found that teachers
who participated in DIA expanded their identity as a teacher, conceptualizing their role as mediators of learning. The DIA training provided ideational, material, and relational resources that supported
this expansion of teachers’ identities, allowing them to access new
learning and implement new practices of holistic instruction.

Mind Culture and Activity , 2021

In this article, we describe a personalized approach to meeting individual and community health n... more In this article, we describe a personalized approach to meeting individual and community health needs that foregrounds relational learning. This article analyzes how relational approaches to learning expand participants’ objectives and result in more enduring learning. We report on mixed methods data from interviews, focus groups, surveys, and goal setting and monitoring. Analyses reveal that relationships de confianza served as a central tool in supporting participants’ agency to enact change across scales of practice to promote the health of themselves, their families, and their communities.

Ethnography and Education , 2017

This article examines the social and cultural organisation of learning and community change in a ... more This article examines the social and cultural organisation of learning
and community change in a largely new immigrant and underresourced
neighbourhood in the US Situating our investigation
within a local social movement for food justice, we use an
ethnographic lens to study how learning is made to become
consequential across relationships between people, across activities,
and contexts. Our four-year ethnographic study highlights how
community health workers (promotoras) build relationships de
confianza as a tool that mediated new forms of action in the focal
neighbourhood. We demonstrate how relationships de confianza
have laid a foundation to (a) mediate social networks to organise for
change and (b) promote solidarity through the response to urgent
needs, creating a more holistic model of community health and
sustainability. Drawing attention to relational resources foregrounds
social actors and their ingenuity, promoting equity-oriented scalemaking.

The Promise of a Participatory Approach in Clinical Psychology

Clinical Psychological Science, 2018

Research that links action across multiple scales of practice is particularly relevant for organi... more Research that links action across multiple scales of practice is particularly relevant for organizing consequential social change. The aim of this article is to present an evaluation framework to support community-based researchers in generating methods of engagement that can expand opportunities for non-dominant community members across scales of practice. Drawing on a five-year community-engaged research project, this article presents a framework outlining five dimensions of a community-engaged research trajectory: (1) establishing partnerships; (2) developing trust; (3) working with diverse linguistic practices; (4) planning for different forms of action; and (5) outcomes and dissemination. This is developed as a formative evaluation tool intended to be used throughout the research collaboration to inform the iterative process of learning collaborations and design work.

Our work brings together theories and methodologies from public health and the learning sciences ... more Our work brings together theories and methodologies from public health and the learning sciences to develop a culturally relevant community-based intervention aimed at promoting healthy childhood development. We present our approach to personalizing a community-based family intervention to prevent childhood obesity that aims to enhance participants’ agency. We argue that situating obesity within the individual’s multi-layered context not only provides a more robust understanding of the causes, but also generates sustainable options for promoting healthy lifestyles. Our findings emphasize the importance of a situated approach to learning that leverages social systems as a key resource for better navigating the environmental, material and ideational infrastructures that support healthy lifestyles.

Background: Expanding the use of evidence-based behavioral interventions in community settings ha... more Background: Expanding the use of evidence-based behavioral interventions in community settings has met with limited success in various health outcomes as fidelity and dose of clinical interventions are often diluted when translated to communities. We conducted a pilot implementation study to examine adoption of the rigorously evaluated Healthier Families Program by Parks and Recreation centers in 3 cities across the country (MI, GA, NV) with diverse socio-cultural environments. Methods: Using the RE-AIM framework, we evaluated the program both quantitatively (pre/post surveys of health behavior change; attendance & fidelity) and qualitatively (interviews with Parks and Recreation staff and participants following the program). Results: The 3 partner sites recruited a total of 26 parent-child pairs. REACH: Among the 24 participants who completed pre/post surveys, 62.5% were 25–34 years old, and average child age was 3.6 (SD 0.7) years. The distribution of self-reported race/ethnicity was 54% non-Hispanic White, 38% non-Hispanic Black, and 8% Latino. EFFECTIVENESS: Qualitative interviews with participants demonstrated increased use of the built environment for physical activity and continued use of key strategies for health behavior change. ADOPTION: Three of five (60%) collaborating sites proceeded with implementation of the program. IMPLEMENTATION: The average attendance for the 12-week program was 7.6 (SD 3.9) sessions, with 71% attending > 50% of sessions. Average fidelity for the 12 weekly sessions was 25.2 (SD 1.2; possible range 9–27). MAINTENANCE: All 3 partner sites continued offering the program after grant funding was complete. Conclusions: This pilot is among the first attempts to scale-out an evidence-based childhood obesity intervention in community Parks and Recreation centers. While this pilot was not intended to confirm the efficacy of the original trial on Body Mass Index (BMI) reduction, the effective and sustained behavior change among a geographically and ethnically diverse population with high attendance and fidelity demonstrates an effective approach on which to base future large-scale implementation efforts to reduce childhood obesity in community settings.

Background: This article reports on the development of a systematic approach to assess for commun... more Background: This article reports on the development of a systematic approach to assess for community readiness prior to implementation of a behavioural intervention for childhood obesity. Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), we developed research tools to evaluate local community centres' organisational readiness and their capacity to implement the intervention.

This article provides a model by which to apply ICTD tenets within the context of the U.S. It pre... more This article provides a model by which to apply ICTD tenets within the context of the U.S. It presents a case study of co-designing a technology application with community health workers, promotoras, working in a historically marginalized community within the U.S. It examines both the process of co-design as well as the use of the designed product as interventions intended to enhance the promotoras' agency and ability to transform opportunities for themselves and their community. This article argues that designing equity-oriented design solutions involves ethnography and participatory design, as well as attention to both the social and technical infrastructure.

This article examines the social and cultural organisation of learning and community change in a ... more This article examines the social and cultural organisation of learning and community change in a largely new immigrant and under-resourced neighbourhood in the US. Situating our investigation within a local social movement for food justice, we use an ethnographic lens to study how learning is made to become consequential across relationships between people, across activities, and contexts. Our four-year ethnographic study highlights how community health workers (promotoras) build relationships de confianza as a tool that mediated new forms of action in the focal neighbourhood. We demonstrate how relationships de confianza have laid a foundation to (a) mediate social networks to organise for change and (b) promote solidarity through the response to urgent needs, creating a more holistic model of community health and sustainability. Drawing attention to relational resources foregrounds social actors and their ingenuity, promoting equity-oriented scale-making.

In this chapter, we share our design story of collaborating with community advocates working in a... more In this chapter, we share our design story of collaborating with community advocates working in a historically marginalized community. We focus on equitable and empowering co-design processes and creating a technology tool to represent the community leaders’ social justice activism: (1) negotiating roles to facilitate a participatory approach to design; (2) working across differences of language to develop equitable interactions; (3) using ethnographic methods to identify significant problems of practice; and (4) designing an equity-oriented intervention.

Books by Leah Peña Teeters

In the diverse classrooms seen in schools nationwide, culturally and linguistically diverse stude... more In the diverse classrooms seen in schools nationwide, culturally and linguistically diverse students bring unique and valuable historically developed skills, abilities, practices, and ways of knowing, referred to as 'funds of knowledge' (Moll & Gonzalez, 2004).

Papers by Leah Peña Teeters

Health research policy and systems, Jan 15, 2018

This article reports on the development of a systematic approach to assess for community readines... more This article reports on the development of a systematic approach to assess for community readiness prior to implementation of a behavioural intervention for childhood obesity. Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), we developed research tools to evaluate local community centres' organisational readiness and their capacity to implement the intervention. Four community Parks and Recreation centres from different states expressed interest in piloting an approach for dissemination and implementation of an evidence-based obesity prevention program for families with young children (Healthier Families). We conducted a mixed methods pre-implementation evaluation using the CFIR to evaluate the alignment of organisational priorities with the Healthier Families programme. Written surveys assessed organisational readiness for change amongst organisational leaders, recreation programmers, and staff (N = 25). Key informant interviews were conducted among staff to...

Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 2023

Ethnography and Education , 2023

Journal of Teacher Education and Educators, 2021

Journal of Latinos in Education, 2021

The Teacher Educator, 2021

Mind Culture and Activity , 2021

Ethnography and Education , 2017

The Promise of a Participatory Approach in Clinical Psychology

Clinical Psychological Science, 2018

This article examines the social and cultural organisation of learning and community change in a ... more This article examines the social and cultural organisation of learning and community change in a largely new immigrant and under-resourced neighbourhood in the US. Situating our investigation within a local social movement for food justice, we use an ethnographic lens to study how learning is made to become consequential across relationships between people, across activities, and contexts. Our four-year ethnographic study highlights how community health workers (promotoras) build relationships de confianza as a tool that mediated new forms of action in the focal neighbourhood. We demonstrate how relationships de confianza have laid a foundation to (a) mediate social networks to organise for change and (b) promote solidarity through the response to urgent needs, creating a more holistic model of community health and sustainability. Drawing attention to relational resources foregrounds social actors and their ingenuity, promoting equity-oriented scale-making.

Health research policy and systems, Jan 15, 2018

Contemporary Clinical Trials, 2018

Competency-Based Approaches to Community Health (COACH) is a randomized controlled trial of a fam... more Competency-Based Approaches to Community Health (COACH) is a randomized controlled trial of a family-centered, community-based, and individually-tailored behavioral intervention for childhood obesity among Latino preschool children. COACH focuses on improving personal agency for health behavior change by tailoring content to overcome contextual barriers. The intervention focuses on diet, physical activity, sleep, media use, and engaged parenting. The content is individually adapted based on routine assessments of competency in specific health behaviors using a mobile health platform and novel measurement tools developed by our team. In response to these regular assessments, health coaches provide tailored health behavior change strategies to help families focus on the areas where they decide to improve the most. The intervention consists of a 15-week group-based intensive phase, with weekly sessions delivered by health coaches in community centers. Following weekly sessions, a 3-month maintenance phase of the intervention consists of twice monthly coaching calls for participants to focus on individual health goals for their families. The primary outcome of the trial is child body mass index trajectory over 1 year. Secondary outcomes include parent body mass index change, child waist circumference, child diet, child

DergiPark (Istanbul University), Apr 30, 2021

Contemporary clinical trials communications, Dec 1, 2019

Background: The purpose of this study was to conduct a qualitative evaluation of a behavioral int... more Background: The purpose of this study was to conduct a qualitative evaluation of a behavioral intervention to prevent and treat childhood obesity in minority children. Using qualitative methods to augment understanding of intervention success may be one way to gain insight into the types of behavior change strategies that are most effective in childhood obesity interventions. Methods: COACH was a randomized controlled trial of 117 Latino parent-child (ages 3-5) pairs in Nashville, TN that resulted in improved child BMI in intervention vs. control families at 1-year follow-up. All participant parents were invited to focus groups after the trial. Discussions were audiotaped, transcribed, and translated into English. A hierarchical coding scheme was generated, and qualitative analysis done using an inductive/deductive approach. Both theme saturation and consensus between the coders were achieved. Responses were compared between intervention and control groups. Results: We conducted seven focus groups with 43 participants. 4 themes emerged from the intervention group: 1) perceived barriers to health behavior change; 2) strategies learned to overcome perceived barriers; 3) behavioral changes made in response to the program; and 4) knowledge, skills, and agency for family health behaviors. 4 themes emerged from the control group: 1) a desire to engage in health behaviors without specific strategies; 2) common set of barriers to health behavior change; 3) engagement in literacy activities, including creative problem-solving strategies; and 4) changes made in response to study visits. Analysis of coded data showed the intervention increased healthy behaviors (e.g., fruit/vegetable consumption) despite barriers (e.g., time, cost, culture, family dynamics). Intervention participants described using specific behavior change strategies promoted by the intervention including: substituting ingredients in culturally-normative recipes; avoiding grocery shopping when hungry; and coping with inability to meet goals with acceptance and problem-solving. Control participants reported little success in achieving healthy changes for their family. Intervention participants described successful health behavior changes that were shared across generations and were maintained after the program. Intervention participants reported increased awareness of their own agency in promoting their health. Conclusions: Qualitative evaluation of COACH provides a more detailed understanding of the intervention's quantitative effectiveness: child and adult health behaviors and personal agency were improved.

Contemporary Clinical Trials, Oct 1, 2018

Principles to Engage a Funds of Identity Approach as a Vehicle Toward Epistemic Justice in Educational Settings

Social Science Research Network, 2022

Considerations to engage a funds of identity approach as a vehicle toward epistemic justice in educational settings

Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, Jun 1, 2023

Gateways: International Journal of Community Research and Engagement, May 31, 2018

Our work brings together theories and methodologies from public health and the learning sciences ... more Our work brings together theories and methodologies from public health and the learning sciences to develop a culturally relevant community-based intervention aimed at promoting healthy childhood development. We present our approach to personalising a community-based family intervention to prevent childhood obesity that aims to enhance participants' agency. We argue that situating obesity within the individual's multi-layered context not only provides a more robust understanding of the causes, but also generates sustainable options for promoting healthy lifestyles. Our findings emphasise the importance of a situated approach to learning that leverages social systems as a key resource for better navigating the environmental, material and ideational infrastructures that support healthy lifestyles.

Mind, Culture, and Activity, Feb 8, 2021

Clinical psychological science, Oct 15, 2018

Hofmann and Hayes (2019) made a compelling argument for the movement toward process-based therapi... more Hofmann and Hayes (2019) made a compelling argument for the movement toward process-based therapies (PBT), arguing that the agenda of this movement is "positive, possible, and progressive" (p. xx). To this, we offer for consideration a participatory approach. Hofmann and Hayes (2019) argued that an emphasis on PBT over specific "named therapies" allows for researchers and practitioners to better account for and alleviate human suffering. They articulated that the goal of a clinical science of PBT is to answer the question, "What core biopsychosocial processes should be targeted with this client given this goal in this situation, and how can they most efficiently and effectively be changed?" (p. xx). To answer such a question, they argued, in part, that theory and application need to be rooted in an understanding of the individual; accordingly, they suggested that PBT offers a robust idiographic framework that is theory-based, dynamic, progressive, contextual, and multilevel. They suggested that this framework will accelerate the progress of clinical science, including with respect to scalability and impact. Such progress is essential and urgent. The failure of our field to provide effective mental health care to the majority of people in need has been well and widely documented, as have the barriers among practicing clinicians to embrace the value that a scientific approach to psychotherapy offers (Lilienfeld, Ritschel, Lynn, Cautin, & Latzman, 2013). What would a participatory approach offer the paradigm Hofmann and Hayes (2019) described? A participatory approach is part of a set of methods that emphasize mutual partnership among researchers, practitioners, and community members and that provide a mechanism by which to iteratively document, design, and refine intervention approaches in situ. Participatory approaches aim to honor diverse ways of knowing and being and acknowledge the complex realities of participants. These collaborations are core to the process of designing, implementing, and sustaining interventions (Coburn, Penuel, & Geil, 2013).

Relationships de Confianza and the organisation of collective social action

Ethnography and Education, Dec 30, 2016

ABSTRACT This article examines the social and cultural organisation of learning and community cha... more ABSTRACT This article examines the social and cultural organisation of learning and community change in a largely new immigrant and under-resourced neighbourhood in the US Situating our investigation within a local social movement for food justice, we use an ethnographic lens to study how learning is made to become consequential across relationships between people, across activities, and contexts. Our four-year ethnographic study highlights how community health workers (promotoras) build relationships de confianza as a tool that mediated new forms of action in the focal neighbourhood. We demonstrate how relationships de confianza have laid a foundation to (a) mediate social networks to organise for change and (b) promote solidarity through the response to urgent needs, creating a more holistic model of community health and sustainability. Drawing attention to relational resources foregrounds social actors and their ingenuity, promoting equity-oriented scale-making.

ProQuest LLC eBooks, 2016

Relationships de Confianza and the Organization of Collective Social Action We examine the relati... more Relationships de Confianza and the Organization of Collective Social Action We examine the relational elements of community change, focusing on how community health workers (promotoras) build relationships de confianza. The analysis demonstrates how relationships de confianza have laid a foundation to (a) mediate social networks to organize for change and (b) promote solidarity through the response to urgent needs, creating a more holistic model of community health and sustainability. Drawing attention to relational resources foregrounds social actors and their ingenuity, promoting equity in social movements. 2.) Developing Social Alongside Technical Infrastructure: A Case Study Applying ICTD Tenets to Marginalized Communities in the United States This article provides a model by which to apply ICTD tenets within the context of the U.S. It presents a case study of co-designing a technology application with community health workers, promotoras, working in a historically marginalized community within the U.S. It examines both the process of co-design as well as the use of the designed product as interventions intended to enhance the promotoras' agency and ability to transform opportunities for themselves and their community. This article argues that designing equity-oriented design solutions involves ethnography and participatory design, as well as attention to both the social and technical infrastructure. 3.) The Challenge and Promise of Community Co-design In this chapter, we share our design story of collaborating with community advocates working in a historically marginalized community. We focus on equitable and empowering co-design processes and creating a technology tool to represent the community leaders' social justice activism: (1) negotiating roles to facilitate a participatory approach to design; (2) working across differences of language to develop equitable interactions; (3) using ethnographic methods to identify significant problems of practice; and (4) designing an equity-oriented intervention.

Understanding children's funds of identity as learners through multimodal self-expressions in Mexico City

Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, Jun 1, 2021

Abstract This qualitative study examined the multimodal self-expressions of 39 students in grades... more Abstract This qualitative study examined the multimodal self-expressions of 39 students in grades 4th–6th attending public schools in Mexico City. Students' shared perspectives of their learning environments and of themselves as learners throughout their teachers' participation in a program designed to shift traditional teacher-centered practices toward co-constructions of learning spaces that are conducive to dialogue, reflection, and socio-emotional awareness through art and narratives. Drawing from a multimodal social semiotics and funds of identity theoretical framework, we analyzed students' responses to three prompts that elicited their perspectives regarding their own learning and their learning environments. Prompts were completed at three different points in time during one school year. Findings include: (1) changes in classroom configurations illustrating teacher-student relationships, (2) the emergence of additional materials and resources for learning, (3) variation in the learning approaches preferred by students, and (4) expanded purposes and motivations for learning. This study illustrates how student-centered pedagogies and teacher-mediated learning processes can mobilize students' funds of identity for learning by co-constructing knowledge and connecting to students' experiences through dialogue and art.

BMJ Open, Mar 1, 2023

Objective The study purpose was to describe feasibility of implementation of the Reaching Out to ... more Objective The study purpose was to describe feasibility of implementation of the Reaching Out to Kids with Emotional Trauma (ROcKET) intervention. We hypothesised that the ROcKET Intervention would be feasible in a poor resource school. Design We performed a single-arm, single-centr feasibility study of an intervention pilot, based on the RE-AIM framework. Setting The intervention was delivered in a single K-4th elementary charter school in the Nashville, TN area, in a low-resource community. Participants 57 elementary school children attending our partner school and reporting exposure to at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) and their parents. Interventions The Reaching Out to Kids with Emotional Trauma (ROcKET) intervention is a school-based multilevel intervention (individual child, family and school) that promotes positive health behaviours in children who have been exposed to ACEs. Outcomes Outcomes were gathered qualitatively via focus groups. The primary outcome was feasibility. The secondary outcomes were implementation outcomes according to the RE-AIM framework, including Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption and Implementation. Results Of 105 eligible children, 57 children and their parents participated (54%) with 31 (54%) girls, 47 (82%) Black/African American, 5 (9%) Hispanic and 5 (9%) white. The school staff implemented all planned ROcKET sessions with >90% fidelity in each session, and 52 (91%) of children who completed the final intervention session went on to complete 6 month follow-up assessments. The average attendance at the in-school child sessions was 57 students (87%), and 35 (61%) of parents attended at least one family session, with 25 (44%) of parents attending at least half of the family sessions. 13 (23%) parents participated in the focus groups. Qualitative data suggested high parent participant satisfaction, uptake of positive health behaviours targeted by the intervention and increased quality of life. Conclusions Our study suggests that the ROcKET intervention was feasible and acceptably delivered in a local elementary school with high reach to low-income and minority populations. These data suggest that schools, especially those serving low-income and minority children, can be an appropriate avenue for interventions designed to address health disparities. Data from this study will be used to advise a pilot study of the intervention.

Health Psychology, Feb 1, 2018

Objective-Interventions to support healthy gestational weight gain are often ineffective. The obj... more Objective-Interventions to support healthy gestational weight gain are often ineffective. The objective was to develop a model of how pregnant Latinas-who have higher risk of poor maternal and neonatal weight-related outcomes-conceptualize healthy gestational weight gain, providing guidance for future interventions. Methods-Ten focus groups with 50 pregnant Latinas were conducted by a native Spanishspeaking female moderator. Based on participant responses, we used grounded theory to inductively develop a personal conceptual framework for gestational weight gain. Results-Commonly identified barriers to being active and healthy eating included negative emotions, body image, physical discomfort, low energy, and lack of motivation Women identified sociocultural issues like a sense of isolation from family (among immigrants) and the degree of perceived social support as important contributors to health behaviors. Two personal health schemas emerged from participant responses. The "mother-child health schema" describes the degree to which participants recognized the inter-relatedness of health needs for baby and for themselves. The "attention to gestational weight gain schema" describes how a respondent's attention to and perceived importance of gestational weight gain influences health-related behaviors during pregnancy. Conclusions-Women's sociocultural and interpersonal context influence weight-related behaviors through the lens of personal health schemas. Understanding how cognitive aspects relate to traditional behavioral determinants suggests several opportunities for intervention such as focusing on healthy behaviors instead of numerical targets for healthy weight gain. While derived

Cognition and Instruction, May 31, 2016

Questions regarding what is consequential for communities are critical for the study and design o... more Questions regarding what is consequential for communities are critical for the study and design of learning. Answering these questions requires knowledge of how the social world functions to make certain ideas, practices, and identities visible and potentially valuable. In our longitudinal, participatory design research project, we work with a group of resident-activists seeking social justice for their historically marginalized community. Our aim was to develop new tools (e.g., a software application) and understandings that could make learning consequential. Without making the differential scales of influence and values of participants' work visible, possibilities for consequential learninglearning that extends across multiple positions and perspectives in practices such as community organizing-would be limited. Questions regarding what is consequential for communities are critical for the study and design of learning. Answering these questions requires knowledge of how the social world functions to make certain ideas, practices, and identities visible and potentially valuable. In our longitudinal, participatory design research project, we work with a group of resident-activists seeking social justice for their historically marginalized community. Following Star and Strauss (1999), in this article we trace and make our work with our study partners visible. Our aim was to develop new tools (e.g., a software application) and understandings that could make learning consequential, which we define as meaningful action that extends across temporal, social, and spatial scales of practice (Hall & Jurow, 2015). Without making the differential scales of influence and values of participants' work visible, possibilities for consequential learning-learning that extends across multiple positions and perspectives in practices such as community organizing-would be limited. Many of the residents of South Elm, 1 the urban neighborhood where we do our research, face food insecurity, meaning that they have few options in their immediate neighborhood for buying healthy and affordable food. Since 2009, the nonprofit organization, Impact, has been working with residents to address issues of food access and justice across multiple scales of practice. At the local level, they have established a community-based agriculture program. At a broader level, they participate actively in discussions about city, state, and national policies related to the future of U.S. agriculture and how it can better serve low-income and marginalized communities of color. The organization has also developed strategies, including a community-supported agriculture buying club and plans for a resident-owned food cooperative, that are aimed at offering a viable economic alternative to industrial agriculture.

Guidelines for Successful IEP Meetings for Diverse Learners

A SAGE Company eBooks, 2017

Teaching as Mediation: The Influence of Professional Development on Teacher Identity in Mexico City Public Schools

The Teacher Educator, Apr 26, 2021

Abstract In the context of a study investigating a teacher learning program, DIA, designed to enc... more Abstract In the context of a study investigating a teacher learning program, DIA, designed to encourage practices of mediation and promote teacher well-being and holistic learning for students, we evaluated changes in teachers’ practices and perspectives following training in the DIA program. We used qualitative measures, including focus groups, writing samples, drawing samples, classroom observations, and lesson plans and workbooks. Our analysis found that teachers who participated in DIA expanded their identity as a teacher, conceptualizing their role as mediators of learning. The DIA training provided ideational, material, and relational resources that supported this expansion of teachers’ identities, allowing them to access new learning and implement new practices of holistic instruction.

Journal of community engagement and scholarship, 2019

BMC Public Health, Apr 13, 2018

Background: Expanding the use of evidence-based behavioral interventions in community settings ha... more Background: Expanding the use of evidence-based behavioral interventions in community settings has met with limited success in various health outcomes as fidelity and dose of clinical interventions are often diluted when translated to communities. We conducted a pilot implementation study to examine adoption of the rigorously evaluated Healthier Families Program by Parks and Recreation centers in 3 cities across the country (MI, GA, NV) with diverse socio-cultural environments. Methods: Using the RE-AIM framework, we evaluated the program both quantitatively (pre/post surveys of health behavior change; attendance & fidelity) and qualitatively (interviews with Parks and Recreation staff and participants following the program). Results: The 3 partner sites recruited a total of 26 parent-child pairs. REACH: Among the 24 participants who completed pre/post surveys, 62.5% were 25-34 years old, and average child age was 3.6 (SD 0.7) years. The distribution of self-reported race/ethnicity was 54% non-Hispanic White, 38% non-Hispanic Black, and 8% Latino. EFFECTIVENESS: Qualitative interviews with participants demonstrated increased use of the built environment for physical activity and continued use of key strategies for health behavior change. ADOPTION: Three of five (60%) collaborating sites proceeded with implementation of the program. IMPLEMENTATION: The average attendance for the 12-week program was 7.6 (SD 3.9) sessions, with 71% attending > 50% of sessions. Average fidelity for the 12 weekly sessions was 25.2 (SD 1.2; possible range 9-27). MAINTENANCE: All 3 partner sites continued offering the program after grant funding was complete. Conclusions: This pilot is among the first attempts to scale-out an evidence-based childhood obesity intervention in community Parks and Recreation centers. While this pilot was not intended to confirm the efficacy of the original trial on Body Mass Index (BMI) reduction, the effective and sustained behavior change among a geographically and ethnically diverse population with high attendance and fidelity demonstrates an effective approach on which to base future large-scale implementation efforts to reduce childhood obesity in community settings.