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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 20, 2005)
Id Danielle Hickey I Photo editor Psychology professor Helen Neville will speak today at the Brain and Education Workshop in 243 Lillis. The workshop, which continues Saturday, is sponsored by the University’s Brain Biology and Machine Initiative. Brain: Evidential support not required for methods Continued tram page 1A “People who can’t focus their attention, they can’t read, they can’t play music, they can’t paint a painting because they don’t have the focus,” she said. Neville said that unlike most other fields today, educators are not required to provide empirical support for their methods. She said that for a time, California used the whole-word method as opposed to the phonetics method to teach reading, although studies showed that the whole-word method hinders literacy. Neville said she now gets students from California coming to the Universi ty who tell her they can’t read. At 9 a.m. Saturday, Michael Merzenich, a neuroscience profes sor from the University of Califor nia, San Francisco, will present “Neuroscience of Brain Plasticity as a Foundation Science for Edu cators.” Merzenich’s laboratory studies the “neural bases of learn ing, recognition and memory”; “mechanisms underlying the ori gins of functional brain illnesses and disabilities”; and “strategies for remediating learning-disabled and movement-disabled adults and children,” according to the laboratory’s Web site. At 11 a.m. Saturday, Harvard University psychology professor Elizabeth Spelke will present “Ori gins of Knowledge of Number.” Spelke researches the origins and development of concepts of ob jects, people, space and numbers at Harvard University’s Laborato ry for Developmental Studies. She said in an e-mail that most of her work focuses on human infants and preschool children but that she also occasionally studies cog nition in adult non-human pri mates and in human adults. People at Oregon Health & Sci ence University in Portland, Eastern Oregon University in La Grande and the University’s Central Oregon Pro grams office in Bend will participate in Saturday’s lectures via simulcast, which allows them to watch the presentations on a TV screen as well as ask questions. Neville said recordings of the lectures can be downloaded for free from the University Brain De velopment Lab’s Web site, bdl.uoregon.edu. evasylwester@dailyemerald.com Nicole Barker | Photographer Catherine Perez, left, Matthew Rowan, center, and Stephanie Day have been accepted to Teach For America, a program for which they will work to reduce social inequity in the education system. Teach: Corps gives members continuing support Continued from page 1A movements and what better way to learn about that than an education reform movement?” Day wrote that she is trying to set realistic goals for herself to prepare for the demanding job of teaching in a new city far from family and friends. “I have only been to Washington, D.C., once, but it is an exciting place,” Day wrote. “It is amazing that with all of the nation’s social inequalities, one of the largest lies outride the doors of the nation’s capital. But 1 think that will be in spiring rather than discouraging.” Maren Elliott, recruitment direc tor of the Northwest Recruitment Team for Teach for America, said in an e-mail that in addition to region al inductions, or orientation peri ods, Teach for America provides on going support for corps members. “Teach For America provides the resources and guidance they’ll need to succeed during their two years in the classroom,” Elliott wrote. “This sup port includes organizing groups of corps members and alumni teaching in similar grad/subject areas, schedul ing workshops and retreats and work ing with area school districts or schools of education to provide profes sional development opportunities.” Perez, a double major in Spanish and political science and a business administration minor, will be going to Los Angeles to teach special education in a secondary school. She said she’s not as nervous or anxious as she is ex cited about the whole experience. “L.A. was my top choice,” Perez said. “I’m extremely excited be cause this program gives me the op portunity to work firsthand with children, which is something I’ve always wanted to do.” Perez said her long-standing goal of being involved in Teach for America is a great opportunity for her to get involved in the issue of r educational inequity. “As much as protesting and rallying helps raise awareness about these in equities, it’s the one-on-one interaction with the students that’s really going to make a difference,” Perez said. “I’m honored to be a part of it.” Rowan will be teaching in English as a second language classes in New York City this fall. “As a political science major, social inequity in education is an issue that definitely interests me. In fact, I’m writing my thesis on it,” Rowan said. “The educational system deserves more attention, and it’s a very important issue. ” Rowan, whose parents are both teachers, said more people need to vol unteer to bring up this issue and to raise the standard of education. “I’m hoping I can make a difference by instilling my love of learning into the students,” Rowan said. bmcclenahan @ dailyemerald. com DO YOU WORK IN A BAR?? The Multnomah County Health Department is recruiting bar workers who are not exposed to secondhand smoke for a study. Workers Will Receive $50 For Participating IN ORDER TO DO THIS WORKERS MUST: • Be currently employed in a bar posted off-limits to minors • Be employed in the city of Eugene or Corvallis (or anywhere else in Benton County) • Be at least 18 years old • Be a non-smoker THESE WORKERS MUST AGREE TO: • Sign a consent form • Complete an interview (about 15-20 minutes) • Provide a urine sample before and after a work shift (to measure by-products of cigarette smoke only) No Travel Required All Information Will Be Kept Strictly Confidential | IF INTERESTED, \PLEASECAU 1-877-877-5654 ealth Department Do the math Save money 0 Lane offers credit courses that you can use for graduation at UO—for*just $67 per credit. Figure out how much money you can save. Enrolling is easy. Summer classes begin June 20. For more information about summer classes at Lane* visit www.lanecc.edu. ^Lane Community College sm an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution
