Annotated Transcript
annotated transcript -- organized by relevance are the courses I took during my time at Penn's Graduate School of Education
Schools as Organizations
EDUC 7708
In The Social Organization of Schooling with Dr. Rand Quinn, I critically analyzed theories and sociological concepts related to organizational culture and leadership. With this groundwork laid, I explored how these concepts impact on neurodiverse students in the classroom. Through weekly analytical memos and two argumentative papers, I demonstrated a deep understanding of how accountability in schools often reinforces existing systems, sometimes causing harm by misplacing the burden of adaptation on the wrong communities. In my final presentation, I expanded on Lerma et al.'s (2020) concept of “racialized equity labor”, coining the term "marginalized equity labor" to describe the efforts neurodiverse students must exert when classroom practices remain inaccessible despite legal requirements to provide equal access to education.
Developmental Disabilities
SWRK 7240
In Developmental Disabilities with Natalie Stollon MSW MPH, I explored the biological, psychological, and social factors shaping our understanding of developmental disabilities. The course took a holistic and person-centered approach, covering the history of disabilities, policy, advocacy, special education, and medical decision-making. The small class allowed for guest lecturers including individuals with disabilities, their families, and healthcare workers. For my midterm, I conducted a literature review identifying a gap in research supporting self-love for those with neurodevelopmental disorders. For my final project, I interviewed two developmental psychologists to discuss reshaping neurodevelopmental research to include affect and community-building practices. By centering love, hope, and collaboration, we can create space for neurodiverse identities and voices, leading to more inclusive research and stronger community partnerships. (Both of these papers can be found on this website.)
Anthropology and Education
EDUC 5495
In Anthropology & Education with Dr. Leigh Graham, I applied anthropological theories and practices to analyze the socio-cultural foundations of education. I was immersed in the approach of ethnographic research as a means of community action. I additionally grappled with the notion of positionality throughout the semester, and in a final paper (which can be found on this website) I filled a gap in a lesson neurodiverse students are never taught – how positionality is a source of power when used to self-advocate. By unpacking the idea of self-advocacy as a form of resistance, I tied together the efforts individuals can make to a larger orientation for justice and change. This paper makes taking action feel approachable and encourages students to see what might be perceived as a deficit by others is actually a strength when partnered with a desire for change.
Social Capital and Social Networks in Schools
EDUC 5973
In Social Capital and Social Networks in Schools with Dr. Rand Quinn, I examined how school-based relationships influence student learning outcomes. The course combined data analysis with discussions to introduce us to social network analysis and its significance in child development settings such as schools. With a theoretical groundwork laid, I focused my research on enhancing the social capital of neurodiverse students in schools. For my final project (which can be found on this website) I created and proposed a self-advocacy curriculum inspired by social capital theory, detailing how increased social capital and networks can aid neurodiverse students through bonding and bridging perspectives. I began drafting this curriculum with the hope of further developing and eventually implementing it in educational settings in the future
Leadership in
Educational Institutions
EDUC 6118
In Leadership in Educational Institutions with Dr. Andrea Kane, I explored what effective and inclusive leadership in schools could look like. Through weekly readings and assignments geared towards unpacking school improvement, cultural responsiveness, and transforming school culture, I gained valuable insight towards another critical aspect of how schools run by unpacking what it takes to lead. During the semester, I was given the opportunity to explore an aspect of instructional leadership. I chose to interrogate how school culture and teachers experiences within it are driven by equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts.
Expanding Civic Opportunities for Youth
EDUC 7772
In Expanding Civic Opportunities for Youth with Dr. Rand Quinn, I collaborated with classmates and a West Philadelphia 6th grade classroom to develop civic skills for their students. I self-selected into the curriculum team and created five instructional sessions that focused on topics such as barriers to civic engagement, self-advocacy, and community action, central themes of my capstone project (the curriculum rubric and resource guide can both be found on this website). We facilitated discussions that allowed students to express their emotions and experiences, particularly on improving processes and making recess activities accessible to all. This experience highlighted the importance of accessibility, self-understanding, and self-advocacy as universal educational tools, not just for neurodiverse students but for all learners, encouraging me to consider not only how neurodiverse students benefit from these skills but also other marginalized identities in educational settings.
Schools and Society in America
EDUC 5490
In Schools & Society with Dr. Kathleen Hall, I examined how social issues and histories shape classroom practices. Influenced by course readings, such as Andrea Flores' exploration of belonging in America and Ray McDermott's insights on the emotional toll of learning disabilities, I wrote a final paper arguing that the structure of U.S. schooling can turn schools into sites of suffering. My paper (which can be found on this website) highlighted how standardized testing and social pressures to "belong" often alienate and harm neurodiverse learners. By leading with personal examples throughout the paper, I not only contributed to the reader's understanding of the neurodiverse experience but also aimed to validate the emotional challenges faced by my neurodiverse students, helping them recognize and resist self-blaming mechanisms.
Masters Seminar in Education, Culture, and Society
EDUC 6490
In the required master’s seminar co-taught by Dr. Alex Posecznick and Dr. Leigh Graham was a year-long course aimed at supporting the cohort through their first year navigating the program and its requirements. The entire cohort met once a week, with the community action and social chance concentration having breakout sessions as needed. We had guest lectures and other academics from the Penn GSE community come talk about their research, exposing us to many approaches to working within the field. My fall semester consisted of writing the reflective essay and outlining the conceptual framework essay. In the spring, I continued to work on both essays as well as edited artifact papers and began to build this website.
Plants and Society
ANTH 5240
In Plants and Society with Dr. Chantel White, I was introduced to the diversity of ways in which humans have historically interacted with plants. Focusing on the botanical history of Philadelphia was a thought provoking way to see how environments have impacted people's day to day lives as well as played a role in shaping community. This elective course allowed me to take a step back from solely focusing on school systems and remember that there are histories and contexts behind most spaces that exist in the present day. For our final project, we were tasked with analyzing historic seed packets and presenting a plant narrative. I geared much of my discussion around the forgotten histories of the Lenape people and their understanding of plants and the natural world. This project was an exciting way to practice how to make scientific and historic research more accessible and equitable, central goals of my capstone project.
Art and The Ecology of Justice
SWRK 7170
In Art and Social Work: Art and the Ecology of Justice, co-taught by Dr. TJ Ghose and Dr. Aaron Levy, I explored how the arts, when combined with healing practices, can drive social change and be a source for reconciliation. The course, centered around questions like "How can the arts help build a more just society?" and "How can the arts transform social structures?", expanded my understanding of how change can be fostered beyond the school system. Through discussion heavy and thought provoking classes, I was also able to connect these ideas to my focus on neurodiverse communities, recognizing how multimodal forms of expression amplify individual and community voices. Our class was made up of social workers, bioengineers, dancers, communication majors, and so many more diverse fields of study whom all, in some way, felt moved by the arts ability to foster change.
all course descriptions written by caroline weaver with the support of OpenAI in condensing down each summery