School Away from School is organized by the SUNY Buffalo State School of Education as a resource for parents and guardians, and anyone else caring for and educating children. School Away from School includes resources and references gleaned from many sources, including the direct expertise, experiences and recommendations of our faculty, staff, students, and school partners as well as from community members and our readers.
Under the supervision of Mary Wolf, Assistant Professor of Art Education, nine student teachers unable to complete their second student teaching placement due to COVID-19, designed at-home/remote art learning experiences for PK-12 art teachers and students. They hope educators and families across NY, the country, and world find them useful, meaningful, and worthwhile. If you do, please share your experiences with Dr. Mary Wolf and she will share your feedback with the graduated student teachers. She is very proud of these new alumni: Ally Demski, Rachel Drenkhahn, Megan Himes, Marissa Mele, Doug Pashley, Anna Rubino, Lena Scapillato, Liz Vesneske, and Catherine Walsh. View the lessons on our School Away from School Art & Creativy page (click the Art Lessons tab).
Kathy Doody, associate professor of exceptional education, focused her graduate classes in early childhood special education on the importance and progression of skills within five developmental domains: physical (fine and gross motor), cognitive/academic, social-emotional, language/communication, and adaptive (activities of daily living, coping, self-soothing, etc.). Lessons can be found on the School Away from School Special Education Resources page.
Written by by Nanci Monaco & Mark Schachter, and ilustrated by Chiarra Corradetti, this is a story about resilience and personal reflection, told from the perspective of Joy, a child who is trying to cope and adjust to all the ways life has changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit the Covid Kids website for resources on how to help their children deal with the pandemic. Watch a read aloud of the Covid Kids story featuring Christine Garas, Buffalo State alumna '19, '20.
Gliset Colón, assistant professor of exceptional education, produced a video reading one of her favorite storybooks for the Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York’s 6th annual, El Día de los Niños, dedicated to fostering the importance of literacy by linking children to books, languages, and culture in the home and at school.
Created by Eve Everette, assistant director of the Anne Frank Project, and her friend EmmaClaire Brightlyn, actor and voiceover artist from Scotland, The Dudes Read Aloud is a fun and educational experience for kids ages 2 to 102! Read Alouds feature a voice over of the book with its illustrations, and simple Multiple Intelligences activities to learn how the book can teach us new lessons. Guest Dudes make appearances and share their talents, too!
The Exceptional Education department held a “car parade” to pay tribute to our secretaries on Wednesday, April 29, Administrative Assistants Day. At least a dozen cars, all decorated, drove by each of our secretaries homes, Andrea Hoehman and Gina Puntoriero. Participants stopped by to give gifts. It was a joyous occasion and great opportunity to come together as a department
As assigned by Judi Harris, lecturer in the Exceptional Education Department, student teachers share reflections on the impact the “Guidance to Schools Regarding Novel Coronavirus” has on special education teachers’ ability to provide services to students with disabilities.
Hillview Elementary School in Lancaster has been hosting Junior Participants in classes with Patty George, Lecturer in the Elementary Education, Literacy and Educational Leadership department. Hillview has three talented teachers on staff who teach literacy courses at Buffalo State: Carla Gasiewicz, Laurie Naab and Dana Breidenstein. Mrs. Gasiewicz made this amazing video to connect with Hillview’s children and families during this time of remote instruction.
Since many college students who were student teaching this semester are no longer able to do so, they have created a way to tutor online. These students have completed their Mathematics Education coursework at SUNY Buffalo State and will earn their NYS Mathematics 7-12 Initial Certification in the coming months. The Student Teachers will be on Zoom ready to answer any question you may have!
Sue McMillen, professor in Mathematics, is teaching 10th and 11th grade math to students at Moriah Bilingual Academy, an IPDS Honduras partner school. Schools in Honduras have been closed for four weeks, but Moriah has found creative ways to provide limited online instruction, even without an educational platform or classroom management system.
Michelle Layer (Clarence Center) and Kirsten Provenzano (Lockport), and other members of the NYS Master Teacher Program created Science Learning at Home, a document full of remote learning resources and lesson ideas for teaching science.
