Marji Edguer's Online Journal http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/ My Thoughts on the Discourse en-us Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:04:36 EST Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:04:36 EST marjorie.edguer@case.edu marjorie.edguer@case.edu http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Movable Type v3.121 new year forward http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2010/01/13/new_year_forward Well, it's another new year, so time for my annual post. I am hoping that there will be more than... http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2010/01/13/new_year_forward Doctoral studies Personal info case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:04:36 EST Well, it's another new year, so time for my annual post. I am hoping that there will be more than one post this year. I just find that things get too busy and blogging is at the end of my priority list.

I am in the second year of my doctoral coursework, which is continuing to be a challenging and energizing proposition. I will not be teaching this spring, in order to focus my energy on doing well in my own academic work. (That was actually a hard choice to make, as I really like teaching).

I am trying to focus on my fellowship duties and coursework and get as much as I can from this opportunity - which will be over all too soon! I am hoping that this spring will allow me to be more involved in some research projects and move forward with publishing as well.

]]> Reflections on I-Doser http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2009/01/26/reflections_on_idoser Of course, there is still the original question about "I-Doser" which it is hard to get a handle on -... http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2009/01/26/reflections_on_idoser Adolescence mind-altering psychology case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:15:23 EST Of course, there is still the original question about "I-Doser" which it is hard to get a handle on - most of it appears to be a scam along the lines of on-line viagra ads. There appears to be little scientific evidence one way or the other, but lots of links to You Tube videos, and sites selling audio files offering various "highs." I suspect that the effect is a placebo effect, but there is much about the brain which we don't know, so without evidence one way or the other, it's hard to know!

It's also interesting to note that adolescents (and adults) are still looking to pay money and experiment with something they view as "mind-altering" and "safe" regardless of whether it actually works or not. Humanity's search for something larger than oneself.

]]> Interesting Blog I Found http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2009/01/26/interesting_blog_i_found I found this blog when trying to research the "I-Doser" which came up at work (Somehow there was a concern... http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2009/01/26/interesting_blog_i_found Teaching mind psychology case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:48:05 EST I found this blog when trying to research the "I-Doser" which came up at work (Somehow there was a concern that this might be something that might start to come up with students - I am still not clear how that concern evolved) but the blog is an interesting site which is looking at neuroscience and psychology.
http://www.mindhacks.com/

]]> new year, new resolution http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2009/01/26/new_year_new_resolution I am intending to make this blog a more active source of my learning in the field. I am currently... http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2009/01/26/new_year_new_resolution Personal info case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:45:53 EST I am intending to make this blog a more active source of my learning in the field. I am currently enrolled in the PhD program at MSASS at CWRU, and still working part-time in the field. I may not be teaching this semester but hope to teach again in the fall.

]]> New course this spring - Child psychopathology http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2008/01/19/new_course_this_spring_child_psychopathology This semester brings another new course - child psychopathology - basically a DSM course (assessment and diagnosis). Should be interesting!... http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2008/01/19/new_course_this_spring_child_psychopathology case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Sat, 19 Jan 2008 19:19:35 EST This semester brings another new course - child psychopathology - basically a DSM course (assessment and diagnosis). Should be interesting! In my current setting (suburban school social work with a prevention focus) I don't have to diagnose because it is a prevention program. This has both pros and cons. Since I am not fully assessing & diagnosing, it keeps me honestly doing prevention, not treatment. But a segment of the students referred to me would be well-served by having a thorough psychosocial assessment, so that they could be referred to the appropriate programs & providers.

Assessment and diagnosis always seems like solving a puzzle to me - trying to find the right pieces of information and fit them together so that they make sense and point the direction for treatment.

]]> SASS 440 - child development texts http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2008/01/19/sass_440_child_development_texts I'm afraid that I ended up being disappointed in the Austrian text after my intial excitement. I'm not sure that... http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2008/01/19/sass_440_child_development_texts case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Sat, 19 Jan 2008 19:12:15 EST I'm afraid that I ended up being disappointed in the Austrian text after my intial excitement. I'm not sure that it's really challenging at a graduate level, and I wish it had more practical examples/scenarios to illustrate the theories that it's referencing. So my search for the ideal graduate level child development text will continue.

]]> Out of Action report http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2008/01/19/out_of_action_report I'm afraid that the Fall of 2007 was very stressful with my mother being very ill, which meant that my... http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2008/01/19/out_of_action_report Personal info case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Sat, 19 Jan 2008 19:10:02 EST I'm afraid that the Fall of 2007 was very stressful with my mother being very ill, which meant that my blog went into hibernation. She's doing better, so I will try to resume a meaningful professional blog.

]]> New blog of interest http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2007/09/19/new_blog_of_interest I found a new blog which I really liked and wanted to share with others. The focus is primary on... http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2007/09/19/new_blog_of_interest Therapy case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Wed, 19 Sep 2007 11:36:10 EST I found a new blog which I really liked and wanted to share with others. The focus is primary on psychotherapy, especially CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy), but it is interesting and readable. Although they seem to be on hiatus at the moment as there are no posts so far this fall. But check out the article reference to oxycotin and males and empathy!
http://gandalwaven.typepad.com/intheroom/

]]> Education & summer break http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2007/08/01/education_summer_break I thought it very interesting to read the research by Karl Alexander about the cumulative gap that occurs for students... http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2007/08/01/education_summer_break Child development - general School Social Work case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Wed, 01 Aug 2007 12:48:25 EST I thought it very interesting to read the research by Karl Alexander about the cumulative gap that occurs for students based on social/economic class. While his study is extremely small and there is a chance it is not generalizable, I think that it fits with what we know about the academic differences based on class. Poor children are more likely to start school with a gap and life continues to exacerbate that gap.

see study at
http://www.asanet.org/galleries/default-file/April07ASRFeature.pdf

As a school social worker it makes a strong case for advocating for changes in our system. Possibly for a different kind of school year: one with shorter breaks that occur more frequently, so that perhaps children go to school for 3 months and have 3 weeks off and 3 months and 3 weeks off. Or perhaps there need to be more free summer programs that combine academics with additional life opportunities (that children growing up in poverty may not have as much access to).

]]> Bullying http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2007/07/26/bullying I am trying to figure out an effective series of interventions to implement at a middle school/high school level to... http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2007/07/26/bullying School Social Work bullying intervention prevention schools case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:14:04 EST I am trying to figure out an effective series of interventions to implement at a middle school/high school level to really change the bullying dynamics. I have found curriculums out there but they are more directed at elementary ages. It's interesting to me how people either do not see bullying or label it as inevitable/a rite of passage. (despite a significant body of research that says otherwise, and despite the tragedies that happen at schools nationally). Hopefully the Ohio state law will have a meaningful impact, but I am afraid that people will only give it lip service, or that they will hide what is going on (since they have to place the statistics on their school websites, I have to believe that some districts will not want to fully disclose, as that will change how they are perceived.)

]]> Preparation for teaching http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2007/07/26/preparation_for_teaching Excited about the Austrian text - it's by a social worker, which I hope will be more engaging with students,... http://blog.case.edu/marji.edguer/2007/07/26/preparation_for_teaching Teaching course texts case cwru Case Western Case Western Reserve University Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:00:24 EST Excited about the Austrian text - it's by a social worker, which I hope will be more engaging with students, and seem more relevant to them. I will see as I read it for myself.

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