Although Iowa is commonly associated with cornfields and White farmers, Southeast Asian refugees have a remarkable history in this region that is largely unacknowledged. The recognition of this history, through inclusion in the school curriculum and the popular imagination, could be a powerful way to disrupt normative Whiteness and xenophobia in…

In this study, we use a narrative inquiry approach to present the stories of two Latino males attending community colleges in the Great Plains region of the United States that includes the Dakotas, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa, popularly referred to as "flyover states." The purpose of this inquiry, part of a larger study in an area of the…

"Al Éxito" supports the leadership development, post-secondary education, and civic engagement of Iowa Latina/o youth. In the summer of 2015, it piloted "Movimiento Al Éxito," a "pop up" summer program. In this article, we detail the innovative components and curriculum and describe our journey with "new…

This study analyzes end of course institutional teaching evaluations (ITEs) done anonymously by students in a pre-service teacher education course over a 15-year span. The purpose was to determine if and how the ITE findings might inform practice and relate to teaching metaphors as a tool of study. Analysis revealed: (a) teacher effectiveness…

This biographical piece is based on a conversation involving Bob Yager, Geeta Verma, and Lisa Martin-Hansen which took place at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) conference in March, 2008. The unique aspect of this autobiographical piece is that it highlights Dr. Yager's account about the emergence of the science…

Relates how campers and staff at a camp in Iowa managed during the flood, initiated clean-up efforts, and attempted to secure aid to pay for over $100,000 in damage to camp facilities. Following a visit, singer Billy Ray Cyrus donated concert ticket revenues to help pay for flood damages. (LP)

A physics teacher at rural Cedar Falls High School (Iowa) describes how teacher telecommunication networks provided ongoing support following summer teacher workshops, his inability to get fellow teachers engaged in telecommunication, and the benefits of a telecommunication network to rural teachers. (SV)

Recalls highlights on student days in a one-room country school. Describes school maintenance routines, individualized instruction, school programs, and holiday celebrations. Concludes that alumni of one-room schools are proud of their heritage and feel that the education they received reflects the nation's finest values. (JHZ)

In a letter to her children, Denise O'Brien discusses her and her husband's experiences farming in Iowa and her role as a farm activist. Stresses the importance of changing farm policy in order for her children to have the opportunity to experience the satisfaction of rural farm life. (LP)

This article describes an arts and narrative intervention program using visual art, storytelling, music, journaling, and support groups with incarcerated abused women to address the following questions: How can visual art and music empower incarcerated female survivors of domestic violence? Can art, music, storytelling, journaling, and support…