Reflections on the University of Porto

…On psychology

The Faculty of Psychology and Educational Science at the University of Porto (FPCEUP) recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, which makes me reflect on the history of a revolutionary peoples and their pursuit of education, with my chosen field. Thirty years ago they rose from the ashes of a fascist regime, and the Portuguese began to work, while few were educated. Women were given access to all professions, the right to vote, and up sprang the Faculty Psychology and Educational Science at the University of Porto, as we know it today (more or less).

In discussing the history of psychology within the public university system with many students here–I believe it central to the theoretical framework (both clinical and scientific practice) of the Portuguese.

Moreover, I find this important for me, as a foreigner studying here, to understand. Psychology in Portuguese public universities came about by support from the institute of Applied Psychology, Portuguese Society of Psychoanalysis, and the Portuguese Society of Psychology (please correct me if I am wrong!). Though they are later coming to scientist-practitioner scene than psychologists from other countries; the Portuguese’s multifaceted influences, and the sociopoliticohistorical (yes, I made that word up) milieu at the time of degree establishment may not be a short coming.

The Portuguese have a chance to learn from other nations’ successes and short comings. From my experiences here, many strive for what American students are taught in our Doctoral programs: empirical investigation and “scientific method”, in the vein of the APA.
I wish continued success to FPCEUP, and continued development of scientists and practitioners within this burgeoning faculty.


…On a lighter note

Porto is filled with medieval fountains –which once sustained the life of its people; and now sustain the life of the students: in Gomes Teixera Square.

In front of the University Rectory lies the “Source of the Lions”, where students participate in fraternal exercises –a rite of passage to a higher level of knowledge.

For a brief period I was enveloped by this culture, acting as “Godmother” to one of the pupils. Through a series of Latin phrases, swaths of water, and capes, I participated in a baptism, and watched one young man be indoctrinated into academic society. With an education which many take for granted, this ceremony –complete with traditional garb– struck me as particularly poignant in a country which so recently struggled for the right to freely learn.

Visit to The IRIS Center

Hi, everybody!

Simply stated, The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements translates research about the education of students with disabilities into practice. Based on research-validated practices the Center develops a broad array of enhancement materials in order to provide students with disabilities greater access to the general education curriculum (from PreK to High School). The IRIS Center’s work is made possible by several partnerships with professional and community organizations, public agencies, and universities whose role is instrumental in assessing the needs of college faculty and professional development providers, in determining specific topics to be explored, in validating materials, and in disseminating information about the Center’s work.

Some of the topics addressed include reading and writing, math, RTI, learning strategies, and progress monitoring. Importantly, all IRIS materials are available online through its website. In here, faculty and professional development providers can find interactive challenge-based modules, case studies, activities, and information briefs to supplement their classes and trainings. Click here and explore all the high-quality materials developed by the IRIS staff.

WRAB Conference

Hi, everybody!

Keeping on with my last newsletter, I enjoyed going to Graceland very much. If you are an Elvis fan you will love to visit his house and share the spaces where the King lived. Below is a photo of his living room.

Last week was a very busy one. On Monday I took a flight to Washington D. C. where I stayed a couple of days. The city, with all its magnificent buildings and high-quality museums, is wonderful! On Wednesday I went to the George Mason University for the Writing Research Across Borders Conference. You can check the conference website in here. The WRAB conference is a very big conference focused on writing. I have the opportunity to meet several writing researchers and attend very interesting conferences and talks. Denise Schmandt-Besserat and Steve Graham presented two remarkable conferences. Schmandt-Besserat talked about the origins of writing and how literacy is preceded by numeracy; and Graham synthesized what cognitively-oriented research has told us about struggling and developing writers. There was also a very emotional ceremony honoring four leading writing researchers, namely, Charles Bazerman (from the University of California, Santa Barbara, U.S.), Pietro Boscolo (from the University of Padova, Italy), Michel Fayol (from the Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France), and John Hayes (from the Carnegie Mellon University, U.S.). Another big moment of the conference was a 3 hours session titled “Cognition and context: Are there grounds for reconciliation?”. Following eight reflections on the cognition-culture schism in Writing Studies, there was an exciting debate about the potential for common ground and the possibility of an “integrated theoretical vision”.

Now, I am already in Nashville and tomorrow morning I will visit the IRIS Center. This is a very important center aimed at providing research-validated information about working with students with disabilities in inclusive settings.

My first month in Porto

I have been in Porto, Portugal for a little over a month and my experiences thus far have truly been rewarding and valuable. During my first two weeks I visited a number of public and private preschools. At one of the private institutions, The Associação Social e de Desenvolvimento de Guifões (ASDG), they offer preschool services for infants and children from 0-5 and geriatric services. I have seen a similar system only once in the US and think it is great way to foster interaction between children and older adults.

Also, while observing and touring some of the public preschools I was given an assignment to observe a 5-year-old girl with multiple sclerosis. The preschool lessons are conducted in Portuguese, which I am still learning, so my observations of the environment and nonverbal interactions were of particular interest. Many of my observations were consistent with prior assessments of the young girl. I presented my findings from the observation at a workshop for teachers who have students with special needs. I also provided interventions the teachers could possibly use when they have students with similar needs.

I was also given a tour of CRIAR, a private service provider that specializes in assessment and intervention for children and youth with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia, and emotional/behavioral issues. The staff at Criar was very welcoming and has invited us back to observe some of the assessments and interventions they conduct.

Lastly, Professor Mats Granlund, from Sweden’s Jönköping University, provided a weekend workshop on the ICF-CY at the University of Porto. During the workshop I was able to explore the historical underpinnings of different classification systems and how to use the ICF-CY. I especially enjoyed practicing how to use the ICF-CY with the different scenarios groups developed.

Thus far I have learned so much about Portugal and Portuguese culture. I appreciate the warmth and kindness everyone in the academic community and the community at large has shown me. In the upcoming months I look forward to diving deeper into my research here, learning Portuguese, and learning more about the different service delivery models for children with developmental disabilities.

In sum: January in Porto

A month has passed since my arrival in Porto, and I realize I have yet to post on my experiences thus far.
When I first arrived, I was greeted by the Portuguese with warmth, kindness, and a plethora of field experiences! I spent the two weeks visiting schools: the children were adorable. To better understand the Portuguese schooling system, specifically the Early Education Programs, we visited both private and public institutions… In my observations I found the public institutions to be more regimented in their educational scheduling than their semi-privatized counterparts. Common problems in the classrooms were lack of behavior management and division of physical space. To the credit of the children's emotional development, the teachers and their aides used intrapersonal tactile communication quite frequently –something rarely seen in the American education system.
The Associação Social e de Desenvolvimento de Guifões (ASDG)

They provide nursery, kindergarten, daycare, home, and day-center geriatric services. I found it lovely that the adults have opportunities to interact with the young children during the day –keeping them active and engaged, both mentally and in their community.
I have had the extreme pleasure to work with CRIAR –Center for education, intervention, therapy, and training; I attended their first "Tea with Mothers" –a social for mothers of children with Autism or Asperger's disorders. As I speak little-to-no Portuguese, but understand a fair bit; I was able to converse with a mother about her son with Asperger's and the interventions she is getting trained on through CRIAR. She was impressed with their services, and enjoyed conversing with the other mothers; many of whom discussed the pros and cons of having another child: the affect it would have on their child with ASD, their romantic relationship, and their psyche.

Following this event, I was invited by the director of CRIAR to observe an informal assessment and intervention of a 2.5 year-old Polish child, suspected of being on The Spectrum, whose parents were thinking of immigrating to Portugal and here for a temporary stay. The intervention took place four times over two weeks. The child's mother spoke Polish and English fluently, and some Portuguese. During this time I became involved in the tri-lingual intervention including: parent-training on structured activity; occupational therapy, and music therapy.

I have been thoroughly enjoying my stay in Porto, learning about the education system, how to conduct research within the Portuguese culture, and of course … the food.
Until later,
Kylee