The Weekly Recap
News and Updates from Across BU Wheelock SPACE This Week
Welcome to this week’s recap! This week we share community updates and provide details on recent faculty engagement, research, news mentions, and share upcoming events.
Faculty Engagement
Building Trust in Global Service-Learning Partnerships: Jalene Tamerat (Senior Lecturer, BU Wheelock) delivered a virtual presentation at the EThekwini Municipality’s Service-Learning Forum in Durban, South Africa. Her talk, From Confianza to Kintsugi: Building Trust and Wholeness in Global Service-Learning Partnerships, examined how to move beyond transactional approaches toward partnerships rooted in mutual trust (confianza), repair (kintsugi), and a commitment to community, reflection, and equity.
University of Maryland Dean’s Lecture Series: Anthony Jack (Assoc. Professor, BU Wheelock) visited the University of Maryland College of Education to deliver a lecture and join Dean Kimberly Griffin in a discussion about his recent book, Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality and Students Pay the Price.
In the News
Three Paths: One Foundation, National Head Start Association, (Essay written by Assoc. Dean Mary Churchill, Professor Stephanie Curenton, and Assoc. Professor Anthony Jack), October 31, 2025.
New Books
Arabic Translation - Language, Learning, and Disability in the Education of Young Bilingual Children: Dina C. Castro’s (Professor, BU Wheelock) co-edited book Language, Learning and Disability in the Education of Young Bilingual Children is now available in Arabic. Using an interdisciplinary perspective to discuss the intersection of language development and learning processes, this book summarizes current knowledge and examines critical issues regarding early childhood research, policy, and practice related to young bilingual children with disabilities. It ends with recommendations to inform future research, policy, and practice, offering valuable insights for educators, administrators, and policymakers. Learn more about this publication here.
Research That Matters
English Learners in Early College Programs: Understanding How Access to Early College Programs Differs for English Learners (co-authored by Professor Yasko Kanno)
Early College programs provide high school students who are historically underrepresented in higher education with opportunities to earn college credits while still in high school. Although English learners (ELs) are among these underrepresented groups, their participation in Early College Programs (ECPs) has received little attention. To address this gap, researchers conducted a secondary data analysis of administrative records in Massachusetts to examine high school ELs’ access to ECPs and the factors influencing that access. The study found that students who remained classified as ELs in 12th grade were substantially underrepresented in ECPs across the state, while those who had been reclassified as English proficient before 12th grade were slightly overrepresented. Additionally, there was considerable variation in EL participation across different programs. The authors call for increased attention to ELs’ access to Early College opportunities and advocate for policy reforms to remove the barriers that limit their equitable participation.
Understanding Teachers’ Formative Assessment Practices: Leveraging simulated student interactions to learn about prospective teachers’ formative assessment practice (co-authored by Asst. Professor Meghan Shaughnessy)
Formative assessment—including asking about student thinking, interpreting their ideas, and adjusting teaching based on that information —is an important skill that should be developed during teacher preparation. In this study, researchers used a simulated student conversation to better understand how future teachers practice these skills. Twelve teacher candidates participated in this simulation, which gave them a chance to ask questions, interpret student reasoning, and decide how to respond based on what they learned. The results show that this kind of simulation can help future teachers practice using formative assessment and can also reveal what they know about teaching and learning mathematics.
Upcoming Events
EdVestors School on the Move: Each fall, the EdVestors School on the Move Prize Ceremony honors the most notable school-wide improvement efforts within Boston Public Schools. The event awards a $100,000 prize to one BPS school that has demonstrated exceptional progress. This year’s 20th annual School on the Move Prize finalists are: Dante Alighieri Montessori School, Bradley Elementary School, and UP Academy Dorchester. Register here by 10/30.
📅 Date: Thursday, November 13, 2025
🕒 Time: 8:00 AM EST
📍 521 Overlook at Fenway Park, 4 Jersey Street Boston, MA 02215