Previously for my M.A., I centered on the negative side of unhealthy foods and its effects on the body. It was my shout at the top of my lungs with my fist in the air against negative consequences of those foods. Though the passionate anger still burns, my focus is now aligned with a more personal approach. For my M.F.A. thesis, I will make use of hand drawn images to tell the story of my weight loss journey. Images will be from my memories of the reality of morbid obesity. They will progress from where I started up to when I lost 125 pounds. The images will be grossly exaggerated to more strongly express my emotion. The descriptions for each image will be recorded onto the drawings. They will be placed in different areas on each of the pages to avoid repetition. The images will be in color. The color palette will be derived from the posters I created for my M.A. project [image 8]. The bright, attention grabbing color palette will prove beneficial for the urgency of my story. The completed project will be a fully illustrated, color graphic novel. In 18 months time I lost 125 pounds, mostly on my own, with very little help. The right people came along at the right times. I did not have the popular reality TV show Biggest Loser, nor any personal trainers. I spent 7 months taking a kickboxing/ body-shaping class, I read dozens of books, and I changed what I ate. I accomplished this feat the old fashioned way: I worked my ass off. One of my life goals is to help others, who are willing, loose weight and exit their private hell. I want people to know that positive, healthy change, no matter the obstacle, is obtainable.

<p>Previous research into accounts--the statements that people make to explain undesirable behavior--has looked at either the target's reactions to accounts or the transgressors' account strategies, but has not looked at these together. In four studies, participants were assigned to the role of a transgressor (the person providing a post-transgression account) or a target. Transgressors' use of accounts--excuses, justifications, and exceptions--and their post account expectations for how they and the target would react was measured. These transgressor ratings were then compared to the account preferences and reactions (evaluative and punitive) of the targets who actually read the accounts. Targets whose account preferences were matched were expected to react more positively and to inflict lesser penalties on transgressors than those whose preferences were not matched. Results showed that transgressors were fairly inaccurate in their estimations of target reactions, and did not tend to match the account preferences of their targets. However, some evidence emerged to suggest that targets did generally react positively when their account preferences were matched. Furthermore, the domain of the transgression (whether it was a moral, environmental, religious, or interpersonal transgression) affected the strength and direction of these effects.</p> / Dissertation

In this thesis, I proposed that individuals high in relative autonomy toward exercise would make fewer excuses for personal goal failures and that endorsement of certain types of excuses would foster commitment/internalization toward exercise, limiting future excuse-making. Excuses were expected to vary in effectiveness at removing culpability and enhancing commitment. In 3 studies, relative autonomy was measured or primed. Participants considered past personal goal failures, and sometimes provided excuses, and in one study, participants received expert excuse tolerant/intolerant feedback. Contrary to predictions, excuse-making was similar across all levels of relative autonomy. The results showed, however, that (a) some excuses effectively remove culpability for failure and maintain commitment to exercise goals; (b) such excuses are used more frequently than their less effective counterparts and that this selective may be stronger for those high in relative autonomy toward exercise; and (c) an excuse-tolerant social environment can foster commitment/internalization of exercise goals.

In this thesis, I proposed that individuals high in relative autonomy toward exercise would make fewer excuses for personal goal failures and that endorsement of certain types of excuses would foster commitment/internalization toward exercise, limiting future excuse-making. Excuses were expected to vary in effectiveness at removing culpability and enhancing commitment. In 3 studies, relative autonomy was measured or primed. Participants considered past personal goal failures, and sometimes provided excuses, and in one study, participants received expert excuse tolerant/intolerant feedback. Contrary to predictions, excuse-making was similar across all levels of relative autonomy. The results showed, however, that (a) some excuses effectively remove culpability for failure and maintain commitment to exercise goals; (b) such excuses are used more frequently than their less effective counterparts and that this selective may be stronger for those high in relative autonomy toward exercise; and (c) an excuse-tolerant social environment can foster commitment/internalization of exercise goals.

Thesis advisor: Marilyn Cochran-Smith / Beginning in 2000, a number of new graduate schools of education (nGSEs) have been established in the U.S. in response to increasing calls for more effective teachers. Among these are programs affiliated with “No Excuses”-style charter schools, which are focused on closing the achievement gap in urban K-12 schools. Teacher education programs at nGSEs affiliated with “No Excuses” schools were designed to prepare teachers specifically for these schools. Although these nGSEs have been applauded by the press and by education reform advocates, there has been almost no independent research about them. Systematic study of the goals, practices and beliefs of teacher educators and candidates at these programs is necessary to understand the impact “No Excuses”-affiliated nGSEs may have on teacher preparation for urban schools. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to analyze teacher preparation from insiders’ perspectives at the Sposato Graduate School of Education, which is connected to the Match Education charter management organization. For this study, the Sposato GSE was regarded as an illustrative and an instrumental case of the nGSE phenomenon. Drawing on multiple data sources and using qualitative data analysis methods, this dissertation found the Sposato mission was to create “jaw-droppingly effective rookie teachers,” and it argues this mission was in large part realized due to the remarkable coherence of the program’s design, curriculum, and vision. However, this dissertation also argues the success of the Sposato teacher education program came at a cost. My analysis shows that Sposato leaders and faculty members zeroed in almost exclusively on two goals: (1) implementing a technical, moves-based epistemology of teaching in their teacher preparation curriculum; and (2) socializing teachers into a gradualist and technically rational vision of equity and justice consistent with the goals of “No Excuses” schools. This study has important implications for the practice of urban teacher preparation, research into the nGSE phenomenon, and policies related to improving teacher education program quality and the goal of closing the achievement gap.

<p>I denna undersökning har jag försökt ta reda på (1) om det är någon skillnad i lärares och elevers syn på varför man bortförklarar sig, (2) varför elever kan känna att de måste bortförklara sig inför sin lärare och (3) vilken som är den vanligaste bortförklaringen på instrumentallektionen. Tretton instrumental- och sånglärare på två olika kommunala musikskolor, en i södra och en i västra Sverige, och nio elever som går sitt sista år på estetiska programmet på en skola i västra Sverige, har deltagit i undersökningen. Enkäterna innehåller samma frågeställningar både för lärare och elever men skiljer sig från varandra på så vis att de är anpassade efter målgruppen.Svaren visar tydligt att tidsbrist är den bortförklaring som både lärare och elever använder frekvent på instrumentallektionen. Svaren på de båda andra grundfrågorna är i stort sett samstämmiga mellan lärare och elever med enbart vissa avvikelser i fråga om prioritering av anledningar.</p> / <p>The aim of this study is to examine (1) whether there is a difference between teachers’ and pupils’ opinions on making excuses, (2) why pupils feel that they have to make up excuses to teachers and (3) which is the most common excuse in the context of instrumental lessons. Thirteen instrumental and voice teachers from two different public schools of music, one situated in the south and the other in the west of Sweden, and nine seniors of the Arts Programme at one of the upper secondary schools in west Sweden, have participated in this survey. The questionnaire contains the same questions for both teachers and pupils but it differs in a way that it is adjusted to these two focus groups. The results highly indicate that a lack of time is the excuse both teachers and pupils often use at instrumental lessons. The results obtained from the other two questions are mainly identical, except for a small deviation concerning the priority of different reasons.</p>

I denna undersökning har jag försökt ta reda på (1) om det är någon skillnad i lärares och elevers syn på varför man bortförklarar sig, (2) varför elever kan känna att de måste bortförklara sig inför sin lärare och (3) vilken som är den vanligaste bortförklaringen på instrumentallektionen. Tretton instrumental- och sånglärare på två olika kommunala musikskolor, en i södra och en i västra Sverige, och nio elever som går sitt sista år på estetiska programmet på en skola i västra Sverige, har deltagit i undersökningen. Enkäterna innehåller samma frågeställningar både för lärare och elever men skiljer sig från varandra på så vis att de är anpassade efter målgruppen.Svaren visar tydligt att tidsbrist är den bortförklaring som både lärare och elever använder frekvent på instrumentallektionen. Svaren på de båda andra grundfrågorna är i stort sett samstämmiga mellan lärare och elever med enbart vissa avvikelser i fråga om prioritering av anledningar. / The aim of this study is to examine (1) whether there is a difference between teachers’ and pupils’ opinions on making excuses, (2) why pupils feel that they have to make up excuses to teachers and (3) which is the most common excuse in the context of instrumental lessons. Thirteen instrumental and voice teachers from two different public schools of music, one situated in the south and the other in the west of Sweden, and nine seniors of the Arts Programme at one of the upper secondary schools in west Sweden, have participated in this survey. The questionnaire contains the same questions for both teachers and pupils but it differs in a way that it is adjusted to these two focus groups. The results highly indicate that a lack of time is the excuse both teachers and pupils often use at instrumental lessons. The results obtained from the other two questions are mainly identical, except for a small deviation concerning the priority of different reasons.

Cette recherche se penche sur la manière dont plusieurs théories des relations internationales peuvent être combinées pour analyser un phénomène complexe. Elle répond aux critiques théoriques et métathéoriques auxquelles ce type de combinaison fait face. Il s'agit notamment de préciser son épistémologie - qui est décrite comme putnamienne, dans la lignée du réalisme pragmatique de Hilary Putnam – et sa cohérence explicative – mise à jour grâce à l'érotétique, c'est-à-dire la logique des questions et des réponses. Grâce aux concepts introduits, un phénomène fréquent et peu étudié, les excuses dans la diplomatie américaine, est analysé. L'objectif est de montrer en quoi trois cadres théoriques – dans la lignée respectivement de Hedley Bull, Costas Constantinou et Robert Putnam – sont compatibles et complémentaires pour permettre une meilleure compréhension du phénomène, c'est-à-dire, pour le dire en utilisant le concept de Railton, pour écrire la plus grande partie possible de son texte explicatif idéal. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Combinaison, Dialogue, Diplomatie américaine, Épistémologie, Érotétique, Excuses diplomatiques, Hilary Putnam, Paradigmatisme, Peter Railton, Phénomène complexe, Pluralisme, Pragmatisme, Problem-driven, Réalisme philosophique, Richard Rorty, Satisfaction, Synthèse, Texte explicatif idéal, Théorie des relations internationales, Theory-driven , William James

Thesis advisor: Karen D. Arnold / No-excuses charter schools are arguably the most successful and controversial school-choice model of the last quarter century (Cheng et al., 2017). Typically following a college-for-all ethos, they demonstrate sizable gains in test scores and college acceptance rates for marginalized student populations (Davis & Heller, 2019). However, concerns regarding how these schools achieve these short-term outcomes using strict practices warrants further qualitative investigation (Golann, 2015). A paucity of research explores the influence of no-excuses practices on long-term college success outcomes extending beyond graduation and persistence rates to include well-being, career preparation, academic growth, and satisfaction (Mehta, 2020). This three-article dissertation investigates the perceived influence of a no-excuses charter high school on four-year college success from multiple perspectives. Following a qualitative case study approach (Merriam, 1998) grounded in a conceptual model of college success (Perna & Thomas, 2006), the study utilizes observations, document review, and semi-structured interviews––some including photo-elicitation (Harper, 2002). Article One explores the four-year college experiences of no-excuses charter high school alumni. Article Two examines institutional agents’ roles in implementing college-for-all practices within a no-excuses charter high school. Article Three draws on this case study to propose a process for merging qualitative research and program theory development for school improvement (Funnell & Rogers, 2011; Joyce & Cartwright, 2021). These articles identify and expound upon certain no-excuses components that positively and negatively contribute to students’ college success. Aspirational college talk, comprehensive college and financial aid application support, and a caring environment contributed to four-year college matriculation. However, pressure institutional agents experienced to meet short-term outcomes associated with normative definitions of college success resulted in one-size-fits-all approaches to teaching, behavior management, and college preparation that minimized opportunities for students’ identity formation, noncognitive skill development, social-emotional learning, and discovery of intrinsic college-going motivation. This study offers recommendations for (re)envisioning college-for-all policies and school-based practices to be more flexible, student-centered, and culturally responsive in ways that honor a student’s personhood while helping them go to college, thrive, and graduate. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2023. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

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