Jean Plaisir
Professor
Teacher Education
EMAIL: jplaisir@bmcc.cuny.edu
Office: S-616A
Office Hours:
Phone: +1 (212) 220-1214
Dr. Jean-Yves Plaisir is a full Professor in the Teacher Education department at Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York. Professor Plaisir holds a doctorate and two master’s degrees from Columbia University Teachers College, with studies in TESOL, Comparative and International Education, and Applied Linguistics with an emphasis in Bilingual Education and Information Technology. He completed his undergraduate studies at Hunter College/CUNY, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Classical Studies (Latin and Greek) and Romance Languages (French and Spanish Literature). Currently, Professor Plaisir teaches coursework in early childhood, childhood, and bilingual education at BMCC. His research interest focuses on the dispositions of Black and Latinix males toward becoming teachers, particularly in the early grades. Dr. Plaisir has been featured on a variety of publications and recruitment efforts seeking to increase men’s participation in the early childhood education workforce.
Expertise
Dr. Plaisir possesses knowledge and expertise in a broad array of disciplines ranging from research on men in early childhood education, teacher education, intercultural education and early childhood education (preK-12) to applied linguistics, language and literacy studies, cross-cultural communication, international education and development, Haitian studies–Haitian Creole, culture and history. Academic proficiency in English, French, Haitian Creole and Spanish.
Degrees
- B.A. Hunter College/CUNY, Classical Studies–Latin & Greek, French & Spanish Literature,1988
- M. Ed. Teachers College, Columbia University, International Educational Development,1992
- M.A. Teachers College, Columbia University, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL),1997
- Ed.D. Teachers College Columbia University, Applied Linguistics,1999
Courses Taught
- 3 CRS.4 HRS.NULL LAB HRS.ECE 110 (Psychological Foundations of Early Development and Education)
- This course examines the psychological and psychosocial foundations of early childhood and relates these foundations to educational practice with your children, birth to eight years. It focuses on historical and contemporary theories of childhood development. Early learning is considered in relation to biological factors, child and family factors, program factors and social factors, particularly in diverse urban settings. Young children?s physical, cognitive, communicative, social and emotional development is explored as contributors to and as consequences of early learning experiences. This course requires 15 hours of fieldwork.
- This course provides an overview of the social context of early care and education. It focuses on the historical, philosophical, sociological, and political foundations of programs for young children, birth to eight years. The following topics will be explored in depth: Historical and contemporary theories of early childhood education, multicultural and social ecological factors in early care and schooling, particularly for diverse urban settings; early childhood programming; family and community involvement; advocacy, trends and current issues in early childhood practice. This course requires 30 hours of fieldwork. Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in ECE 110
- This is a fieldwork course focusing on the observation and assessment of young children. It requires supervised participation in an assigned early childhood education setting (preschool to second grade) and attendance at a weekly seminar. Students will learn the appropriate use of assessment and observation strategies to document the development, growth, play and learning of young children; and how authentic assessment methods can be used to tailor curriculum to promote children?s success. Recording strategies, rating systems, child studies/portfolios, and various assessment tools are explored. Students spend a minimum of 60 hours in the field. Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in ECE 210 and ECE 211
- 3 CRS.2 HRS.2 LAB HRS.ECE 410 (Educational Foundations and Pedagogy for the Exceptional Child)
- This course examines the education of children (birth to 8 years) with special needs, along with the historical, social, cultural, and legal foundations of special education in the U.S. It explores the causes and effects of various exceptionalities, including: emotional, intellectual, physical, visual, auditory, orthopedic, speech and/or language and giftedness. Techniques for differentiated learning and universal design are analyzed; issues of ethno-cultural diversity are explored, including methods for working with the families of children with special needs in respectful non-biased ways. This course requires 25 hours of fieldwork. Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in ECE 308 and ECE 309 or Grade of C or better in ECE 311 and ECE 312
- This capstone fieldwork course is designed to (1) reflect a strength-based stance toward children and families and affirm the identities and cultural and linguistic diversity of all learners, (2) develop practical and evidence-based knowledge for supporting language and literacy development, and (3) enable students to demonstrate their competencies teaching young children. It requires supervised participation in an early childhood education setting (preschool to second grade) and participation in a weekly seminar. Students will explore principles, methods, and materials, informed by current research, for supporting young children’s language and literacy development. Students will utilize practical classroom experiences to make connections between theory and practice, develop professional behaviors around working with children and families, and build a comprehensive understanding of the role of language and literacy in an integrated curriculum. Students will design, implement, and evaluate learning experiences that integrate language and literacy learning for young children with diverse learning styles and needs, with strong emphasis on child centered, play-oriented approaches to teaching, learning and assessment, as well as knowledge of curriculum content areas. Students spend a minimum of 90 hours in the field.
Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in ECE 311 and ECE 312 - This course focuses on the historical, sociological, philosophical and linguistic foundations of bilingual education. It analyz3es how educational practices and schools influence society in general, while also exploring issues affecting the academic achievements of bilingual and language minority groups in particular. Students participate in a minimum of 30 hours of course-related fieldwork.
Prerequisite: EDU 201
Course Syllabus
Research and Projects
- Research Team Leader, Men’s Experiences in ECE
- In 2016, Dr. Plaisir received a major research award from the Foundation for Child Development to lead a two-year study (2016-2018) with BMCC colleagues, Professors Kirsten Cole and Mindi Reich-Shapiro, examining Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors Influencing Men’s Decisions to Work in Early Childhood Education (ECE) Settings in New York City. The study’s findings are published in this BMCC News article.
- Men Career Trajectories in ECEC, an international research project
- From 2016 to the present, Professor Plaisir has been involved with an International Research Collaborative comprising of 18 participants examining men career trajectories in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) within 12 countries around the world. A book highlighting key findings from this research is forthcoming.
- Inter-University Project Initiator, CUNY-Haiti Initiative
- Following the 2010 earthquake that destroyed Haiti’s higher education infrastructure and other major sectors, Professor Plaisir and two other colleagues, Professors Jean F. Claude and Francois Pierre-Louis, led the City University of New York’s (CUNY) Haiti Initiative to provide technical assistance to three regional public universities in Cap-Haitien, Cayes, and Gonaives, This project has provided much-needed institutional support and training in teacher education, nursing, tourism and hospitality management.
- Founding Member, CUNY Haitian Studies Institute
- Dr. Plaisir drafted the proposal and coordinated efforts with New York State elected officials, Haitian community leaders and many CUNY colleagues and high level administrators–resulting into the successful creation of the CUNY Haitian Studies Institute (HSI) in 2016. The CUNY-HSI strives to contribute to the body of knowledge about Haitians and the Haitian Diaspora, while also advancing the intellectual field of Haitian Studies through research, analysis of public policy, and scholarly practice impacting people of Haitian origin within and beyond the United States.
Publications
Selected Publications
- “Why Not Become a Police Officer? Challenges in the Recruitment and Retention of Men in Early Childhood Education,” in the resource volume Opportunities and Challenges in Teacher Recruitment and Retention, Teachers’ Voices Across the Pipeline (Information Age Publishing 2019). (Co-authored)
- “Building a Gender-Balanced Workforce: Supporting Male Teachers,” in the September 2019 issue of Young Children. (Co-authored)
- “I Am the Teacher: How Male Educators Conceptualize Their Impact on the Early Childhood Classroom” is forthcoming in the Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education. (In press; co-authored)
- “Their portfolios, our role: Examining a community college teacher education digital portfolio program from the students’ perspectives.” Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education (2011).
- “Validating and Integrating Native Language and Culture in Formal Education: A Plea For a Culturally Relevant Education for Haitian Schoolchildren.” Caribbean Child Research Institute, University of the West Indies, Jamaica (2010).
- “Making Connections: Values, Challenges, and Successes in the Implementation of EPortfolios in Teacher Education at a Community College in New York City.” US-China Education Review (2011).
- Haitian Children’s Education: Orality, Literacy, and Technology. Arthur K. Spears and Carole Berotte Joseph (eds.), Haitian Children Handbook. Lexington Books (2010).
- Manuscripts reviewed
- (July 2013). “Global citizenship and the International School Award: An ineffective tool which causes more harm than good.” Intercultural Education Journal (Manuscript ID-CEJI -2013-0033).
- (June 2013). “The Haitian Language: Defying Odds and Opening Possibilities.” Special issue of the International Journal of the Sociology of Language dedicated to the politics of language in Haiti/Dominican Republic. Article published in International Journal of the Sociology of Language 2015(233)·
- (December 2012). “Pre-service teachers’ beliefs about childhood: an obstacle for participatory processes in early childhood education?” Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education (Manuscript ID – UJEC-2012-0057).
- (November 2012). “Interculturalism in Italian primary schools with a high concentration of immigrant students.” Intercultural Education Journal (Manuscript ID CEJI 2012-0020).
- Dissertation Committees
- May 2018, Dr. Jean-Yves Plaisir served as the external expert on Haitian culture, language and education on the Dissertation Committee that examined and approved Dr. Nancye Henry-Barthelemy’s doctoral dissertation thesis entitled, Teaching New-Comer Haitian Teens: An Exploratory Study of Middle-School Mathematics Teachers’ Instructional Endorsement of Haitian Creole, approved after successful oral defense in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from Long Island University.
- June 2017, Dr. Jean-Yves Plaisir served as the Haitian expert on culture, language and education on the Dissertation Committee that examined and signed off on Dr. Marie Lily Cerat’s doctoral dissertation thesis titled, Haitian Linguistic and Cultural Practices: Critical Meaning-Making Spaces for Haitian Learners, approved after a successful oral defense in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Urban Education Program from the City University of New York Graduate Center.
Honors, Awards and Affiliations
Member, American Educational Research Association
Founding Member, CUNY-Haitian Studies Institute
Research Team Leader and recipient of major award, Foundation for Child Development
Member, Haitian Studies Association
Member, International Research SIG Gender Balance in Early Childhood Education
Member, New York City Early Childhood Education Research Network
Additional Information
Professor Plaisir is an active participants in teacher education initiatives within the United States and beyond. He is keenly interested in research examining the cross-cultural adjustments and the educational achievements of Caribbean children and families in American public education systems.
