College of Education
Previous issues of Monday Report are at http://www.emich.edu/coe/monday. Send items and comments to alane.starko@emich.edu.
NOTES FROM THE DEAN'S DESK
In the April 9 edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education, Ken Bain described a study in which he and several colleagues studied more than 60 professors from various disciplines to try to determine what outstanding college teachers do inside and outside their classrooms. It is interesting to think about how their results are demonstrated in EMU's classrooms every day.
Bain describes outstanding college teachers as creating a "natural critical learning environment." The environment is natural because it is around questions, tasks and decisions that students naturally find interesting. It is critical because it requires students to reason from evidence, examine their own reasoning, and to ask probing and insightful questions. Although the study had other findings, this was the one that Bain describes as the most important principle and the one on which all others are based. He describes five elements that make up a natural critical learning environment.
- The lesson is framed around an intriguing question or problem.
- Students are helped to understand the significance of the question or problem, particularly how it is meaningful in their lives.
- Students are engaged in some higher order intellectual activity.
- Students themselves answer the question, it isn't answered for them.
- The lesson leaves students wondering "What's the next question?" or "What can we seek now?"
It is interesting to think about how this model could play out across varying subject areas-clearly more easily in some than others. But as we struggle to find ways to engage our students in critical thinking and discourse, Bain's model may provide food for thought.
The teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil is hammering on cold iron.-Horace Mann
ALUM HEADS PHI DELTA KAPPA
Alum Bill Bushaw, formerly of the Merit Network, has been named Executive Director of Phi Delta Kappa (PDK). Phi Delta Kappa is a professional association of educators with over 70,000 members. They publish Phi Delta Kappan, sponsor the annual "PDK/Gallup Poll on Education," and host the "Future Educators of America" program, among other initiatives. There are over 500 PDK chapters around the world, including 15 in Michigan.
ULTIMATE GUIDE
The "Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Teacher" by Ben Wildavaky and the staff of U.S. News and World Report has just been released. Chapter 4 includes detailed descriptions of teacher preparation at five institutions: Stanford, National University, University of Texas at El Paso, Teachers College Columbia--and Eastern Michigan University. Eastern's program for post-baccalaureate students is described in detail. The article includes comments from Jerry Robbins, Chris Lancaster and Ethan Lowenstein, along with a description of a role playing activity in one of Dr. Lowenstein's classes-evidence of the natural critical environment described in the Dean's Notes. Eastern is described as providing both theoretical and "useful, practical assistance" for beginning teachers. It is good to see EMU as part of the ultimate guide!
FACULTY AND STAFF NOTES
Beth Johnson conducted teaching, assessment, and team building workshops for two Detroit Schools: Detroit Open School and Atkinson Elementary.
Ellen Hoffman and Marcia Mardis (lecturer and doctoral student) presented two topics at the European Digital Library Conference in Bath, UK: "What Are They Looking For? Teachers' Information Seeking Behavior in an Educational Digital Library" and "Digital Libraries and School Media Programs: Opportunities, Challenges, and Visions" on Sept. 14, 2004
Elizabeth Broughton has been invited by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) to participate in the international education exchange program. She will be traveling to France, October 15-23rd.
Irene Ametrano was an invited presenter at the Michigan Counseling Association (MCA) Leadership Training Conference on July 23, 2004. Her presentation "Counselor Licensure and the Scope of Practice in Michigan" took place in Clarkston, MI.
John Palladino delivered the following presentations at the 18th Annual Women in Educational Leadership Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska:
1) Religion, gender, and culture: Resolving domestic violence among Arab American immigrant women
2) Transition strategies and networking: The female rural superintendent (with Jean Haar, MN State U-Mankato & Marilyn Grady, U-Nebraska-Lincoln)3) Caring about foster care: Challenges for secondary school administrators (with Jean Haar)
Sarah Ginsberg was invited to address the faculty of the University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. Her topic was "College Faculty Communication, Transparency and Ethnography in the College Classroom."
ALUMNI NOTES
Alum Mike Flanagan will chair the Education Alliance for the next year as they focus on issues that affect all levels of education in Michigan. The Education Alliance is a nonprofit coalition of the leading parent, business and education associations in Michigan. It is committed to enhancing student achievement by working cooperatively to remove the obstacles to student success.
The following alumni notes are courtesy of the Eastern Edge.
Gordon Raymond '43, age 91, lives in St. Peters, MO. He taught at Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School.
Neil Collard '50 retired from teaching business education in 1986. He announces track and volleyball games at Marysville Public Schools.
James M. Garfield '51, '56, '68 is president of the Flora-Bama chapter of Michigan Retired School Personnel. He lives in Pensacola, FL.
Richard Slaker '51 is in the travel business after retiring from teaching, counseling, and being a school principal. He lives in CA.
Rosemary Williamson Townsend '54 retired to Florida after teaching around the world. She has recently traveled to Bulgaria, Brazil, and Mexico.
Florence Rowe '57 lives in Flushing Township. She spent nearly 50 years as a teacher.
Joan Hill '61 retired after a long career in teaching. Her last position was with developmentally challenged and disabled students at a St. Clair County charter school.
Fred Shaw '66, '75 is retiring after 33 years as a teacher and coach in the East China district.
Howard Webster '66, '69, chairs the special education department and supervises 15 special education teachers for the Clarkston Community Schools.
Barbara A. Brown '69 is retiring after 31 years of teaching, including 29 with the Chelsea Community Schools.
Sandra O'Key Richardson '69 retired after 26 years of teaching with the San Luis Coastal Unified Schools in CA.
Marv Dick '70, '74 is now superintendent for the Ida Public Schools.
Charlene Jacobsen '70, is an art teacher at Pleasant Ridge Elementary in Saline.
More from the Edge next edition!
IN MEMORIAM
James Kappler, 67, died recently. According to the Ann Arbor News, he graduated from the University of Michigan then completed his master's degree at Eastern. Mr. Kappler was a teacher and principal at Grass Lake High School, then principal at Hartford High and at Manchester High School.
Vivian M. Mack Stevenson, 82, of Lansing died recently. After graduating from EMU and UM, she joined the faculty of the College of Education at Michigan State University, where she taught for 28 years.
CALLS FOR PAPERS/PROPOSALS
(For a complete list, see http://www.emich.edu/coe/about/news/proposals.html)
International Conference on Social Science Research, New Orleans, November 11-13, 2004 Proposal Deadline: October 8, 2004.
National Center for Alternative Certification Conference, Orlando, February 9-12, 2005. Proposal deadline December 3, 2004.
THEME STATEMENTS
Caring professional educators for a diverse and democratic society. (CPED2S) (Initial program)
Inquiry, advocacy, and leadership in education for diverse and democratic society. (Advanced programs)