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
This week I had the opportunity to participate in a brown bag discussion with our visiting group of Ukrainian educators. Many aspects of the discussion were interesting: their impressions of our local schools, their experiences in Detroit, and their description of education in their home country. But what was most striking to me was their surprise and delight at the active way in which young people were involved in the issues and processes of our presidential campaign. They described middle school students debating issues and preparing to vote with great seriousness. One of the Ukrainian educators said that she was intrigued with the notion of choice in U.S. classrooms. Not only did students have choices about the election but about many other issues throughout the school day. She was interested to try incorporating more choice into her classroom.
One of our early childhood faculty noted that we taught that learning to make reasoned choices is essential to a democracy, and that we carefully include opportunities for choice into our earliest educational programs. Her comment made me recall an earlier conversation. A colleague described her son's experiences learning about presidential elections. During the last election he was in first grade. When asked to give a reason he supported a particular candidate, he replied that he liked the color of the candidate's tie. This may not be the reason the candidate would have preferred, but from a 6-year-old perspective, it was a reason. This year, after four years of discussions and choices, the young man-now in fifth grade-is basing his choice on his beliefs about the relative merits of invading Iraq and Afghanistan. Sometimes it is easy to forget the broad implications of the things we teach each day. Preschool choices about play experiences evolve and grow to first graders studying wardrobe, middle school students studying issues, and an electorate making informed decisions. This week I am particularly aware of the magnitude of influence that comes from small beginnings.
A democratic form of government, a democratic way of life, presupposes free public education over a long period; it presupposes also an education for personal responsibility that too often is neglected. -Eleanor Roosevelt
UKRAINIAN GUESTS
Again this fall the College of Education has welcomed seven educators from Ukraine. These individuals are taking part in the "Citizenship Education Internship Program for Secondary School Educators and Teacher Trainers from Eurasia at Eastern Michigan University," a program funded by the American Councils for International Education. Joe Bishop, assistant professor in the Teacher Education Department, wrote the grant that brought the program to EMU.
Last fall, seven Ukrainian educators visited EMU for five weeks to tour our campus, attend lectures, observe classes in area secondary schools and share ideas with our faculty and staff. During this past summer, Dr. Bishop traveled to the Ukraine to observe and participate in a summer institute for 20 Ukrainian teachers where last year's participants disseminated the results of their work at EMU and discussed how they incorporated their findings into classrooms in their home country.
This fall there is a new cohort of educators from the Ukraine visiting to share ideas and best practices within the world of education. They will be in Ypsilanti October 9 to November 15, 2004. The highlights of this year's trip will include: living with American host families; a number of workshops related to the general theme of democratic citizenship education; a trip to Lansing to tour the Supreme Court, state history museum, and capitol buildings; a murder mystery dinner theater train ride; a Cajun food and music gathering; and a trip to Niagara Falls.
MICHIGAN ACADEMY CONFERENCE COMING TO EASTERN
The Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters is a regional professional organization that facilitates about scholarly exchange through annual meetings and a quarterly journal of research papers and news research at Michigan colleges and universities. Over half of the Academy's current members are faculty and graduate students of supporting Michigan colleges and universities. Others include independent scholars, scholars from other states, and people engaged in relevant research in business and government. This year the Academy's annual conference will be held on the campus of Eastern Michigan University, March 4-5, 2005. Information and a call for proposals are available at http://www.umich.edu/~michacad/.
A list of suggested topics within the education section is available in 310 Porter.
APT ON THE GO
The Association for Prospective Teachers (APT) held a used book sale in Porter on Tuesday and Wednesday Oct. 19-20 and raised $1,106.
The group sold EMU College of Education clothing as well as donated professional books and popular novels. APT will be using the funds to purchase school supplies for schools in the local area.
GOOD NEWS FOR VISUAL ARTS
Last summer, EMU's new program in Visual Arts Education (VAE) was approved by the Michigan Department of Education. The VAE program is a combined major/minor that leads to certification as an art teacher K-12.
FACULTY AND STAFF NOTES
Tom Gwaltney recently was featured in the "Why I Teach at EMU" section of Focus EMU.
Lizbeth Stevens was (re)elected to the Legislative Council of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), one of five counselors from Michigan. The council governs ASHA, an organization of roughly 110,000 members. Dr. Stevens also is president-elect of the Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Sarah Ginsberg was invited to speak to the Michigan Speech-Language Pathology Healthcare Managers meeting which brings together managers of Speech-Language Pathology departments from healthcare systems.
Cristina Jose-Kampfner recently presented information on the Si Se Puede after-school program at the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science conference in Austin, Texas.
ALUMNI NOTES
Eric Stamper and his 15-month-old son Dayton were featured in the Detroit Free Press account of the Detroit marathon. A few months before the marathon, Dayton was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia. After intensive chemotherapy, Dayton is now in remission. Eric ran the marathon to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphona Society. For the last few hundred yards, he carried Dayton. Eric and his wife April are alumni of the Early Childhood program.
OPPORTUNITIES
More found at http://www.emich.edu/coe/about/news/proposals.html
Center for the Study of Labor and Democracy conference, Youth Employment in the Global Economy September 15-16, 2005, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY. Proposals due March 15, 2005.
Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letter Annual Meeting, March 4-5, 2005,Ypsilanti, MI. Proposals due November 11, 2005.
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)
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