Oct. 6, 2009 issue
Before relocating to Michigan
in 1999, I had taught courses in teacher education at the University of
Arkansas at Little Rock. My specialty was reading and early childhood
education. In my search for a new university affiliation in Michigan,
a family member showed me a flier on Eastern Michigan University's teacher
education program that had come across her desk.
Ironically, as I started visiting with the head of EMU's teacher education
department and a reading faculty member, I discovered that,
at the University of Arkansas, I had taught from one of the same textbooks
they were using here. That let me know that I had fallen into the right
place.
In my current position, I'm able to impact children through teaching
college students who will one day be teaching in the classroom.
When I was a practitioner, I could only impact 30 young students a year.
Now, each semester I teach three or four reading courses with 25 students
who will influence 30 students a year in their own classrooms.
It's a rewarding feeling to know that I can have an effect on so many
students at this level.
In our department, we're encouraged and given opportunities to do service
research and teaching. Because of my experience as a practitioner, I look
for programs that allow me to have direct contact with children in the
classroom and also provide valuable learning experiences for my students.
I really enjoy those opportunities.
I'm also able to collaborate on projects with other faculty who have
been practitioners in the field. I frequently work with colleagues on
conference presentations for organizations such as the Michigan Association
of Teacher Educators and the Eastern Education Research Association.
Serving on committees has given me a different perspective of the campus.
I really enjoyed serving on the Common Reading Experience
Book Selection Committee because it took me out of my immediate
department. Every year, the committee selects a book which
all new freshmen students read and discuss during student
orientation. I also enjoy meeting new students when I participate
in other campus activities, such as Freshman Orientation/Fast
Track and Minority Achievement, Retention and Success.
— Contributed by Lisa Donovan
