SOE Dean's Blog

SMEA Embarks on New Project

2012-03-01T13:46:00.002-05:00

The Student Michigan Education Association (SMEA) at the University of Michigan–Dearborn is assisting the Henry Ford Health System with the implementation of a reading program at its Fairlane Clinic site. The clinic is participating in the Reach Out and Read Program. Reach Out and Read is a nonprofit organization that promotes early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud. The program builds on the relationship between parents and medical providers to develop critical early reading skills in children ranging in age from 6 months through 5 years.

Research has shown that children entering kindergarten after participating in this program are better prepared to succeed, with larger vocabularies, stronger language skills, and a six-month developmental edge over their peers. Medical professionals incorporate Reach Out and Read's evidence-based model into regular pediatric checkups, by advising parents about the importance of reading aloud and giving developmentally-appropriate books to children, focused in low-income communities. For more information, see http://www.reachoutandread.org

Using funds obtained through a grant from the Michigan Education Association, the SMEA will be providing the clinic with bookshelves, beanbag chairs, and wall murals. In addition, the SMEA has been collecting books since December 2011 and now has more than 120 children’s books to donate to the program at the Fairlane Clinic.

Please join me in congratulating the SMEA for undertaking this important community service project. Through their efforts the members of the SMEA are helping young children and their families establish a strong basis for lifelong learning and academic success.

MPortfolio Use Featured in AACU Journal

2012-02-22T16:49:00.002-05:00

The Fall2011/Winter2012 issue of Peer Review, a journal published by the Association of American Colleges and Universities features an article that discusses the use of the Mportfolio approach to fostering integrative learning http://www.aacu.org/peerreview/index.cfm. The Mportfolio has been used extensively in the UM-Dearborn School of Education to help students track their learning progress and reflect on their development as emerging professional educators. The article, entitled “Fostering Integrative Knowledge and Lifelong Learning,” was written by a team of authors drawn from the Ann Arbor and Dearborn campuses of the University of Michigan, and the author team included Laura Reynolds-Keefer, UM-Dearborn associate professor of education, and Steve Lonn, a lecturer in the UM-Dearborn SOE.

Julie Taylor's Innovative Teaching via the DIA

2012-02-14T09:11:00.004-05:00

Julie Taylor, associate professor of education, is featured in a story in the Reporter [http://www.umdearbornreporter.com/2012/02/using-art-to-create-a-story/] that describes her use of art at the Detroit Institute for the Arts to enrich the teaching of history, social studies, and multicultural issues. Several SOE students are quoted in the story.
Brava to Julie for her innovative approach to engaging her students in ways that will surely influence their teaching in the future.

SOE Faculty Featured at Winter/Spring 2012 Professional Meetings

2012-02-08T14:09:00.002-05:00

The work of University of Michigan-Dearborn School of Education faculty is well represented at professional meetings this winter/spring, locally, nationally, and internationally. Here is a summary of conference presentations this fall:
Martha Adler and Chris Burke, associate professors, will present a co-authored paper, "Personal Consequences of Compliance and Resistance to Mandated Reforms for Teachers in Low-Performing Schools," at the American Educational Research Association annual meeting in Vancouver, BC in April. At that conference, Chris Burke will also be presenting "School/Community Gardens: The Need to Cultivate Communities of Practice for Teachers."

Sara Byrd, assistant professor, is co-author of papers at three professional conferences: (with Julie Taylor, associate professor) “Educating Incarcerated Youth: Findings from a Multi-state Research Investigation” at the 2012 Midwest Symposium for Leadership in Behavior Disorders/MSLBD in Kansas City, MO in February; (with Kim Killu, associate professor) “Classroom Accommodations for Students with Externalizing Disorders” at the Michigan Council for Exceptional Children Conference in Grand Rapids in March; and (with Stein Brunvand, associate professor) “Using Computer Technology to Promote Improved Learning and Behavior for All Students” at the Council for Exceptional Children 2012 Conference in Denver, CO in April.

Danielle DeFauw, assistant professor, recently presented at the Genesee School District Early Literacy Conference, and she will be presenting in March to the Michigan Reading Association and in April at a UM-Flint Literacy Workshop for K-12 Teachers.

Susan Everett, associate professor, is presenting two papers at the National Science Teachers Association National Conference in Indianapolis, IN in March: one co-authored with Charlotte Otto, professor of Natural Science, and the other with Dick Moyer, professor of Science Education.

Paul Fossum, associate professor, will present "Dimensions of Time and Timing in Policy Development and Implementation" at the Comparative and International Education Society conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico in April.

Kristen Dara Hill, assistant professor, is presenting a paper pertaining to her research on improving reading proficiency among youth in high poverty, urban schools at the American Educational Research Association annual meeting in Vancouver, BC in April.

In addition to the paper noted above, Kim Killu, associate professor, is presenting “Classroom Accommodations for Students with Anxiety and Mood Disorders” at the annual meting of the Behavior Analysis Association of Michigan in Ypsilanti in February. In May she is also presenting “Use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Individuals with Severe Intellectual Disabilities and Co-morbid Disorders: A Discussion of Clinical Issues” to the Association for Behavior Analysis in Seattle, WA.

LaShorage Shaffer, instructor, will present “Using Evidence-based Strategies to Support Social Emotional Development” at the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children Early Childhood Conference in Grand Rapids in March.

Edward Silver, dean and professor, is presenting several papers at the research pre-session of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual meeting in Philadelphia, PA in April. He is also presenting to the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics in Philadelphia in April, and he is a keynote speaker at the Mathematics Teacher Retention Symposium in Los Angeles, CA in March.

Julie Taylor, associate professor, will present "The Education of Incarcerated Youth in the United States," at the International Journal of Arts & Sciences Mediterranean Conference at the University of Malta in February.

SOE student in the news!

2012-02-06T10:13:00.001-05:00

David Knezek, SOE student and UM-Dearborn Student Government president, was featured in a story that appeared in the Detroit Free Press on February 3. The article discusses David and another college student who are both seeking election to the Michigan legislature this year. The article, written by Rochelle Riley (who was also the featured speaker at UM-Dearborn’s 2011 commencement for CASL and SOE degree recipients), may be found online at http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012202030386

Thomas-Brown Kicks Off Winter 2012 Term in SOE Research Colloquium Series

2012-01-30T13:52:00.000-05:00

The first winter term session in the School of Education Research Colloquium Series featured Dr. Karen Thomas-Brown, assistant professor in the UM-Dearborn School of Education. Her presentation on January 26, focused a study she conducted at MacArthur Elementary School in Southfield (MI). She studied the effects on participants of an after-school program called a geography club. She described the theoretical framing of the work as well as the practical impact on students’ “geographic literacy,” as indicated by evidence of many types from various sources.

The next colloquium in this series will be on February 23, 2012, at 4:30-6:00 p.m. in the School of Education conference room (252 FCS). At that session, John Branch, a student in the SOE doctoral program and lecturer at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at UM-Ann Arbor, will present the findings of a study he has conducted on analogical reasoning in higher education.

Faculty and students from across the UM-Dearborn campus are invited to attend. Please visit the SOE Research Colloquium page for more information regarding dates, speakers, topics and updates: http://www.soe.umd.umich.edu/soe_research_colloquium.

2012 MHealthy Rewards program launched

2012-01-30T11:53:00.001-05:00

Last week, the university launched its annual MHealthy Rewards programhttp://hr.umich.edu/mhealthy/programs/rewards/faq.html. This program is designed to get faculty and staff in the habit of reviewing their health and taking action to achieve their goals.

This year's program has been simplified and includes just two steps:

Complete the confidential annual health questionnaire. This takes less than 15 minutes and you will be able to view your personal health report immediately.
Complete a confidential wellness screening.

Qualifying, benefits-eligible employees who complete both steps by May 2012 receive a $100 before-tax reward in their paycheck. Use the incentive to treat yourself, donate to your favorite charity or a worthwhile cause, surprise someone you value with a token of appreciation, or whatever you choose.

Not only can your participation help improve your health, but also MHealthy Rewards will provide the university with longitudinal data that contribute to the study of the health of our faculty and staff community and the impact of employer-sponsored health and well-being programs. To get an accurate reflection of the university’s health profile, it is important that even those who consider themselves healthy and active participate in MHealthy Rewards.

If you have questions or encounter any difficulties with the questionnaire, or if you would like to provide feedback on the program, please contact MHealthyhttp://hr.umich.edu/mhealthy/programs/rewards/faq.html. I hope you will join me and many of your fellow colleagues in making a commitment to health and wellness.

New Leadership for ECEC

2012-01-09T15:31:00.001-05:00

The new year has arrived with some changes at the Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC). Professor Mary Trepanier-Street has retired after a fabulous 33-year career at UM-Dearborn, including 16 years as director of the ECEC. Mary’s inspirational leadership of the ECEC has helped the center attain prominence within the region and state as the premier facility of its kind – a multi-level educational laboratory. Mary will surely be missed, but we are delighted that two outstanding members of the School of Education community have stepped forward to assume major leadership roles at the ECEC.

Seong Hong, associate professor of education and coordinator of the early childhood program, is the new ECEC Director. She oversees the academic program provided to the children, as well as the practicum and internship experiences provided to prospective teachers. Professor Hong has been at UM-Dearborn for 12 years, and she is a highly regarded scholar in the area of early childhood education. She has also helped launch, and is currently heavily involved with, collaborative research projects between the SOE and the Oakwood Health Systems Center for Exceptional Families.

Deborah Jones, currently education coordinator, will assume the title of ECEC Site Director, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the center. Debbie has worked at the ECEC for nearly 10 years, and has most recently been responsible for supervising the staff of the ECEC and providing support to teachers to foster a high-quality learning environment, implementing a welcoming and thriving learning environment at the ECEC, and nurturing and maintaining the collaboration between the ECEC and Oakwood Health Systems Center for Exceptional Families.

Please join me in thanking Seong Hong and Deborah Jones for their willingness to lend their considerable talents to the leadership of the ECEC at this important transitional moment in its history. I am confident that they will be worthy stewards of the ECEC that it continues not only to provide first-class educational experiences for the children who attend but also to serve as a splendid training site for prospective teachers.

Carol Allie Receives Fall 2011 Chancellor’s Medallion

2011-12-21T15:11:00.000-05:00

In recognition of her outstanding academic accomplishment, Carol P. Allie (Elementary Education) has been chosen as the School of Education’s Fall 2011 recipient of the Chancellor’s Medallion. This award is an honor presented each term to a graduating senior from each academic unit at University Commencement.

Ms. Allie graduated with High Distinction with a Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Science and a minor in Language Arts. After transferring from Henry Ford Community College in 2007, Carol juggled her studies at UM-Dearborn while working as a licensed child-care provider. She earned UM-Dearborn Honors in 2011, was on the Dean’s List for four years, and received the 2011 Honor Scholar Award for Bachelor of Arts in Education (Science Studies). During her studies she maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Ms. Allie was a recipient of several scholarships, including the Community College Transfer Scholarship, the Margaret Dow Towsley Scholarship through the Continuing Education for Women program, the General Merit Scholarship and the James and May Bell Loeb Scholarship.

Ms. Allie has been an active member of the Student Michigan Education Association (SMEA), as well as the Golden Key International Honour Society. She has visited the Vista Maria girls’ home with groups from both organizations, helping to host events such as craft night, games night and a pizza party. She has also participated in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, packing boxes at Gleaner’s Food Bank, helping beautify McKinley Elementary School, and painting murals at Cody High School. She was also very active in many activities sponsored by the Environmental Interpretive Center, where she also worked as a leader of school group tours for ages Kindergarten through 6th grade.

Ms. Allie has also given generously of her time as a volunteer off campus, particularly at her church, where she has been in the choir, taught Vacation Bible Club, and participated in community service projects.

Carol plans to teach full time in an elementary school in Michigan, and to return to UM-Dearborn to earn a Master’s degree in Education.

Please join me in congratulating Carol P. Allie on being selected for this prestigious honor and in wishing her much success in her future endeavors!

School of Education Honors Professor Mary Trepanier–Street

2011-12-20T16:34:00.002-05:00

On December 2 a celebration was held to honor the career of Dr. Mary Trepanier-Street as she retires from the University of Michigan-Dearborn after 33 years of service. Numerous friends, professional colleagues from inside and outside the university, and former students joined in recounting Mary’s many contributions and accomplishments. A report of the event can be found at http://www.umdearbornreporter.com/2011/12/leader-role-model-and-finisher/

Dr. Trepanier-Street taught early childhood education at University of Michigan-Dearborn for over 33 years. She devoted much of her life to the preparation of educators of young children, based on the Reggio Emilia approach to the education and development of the whole child. Mary has written or co-written over 40 published articles, book chapters, and abstracts on many aspects of teacher education, child development, and the education of children with special needs. Her research focused on gender equity, early childhood curriculum for children with and without disabilities, college students’ mentoring of young children at risk, and teacher education.

In addition to teaching and mentoring students, Mary has served as the Director of Student Teaching, the Director of the Early Childhood Education Center, and as Associate Dean in the School of Education. She has served on and chaired numerous committees, led many cooperative programs and projects involving community school districts, actively served on educational boards and advisory groups, and generously given her time sharing her knowledge and best practices in the field of early childhood education. Mary is know in the region, and indeed across the nation, as an effective and energetic advocate for high quality education for all young children.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn School of Education recognizes Mary Trepanier-Street for 33 years of outstanding service as a member of the faculty, for her leadership; and many innovative contributions to the preparation and continuing education of teachers.

Individuals wishing to recognize Mary Trepanier-Street’s legacy of contributions to the University of Michigan-Dearborn and to assist the School of Education to maintain strong support for its students may do so through a contribution to:

School of Education Student Scholarship & Support Fund

Please mail your contributions to:
School of Education Student Scholarship Fund
c/o Becky Dresselhouse-Nauss
University of Michigan-Dearborn
19000 Hubbard Drive
Dearborn, MI 48126

SOE Students at 2011 Commencement

2011-12-20T09:25:00.001-05:00

On Saturday, December 17, nearly 150 students with ties to the School of Education had degrees conferred upon them at the Commencement ceremony on the campus of the University of Michigan-Dearborn that recognized degree candidates from August 2011 and December 2011. A total of 91 students received graduate degrees in education, either the Master of Arts in Education, Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Education in Special Education, or Master of Science in Science Education. At the undergraduate level, 48 students received undergraduate degrees, either the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of General Studies, or Bachelor of Science. In addition, 8 CASL degree recipients were recognized for also pursuing secondary level teacher certification.

SOE Chancellor's Medallion winner, Carol P. Allie, was recognized at the commencement ceremony. She received the medallion at a luncheon honoring the winners preceding commencement.

Please join me in congratulating all our graduates and in wishing them great success now and in the future.

MDE Reviews and Approves UM-Dearborn SOE Principal Preparation Program

2011-12-14T13:43:00.001-05:00

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) conducts periodic reviews of teacher and administrator preparation programs to ensure adherence to current guidelines and standards. Programs are subjected to rigorous peer review based on an extensive set of submitted materials regarding courses and experiences required in the program. MDE recently completed its review of the Principal Preparation Program, which is available at the UM-Dearborn School of Education as a stand-alone program http://www.soe.umd.umich.edu/soe_principal_cert/ or linked to the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership degree http://www.soe.umd.umich.edu/soe_mael/. I am pleased to report that the program passed with flying colors!

Our success in this program review represents a significant endorsement of our educational leadership preparation programs. Special thanks go to Professor Bonnie Beyer for her leadership in the effort to get all the required materials prepared and submitted for the program review, and also to the faculty and staff who assisted her in these efforts. Bravo to all!

Kudos to English/Language Arts Faculty and Student

2011-12-08T14:22:00.001-05:00

Drum roll, please!

Congratulations are in order for the following distinctions:

Martha Adler, associate professor and coordinator of the English/Language Arts specilization, has been selected as an expert consultant to the Striving Readers National Technical Assistance Center. The center provides research-based assistance to project teams in 46 states that have received federal grants to improve the literacy skills of precollege students.

Danielle DeFauw, assistant professor specializing in English/Language Arts, successfully competed for Small Grant for Faculty Research from the campus Office of research. This is Danielle's first year at UM-Dearborn.

Joan Stoian, a junior in the elementary education program pursuing a Language Arts major, qualified for the NAIA National Championships in women’s cross country in Vancouver on November 19, 2011. She qualified for the national championships by finishing in the top 10 at the WHAC Meet. This is UM-Dearborn’s first year competing in the WHAC.

Brava to all!

Did You Know ….?

2011-11-15T16:39:00.007-05:00

Did you know that the Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) is not only a world-class child care facility but also a major source of professional education for students at UM-Dearborn who are preparing for careers working with children?

During the Fall 2011 term there are a total of 88 SOE students involved in practica/internships at the ECEC. Of the 88 students, 60 are elementary certification students (language arts, science, social studies, math, learning disabilities, and early childhood) electing the Child Development Practicum. An additional 70 students are employed by the ECEC this term.

All of these students are working in classrooms under the direction of ECEC teachers. They gain valuable experience through observation and practice under the tutelage of excellent teachers who utilize and model best practices.

Though located at an off-campus suite, the ECEC is a vital part of the School of Education at University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Tracy Blakely-Thompson Named 2011 SOE Alumnus of the Year

2011-11-15T16:29:00.001-05:00

UM-Dearborn has honored 8 outstanding alumni for their contributions to the University and community, naming them as recipients of the 2011 UM-Dearborn Alumni Awards. Among the winners was Tracy Blakely-Thompson, who was selected as the School of Education Alumna of the Year.

Tracy earned her Master of Arts in Education from the SOE in 1992. She then pursued a Master of Arts in pastoral counseling and recently received her doctor of ministry in domestic violence and sexual assault. In 2006, Tracy began her own company, Inspiring One, L.L.C. through which she provides counseling therapy and training workshops for individuals and organizations.

Through her experience and education, Tracy has served as a resource to and advocate for victims of domestic violence, both on this campus and in the larger community. She is a dedicated volunteer at HAVEN − a domestic violence agency and shelter, where she has been a guest speaker and inspirational speaker at different events and conferences. She has conducted workshops for female prisoners at Huron Valley Correctional Facility, speaking about the importance of self-improvement and education. She has also performed in the campus’ Vagina Monologues, a production designed to highlight the severity of domestic violence, and was the keynote speaker during the Women’s Resource Center’s Take Back the Night event.

In addition, Tracy has helped launch the School of Education’s Dean’s Alumni Council, where she will work to create a speaker series and revitalize the connection between alumni and the SOE. Please join me in congratulating Tracy on her great accomplishment and in thanking her for her dedication to the education profession.

Michigan Early Childhood Education Teacher Educators

2011-11-02T15:48:00.000-04:00

On October 14, 2011, UM-Dearborn was host to the fall meeting of the Michigan Early Childhood Education Teacher Educators. This group is a state affiliate group of the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators NAECTE.

Approximately 35 teacher educators from across Michigan the state discussed how teacher preparation programs are working to meet new standards for early childhood teacher education that emphasize preparing teachers to work with children with special needs. A highlight of the meeting was a tour of UM-Dearborn’s Early Childhood Education Center and Oakwood Health System’s Center for Exceptional Families, which provided a glimpse of excellent facilities and first-class collaboration underway between these two organizations.

SOE is Best Decorated Office!

2011-11-02T15:37:00.000-04:00

As part of its 2011 Homecoming events, the University of Michigan-Dearborn sponsored a door/office-decorating contest. The theme for this year was “Las Vegas.”

I am pleased to report that the School of Education staff, led by our very capable student assistants, assembled some totally fabulous door displays. The judges evaluated a dozen entries from across the UM-Dearborn campus on theme, creativity, originality, and school spirit, and they selected the School of Education to receive the award for Best Decorated Office!

Bravo to all who contributed!

SOE Doctoral Student Receives Major Promotion & Scholarship

2011-10-31T13:42:00.000-04:00

Christopher Tremblay, a doctoral student in the UM-Dearborn School of Education, was recently promoted to Assistant Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management at the university. In his new role, Tremblay will provide strategic leadership and management to the offices of Admissions and Orientation and Financial Aid and Scholarships in order to meet and maintain the university’s undergraduate enrollment goals. He will work with the deans in the academic units and with other enrollment/student life units to help shape enrollment priorities and strategies that will meet the university's enrollment goals.

Tremblay was also recently selected as the recipient of the Norman K. Russell Scholarship from the National Orientation Directors Association. The scholarship will assist him to defray expenses in pursuit of his doctoral degree.

Please join me in congratulating Christopher Tremblay on these recognitions and in wishing him much success in his future endeavors!

SOE Students Contribute to Tutoring Program Recognized for Excellence

2011-10-27T10:16:00.000-04:00

The Volunteer Tutoring Program that is managed by the Oakwood Center for Exceptional Families was one of five Michigan programs nominated for the 2011 Governor's Service Award in the category of Outstanding Volunteer Program. This category was established to recognize the “extraordinary work volunteers accomplish in communities” and to “acknowledge the importance this support can make in community life.”

UM-Dearborn School of Education students play a key role in the success of this program. Students in EDC 460 (Exceptional Child) routinely volunteer to tutor a child for 10 hours during a semester. Students from other courses (e.g., EDC 241) also frequently volunteer their time as tutors in this program.

Congratulations to our partner, Oakwood Center for Exceptional Families, on being nominated for this prestigious award. Thanks to all the UM-Dearborn students, faculty and staff who have helped to make the program a success worthy of distinction!

SOE Research Colloquium Features Work with Teachers of English Language Learners

2011-10-25T13:51:00.001-04:00

The second session in the School of Education Research Colloquium Series was held on October 19, 2011. Martha Adler (SOE Associate Professor) presented findings from her multi-year project with secondary school teachers in Dearborn Public Schools. In that project, which was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Adler and her collaborators assisted teachers of secondary school subjects incorporate “sheltered instruction” techniques to assist students with limited proficiency in English. The study design, findings, and implications were presented and discussed with a diverse audience of UM-Dearborn faculty, staff and students.

The next colloquium in this series will be on November 9, 2011 at 4:30-6:00 p.m. in the School of Education conference room (252 FCS). Professors Mary Schleppegrell and Annemarie Palincsar, both from the School of Education at UM in Ann Arbor will report research related to the use of “functional grammar” to assist elementary school teachers in their work with English language learners.

Faculty and students from across the UM-Dearborn campus are invited to attend. Please visit the SOE Research Colloquium page for more information regarding dates, speakers, topics and updates: http://www.soe.umd.umich.edu/soe_research_colloquium.

SOE Students in the News

2011-10-19T11:35:00.002-04:00

Several SOE elementary education students from University of Michigan-Dearborn were featured recently in a news article in the local Dearborn newspaper, Press & Guide.

The story describes a Friends of the Rouge River activity in which Jennifer MacMillan, Wendy McFarlin, and Stephanie Muth conducted a test for dissolved phosphates in the river in early October. Congratulations to these students for their engagement in a project that not only serves the interest of the citizens of Southeast Michigan but also enhances their education as future teachers of science.

To view the story and accompanying video and slideshow, go to: http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2011/10/11/none/doc4e94762881490220093989.txt

SOE Faculty Featured at Fall Professional Meetings

2011-10-17T16:01:00.003-04:00

The work of University of Michigan-Dearborn School of Education faculty is well represented at professional meetings this fall, locally, nationally, and internationally. Here is a summary of conference presentations this fall:

Martha Adler, associate professor, presented a paper at the Michigan Department of Education Special Populations Conference in September about an accelerated summer program for English Language Learners; her co-presenter was Maura Sedgeman (Resource Teacher Leader, ELL and Compensatory Education, Dearborn Public Schools).

Mesut Duran, associate professor, is co-author of a paper with Serkan Sendag (assistant professor of education, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkey) comparing preservice teachers` perceptions of online problem-based learning and online instructor-led learning; the paper will be presented in Istanbul, Turkey, in October at the 2nd World Conference on Learning, Teaching and Administration.

Susan Everett, associate professor, is presenting at the 2011 Detroit Area Science and Math Conference (DACTM-MDSTA) in November; her talk will focus on incorporating children's literature into Earth and Environmental Science.

Kristen Dara Hill, assistant professor, is presenting one paper at the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Conference in Chicago in November and two other papers at the Literacy Research Association (LRA) Annual Conference in Jacksonville, Florida in early December; her papers all pertain to her research on improving reading proficiency among youth in high poverty, urban schools.

Seong Hong, associate professor, is presenting a paper on strategies for on-going reflection and documentation-driven decision making for curriculum planning at the Association for Constructivist Teaching Conference in Houston, Texas in October.

LaShorage Shaffer, instructor, presented at the Wayne County (Michigan) Head Start Training Conference in Westland in September on the topic of using positive behavior support to address the needs of children with persistent challenging behavior.

Edward Silver, dean and professor, is presenting at two National Council of Teachers of Mathematics regional conferences – one in St. Louis, Missouri, in October and the other in Albuquerque, New Mexico in November – on the work of an NSF-funded project that uses findings and tasks from the PISA international assessment of mathematics as resources for teacher professional development.

Mary Trepanier-Street, professor, presented at the Michigan Tri-county Head Start Training Conference in Paw Paw in October on the topic of appropriate learning activities for infants and toddlers; she is also presenting a keynote talk at the Wayne County (Michigan) Head Start Training Conference in Dearborn in early November on the topic of developing friendships in typically and atypically developing children.

We appreciate the efforts of these faculty to represent the SOE in this way.

SOCC Featured in New Video

2011-10-11T16:15:00.001-04:00

The Save Our Children Coalition (SOCC), a unit housed within and supported by the UM-Dearborn School of Education, is featured in a video produced by Detroit Public Television and the Michigan Department of Human Services. The video, which highlights SOCC and the Faith Communities Coalition on Foster Care, emphasizes the need to assist youth in foster care and raises awareness of some of the opportunities and resources available to foster families in Southeastern Michigan. The video, which will be widely distributed to child welfare agencies and faith communities, includes commentary from Katie Page Sander, director of SOCC. You may view the video at http://www.youtube.com/user/saveourchildren1.

SOE Holds Inaugural Research Colloquium

2011-10-03T15:08:00.001-04:00

The inaugural session in the School of Education Research Colloquium Series was held on September 28, 2011. Mesut Duran (SOE Associate Professor) and Robert Fraser (Associate Director for Academic Resources, Mardigian Library) presented findings from their study of online academic dishonesty (e-dishonesty) related practices among UM-Dearborn students. The study design, findings, and implications were presented and discussed with a diverse audience of UM-Dearborn faculty, staff and students.

The next colloquium in this series will be on October 19, 2011 at 4:30-6:00 p.m. in the School of Education conference room (252 FCS). SOE Associate Professor Martha Adler will report research related to the use of “sheltered instruction” with English language learners. Faculty and students from across the UM-Dearborn campus are invited to attend.

Please visit the SOE Research Colloquium page for more information regarding dates, speakers, topics and updates: http://www.soe.umd.umich.edu/soe_research_colloquium.

SOE Faculty Lead Campus Faculty Enrichment Workshops

2011-09-21T15:01:00.001-04:00

During the Fall 2011 academic term, the University of Michigan-Dearborn is holding a series of faculty enhancement workshops, Technology Supporting Teaching. The workshops are intended to support faculty and lecturers improve their instruction, with special attention to technology-enhanced, instructional environments. The program includes presentations and workshops by UM-Dearborn faculty and outside experts on the design, development, and implementation of technology-based innovations to support teaching, research and learning. Two faculty members from the School of Education – Associate Professor Laura Reynolds-Keefer and Lecturer Tiffany Marra – are leaders of workshop sessions.

On Friday, October 7, 10 a.m.-noon, Dr. Reynolds-Keefer is leading a session on
"Did your students learn what you thought you taught?"
On Friday, November 18, 12:30-2:00 p.m., Dr. Marra is leading a session on
“Learning enrichment and integration using MPortfolio.”

Information about the full series and an opportunity to register can be found at
http://library.umd.umich.edu/workshops/.

SOE sponsors Research Colloquia

2011-09-12T14:48:00.004-04:00

The School of Education is pleased to announce that it will sponsor a research colloquium series during AY 2011-2012. The SOE Research Colloquium will showcase selected research and scholarship activities of UM-Dearborn faculty and invited scholars from outside the institution. Faculty and students from across the UM-Dearborn campus are invited to attend.

SOE Research Colloquium presentations in Fall 2011 will be held on selected Wednesday afternoons once per month from 4:30-6:00 p.m. in the School of Education conference room (252 FCS). Presentations will be approximately one hour in length, with an additional 30 minutes allotted for students and faculty to have informal conversation with the speaker(s). Refreshments will be served.

Please visit the SOE Research Colloquium page for more information regarding dates, speakers, topics and updates: http://www.soe.umd.umich.edu/soe_research_colloquium. The inaugural session on September 28, 2011 will feature Mesut Duran and Bob Fraser, who will present findings from their study of online academic dishonesty (e-dishonesty) related practices among UM-Dearborn students.

SOE Launches new website

2011-09-07T16:57:00.002-04:00

The School of Education has a newly redesigned website. The new website provides an easy navigation and helpful information about the SOE, its academic programs, special projects, and faculty and staff. The website contains information and useful links for current students, future students, and alumni and friends of the School.

As you probably already know if you are reading this blog entry, you can visit the new website at: http://www.soe.umd.umich.edu. Feel free to visit often!

The website re-design was a collaboration involving the School of Education, ITS, and Communications & Marketing. Please join me in expressing special thanks to Mesut Duran, Chris Casey, Robert Simpson III, Ron Labao, and Sherie Modelski for their tireless efforts to make the new website a reality in time for the new academic year. Also, many thanks to the SOE faculty and staff for their countless hours spent developing content for the website, and to Jennifer Thelan and Beth Marmarelli in Communications and Marketing office for their assistance with review and editorial work.

If you have any comments that you would like to share about the website, please send them to Chris Casey (chriscas@umd.umich.edu), the SOE website support contact.

Michigan Department of Education awards grant to ECEC

2011-09-07T14:22:00.000-04:00

The Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) has won a Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) competition grant of $81,600 to pay tuition costs for 24 children to attend the ECEC four mornings per week. The GSRP is a state-funded program to prepare four-year-old children who are judged to have factors that place them at risk for achieving school success. This award is in addition to an earlier grant to support three-year-olds to attend the ECEC.

Congratulations to the faculty and staff of the ECEC who will now be able to help these children get off to a great start in their schooling!

SOE Students Receive Prestigious Scholarship Awards

2011-09-07T14:16:00.000-04:00

Katrina LeFlore. (Secondary Education; earth science major) has been awarded a scholarship by the University of Michigan Center for the Education of Women (CEW). The CEW Scholarship Program for returning women students was established in 1970 to honor the academic performance and potential of women whose education has been interrupted and to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the admission of women to the University of Michigan.

The Michigan Council of Teachers of Mathematics (MCTM) has selected Ariel Lossing (elementary education; mathematical studies major) as one of only three 2011 Miriam Schaefer Scholarship winners. This scholarship was established in 1989 to recognize and support outstanding college seniors and juniors who are enrolled in a teacher preparation program in the state of Michigan and have mathematics as their primary teaching interest.

Please join me in congratulating Katrina and Ariel on being selected for these honors from among a large number of worthy nominees!

Did You Know?

2011-08-30T12:59:00.001-04:00

Ed Silver, the current dean of UM-Dearborn’s School of Education, is also a professor in the School of Education on the Ann Arbor campus of the University of Michigan. You may be surprised to learn that this is not the first time that a faculty member in education has had dual citizenship on the two campuses! In fact, the first leader of the education program on the UM-Dearborn campus also came "on loan" from the Ann Arbor campus.

In fall 1960, Paul D. Carter, who was an associate professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, was selected as the first head of teacher education at what was then called the Dearborn Center of the University of Michigan. In those days, teacher education courses were part of the offerings in what was then called the Division of Literature, Science, and the Arts. Professor Carter served the University of Michigan for 20 years before retiring in 1976, after which he was named Professor Emeritus on both the Ann Arbor and Dearborn campuses.

Fulbright Program Supports Visiting Professor at UM-Dearborn SOE

2011-08-23T13:40:00.002-04:00

Dr. Nai-Fen Yu Tusree, Associate Professor of Education at the National Taitung University of Taiwan, will spend the 2011-12 academic year in residence at the University of Michigan-Dearborn School of Education. Dr. Yu Tusree has a doctorate in educational technology from Indiana University. Her scholarship focuses on systematic instructional design and the use of digital media software. During the year, she will join the research team in the FI3T project to conduct follow-up research with the project graduates and their parents.

Exemplary Teacher Preparation Again!

2011-08-23T10:55:00.001-04:00

For the third year in succession the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has designated the teacher preparation program at UM-Dearborn as EXEMPLARY, the highest category available. To make these program designations the MDE uses a complex, multi-faceted evaluation system that includes several different indicators of program characteristics, with special attention to teacher candidates’ content knowledge and preparatory experiences. Kudos to the faculty, staff and students in UM-Dearborn School of Education teacher preparation program for this important recognition and for a record of sustained excellence!

Brunvand and UM-Dearborn ed tech program in Crain's

2011-08-22T11:21:00.002-04:00

Stein Brunvand, Associate Professor of Education, is quoted in the 8/15/2011
edition of Crain's Detroit Business discussing the impact of technological advances on teaching and learning in schools. Also featured is information about the M.A. in Education with educational technology endorsement offered at UM-Dearborn.

Six SOE Students Join the Emerging Leaders Program

2011-08-10T16:12:00.000-04:00

During the 2011-12 academic year, six SOE students will participate in the University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Emerging Leaders Program. The program offers selected cooperative education/internship students a unique opportunity to develop personal leadership knowledge and skills. Building on a variety of leadership concepts, students are given the opportunity to meet with community leaders, work in small teams and develop personal leadership skills to help them launch their careers upon graduation. The program culminates with a Leadership Summit where community leaders come to campus and share their perspectives on leadership. This marks the first year the SOE will participate in the program, joining students from the College of Arts, Sciences and Letters; the College of Business; and the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Please join me in congratulating the pioneering SOE students in this year’s leadership program: Mariam Albachachy (early childhood); David Knezek (secondary, political science); Angel Mechling (early childhood); Megan Proudlock (special education); Charlene Rodegher (early childhood); and Brittany Vella (early childhood).

Thanks to Paul Bielich, Instructional Learning Manager of the SOE Curriculum Lab, for coordinating the School of Education’s involvement in this program.

SOE Senior Academic Unit Administrator

2011-08-10T16:10:00.001-04:00

Reetha Perananamgan has joined the School of Education as Senior Academic Unit Administrator. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing staff and managing procedural and operational issues throughout the school; she will also enhance and contribute to school-wide strategic planning efforts aimed at enrollment growth and other enhancements.

Ms. Perananamgan comes to the SOE with a decade of professional experience in the field of student affairs and higher education in the United States and Australia. For the past six years she was Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Activities at Heidelberg University in Ohio. Previously she initiated a student leadership program at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia, and she was the Director of Campus Activities at DePauw University in Indiana for three years. She also was a primary school teacher for five years in the Philippines. Reetha holds a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and a Master’s degree in Adult and Higher Education Administration from the University of Oklahoma. She has also completed her coursework in the Leadership Studies doctoral program at Bowling Green State University.

Please join me in welcoming Reetha to the University of Michigan–Dearborn School of Education.

Turning the odometer!

2011-08-10T16:09:00.000-04:00

As I embark on my second year as dean of the School of Education. I want to thank the SOE community -- including current students and alumni, current and emeritus faculty, staff members, and SOE supporters on and off campus -- for the strong support you provided in my first year. This is an exciting and challenging time to be working in education, and I am pleased to be affiliated with so many professionals who are making a positive difference for schools, students, and teachers in Southeastern Michigan through our teaching, our research, our programs, and our partnerships. It is a privilege to be among you!

SOE Staff Reach Service Milestones

2011-07-22T15:16:00.000-04:00

At the Chancellor's Staff Recognition Event held on Friday, July 22, 2011, several SOE staff members were recognized for their service to UM-Dearborn. In particular, Paul Bielich, Kelly Lenihan and Jamie Paris were recognized for 5 years, Debbie Jones and Robert Simpson for 10 years, and Linda Lapansee for 15 years of dedicated service to UM-Dearborn. Please join me in congratulating them and thanking them for their efforts on behalf of the School of Education community.

Regents Approve Promotions of Two SOE Faculty

2011-05-25T09:36:00.000-04:00

On May 19 the Board of Regents approved recommendations for promotions for regular associate and full professor ranks, with tenure and/or promotion of faculty on the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses. The promotions of two faculty members from the UM-Dearborn School of Education were among those approved by the Regents. Stein Brunvand, whose specialty area is educational technology, and Laura Reynolds-Keefer, whose specialty area is educational psychology, were both promoted to associate professor of education, with tenure. Please join me in congratulating them on reaching this important professional milestone and in wishing them much continued success as they continue their professional journeys.

A full list of all promotion recommendations approved by the Regents is available at
http://www.ur.umich.edu/update/archives/110525/promotions

State Board of Education Seeks Input

2011-05-19T10:13:00.001-04:00

Education is a topic much in the public eye these days in Michigan, and the Michigan State Board of Education is seeking the views of citizens to inform their efforts to oversee the educational system and recommend policy and funding to the governor and Legislature. The Board plans to hold a series of five forums across the state in the next few weeks to listen and to discuss education conditions, reforms and future direction. Forums will be held in Ann Arbor, Clinton Township, Detroit, Grand Rapids and Mount Pleasant.

Location details for the sessions within easy reach of UM-Dearborn are as follows:

Macomb Community College Center Campus; 4-7 p.m.; May 25
Professional Development Center, University Center
44575 Garfield Rd, Clinton Township
Attendees should report to Assembly Hall.
The closest parking for visitors is in lot 3 or lot 5B as indicated on campus map.

UM-Ann Arbor; 4-7 p.m., May 26
Michigan League, Hussey Room
911 North University Ave.
Ann Arbor campus map

Detroit; Details to be determined

Forum sessions are open to the public and participants are invited to make written or oral comments. This is a terrific opportunity for members of the UM-Dearborn SOE community to participate and make their voices heard.

Legacy Magazine Features Two SOE Alumnae in Upcoming Issue

2011-05-09T15:14:00.002-04:00

The upcoming issue of Legacy contains stories about two SOE alumnae. One features Bonnie Baker. After 10 years as a classroom teacher, Bonnie joined her husband to create the Critical Thinking Company, which is now one of the largest publishers of supplemental education materials for home schooling. The second features Midori Grahl, who graduated in December 2010. Midori utilized her M-Portfolio to secure a position with the Michigan Virtual University.

Legacy is the UM-Dearborn alumni magazine. It is published each year in fall and spring and mailed to over 40,000 UM-Dearborn alumni. It's also mailed to a select group of over 500 regional and community leaders to inform them about the wonderful things that UM-Dearborn and its alumni are doing.

Brava to our distinguished alumnae!

Three New Faculty Members to Join SOE in Fall 2011

2011-05-09T11:00:00.000-04:00

The School of Education has successfully concluded its search for new faculty members in the areas of educational leadership, early childhood education, and reading/language arts. With these additions the SOE affirms its commitment to these instructional areas and enhances its profile with respect to research productivity and to excellence and innovation in teaching.

Our new faculty member in the area of educational leadership is Maiyoua Vang. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of California-Davis, and she is currently serving as assistant principal of a school in the Coalinga-Huron Joint Unified School District and as adjunct professor at California State University, Fresno. Vang holds a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and a Master’s degree in reading/language arts. In addition to her recent administrative assignment she has 13 years experience as a teacher in California schools. Her research interests include school leadership from a social justice perspective and the interaction of policy and practice in legislation and interventions aimed at remedying the achievement gap in school performance associated with racial, language, and socioeconomic factors.

Joining in the area of early childhood education is LaShorage Shaffer, who is completing her doctorate in Special Education, with an emphasis in Early Childhood Special Education, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In addition to her doctoral studies in this area, which complement and extend her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education and her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Shaffer has experience working for several years in an inclusive early childhood program in Illinois. Her research interests lie in the realm of early childhood special education, with particular emphasis on social and emotional development and disorders, and the interaction between policy and practice in the area of early childhood special education.

Dr. Danielle DeFauw will be joining us in the area of reading/language arts. She obtained her doctorate at Oakland University in the area of reading education. Her Bachelor’s degree was in elementary education, and her Master’s degree is in the area of literacy. In addition, she has served as literacy specialist for the Davison Community Schools for three years, after having worked as a classroom teacher in the district for seven years. DeFauw’s scholarly interests include designing and studying programs to assist below-grade-level readers acquire proficiency and the interaction between policy and practice in the area of reading interventions to assist struggling students.

New Members and New Officers for Pi Lambda Theta Chapter at UM-D

2011-05-09T09:34:00.001-04:00

At a recent ceremony on the campus of University of Michigan-Dearborn, 38 new members were initiated into the Pi Lambda Theta national honor society.

Pi Lambda Theta is the most selective national honor society in the field of education. Membership is open to any graduate or undergraduate student who is nominated by his institution or invited by a chapter. Minimum eligibility requirements are: an intention to pursue a career in education, a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, and current enrollment in a qualified degree program. The University of Michigan-Dearborn is home to the Gamma Iota chapter of Pi Lambda Theta, which is one of only two recognized chapters in the state of Michigan.

At an upcoming meeting, new officers of the Gamma Iota chapter of Pi Lambda Theta will be installed. The incoming officers are: Co-Presidents - Stefanie Partin and Michelle Gale, Treasurer - Candice Penn, Membership Representative - Amanda Smith, and Activities and Programs Representative - Tiffany Dillard.

Please join me in congratulating the new initiates and officers of Pi Lambda Theta at UM-Dearborn!

Early Childhood Conference Attracts Particpants across the State

2011-05-09T09:02:00.000-04:00

On May 6, 2011, nearly 400 professionals involved in early childhood education in the state of Michigan participated in a daylong conference, Making Inclusion Work in Early Childhood Education with Transdisciplinary Teaming, held on the campus of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. More than 300 attended the conference on site, and other participants attended virtually via a multimedia connection that allowed their participation from Paw Paw, Michigan.

The theme of the conference was inspired by the accomplishments of the partnership between UM-Dearborn’s Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) and Oakwood Health System’s Center for Exceptional Families (CEF). The conference was designed to meet the needs of a broad array of professionals who might participate as members of early childhood transdisciplinary teams, including early childhood and special education teachers; early interventionists; parents; occupational, physical and speech/language therapists; social workers; psychologists; and students preparing for careers in these fields. Conference participants had opportunities to learn research-based strategies, techniques and best practices for including young children with special learning needs within natural environments and general education settings.

The keynote speaker was Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak, Professor at Kent State University in the area of Special Education – Early Intervention. The title of her presentation was, “Creating Meaningful Learning Opportunities Within the Context of Everyday Activities and Events.”

Breakout sessions featured best practices in inclusive early childhood education. Among the leaders of the breakout sessions were several UM-Dearborn faculty and ECEC/CEF staff members who made presentations on strategies for teachers working with children with and without disabilities and their families in inclusive early childhood classrooms.

SOE Students at Commencement

2011-05-03T11:28:00.001-04:00

On Sunday, May 1, 2011, approximately 100 members of the School of Education community had degrees conferred upon them at the Commencement ceremony on the campus of the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

SOE Dean Silver presented 36 students who received graduate degrees, either the Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Education, or Master of Science, and 55 students who received undergraduate degrees, either the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of General Studies, or Bachelor of Science. In addition, several CASL undergraduates were recognized for having completed requirements for secondary school certification.

SOE Chancellor's Medallion winner, April Lindsey Kersey, received special recognized at the commencement ceremony. She received her medallion at a luncheon event preceding commencement.

Another member of the SOE community merits special recognition. Karen Claiborne, administrative specialist in the SOE Dean’s Office, received a Master of Public Administration degree at commencement. Bravo, Karen!

Please join me in congratulating all our graduates and in wishing them great success now and in the future.

MDE Reviews and Approves Six UM-Dearborn SOE Teacher Preparation Programs

2011-04-29T15:33:00.000-04:00

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) conducts periodic reviews of teacher preparation programs to ensure adherence to current guidelines and standards. Programs are subjected to rigorous peer review based on an expensive set of submitted and posted materials provided by a teacher preparation institution. During AY 2010-11 MDE reviewed and approved UM-Dearborn School of Education programs in six areas: history (major, minor & cert only), political science (major, minor & cert only), economics (major, minor & cert only), elementary social studies (major & cert only), early childhood (major & cert only), and early childhood graduate additional endorsement.

Our success in every program review conducted this year represents a significant endorsement of our teacher preparation programs in these areas. Special thanks go to Associate Professors Julie Taylor and Seong Hong for their leadership in the effort to get all the required materials prepared and submitted for the program reviews, and also to all the faculty and staff who assisted them in these efforts. Bravo to all!

SOE Student Receives Winter 2011 Chancellor’s Medallion

2011-04-18T10:01:00.001-04:00

In recognition of her outstanding academic accomplishment, April Kersey (Elementary Education) has been chosen as the School of Education’s Winter 2011 recipient of the Chancellor’s Medallion. This award is an honor presented each term to one graduating senior from each academic unit at University Commencement.

April began her studies at UM-Dearborn in fall 2007, shortly after being crowned Miss Westland and receiving a scholarship to support her college studies. During her four years at the university she has achieved high academic distinction, earning University honors three of four years and achieving dean’s list recognition in seven of her eight terms. In 2008 she received the William J Branstorm award for academic accomplishment. She was selected to be a member of the Golden Key Honor Society and Pi Lambda Theta, the School of Education Honor Society, and she served as PLT president from 2009 to the end of 2010.

In addition to her high academic achievement, Ms. Kersey has given generously of her time and talent in service to the community. She has volunteered with Girl Scouts, teens in the D.A.R.E. program, and troubled youth at events such as, “Turn off the Violence Night”. She has been an active participant in the MLK Day of Service at UM-Dearborn. In 2010, through the University’s Blueprints Leadership program, she received the Leadership Synergy award for creating and launching an after school program for Detroit pre-teen students to help them prepare for a successful future. She has also assisted with fundraising on behalf of the Oakwood Hospital Center for Exceptional Families. Off campus, she was employed at Panera Bread in Dearborn, where she was named Associate of the Year at the facility that is now known as Panera Cares, thereby giving her an opportunity to speak with community groups about Panera’s non-profit community café concept. April also served as a DJ on UMD Radio!

During her final term at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Ms. Kersey has been a student intern in a 5th grade classroom. From this experience and her earlier involvement with the Early Childhood Education Center and Oakwood Center for Exceptional Families, she has decided to work with and educate children with special needs, especially those with autism. To fulfill that dream, she plans next to pursue a master’s degree in special education.

Please join me in congratulating April Kersey on being selected for this prestigious honor and in wishing her much success in her future endeavors!

SOE Students Recognized as Difference Makers

2011-04-14T08:43:00.001-04:00

Four members of SOE community have been selected to be among the UM-Dearborn Difference Makers for 2010-11. Nominated by faculty, staff and peers, these individuals are outstanding students and alumni who are at the forefront of their fields, improving the lives of others and making an impact here in our local community. They embody academic and professional achievement, integrity, leadership and creative contribution in and out of the classroom.

The members of the SOE community in this prestigious group are:
Kawthar Ali (MA Educational Leadership),
Devon Banks (MA Educational Leadership),
Mai Bazzi (MA Education), and
Jennifer Forrester (BA Secondary School Teaching).

You can read details about these four students and the other Difference Makers at http://www.michigandifferencemakers.com/. Please join me in congratulating Kawthar, Devon, Mai, and Jennifer on being selected for this honor from among a large number of worthy nominees.

Karen Thomas-Brown Named to National Assessment Panel

2011-04-05T10:10:00.001-04:00

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has appointed Karen Thomas-Brown, assistant professor of education, to the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) Geography Standing Committee for the 2014 assessment. NAEP is the primary source of reliable national information about the status of student learning in a variety of school subject areas, including reading, mathematics, and science. Geography is a more recent addition to the portfolio of subjects tested in NAEP. Dr. Thomas-Brown will commence her service immediately on this test oversight committee and continue though the 2014 assessment cycle.

Dr. Thomas-Brown was also selected by the Goethe-Institute to be a participant in their Transatlantic Opportunity Program (TOP) study tour in Germany in Summer 2011. The goal of TOP is to encourage cross-cultural dialogue and to provide Social Studies educators with global understanding from an international perspective using modern Germany as the basis for comparison and contrast. The study tour will involve three weeks of travel and meetings throughout Germany.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Karen Thomas-Brown on these recognitions of her accomplishment.

SOE Faculty Member Named Child Advocate of the Year

2011-03-24T16:06:00.000-04:00

Mary Trepanier Street, Professor of Education and Director of the Early Childhood Education Center in the School of Education at University of Michigan-Dearborn has been selected to receive the Child’s Hope Child Advocate of the Year award for 2011. Child's Hope is a non-profit agency whose mission is to prevent child abuse and neglect in Wayne County.

The Child Advocate of the Year award is presented annually to an individual in Wayne County who exemplifies dedication to the safety and well-being of children in general, especially in our community; has made significant contributions to the prevention of child abuse and neglect; demonstrates community involvement for the betterment of the lives of children and families; and takes action to help break the cycle of child abuse and neglect, either by volunteering, mentoring, working on public policy, fundraising or providing direct service.

Mary’s nominators noted her significant contributions as a scholar and an activist on behalf of children, and her tremendous positive impact on children locally through her leadership of the ECEC and the early childhood educator training programs at UM-Dearborn. As one of her nominators noted, through her words and actions over her career, Mary Trepanier-Street has been “the quintessential child advocate, and she is thus a paradigm case for this prestigious award.”

Please join me in congratulating Mary on being selected for this very special honor.

FI3T Project Showcases Accomplishments of DPS Students

2011-03-23T10:17:00.002-04:00

The Fostering Interest in Information Technology (FI3T) Project, directed by UM-Dearborn SOE Associate Professor Mesut Duran is hosting a project showcase on Saturday, March 26th from 10:00am-1:00pm at the University of Michigan Detroit Center. The showcase will include project presentations by Detroit Public Schools high school students who have been participating in the FI3T program for the past two years. Some of these students recently participated in the 54th Annual Science and Engineering Fair of Metro Detroit 2010-2011, and several projects won prestigious awards:

Adarees Black- Science: blue (Outstanding award)
Pearl Gray - Mathematics: 3rd place in her category (Mathematics); US Metric Association Award; selected as Student Observer for Intel ISEF in Los Angeles in May.
Lawrence Harris, Chelsea Reed and Chanel Wilkerson - Engineering: blue (Outstanding award)
Jasmine Ross - Mathematics: green (Excellent award)

These and other projects will be on display at the FI3T showcase on Saturday. About 60 people re expected to attend the showcase including FI3T project faculty and staff from UM-Dearborn, participating high school students from Detroit Public Schools, their teachers, school administrators, and parents.

FI3T is funded by the National Science Foundation’s ITEST program and involves several UM-Dearborn faculty members and students from SOE, CASL, and CECS. The intent of the project is to increase the opportunities for underrepresented and underserved high-school students, particularly those from urban communities in Southeastern Michigan, to learn about and gain experience using information technologies (IT) within the context of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), with an eye toward helping them explore 21st century career and educational pathways.

Anyone wishing to attend the showcase to celebrate the accomplishments of the students should contact the FI3T project office via telephone <313-436-9151> or email at fit_project@umd.umich.edu.

SOE Students Recognized as Honor Scholar Award Winners

2011-03-23T10:09:00.000-04:00

At the 28th annual Honor Scholars and Faculty Awards Ceremony on March 23, 2011, 12 SOE students were among 90 students from across the full spectrum of academic programs at UM-Dearborn who received recognition as Honor Scholars.

The Honor Scholar Award is presented to at most one student in each degree program, and it recognizes superior academic performance. Awards are made within both undergraduate and graduate programs. Faculty within a program area choose the award winner.

The 2010 Honor Scholar Award winners in the School of Education at the undergraduate level were Carol Allie (Science Studies), Jessica Boroniec (Social Studies), Ariel Lossing (Mathematics Studies), Marilyn Miller (Children & Families), Jessica Richardson (Special Education), Amy Szymaszek (Early Childhood), and Leah Walkuski (Language Arts). At the graduate level, the SOE awardees were Jeffrey Bouwman (MA Educational Leadership), Rima Hassan (MA in Education), Alexandria Oleksienko (MS Science Education), Meredith Resnick (M.Ed. Special Education), and Natalie Sikora (MAT)

Please join me in congratulating all of the SOE award winners. We celebrate their academic excellence!

SOE Faculty Featured on UM-Dearborn Faculty Enrichment Day Program

2011-03-22T16:51:00.000-04:00

The University of Michigan-Dearborn Faculty Enrichment Day is an annual event intended to support faculty and lecturers improve their instruction, with special attention to technology-enhanced, instructional environments. The program includes presentations and workshops by UM-Dearborn faculty and outside experts on the design, development, and implementation of online and hybrid courses. Two faculty members from the School of Education – Assistant Professor Stein Brunvand and Professor Belinda Lazarus – are featured speakers on the program. Brunvand is co-presenting in his session with Chris Casey, an SOE staff member, and CASL faculty member Camron Amin, on the topic of Best Practices in and Technologies for Video Lectures. Lazarus will speak on the topic of Making Accommodations for Students with Disabilities. Information about the program for this event on April 1, 2011 and an opportunity to register can be found at http://www.casl.umd.umich.edu/fed_registration.

UM-Dearborn Faculty to Present Papers at AERA Annual Meeting in April

2011-03-22T14:45:00.001-04:00

The annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the major national forum for showcasing cutting edge research in the field of education. This year’s meeting will be held in New Orleans from April 8-12. Based on critical peer review of proposals, several UM-Dearborn faculty members from the School of Education have been granted slots on the program to present their work. Assistant Professor Laura Reynolds-Keefer will present a research paper on the use of blogs as a technological support to facilitate college student learning; she will also chair two other sessions on the program. Associate Professor Martha Adler will present a research paper on providing literacy supports to teachers in high-poverty, urban schools; she will also chair several other sessions on the program. Professor Edward Silver is co-author with Professor Valerie Lee (UM-Ann Arbor) and UM doctoral student Joe Waddington of a paper that reports a multilevel analysis of data drawn from the PISA international assessment to examine the organizational features of secondary schools in the United States and Canada that influence their students’ mathematics achievement and its (in)equitable distribution. In addition, several UM-Dearborn doctoral students will be attending an AERA research training session prior to the conference.

The American Educational Research Association (AERA), founded in 1916, is concerned with improving the educational process by encouraging scholarly inquiry related to education and evaluation and by promoting the dissemination and practical application of research results. AERA is the most prominent international professional organization with the primary goal of advancing educational research and its practical application. The membership of AERA, numbering more than 25,000 professionals, includes educators, administrators, research directors, testing and evaluation specialists, graduate students, and behavioral scientists. The broad range of disciplines represented by the membership includes education, psychology, statistics, sociology, history, economics, philosophy, anthropology, and political science.

SOE Contributes to Global Exchange on Educational Issues

2011-03-16T14:17:00.001-04:00

The School of Education at University of Michigan-Dearborn is participating in myriad ways in efforts to improve knowledge and practice in education around the world. We do so through academic programs of interest to international students, faculty and student participation in international conferences and publications, and hosting visiting scholars and practitioners from other countries.

The online Master of Education in Special Education Inclusion Specialist program has served students from many countries, including Canada, Colombia, England, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, and Venezuela.

Several SOE faculty members – Mesut Duran, Susan Everett, Paul Fossum, Ed Silver, and Karen Thomas-Brown – have recently published articles or book chapters in international publications. Martha Adler presented several papers at the International Reading Association 23rd World Congress in Auckland, New Zealand in July 2010; and Dara Hill is presenting a paper at the European Conference on Reading in Belgium in July 2011.

In addition the SOE has recently hosted visits from two visiting international scholars. Dr. Ali Yilmaz is Professor in the College of Education at Ondokuz Mayis University in Samsun, Turkey. He is spending the winter 2011 term at UM-Dearborn, and he is collaborating with Mesut Duran and colleagues on the FI3T project. Dr. Beverly Derewianka is Professor of Language Education and Director of the Centre for Research in Language & Literacy in the Faculty of Education at the University of Wollongon, New South Wales, Australia. She is internationally known for her research on children's writing development, particularly from the perspective of how they "learn to mean" through writing. On March 15, 2011 she presented a colloquium to the UM-D SOE, “Reading and writing for a purpose.” Her visit to UM-Dearborn was coordinated by Martha Adler and Ross Groover, an SOE doctoral student and principal of Snow Elementary School in Dearborn.

Stay tuned for further developments in our efforts to expand the global reach of the UM-Dearborn School of Education!

UM-D Signs Articulation Agreement with HFCC for Children & Families Program

2011-03-07T11:58:00.002-05:00

A new articulation agreement between University of Michigan-Dearborn and Henry Ford Community College (HFCC) will allow HFCC students who earn an associate’s degree in Children and Families to transfer up to 62 credits toward a Bachelor’s of General Studies in Children and Families degree from UM-Dearborn’s School of Education. The children and families program is a four-year degree early childhood program designed for students who wish to pursue careers in childcare centers and Head Start centers, as teachers or administrators or in other sites or agencies working with children and their families. A minimum of 128 semester credits is needed for the degree. For more information from the curriculum guide visit http://www.umd.umich.edu/transferhfcc/.

This new agreement reinforces the strong relationships that exists between UM-Dearborn and Henry Ford Community College, and it provides HFCC students with an interest in working with children and families the opportunity to continue their education while pursuing a UM-Dearborn degree. At the signing ceremony HFCC President Gail Mee said, "We are very pleased to once again collaborate with the University of Michigan-Dearborn on an articulation agreement for our students who are interested in children and family studies." She noted that agreements like this "assure students a seamless transition to complete their bachelor's degrees and assure employers that students have successfully met the rigorous program standards of both Henry Ford Community College and the University of Michigan-Dearborn.”

See related story at
http://www.umd.umich.edu/fullstory/articl/UM_Dearborn_HFCC_sign_articulation_agreement/

SOE Alumni Engagement Initiative

2011-02-25T14:49:00.000-05:00

February 2011 marked the launch of the Dean’s Alumni Planning Committee, a new alumni volunteer initiative that offers School of Education administrators and faculty access to the educational and professional experiences of select School of Education alumni. The committee is comprised of alumni, faculty and staff from the School of Education, along with the UM-Dearborn Director of Development, Director of Alumni Relations and Assistant Director of Alumni Relations. Over the next several months, this group will both serve as an exploratory committee for the formation of an Alumni Affiliate and initiate projects and activities that foster lifelong connections among alumni and between alumni and the School. Any alumni wishing to learn more or to participate should contact Amy Skehan, Director of Development, at 313-593-5639 or via email askehan@umd.umich.edu.

ECEC Honors Bob Behrens

2011-02-22T11:27:00.000-05:00

At the annual Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) Grandparent Tea on Friday, February 11, 2011, Robert Behrens, Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs, was officially recognized as a “Friend of the Early Childhood Education Center” in recognition of his longstanding support and commitment to the center.

Special attention was drawn to Bob's pivotal role in the negotiations that led to the ECEC being in its current, high quality facility. He played a key role in negotiating the agreement among Oakwood Hospital, UM-Ann Arbor and UM-Dearborn and assisting in the acquisition of the building.

On the occasion of Bob Behrens’ retirement, the ECEC thanks him for his steadfast support of the center in providing excellent care and education to children, families, and university students. Please join us in wishing him well in retirement.

Arab American National Museum Open House for Teachers

2011-02-14T15:35:00.001-05:00

The Arab American National Museum is hosting an open house for teachers on March 10th from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Educational materials will be given to visitors, and refreshments will be served at this event that is free and open to all educators. Further details may be found at the museum's website:.

SOE Presentations at National Association of Bilingual Education Conference

2011-02-14T15:33:00.000-05:00

Martha Adler, Associate Professor in Literacy and Coordinator of the ESL Endorsement Program, in the School of Education is presenting two papers this week at the annual conference of the National Association of Bilingual Education (NABE) in New Orleans. Both papers are based on work undertaken in Adler’s grant from the U.S. Department of Education National Professional Development Initiative for secondary mainstream teachers working with English Language Learning (ELL) students, and both are co-authored by Youssef Mossalam and Maura Sedgeman from the Dearborn Public Schools. Youssef Mosallam is Principal of Fordson High School and an alumnus of the SOE; he has extensive elementary and high school experience working with ELL students and their families. Maura Sedgeman is Resource Teacher Leader for the ELL and Compensatory Education Department, and she currently provides professional development for K-12 teachers, paraprofessionals and administration.

Robert Bobb to Speak at UM-Dearborn

2011-02-08T11:58:00.001-05:00

Detroit Public School’s Emergency Financial Manager, Robert Bobb, will speak at University of Michigan-Dearborn on Friday, Feb. 18. During the lecture titled, “What Comes Next? DPS in the Next Year and Beyond,” Bobb is expected to discuss Detroit’s educational transformation that has generated national interest and to update plans for long-term solutions to the financial and academic emergencies facing the district.
Bobb’s second, one-year appointment as emergency financial manager is scheduled to end in the coming months.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 18 in Fairlane Center North, Quad E, 19000 Hubbard Drive, Dearborn, 48126. Seating is available on a first-come first-served basis, for more information, visit www.umd.umich.edu/diversity.

The discussion is part of UM-Dearborn’s “Issues in Diversity and Social Change” lecture series a collaboration with the Michigan Chronicle. Bankole Thompson, senior editor of the Michigan Chronicle, will moderate the discussion. The event is sponsored by the University’s Office for Inclusion and brings local leaders to campus to share their views on matters of importance to southeastern Michigan.

SOE Sponsors Early Childhood Conference in May 2011

2011-01-31T10:08:00.003-05:00

On May 6, 2011, the School of Education, Early Childhood Education Center, and Oakwood Healthcare Center for Exceptional Families will host a conference, “Making Inclusion Work in Early Childhood Education with Transdisciplinary Teaming,” focusing on research-based strategies, techniques and promising practices for including young children with special learning needs within natural environments and general education settings. The keynote speaker is Dr. Pretti-Frontczak, Professor of Special Education- Early Intervention at Kent State University. Her presentation is “Creating Meaningful Learning Opportunities within the Context of Everyday Activities and Events.” The presentation will be followed by breakout sessions that focus on the best inclusive practices in early childhood education. Early childhood special education and medical professionals will present on strategies for teachers and other professionals on the transdisciplinary team for working with children with and without disabilities and their families in early childhood settings. The conference time is 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., and the venue will be the Fairlane Center North Building, immediately adjacent to the School of Education.

For further information about registration and the availability of academic credit associated with the conference, follow the link on the SOE home page: http://www.soe.umd.umich.edu/.

UM-Dearborn Faculty Assist MDE in Review of Programs

2011-01-31T10:02:00.001-05:00

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) periodically reviews teacher preparation programs in the state to ensure the quality of the programs and compliance with mandated content coverage. For reviews conducted during the 2010-2011 school year several UM-Dearborn faculty from the School of Education and the College of Arts, Sciences and Letters have been recruited to assist in this process: Professor John Poster (SOE), Associate Professors Chris Burke (SOE), Susan Everett (SOE), Angie Krebs (Mathematics), Julie Taylor (SOE), and Assistant Professor Karen Thomas-Brown (SOE). Please join me in thanking them for being taking on this important professional responsibility and for representing UM-Dearborn at the state level.

SOE Launches Searches for New Faculty

2011-01-17T11:11:00.003-05:00

The School of Education recently announced the availability of two tenure-stream Assistant Professor faculty positions. Both positions require the promise of a strong research program and a demonstrated commitment to excellence and innovation in teaching. In addition, each position has additional attributes.

For the position in the area of early childhood education we seek candidates with an earned doctorate in Early Childhood Education or Early Childhood Special Education, experience working in an inclusive early childhood setting, and a willingness to work collaboratively with a transdisciplinary team in an early childhood laboratory school, early childhood programs and agencies, and school districts in culturally diverse communities.

For the position in the area of reading/language arts we seek candidates with an earned doctorate in an appropriate field; scholarly interests or professional experiences related to literacy programs in urban schools, working with below-grade-level readers, or assisting children for whom English is not their first language; and a willingness to work collaboratively with faculty colleagues and school district partners.

Further details about the positions can be obtained by clicking on the “faculty searches” link on the SOE home page http://www.soe.umd.umich.edu/. Please share this information with individuals who might be suitable candidates.

SOE Student Receives Tau Sigma Scholarship

2010-12-23T14:56:00.002-05:00

Timothy (TJ) Fitch, a student in our Special Education program, has been selected to receive a $2500 scholarship from the Tau Sigma National Honor Society. Tau Sigma is a national honor society designed exclusively for transfer students, and the award made to Fitch is the maximum amount given by the organization. In addition to being a terrific student, T.J. works in the SOE dean's office as a student assistant. Please join me in congratulating T.J.Fitch on being selected for this prestigious award from among a large number of worthy applicants.

SOE Faculty Member Receives Grant to Increase Use of Educational Technology in Science Courses

2010-12-23T14:02:00.001-05:00

Stein Brunvand, Assistant Professor of Education, has received a Faculty Research Initiation and Seed Grant from the University of Michigan-Dearborn to support a project entitled “Promoting Cross-Discipline Collaborations to Integrate Technology in Science Instruction.” In this project Brunvand will collaborate with several CASL faculty involved in the Inquiry Institute (I2) from the fields of chemistry, physics, and biology, and with science educators from SOE, to integrate educational technology into science and science education courses for pre-service elementary teachers. This project is an important first step toward ensuring that UM-Dearborn teacher candidates have experience with state-of-the-art technological innovations that can enrich and enhance science teaching and learning, and it is expected to have ripple effects on the uses of educational technology in other undergraduate courses in the sciences on this campus.

SOE Grads at Commencement

2010-12-20T09:46:00.002-05:00

On Saturday, December 18, more than 100 students had degrees conferred upon them at the Commencement ceremony on the campus of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. SOE Dean Silver presented 65 students who received graduate degrees, either the Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Education, or Master of Science, and 37 students who received undergraduate degrees, either the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of General Studies, or Bachelor of Science.

SOE Chancellor's Medallion winner, Ashley Michelle VanSteelandt, was recognized at the ceremony, and she received the medallion at a luncheon even preceding commencement. SOE alum, Toni Simovski, addressed the graduates and their families on behalf of UM-Dearborn alumni.

Please join me in congratulating all our graduates and in wishing them great success now and in the future.

SOE Welcomes New SOCC Director

2010-12-16T10:38:00.000-05:00

The School of Education is pleased to welcome Katherine Page Sander, LMSW, who has been named Director of the Save Our Children Coalition. Katie assumed her position on December 13; her office is in Quad C. Katie has a B.A. in Sociology and an MSW degree with an emphasis in Community Organization, both from the University of Michigan.

Prior to assuming this new position, Katie has worked for 13 years in a variety of clinical and supervisory child welfare positions in Michigan, including serving as domestic programs coordinator for Hands Across the Water and as Maternal Infant Health Program Social Worker in the Washtenaw County Department of Public Health. In addition, she brings a global perspective to her work, having worked as a volunteer in as child welfare position in Bolivia. Please join me in welcoming Katie Page-Sander to the SOE family!

SOE Honors Graduates at Reception

2010-12-16T10:12:00.000-05:00

On December 15, 2010 the School of Education hosted a reception to honor those students who have completed their degree programs and will be graduating at the end of the fall 2010 academic term. Dean Edward Silver welcomed more than 80 students, family members, faculty, and other members of the SOE community who gathered to salute the graduates. Those in attendance constituted a cross-section of this term’s graduating class, and represented well the diversity of students and programmatic offerings in the SOE. Julie Bednark, leader of the SOE Alumni Affiliate Group, addressed the group to explain the value of staying involved as alums. Attendees also had an opportunity to hear from SOE Professor Laura Reynolds-Keefer and to view a display of samples of work completed by SOE students participating this year in the M-Portfolio initiative. Please join me in congratulating all our graduates and wishing them much success in their future as difference-makers.

SOE Student Receives Fall 2010 Chancellor’s Medallion

2010-12-09T16:58:00.002-05:00

In recognition of her outstanding academic accomplishment, Ashley Michelle VanSteelandt (Elementary Education) has been chosen as the School of Education’s Fall 2010 recipient of the Chancellor’s Medallion. This award is an honor presented each term to one graduating senior from each academic unit at University Commencement.

Ashley came to the University of Michigan-Dearborn as a recipient of the Dean’s scholarship; she consistently achieved Dean’s List status across her undergraduate career; and she graduates this term as a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society, the Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society in Education, and the Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society.

In addition to her formal academic pursuits, Ashley has several other interests that garner her attention, including drawing and painting, East Indian classical dance, and creative writing. In fact, her artwork has been displayed at some local shows, and one of her short stories will soon be published.

Ms. VanSteelandt has also given generously of her time as a volunteer both on and off campus. She received the Distinguished Student Leader Scholarship from the University of Michigan-Dearborn for her volunteer work with First Step, a program that helps children who are victims of physical or emotional abuse. She has also provided volunteer contributions to several children’s programs in Southeast Michigan, such as the children’s craft and literacy program at the Plymouth Public Library in as well as the Junior Achievement Program in Detroit in which she taught lessons to third grade students at Old Redford Academy. In addition, she has worked in the Office of Admissions and Orientation and at the Early Childhood Education Center.

Please join me in congratulating Ashley Michelle VanSteelandt on being selected for this prestigious honor and in wishing her much success in her future endeavors!

SOE Alum and Graduate Student Recognized for Outstanding Service

2010-11-24T12:45:00.001-05:00

Devon Banks, a UM-Dearborn alumnus with a degree in elementary education, and a graduate student in the School of Education in the Master of Arts of Educational Leadership (MAEL) graduate degree program working toward his K-12 School Principal Certificate, was recently recognized for his exceptional voluntary service to the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield, MI. Devon, who played on the University of Michigan-Dearborn basketball team during his undergraduate years, has coached several athletic teams for the Center working with students in the evenings and on weekends. He was honored for his service to the community and its children.

Devon has taught at Doherty Elementary School in West Bloomfield, and he is currently working on his administrative internship at Sandburg Elementary School in Waterford. Devon combines his love of athletics with his passion for education: “I enjoy coaching not only because of my love for the game of basketball, but also because it allows me to teach the young men and women to be persons with pride, dignity, respect, and accountability. I emphasize the importance of education while I coach, and it gives me great satisfaction to see many of my players change for the better, with respect to skills, habits of mind, and character.” Please join me in congratulating this exceptional young man for his dedication to the education of youngsters in Southeastern Michigan and on his being recognized for his service to the community.

Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree approved!

2010-11-10T09:06:00.001-05:00

The School of Education (SOE) at the University of Michigan – Dearborn is pleased to announce that it has received approval from the Presidents Council, the University of Michigan Board of Regents, and the Higher Learning Commission to offer a new degree program to meet a critical need in southeastern Michigan for educational leaders who can transform education at the PK-12 and community college levels. The Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree is an advanced professional program that assists veteran educators to enhance their knowledge of theory and best practice, to acquire skills in interpreting and using educational scholarship and reserach, and to understand processes of change and leadership in education settings. The Ed.S. degree is ideal for educators who seek new skills and new opportunities for leadership.

The Education Specialist degree program addresses three distinct yet overlapping areas of study that are essential characteristics for the next generation of leaders in education: engagement with the community; transformational leadership; and scholarly practice. The Ed.S. degree offers four areas of concentration: (1) educational leadership, (2) metropolitan education, (3) curriculum and practice, and (4) educational psychology/special education. Students in the educational leadership concentration can complete the program and be recommended to the Michigan Department of Education for the MDE required Central Office Administrator Certificate for educators in or aspiring to a K-12 district central office leadership position. The other concentrations are ideal for someone seeking advanced knowledge and proficiency in areas of curriculum supervision, professional development, educational evaluation, and related areas.

New students will be admitted to begin studies in Fall 2011. Further details about this exciting new degree program and how to apply will be available shortly on the SOE website http://www.soe.umd.umich.edu.

Mardigian Library Honors Professor Ray Kettel

2010-11-05T14:54:00.001-04:00

At a luncheon in his honor on November 5, 2010, Dr. Raymond P. Kettel was named a Distinguished Faculty Friend of the Mardigian Library. Professor Kettel was recognized for his important contributions in helping to build the Juvenile Historic Literature Collection at the Mardigian Library. This collection started with a donation of more than 4,000 children’s books from the Grand Rapids Public Library, and it contains books published from the early 1800’s to the 1970’s. It is one of the finest collections of its type in the country. Professor Kettel not only helped to identify the important resources within the collection but also to pioneer innovative uses of the collection with students at UM-Dearborn preparing to be teachers. Please join me in congratulating Professor Raymond P. Kettel on being honored for his contributions to the Mardigian Library.

For more on Professor Kettel’s accomplishments and distinguished career as an educator, see an earlier blog posting (October 1, 2010).

UM-Dearborn Faculty Member Discusses “Emergent Inquiry” at National Conferences

2010-11-05T10:17:00.001-04:00

Seong Hong, Associate Professor of Education, recently led two workshops on the topic of emergent inquiry at the Annual Conference of the Association for Constructivist Teaching in Chicago in October and at the Annual Conference of the National Association for the Education of Young Children in Anaheim in early November. Professor Hong used examples drawn from the work of teachers and students in the UM-Dearborn Early Childhood Education Center to illustrate the nature of children’s learning in and through play and the complex decisions that teachers must make in guiding children’s emergent inquiry toward fruitful outcomes. In one workshop, she also illustrated how an emergent inquiry cycle could be used to model the learning processes not only of the children but also the teachers, student teachers, and researchers. The notion of emergent inquiry is closely connected with the philosophy of the Reggio Emilia schools in Italy, and which is an undergirding educational foundation for the UM-Dearborn Early Childhood Education Center.

SOE Student Named Michigan Service Scholar for 2011

2010-11-05T10:14:00.000-04:00

Renee Wendt, a student in our Elementary Education program, has been selected as a Michigan Service Scholar through the Americorps Program. Recipients of these awards must complete 300 hours of community service during a calendar year. Renee’s scholarship award will support her in completing a service-learning project in connection with her student teaching placement during the Winter 2011 term in a second-grade classroom at Daly Elementary School in the Westwood School District. SOE Professor Mary Trepanier-Street and Ms. Maureen Molloy, an SOE alumna who is a principal in the Westwood School District, facilitated the integration of Renee’s service-learning project with her student teaching placement. Please join me in congratulating Renee on being selected from among a large number of worthy applicants.

U-Tools Program Supports Youth in Metro Detroit

2010-10-22T10:51:00.001-04:00

Under the leadership and coordination of the Save Our Children Coalition (SOCC), a unit housed within and supported by the UM-Dearborn School of Education, the U-Tools program is working with a cohort of about 50 ninth-grade youth to provide enrichment experiences that build academic and life skills and productive habits of mind. The intent of the program is set these youth on a trajectory toward high school completion with a solid preparation for post-secondary education and training.

The concept and original design of the U-Tools program was developed with the help of representatives from Vista Maria and the Wayne County 3rd Judicial Circuit Court and Department of Human Services. As the name suggests, the U-Tools project uses the metaphor of loading “tools” into a toolbox. The conceptual framework for the U-Tools program is based on Sean Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. The program also recognizes the building of trust and relationships among participating students and caring adults as a critical factor for success. Toward this end, consistency of participating faculty and mentorship are stressed throughout.

The current version of the U-Tools program is scheduled to run from October 2010 through May 2011, via a series of monthly, all-day Saturday sessions. Given SOCC’s focus on supporting foster children in Southeast Michigan, participants in the UTools program are drawn from Vista Maria Academy in Dearborn Heights, Black Family Development in Detroit, and some other DHS foster care settings in the region. Program activities will take place on the UM-Dearborn campus, thereby allowing participating students to gain first-hand experience regarding college life and facilitating the participation of university personnel.

At UM-Dearborn, faculty and staff from School of Education, Career Services, Athletics, Student Activities, Admissions, and the Environmental Interpretive Center will be involved in the program sessions planned for AY 2010-11. The U-Tools program is supported in part by a grant from the Michigan Department of Human Services (DHS); SOCC also receives help and support from UM-Dearborn for full operation of the project’s planned activities.

School of Education Honors Professor Ray Kettel

2010-10-01T17:42:00.001-04:00

On October 1 friends, colleagues, and students came together to honor Dr. Raymond P. Kettel on the occasion of his retirement from the School of Education. Ray began his career as an educator while serving in the Philippines as a Peace Corps volunteer. In 1969 Ray accepted a teaching position in the Detroit Public Schools, where he served for two decades, serving stints as a teacher, reading coordinator, demonstration teacher, and language education supervisor. Ray joined the faculty at University of Michigan–Dearborn in 1988, where he has taught prospective and practicing teachers for the past 23 years.

Ray Kettel is known regionally, nationally and internationally for his expertise in the area of children’s literature and for his innovative contributions to the teaching of reading and language arts. Kettel’s publications in children’s literature, storytelling and reading have appeared in such journals as The Reading Teacher, English Journal, Storytelling World, Voices from the Middle, and the American Library Association’s Book Links. He was the creator and senior author of the CLUE ME IN literature program which encourages students to read some of the best in children’s books. In addition, he directed the ASK (Authors Specialists and Knowledge) program, through which students at the college and precollege levels dig deeply into literature by interviewing authors or specialists whose work domains are closely tied to particular selections.

Ray’s expertise is widely recognized and much sought after. He has served on a variety of committees for both the International Reading Association and the Michigan Reading Association, within which he was elected to the Board of Directors in 1982-1985. Ray Kettel is also viewed as the quintessential teacher. In 1993, he received the Distinguished Teaching award from UM-Dearborn, and in 1995 the students of the Association of Educators named him the most inspirational faculty member. In 2005, Ray received the Michigan Reading Association’s Teacher Educator Award, and later that year the UM-Dearborn Alumni Society named him Faculty Member of the Year.

Individuals wishing to recognize Ray Kettel’s legacy of contributions to UM-Dearborn and to assist the School of Education to maintain strong support for its students may do so through a contribution to:

School of Education Student Scholarship and Support Fund

To do so, please make your check payable to the above named fund and mail to:
School of Education Student Scholarship Fund
c/o Becky Dresselhouse-Nauss
University of Michigan-Dearborn
School of Education
19000 Hubbard Drive
Dearborn, MI 48126

Toni Simovski Named 2010 SOE Alumnus of the Year

2010-10-01T09:30:00.003-04:00

The University of Michigan-Dearborn has named 8 individuals as
Alumni Difference Makers for 2010. [More information can be found at http://www.umd.umich.edu/alumniawards] Among those so honored is Toni Simovski, who was named School of Education Alumnus of the Year.

Mr. Simovski teaches American Government and Advanced Placement American Government at South Lyon High School. He has received several other recognitions as an outstanding educator in the state of Michigan, including 2007 Civic Educator of the Year and 2009 Michigan Social Studies Teacher of the Year. In addition to his distinguished career as a teacher, he also served in the U.S. Army as an interpreter during the conflict in Macedonia and Kosovo. The Alumni Association Award will be presented to Mr. Simovski, and the corresponding award winners from other units on the UM-Dearborn campus, at a ceremony on October 15. Please join me in congratulating Toni Simovski on his distinctive accomplishment and in thanking him for his dedication to the education profession.

Pictures from the ceremony are available on our UM-Dearborn Facebook page. Click here to view.

Recipient videos are also available to view.

SOE Curriculum Lab Partners with Mardigian Library

2010-09-16T17:04:00.001-04:00

In an effort designed to serve better the needs of faculty, staff, and students in the UM-Dearborn community, the SOE Curriculum Lab is working with the Mardigian Library on an exciting new project to integrate the SOE collection into the library’s automation resources. This automated system will allow the SOE books and materials to remain physically present in the SOE and also virtually integrated into the main library system. The SOE Curriculum Lab materials will be treated as a special collection and will appear in the library’s automated web-access catalog and will support automated circulation. In this way users will be able to access online the books in the SOE Curriculum Lab collection and find out whether materials are currently available in the Curriculum Lab or are checked out on loan.

Work has begun on this project, and the system is expected to be made fully operational at some time during the 2010-2011 academic year. Please join me in thanking Paul Bielich, Director of the SOE Curriculum Lab, and the leadership and staff of the Mardigian Library for their efforts to bring about this exciting new partnership that promises many benefits for our students, faculty and staff

Laura Reynolds-Keefer Tapped to Lead Campus Accreditation Effort

2010-09-15T18:30:00.001-04:00

Laura Reynolds-Keefer, Assistant Professor of Education, has been selected by Provost Davy as the faculty leader of a campus-wide accreditation process that will culminate in a visit by a team from the Higher Learning Commission in 2013. At the University of Michigan-Dearborn, the HLC accreditation process will be folded into a campus-wide strategic planning process that the Provost has dubbed Vision 2020. Dr. Reynolds-Keefer will serve as co-coordinator, with Associate Provost Shridhar, providing leadership of a core group of faculty, administrators, and staff throughout the accreditation process.

Provost Davy selected Dr. Keefer-Reynolds for this role in large part because of her accomplishments in the area of educational assessment and evaluation. Please join me in congratulating Laura, thanking her for taking on this key campus leadership role, and pledging your support to her in this effort.

ECEC Receives Great Start Readiness Program Grant

2010-09-15T17:42:00.000-04:00

The Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) has won a Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) competition grant of $61,200 to pay tuition costs for 18 children, The GSRP is a state-funded program to prepare four-year-old children who are judged to have factors that place them at risk for achieving school success. The recent award to the ECEC will provide tuition for four half-days of education for 18 children who meet the award criteria. Congratulations to the faculty and staff of the ECEC who will now be able to help these children get off to a great start in their schooling!

SOE Students Receive CEW Scholarships

2010-09-02T15:01:00.002-04:00

Terrie Bishop (Elementary Education) and Diamantina Salinas (Early Childhood Education) have been awarded scholarships by the University of Michigan Center for the Education of Women (CEW). The CEW Scholarship Program for returning women students was established in 1970 to honor the academic performance and potential of women whose education has been interrupted and to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the admission of women to the University of Michigan. Please join me in congratulating Terrie and Diamantina on being selected for this honor from among a large number of worthy applicants.

SOE Staff Members Recognized for Service

2010-09-02T14:49:00.000-04:00

At a recent event hosted by Chancellor Daniel Little, several SOE staff members were recognized for their service to UM-Dearborn. Judy Garfield and Pat Parker were recognized for 5 years, Liz Morden for 10 years, Shirley Solomon for 15 years, and Sandy Kulka for 20 years of dedicated service to UM-Dearborn. Please join me in congratulating them and thanking them for their efforts on behalf of the School of Education community.

UM-Dearborn Teacher Preparation Program Deemed Exemplary

2010-09-02T14:32:00.002-04:00

For the second year in succession the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has designated the teacher preparation program at UM-Dearborn as EXEMPLARY, the highest category available.To make these program designations the MDE uses a complex, multi-faceted evaluation system that includes several different indicators of program characteristics, with special attention to teacher candidates’ content knowledge and preparatory experiences. Kudos to the faculty, staff and students in UM-Dearborn School of Education teacher preparation program for this recognition!

Educational Doctorate Program Coordinators Named

2010-09-02T10:52:00.001-04:00

I am pleased to announce that Bonnie Beyer, Professor of Education, and Chris Burke, Associate Professor of Education, have agreed to serve as co-coordinators of the School of Education’s Educational Doctorate program.

Both Bonnie and Chris have been active in shaping the program since its inception, and they have both taught and advised students in the first cohort. As we launch our second doctoral cohort this year we are fortunate that these two dedicated faculty members have agreed to take the helm, stepping in to succeed Gail Luera who skillfully led the program through the approval processes and through its first year of operation.

Professors Beyer and Burke bring a combination of talents and perspectives that are essential to nurturing the program and helping it serve well the needs and aspirations of our students. Professor Beyer’s expertise and research interests are rooted in administrative leadership. She has published in national and international journals, presented at state, national, and international conferences, and is the author of numerous journal publications, book chapters, and books. Burke’s expertise is rooted in curriculum and instruction, with particular attention to the teaching and learning of science. His qualitative research endeavors have resulted in multiple publications and numerous presentations.

Please join me in congratulating and supporting Bonnie and Chris as they undertake this important new leadership role in the school.

Special Education Inclusion Specialist program reaches milestone

2010-08-31T11:27:00.002-04:00

The online Master of Education in Special Education Inclusion Specialist program celebrates its 10th anniversary in September. When it was launched in 2000, it was the first entirely online master’s degree program offered by a university in Michigan. Since 2000, more than 500 students around the world have completed the program. Students have been drawn from Michigan and 41 other states in the U.S., as well as from many countries, including Canada, Colombia, England, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, and Venezuela. Please join me in congratulating Professors Belinda Lazarus and Kim Killu on this important milestone accomplishment!

For more information aboiut the program and its origins see:
http://www.umdearbornreporter.com/2010/09/innovative-program-celebrates-10-years-of-online-education/

Associate Dean appointments

2010-08-30T16:47:00.003-04:00

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Paul R. Fossum, associate professor of education, as associate dean for academic affairs, and of Mesut Duran, associate professor of educational technology, as associate dean for research and administrative affairs. Both appointments are effective July 1 and have been approved by the Board of Regents. I am grateful to both of them for being willing to assume these leadership roles at this pivotal moment in the school’s history.

Professor Fossum earned his doctorate from the University of Minnesota in 1996. Paul joined the University of Michigan-Dearborn in 1997. At UM-D he has played a number of important roles, including serving as an elected member of the School of Education's Executive Committee, the University of Michigan Senate Assembly on the Ann Arbor campus, and the UM-D Faculty Senate and Senate Council, which he also chaired for a term. In the SOE he has coordinated the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program, and he was co-director, with Mesut Duran, of a U.S. Department of Education grant project on technology utilization in instruction. Most recently, Paul served as interim dean of the School of Education for the 2009-2010 academic year. In that role he drew praise from many in the school and from others across the UM-D campus. His scholarly interests include comparative education and international educational exchange, social and ethical aspects of instructional technology, and the democratization of public postsecondary and K-12 schooling.

Professor Duran earned his doctorate from Ohio University in 2000. Mesut joined the University of Michigan-Dearborn in 2000. At UM-D he has played a number of important roles, including serving as an elected member of the School of Education's Executive Committee, as a member of the UM-D Faculty Senate and Senate Council, and on several technology-related committees in the school and the university. Most recently, Mesut served as chair of the SOE dean search committee during the 2009-2010 academic year. He was co-director, with Paul Fossum, of the U.S. Department of Education grant project mentioned above, and he currently directs the Fostering Interest in Information Technology (FIT) project, funded through the National Science Foundation's Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program. His scholarship is focused on improving the capacities of postsecondary and K-12 teachers in their use of instructional technology.

I am delighted that Paul and Mesut have agreed to serve as part of the team in the dean’s office. They bring experience, insight and wisdom to their roles, and we are fortunate to have them sharing the leadership of the school.

UM-Dearborn faculty win distinguished diversity leaders award

2010-08-27T11:11:00.004-04:00

Dear Members of the SOE Community,

I had the opportunity this morning to attend the award ceremony in Ann Arbor for the University of Michigan 2009 Distinguished Diversity Leaders. In my opinion the highlight of this wonderful occasion was the presentation of one of the team awards to the Early Childhood Education faculty for their excellent work in promoting diversity and inclusion in early childhood education. The teachers at the Early Childhood Education Center initiated the nomination, and the EC faculty team was the only recipient this year from the UM-Dearborn campus.

Please join me in congratulating Mary Trepanier-Street, Seong Hong, and Katie Silverman on their award and in thanking them for their excellent contributions to promoting a diverse and inclusive educational experience for the students, young and old, who are touched by the ECEC. Mary, Seong, and Katie enrich us all through their work.

Sincerely,

Ed Silver