Two SOE Faculty to Lead GIEU Programs in Summer 2013

The Global Intercultural Experience for Undergraduates (GIEU) program offers study abroad opportunities for students on the University of Michigan campuses. 2012 is the first year that University of Michigan-Dearborn faculty were eligible to propose programs, and 2013 will be the first year in which UM-Dearborn students will be eligible to participate. Students from all three UM campuses are eligible to apply for any of the available program options.

The GIEU steering group in Ann Arbor received 60 proposals from faculty on the three campuses for study abroad programs and chose 10 to support. Four UM-Dearborn faculty were awarded support for three of the 10 selected programs, and two of the selected programs involve SOE faculty.

Martha Adler, SOE associate professor, and Monica Porter, Director of the Office of International Affairs, will lead “Summer Literacy Program: Children of the Dump.” This study group will work in a three-week summer literacy program serving high- poverty youth in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. This program will both address the needs of children living in dire poverty in Mexico and provide university students with a culturally immersive educative experience. The literacy program is sponsored by The Children of the Dump, a community organization that was founded in 1998. Through private donations, the organization feeds more than 2,300 children daily, operates nine day care centers and an after-school program for grades 3 through 6. The goal of the Children of the Dump is to ensure education through grade nine and to educate the children of Puerto Vallarta in the skills necessary to rise above poverty.

Stein Brunvand, SOE associate professor, will lead “Teaching Across Borders: Establishing a Virtual Tutoring Program in Johannesburg, South Africa.” This study group will lay the foundation for implementing a virtual tutoring program to provide academic support to students in Alexandra Township. This program will help address deficiencies in the educational experiences of K-12 students living in South Africa while at the same time provide our university students with a culturally immersive experience where they can engage in authentic face-to-face and online instructional activities with children in need of academic assistance.

Please join me in thanking these SOE faculty and the other leaders of GIEU programs for providing such wonderful opportunities for UM-Dearborn students and other undergraduates in the UM family.

Two SOE Students Chosen to Attend Prestigious Conference

The Network of Michigan Educators is an organization of teachers and educational leaders in the state who have achieved special recognition, such as receiving state recognition as Teacher of the Year, Principal of the Year, or Superintendent of the Year, or national awards, such as the Milliken National Educator of the Year, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, or selection as an NSF Einstein Fellow.

The Network of Michigan Educators (NME) aims to improve teaching and learning in Michigan by connecting recognized educators as a means of helping inform their practice. The organization also seeks to inform the state's education policy and research communities. The organization holds an annual conference that gives participants access to professional sessions designed to sharpen their teaching and leadership skills even further.

A select group of individuals preparing to become teachers in Michigan is invited to participate in the NME annual conference. This year we are pleased that two UM-Dearborn students have been selected for participation in this year’s conference to be held in Lansing on December 13-14.

The students selected to represent UM-Dearborn are Hannah Greaves and Marwa Hachem. Hannah is pursuing secondary school certification through a Master of Arts in Teaching degree with a major in English and minors in Spanish and English as a Second Language (ESL). Marwa is pursuing elementary school certification through a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Science Studies and a minor in English as a Second Language (ESL).

Please join me in congratulating these outstanding students on being selected for this very special opportunity to network and learn with outstanding professional educators in Michigan!

Renowned Teacher Education Scholar and Leader Visits UM-Dearborn SOE

On November 15, 2012, Professor Deborah Loewenberg Ball will speak at the UM-Dearborn School of Education. The title of her talk is (How) Can All Children Get Great Teaching? 

Dr. Ball is the William H. Payne Collegiate Professor in education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor. She currently serves as dean of the UM School of Education in Ann Arbor and as director of a new organization on that campus called TeachingWorks.

Dr. Ball is a leading authority on the topics of teacher education and mathematics teaching. She taught elementary school for more than 15 years, and continues to teach mathematics to elementary students every summer. Her research focuses on the practice of mathematics instruction, and on the improvement of teacher training and development. Ball has authored or co-authored over 150 publications and has lectured and made numerous major presentations around the world. Her research has been recognized with several awards and honors, and she has served on several national and international commissions and panels focused on policy initiatives and the improvement of education, including the National Mathematics Advisory Panel and the National Board for Education Sciences. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Education.

The talk will be held 5:00-6:30 PM in the Michigan Room, on the 1st floor of the FCS. This talk is open to all as part of a series of presentations and special lectures this fall to mark the 25th anniversary of the formation of the School of Education on this campus.

Please join me in welcoming Dean Ball to our campus!

SOE Staff Recognized for Contributions

Three SOE staff members were among those recognized at the UM-Dearborn Staff Senate Fall Forum for their contributions to the campus. Chris Casey, Debbie Jones, and Liz Morden received U Make a Difference awards. For more details see the story in the UM-Dearborn Reporter.

Please join me in congratulating these SOE staff members and the others from across campus on this special recognition!