SOE Sponsors Early Childhood Conference in May 2011

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!