Presentation for University Leadership Team April, 2011

GRACELAND UNIVERSITY Gleazer School of Education

GSOE Conceptual Framework

Organization of the GSOE

2010 Organization

Vision Statement

The Edmund J. Gleazer School of Education is committed to being a premier school of teacher education that is Visionary, Innovative, and Transformative.

Mission Statement

We develop educational leaders who practice an ethic of care and are agents for social change. We create inclusive learning communities that are transformative, critical, and reflexive. Supported by 21st century technologies, we are process oriented and continuously working toward our goal to provide innovative and cutting edge programs.

We have an expressed and committed sensitivity to diverse learners. Our candidates learn to utilize a culturally responsive pedagogy that meets the challenges of a global world.

The faculty is committed to professional development and in turn supports students in career oriented paths of learning resulting in the development of competent professional educators.

The Gleazer School of Education is dedicated to promoting visionary, innovative, and responsive communities of practice.

 

Enrollment

Initial ProgramsLamoni – El Ed – 94

Sec Ed – 68

Independence – 148Centerville – 21Trenton – 46

Total = 377

Advanced ProgramQuality Schools -32Tech Integration – 40C & I – 15Diff. Instr. – 151SpEd - 42

Total = 280

May Start – OL: 252 F2F:123

Total = 375

NATIONAL BOARDPROFESSIONAL

TEACHING STANDARDS

NBPTS was created in 1987 after the Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy’s Task Force on Teaching as a Profession released A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century. Shortly after its release, NBPTS issued its first policy statement:  What Teachers Should Know and Be Able To Do.

This policy set forth the vision for accomplished teaching. The Five Core Propositions form the foundation and frame the rich amalgam of knowledge, skills, dispositions and beliefs that characterize National Board Certified Teachers . 

NCATE Accreditation

Newsweek Ad

USDLA Award

Graceland University’s School of Education won the United States Distance Learning Association’s (USDLA), Platinum Award for best practices which is their highesthonor. “We are honoring Graceland University’s School of Educationas a leader in the industry,” said John G. Flores, CEO of USDLA.“Graceland University’s School of Education has raised the bar of excellence and we are truly honored by their contributionsto the distance learning industry.”

Graduate Faculty Research InterestsFour Full-Time Graduate Faculty

Distance and E-LearningFaculty Mentoring Mentoring and Supervision of Adjunct FacultyOnline Faculty Recruitment and Retention

Undergraduate Research InterestsNine Full-Time Faculty

Professional Learning Communities and Leadership DevelopmentStudent Identity and DevelopmentCritical LiteracyProfessional Development SchoolsCritical Perspectives of Children’s LiteratureScience SafetyTechnology and Education

Professional Development SchoolsThis is what makes GSOE initial programs unique!

2000- Implemented in Independence2008 – Partial implementation in Lamoni2010- Implemented in BrookfieldFuture sites: Mt. Ayr, Central Decatur, Grundy, Trenton

Jamaica

GSOE March 2011

Jamaican OpportunitiesInitial investigative trip in March, 2011

A team of five ( Tammy Everett, Sandra Hamar, Scott Huddleston, Shelly Hartstack, and Sherry Waipa) from the Gleazer School of Education conducted an investigative mission to Falmouth, Jamaica in March at the request of the public school and Methodist Church in Falmouth. Outcomes and future opportunities of the investigation are as follows:

Professional Development

Currently, there is not a teacher’s college in Falmouth or nearby Montego Bay where there is an extension campus of the University of the West Indies in which public school teachers have access. Therefore, there is a number of public school teachers in the Infancy School (ages 3yrs-6yrs) and the All Age School (First-Sixth Grades) that do not have four year degrees in teacher preparation. The public school administrative personal are requesting professional development from Graceland University for the teachers who do not have education degrees. The education Graceland can provide to the teachers is a direct impact to the children of Falmouth.

Partnership with UWI Mona-Western Campus

The UWI is interested in partnerships with Graceland University for course offerings in teacher education. Currently, the GSOE has partnerships with community colleges in the US providing completion programs in education. The GSOE also offers online MEd programs for teachers who currently hold fouryear teaching degrees. The UWI would like to pursue partnerships like this with Graceland. They are particularly interested in certificate programs. Again, this isa direct impact on the children of Falmouth. When teachers have opportunity to be academicallyprepared to teach, children reap the benefits of current theory of teaching and learning, current pedagogy, teaching strategies, and models that enable and support student success in literacy.

Adult Literacy

The team investigated a possible adult literacy program after learning from the Methodist Church this was a high need of the community. For example, the team interviewed Clifton Vassell. Clifton attended school when he was ten years old for two months before being pulled out by his father to work on a “farm” to help earn food for his family. Clifton can recognize his name in print but cannot write his name. He stated that if an adult literacy program began, “lots of people, lots of people, lots of people” will come. Clifton also said, “I just trust in Almighty God, something will come my way…someday”. Graceland has the opportunity to give men and women, like Clifton a chance to achieve functional literacy.

Service Learning

On Saturday, when school was not in session, the team worked at the school installing pencil sharpeners, replacing window louvers, and building a trash receptacle (pictured below). There are many tasks such as this that any Graceland student could participate in no matter what major they are pursuing. Service learning projects of restoration of a safe playground area, painting hallways and school classrooms, and installing simple machines such as pencil sharpeners would be a life- changing, transformative experience for college students.

Practicum and Student Teaching

Elementary education students could complete one to three week practicum or internship in early childhood and elementary classrooms. The practicum experience was piloted by Sandy Hamar and seven elementary education students in January of this year. The experience of international internship is an experience in cultural diversity that would impact a pre-service teacher’s career forever. Students would learn to appreciate the rich experience that diverse cultures bring to education in a particular setting in Falmouth. In addition, students could enroll in a six week student teaching experience .

Faculty Research

There are multiple opportunities for GSOE faculty to conduct scholarly research throughout this initiative. Case study research of early childhood education, teacher and faculty partnerships, and comparative studies of elementary education are just a few of the research topics that could be investigated, presented, and published by Graceland faculty. It is this opportunity that will present Graceland University to the academic community as an institution that is making and impact in education.

Questions?