Success in Higher Education

I've had the opportunity to gather ideas from some of the School of Education's student leaders regarding the elements of success in higher education. Here are some of their thoughts:

• Find something you like, and run with it.
• Never be afraid to ask for help.
• Get involved in campus and/or community activities.
• Establish effective study skills.
• Participate in class discussions.
• Prioritize tasks, and keep an updated calendar.
• Set deadlines.
• Hone skills in written communication.
• Use all available resources, including Blackboard and other web-based tools.
• Identify mentors, both in and out of the classroom.
• Live on campus.
• Treat every class project as if you are already out in the professional world.
• Develop a list of post-graduation goals.

I'd love to hear what you think contributes to success and retention in higher education!

Charter School Conference

I had the opportunity to attend the National Public Charter School Conference in Chicago with a team from the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School and SIUE Provost's Office. The messages from the conference included the importance of highly qualified and effective teachers and school leaders, a sharp focus on accountability (including closing down ineffective schools), and sharing best practices in curricular reform across all public schools.

Bill Gates opened the conference with an interesting keynote address. His address can be accessed from the following site: http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=42913.

SOE Annual Report

The School of Education's Annual Report is now available online on the School's website. The SOE had a terrific year, as evidenced by the many successes of its faculty, staff, and students. The SOE is very proud of the quality of its academic programs, rigorous scholarship, and outreach into the community. We would love to hear from you how we can continue to provide academic excellence for the Metro East region!http://www.siue.edu/education/about/pdf/SOEannualreport10.pdf

Generation Y Teachers

How are Generation Y teachers different from their "Baby Boomer" colleagues, and what implications does this have for teacher preparation? Interesting information is provided at www.retainingteachertalent.org.

Race to the Top: Round Two

The State of Illinois has submitted its application for Round Two of federal Race to the Top funding. This process has already had an impact on educator preparation in the state, including new laws allowing alternative providers to offer programs separate from universities and substantial changes to programs for school building administrators. Also new are the state's teaching standards and a proposed "code of ethics."

To learn more about the state's "Race to the Top," you can access their proposal online at http://www.isbe.net/racetothetop/PDF/phase2_app.pdf.

Charter High School Seniors Celebrate Upcoming Graduation

I had the opportunity to attend the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School's Senior Dinner, and celebrated a very special evening with students' family, friends, and community members. Inspirational opening remarks were provided by Senior Class President Terrell Gilkey, Acting Director Willis Young, and Executive Director Patricia Harrison.

After dinner, we enjoyed a fantastic “Cultural Music Review” which included musical and dance performances from students of the school as well as members of the East St. Louis Center for Performing Arts. The talent shared by the students was amazing! The evening concluded with a hilarious remake of “Thriller” performed by Charter High School Staff.

Graduation is scheduled for Tuesday, May 18th at 6:30 in the Multipurpose Room, Building D, at the East St. Louis Higher Education Center. I hope you can join us!

ASCC Bowling Event

I had the wonderful opportunity to join our Association for School and Community Careers (ASCC) students for an on-campus bowling event! (Although I enjoyed my time watching the fun, and not actually bowling... which would have been amusing at best!) ASCC is a new student organization in the School of Education that provides students with the chance to learn about a range of careers and majors offered through the SOE. Our Dean's Dozen students have served as the leaders of this association this year, and have done a tremendous job getting the group up and running, and we are looking for great things from ASCC next year! If you do have any questions about ASCC, don't hesitate to contact me or Gretchen Fricke, the ASCC advisor.

School of Education Engagement

The School of Education at SIUE is focused on positive, productive interactions with schools, districts, and agencies within our community. These partnerships are critical to the success of our students and our programs. As Dean, I am always interested in learning what the SOE is doing effectively to support our region's schools and agencies, and in what areas we can improve.

I'd love to hear your ideas!

Reauthorization of ESEA

The Obama Administration has unveiled its "Blueprint for Reform," outlining recommendations for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The Blueprint outlines five priority areas: College- and Career-Ready Students, Great Teachers and Leaders, Equity and Opportunity for All Students, Raise the Bar and Reward Excellence, and Promote Innovation and Continuous Improvement. The Blueprint can be downloaded from the following site: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/blueprint/blueprint.pdf.

The proposed legislation will have an impact on the School of Education, including establishing linkages between our graduates' performances in the classroom to program evaluation, redesigning programs to prepare teachers and administrators for high-needs schools, and realigning experiences with new standards.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the proposed Blueprint!

Announcement: NEH Summer Institute

The School of Education is excited to share the following announcement:

NEH Summer Institute for School Teachers
"Abraham Lincoln and the Forging of Modern America"

June 21-26 or July 12-16, 2010
Applications must be postmarked no later than March 2, 2010.

We invite you to join us during the summer of 2010 for an extraordinary program on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) and in Springfield, Illinois. We will host 40 teachers in each of two, no-cost one-week workshops in which we will explore Abraham Lincoln’s life in Springfield and New Salem Village, Illinois and the political and historical challenges he faced as President. Join us as we hear from outstanding Lincoln scholars drawn from universities in the St. Louis area.

Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities Landmarks of American History and Culture: Workshops for Schoolteachers

Participants will receive a $1,200 stipend and SIUE Graduate Tuition Waiver (optional, university fees of $160 applied). Applications must be postmarked no later than March 2, 2010.


For more information, eligibility requirements, and application instructions, please visit
www.siue.edu/education/neh.

"Learning Tools" Conference Held at SIUE

The Department of Special Education and Communications Disorders (SECD) recently collaborated with the Madison County Regional Office of Education to offer a one-day professional conference on the very timely topic of “Learning Tools for the 21st Century” for area educators and SOE students. Dr. Bob Daiber, Superintendent of Madison County ROE, opened the conference and introduced the keynote speaker, Marilee Sprenger who addressed the topic of maximizing learning in a digital world. Techniques were discussed that combine educational neuroscience with best practices taken from cognitive science with a focus on how today’s students learn and communicate in a digital world. Participants then selected from a variety of break-out sessions that offered a range of information for administrators, educators, and related service agency providers regarding the use of technology in instruction. Presenters included Craig Miner and Amie King, faculty members in SECD, as well as the SOE’s Director of Instructional Technologies, Binod Pokhrel. In addition, eight different vendors were represented who demonstrated cutting-edge technologies and offered a wide collection of available electronic resources.

Outreach to Haiti

Students in Faustina Blankson’s International Health class are supporting the citizens of Haiti by creating and selling special ribbons. Funds raised will directly benefit the victims of Haiti’s recent devastating earthquake through the purchase of medical supplies. The International Health class covers many of the issues faced by Haiti’s citizens, including respiratory infections and other diseases that are exacerbated by current conditions in Haiti.

The School of Education is very proud of this important initiative, and the tremendous outpouring of support from its students, faculty, and staff!

Arnold-Zimmer Trivia Night

The SOE is proud to support the Arnold-Zimmer Trivia Night, an event to benefit the SIUE Scholarship Fund in honor of Adam, Lindsey, and Riley. This event will be held on Saturday, February 27th, starting at 7:00 at the Granite City Township Hall. Adam Zimmer was a graduate of our Special Education program, and was recognized by his peers and SOE faculty as a motivated and compassionate educator who had the potential to truly make a difference in the lives of young children. Tragically, Adam, his wife Lindsey (also an SIUE alum), and their infant son died in a car accident last year. The Scholarship Fund is being established by their families to continue Adam and Lindsey’s legacy at SIUE. For more information on the Trivia Night, please contact Sue Zimmer (973-9236) or Dr. Craig Miner in the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders (SECD). Thanks to the SECD faculty, staff, and students who have actively supported the establishment of this scholarship!