The CEFS Chronicle
April 14, 2011 · Volume 1 · Issue 1
Greetings from the Department Head
Dr. Jo Agnew-Tally, [email protected]
Contents
Greetings
1
ELE Science Methods
1
ELE Adds Emphasis Areas
2
Grad Students at IDF
2
Student Profile
3
West Plains Campus Update
3
Recent Faculty Publications
4
Updates
5
Upcoming
Events

April 21-24Spring Holiday
(No classes)

May 5- Last day
of classes
May 6- Study Day
May 7-12- Final
Exams Period
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May 13- Spring
Commencement
As the new department head, this
year, I have had the distinct honor
of serving with a community of
scholars, who are dedicated to
developing transformational leaders,
who excel in meeting the diverse
needs of children, families, and
schools in Missouri, our nation and
the world. In this newsletter, you
will find many of these scholars and
future transformational leaders
continue to break new ground with
research and scholarship. They have
garnered awards, presented at
state, national, and international
conferences, and been exemplary
servant leaders in upholding our
public affairs mission throughout our
local, national and international
communities.
We cordially invite you to visit our
department and would especially
welcome news from our alumni
and community partners to share
in future newsletters. Please
know my office, virtual and inperson, is always open to you!
Dr. Jo Agnew-Tally
Elementary Science Methods Students Make a
Difference in Classrooms Roberta Aram, Ph.D.
Dr. Roberta Aram and Dr. Gina
Wood’s science methods
students have been planning and
teaching science lessons on
matter and energy in an area
elementary school for three
semesters. Four inquiry-based
science lessons that build on one
another are taught in each
classroom. In the fall semester,
primary grades learn about
observing, describing and
classifying matter. Intermediate
grades learn to measure matter
using various tools and about the
effects of energy on matter such
as when heat changes the state
of matter.
as when heat changes the state
of matter. In the spring
semester, students learn about
energy— the sources, means of
transfer and receivers of light,
sound, heat and electrical
energy. Children build their
understanding of matter and
energy while carrying out
investigation and experiments.
Preliminary science MAP data
indicates striking gains in
elementary student
achievements in the matter and
energy as well as scientific
inquiry content standards from
2008 to 2010.
Page 2 of 5
Program Updates
The CEFS Chronicle
Elementary Program Adds Emphasis Areas
Roberta Aram, Ph.D.
Elementary education majors
have a wide array of options
when it comes to choosing an
emphasis area. In addition to
the traditional subjects of
science, mathematics,
language art, social studies,
ECE and CFD faculty and students
physical education, art and
visited the State Capitol for Child
music, students may deepen
Advocacy Day.
their knowledge and skills in
the area of early childhood,
reading or middle school
education. Four recent
additions to the selections are
an accelerated Master’s in
Reading or Elementary
Education, eMINTS training or
Conservation Education. The
Accelerated Master’s
emphases are designed for
Diana Piccolo, Ph.D. and Eric Eckert high performing elementary
education majors who wish to
from the Graduate College at a
College of the Ozarks’ recruiting fair. take Master’s level courses as
part of their undergraduate
degree program and to finish
the Master’s degree shortly
after earning the Bachelor’s
degree. The emphasis in
Instructional technology
prepares elementary teacher
candidates for eMINTS
certification. The
Conservation Education
emphasis is sponsored by the
Missouri Department of
Conservation and designed to
engage children in real-world
indoor and outdoor
experiences that encourage a
deeper understanding of
nature and the preservation of
our natural resources.
Accepted into these four new
emphasis areas include unique
selection criteria; please visit
http://education.missouristat
e.edu/ele/default.htm for
more information.
Graduate Students Make a Strong Showing at Interdisciplinary Forum
Joanna Cemore Brigden, Ph.D.
Seven Early Childhood and
Family Development graduate
students participated in the
18th Annual Graduate
Interdisciplinary Forum on
April, 2, 2011. Our students
represented our program and
themselves well, making up
more than 17 percent of the
oral presentations given at the
Forum.
Students received excellent
feedback from the judges. The
judges encouraged publication
and further dissemination of
the research. As in previous
year, of all the presentations
given some students are chosen
as finalists to present their
research again in the afternoon
for a "competition" of sorts to
honor the top in the university.
Then top awards are given from
those finalists.
ECFD’s Rachel Martin, was
chosen as a finalist. She
presented her research
“Examination of Father
Involvement and First Grade
Students’ Motivation to Read”
again in the afternoon and she
was awarded forth place. She
was so excited and proud of her
hard work, she was beaming
with pride.
All the students showed such
camaraderie and respect for
each other. Our students
listened to each others
presentations, and showed
support and pride in their
fellow students’
accomplishments. The students
were thrilled to see their hard
work and dedication to children
and families be so wellreceived by folks from other
disciplines.
Personally, as the faculty
advisor, to see so many of my
students present their
culminating work with
excellence and pride, and show
support to their fellow
students, it was the highlight of
my professional career.
From left to right: Ashley
Ferguson, Rachel Pachmayr,
Rachel Martin, Amanda Lee,
Joanna Cemore Brigden.
The CEFS Chonricle
Student Profile
Student Profile: Kelley Wehmeier
Kelley Wehmeier is a senior
CFD major with an emphasis in
child life. She is currently
completing a practicum at St.
John’s Hospital in the Child Life
Department. Kelley originally
became interested in child life
after she determined nursing
was not her true passion, but
she still wanted to have a
career that allowed her to work
with children and families in a
health care setting. Soon after
she learned about a child life
emphasis, Kelley volunteered
at Cox South in the Child Life
Department and Kelley said of
that experience that, “it didn't
take long after working with
the patients and their families
in the hospital setting that I
knew that this is what I wanted
to do.”
Kathy Barnet
Kelley said that her current
practicum at St. John’s has
lead to many memorable
experiences, one of which was
when she was shadowing a
Child Life Specialist. The
specialist was working with a
child to prepare him for his
upcoming procedure and did so
by using developmentally
appropriate words for the
child. During the child’s
procedure, the specialist
provided distraction and
allowed play time for the child
throughout the day. “I never
realized the impact that child
life can have in the healing
process of a pediatric patient,
especially when they are
considered part of the ‘medical
team’.
Elementary Program – West Plains Campus
On Feb. 28, the College of
Education announced the
creation of the Rural Education
Center (REC) that will serve 34
rural school districts in seven
counties by providing
professional development,
support instruction, and
prepare teacher candidates to
serve as educators in rural
communities. The center is
receiving support from the
Community Foundation of the
Ozarks: Rural School
Partnership. Dr. Don Hamby,
Program Coordinator, is
coordinating programs and
services with area
administrators and educators
and has planned the first
professional development
activity for area educators on
Aug. 5. MSU Provost Dr. Belinda
McCarthy, Deputy Provost Dr.
John Catau, Associate
Commissioner of Education Dr.
Karla Eslinger, Board of
Governors’ member Mary
Shied,
Page 3 of 5
Having child life present in a
health care setting can make
a difference in the child’s
care,” Kelley said.
Kelley working with a child in
her child life practicum at St.
John’s Hospital.
Christine Combs, Ph.D.
Dr. Gary Funk and Carol Silvey
of Community Foundation of
the Ozarks, MSU College of
Education members and area
school administrators and
teachers were in attendance
for the event.
Dr. Hamby will be traveling to
Washington, D.C., at the end
April as part of the State
Consortium for Educator
Effectiveness (SCEE) from
Missouri. The focus of this
cross-state consortium effort of
32 states includes 1) standards
for learning, teaching, and
leading; 2) teacher and leader
professional growth and
support; and 3) evaluating
teaching and leading.
Congratulations to Josh
Stoltzfus and Andrea Harris of
the Teacher Completion
Program, West Plains, for being
chosen as 2011 Ozark Teacher
Corps scholarship recipients.
This program is creating a cadre
of talented teaching candidates
committed to rural education and
rural communities. The
Community Foundation of the
Ozarks’ Rural Schools Partnership
is hosting a national event in
Thomasville on May 5 and the
Ozark Teachers Corps participants
will have the opportunity to
attend this prestigious gathering.
Suzanne George Receives MSU
Community Service Award
Congratulations to Dr. Suzanne
George, Professor of Early
Childhood Education, on receiving
the MSU Excellence in Community
Service Award for Faculty. This
award is in recognition of her longstanding achievements benefiting
our community, as well as, provides
recognition of her commitment to
the MSU Public Affair Mission.
Publications
Page 4 of 5
Recent Faculty Publications
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Aram, R. J. (chief compiler)
Elementary Teacher Professional
Preparation Program Review (March
2010) Submitted to National Council
for the Accreditation of Teacher
Education (NCATE) and Association for
Childhood Education International
(ACEI) Passed---Program awarded
unconditional national recognition by
ACEI through 2017.
Branch, M. L., & Brinson, S. A.
(2007). Gone but not forgotten:
Children's experiences with
attachment, separation, and loss.
Reclaiming Children and Youth-The
Journal of Strengths-Based
Interventions,16 (3), 41-45.
Brinson S. A. “Angela Bassett.” In
Carl L. Bankston, III. (Ed.). Great
lives from history: African Americans.
Pasadena, CA: Salem Press.
Brinson S. A. “Tyler Perry.” In Carl L.
Bankston, III. (Ed.). Great lives from
history: African Americans.Pasadena,
CA: Salem Press.
Cemore, J.J., & Crase, S.J. (2010
refereed book chapter accepted).
Preschool teachers’ understanding of
make believe play. (International Play
Association- USA, School Play)
Cemore, J.J. (2010) Understanding
play at The Discovery Center. In M.A.
Cooksey & K. T. Olivares (Eds.), Quick
Hits for Service-learning: Successful
Strategies by Award-winning
Teachers. Bloomington, IN: Indiana
University Press.
Cemore, J.J. (Ed.) Play Notes. Play
Review. International quarterly
newsletter for The Association for the
Study of Play.
Cemore Brigden, J. J., & Piccolo, D.
Early Childhood and Family
Development Program Report.
Cunningham, D. (2010). Relating
preschool quality to children’s
literacy development. Early
Childhood Education Journal., 37,
501-507.
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The CEFS Chonricle
George, S. (2009). Working
with families of children with
special needs. In Grant, K. &
Ray, J. Home, School, and
Community Collaboration:
Culturally Responsive Family
Involvement. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage Publishing.
George, S. (2010). Planning for
preschool programs in Greene,
County, MO. Unpublished
sabbatical study.
Hail, C., Hurst, B., Wallace, R.,
& Camp, D. Study skill
strategies that help middle
school students learn
independently from text.
Critical Questions in Education.
Mann, M. B., Sims-Giddens, S.,
& Test, J. E. (2010). Missouri
Preschool Project. Missouri
Preschool Project Grant,
Missouri Department of
Elementary and Secondary
Education (DESE), for two
classrooms at MSU Child
Development Center.
[$105,000]
Martin, S., Meyer, J., Jones, R.
C., Nelson, L., & Ting, L.
(2010). Perceptions of
professionalism among
individuals in the child care
field. Journal Child and Youth
Care Forum, 39(5), 341-349.
Piccolo, D. L. & Test, J. (2010).
Preschoolers’ thinking during
block play. Teaching Children
Mathematics, 17, 310-316.
Ray, J.A., Pewitt-Kinder, J., &
George, S. (2009). Partnering
with families of children with
special needs. Young Children,
64(5), 16-22
Ray, J.A., Pewitt-Kinder, J.,
& George, S. (2010).
Partnering with families of
children with special needs.
In Koralek, D. (ed). Spotlight
on Teaching Preschoolers 2:
Supporting Children, Families
and Yourself. Washington,
DC: NAEYC.
“Research is to see what
everybody else has seen,
and to think what nobody
else has thought”
–Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
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Test, J. E. (2010) Final
Report for Enhancement
of the quality of care for
0- to 3-year-olds at the
MSU Child Development
Center. Child Care
Development Fund
Grant, Missouri
Department of
Elementary and
Secondary Education
(DESE).
Test, J. E., Cunningham,
D. D., & Lee, A. (2010).
Talking with young
children: How teachers
can encourage learning.
Dimensions in Early
childhood, 38(3), 3-14.
Page 5 of 5
Updates
The CEFS Chonricle
New Staff
CEFS has two new staff members in
administrative positions. Melissa
Osten and Carrie Kendall joined the
department this year and have been
of tremendous assistance. Melissa is
the department’s administrative
assistant and Carrie is the CDC’s
administrative assistant .If you have
not already, introduce yourself to
Melissa and Carrie. They have great
personalities and are always willing
to help.
Hill Hall
Clinical Field
Experiences Report
Candace Fairbairn
•The Teacher Work Sample
projects for the spring
semester are turned in and
being graded. School Districts
want to know that future
teachers understand
assessment for learning.
•Education Day, April 6, is
always well attended by both
current and past students.
Districts from Missouri and
surrounding states are
represented as they seek our
students for teaching positions
that are available in a tight job
market.
eMINTS Update
Enough applications have been
received to fill the Fall 2011
eMINTS cohort. Students chosen
to participate in the two year
inquiry and technology eMINTS
teacher training program as an
area of emphasis will attain full
eMINTS certification along with
their elementary certification
upon satisfactory completion of
program requirements.
Students must also receive a
passing grade on their eMINTS
ePortfolio which includes the
creation of a fully integrated
unit plan, an original website,
and an original WebQuest. This
ePortfolio is graded by the
eMINTS National Center in
Columbia, Mo.
Former Students Honored
Two of Missouri State’s former
students will be honored at
Outstanding Beginning Teachers
at the Missouri Association of
College of Teacher Education
(MACTE) spring conference at
the end of April at Lake of the
Ozarks. Bailey Chandler (ELE)
and Laura Bennaka (ECE) were
nominated by their university
supervisors for the prestigious
award.
Melissa Osten
Carrie Kendall
From the TEA @
Williams Elementary
•Thanks to the ELE 500
placements of TEA interns, we
now have nine MSU interns and
student teachers tutoring
lower-level readers after school
every Thursday.
•Research by Dr. Roger Sell is
being compiled on the after
school tutoring at Williams for
the 2010-2011 school year.
•A need for Smart Board
training was addressed by the
CTs at Williams. A presenter
was hired for a 2 hour SB
training---the four student
teachers at Williams and 15
members of their staff
attended this training.
From the TEA @Westport Elementary
•Westport Elementary
in Springfield is in an amazing
process of combining with Study
Middle School and Westport Park to
make a NEW school (K-8) This will
include building on to the present
facility AND adding a water park
that will rival the ones at Nixa and
Republic. This will give a whole
new atmosphere to this north-side
TEA school, as well as the whole
north side of Springfield!
Construction should begin very
soon.
•Westport Elementary is very
involved in assisting MSU preteachers to become wellqualified trained teachers.
Westport currently is hosting
four ELE student teachers, four
ECE student teachers and four
ELE 500 interns. Thanks to
Westport for supporting our
teaching program.