Education Edge 2014-15

Teach Well

Activating the brain and body for K-6 learning

behind the cover Wellness hails from many sources: physical, mental, emotional and social. That’s why when considering art for the cover of this year’s Education Edge, we discussed this concept at length with our design team. To be “well” is abstract and scientific simultaneously. In a classroom setting, teachers who integrate wellness and physical activity have the power to activate both the brain and the body, and most importantly, to educate the whole child.

SOE faculty and staff are excited to launch our new curriculum in this area, and we hope you enjoy reading about it and other great programs in this annual report. Cover design by John McCustion

e dge education

Dean David Rock, EdD

Associate Dean Amy Wells Dolan, PhD Development Officer Billy Crews Editor Andrew M. Abernathy

Assistant Editor Chaning Green

Art Director John McCustion

Photographers Robert Jordan Nathan Latil Kevin Bain

Copy Editor Sarah Jacobs

Contact Education Edge editor Andrew Abernathy at amaberna@olemiss.edu

Be a Rebel

Teach Imagine • Innovate • Inspire

education.olemiss.edu @OleMissEdSchool

Stephanie Neely (BAEd 14)

from the dean Dear Friends, Sometimes it’s hard to believe that I have served as dean of the UM School of Education for five years now.

In half a decade, the SOE has seen exceptional growth in funding, degree programs, student achievement and recruitment of new faculty. With more than 1,000 undergraduates and more than 600 graduate students, we remain one of the largest professional schools at Ole Miss, and I am fortunate to work alongside such talented and passionate individuals.

I am not the first to say that education is the noblest profession. But I want to reaffirm this nonetheless. No other trade affects all other professions so directly and affords those who practice it such opportunity to make a positive impact on the world around them.

Above all, the UM School of Education is committed to providing quality teacher, leader, counselor and higher education preparation that has an impact on student learning. That’s why I hope you will take time to read this year’s cover story, “Teach Well.” Our new endorsement program in wellness and physical activity is both innovative and necessary. We know from research that student achievement and health are directly linked.

That’s why UM is taking the lead in Mississippi to teach in a way that benefits the whole child. If we are not setting children up for health, we cannot be fully successful as educators.

I hope you enjoy this year’s edition of Education Edge.

Thank you for your support and Hotty Toddy!

Sincerely,

David Rock, EdD Dean, School of Education The University of Mississippi rock@olemiss.edu

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news sweeney leads teacher corps

SOE alumnus Joseph Sweeney (MA 06) joined the SOE in March as director of the Mississippi Teacher Corps. Established in 1989, the program provides teachers for critical-needs schools throughout the state and is an alternate route, master’s degree-granting program with more than 600 alumni nationwide.

good news for critical center

CMSE receives grant from Hearin Foundation The SOE’s Center for Mathematics and Science Education (CMSE) received a $1.6 million continuation grant in June from the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation in Jackson. Established in 2006, the CMSE provides support for K-12 STEM teachers throughout Mississippi via professional development.

The center also provides outreach for students via programs such as STEM Camp, FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics and its annual trebuchet competition. As part of the new grant, the CMSE will work more closely with the Department of Teacher Education.

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celi leads jumpstart

The SOE’s Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction became the lead unit for UM’s partnership with national nonprofit Jumpstart. The program works with universities across the nation to place college students in pre-K classrooms to work with children on the reading skills essential to being successful in the classroom. Jumpstart is in its third year at UM.

robinson lands provost fellowship

Associate professor Nichelle Robinson (MEd 94, PhD 02) became UM’s first provost fellow at the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in 2015.

Throughout the one-year fellowship, Robinson has worked toward developing a video database centered on interdisciplinary inquiry and discussion.

crews named development officer

Longtime newspaper executive Billy Crews joined the SOE in January as its new development officer. Before joining UM, Crews served as vice president for strategic partnerships at Teach for America’s Mississippi branch. He now heads fundraising efforts from within the SOE.

a better edd

Throughout the 2014-15 academic year, the SOE reworked its doctoral programs with a new focus on the professional Doctor of Education (EdD) degree. Starting this fall, UM will offer EdD programs in educational leadership, higher education and secondary mathematics education. Completed in cohorts, education professionals will complete the professional doctorates in these fields in three years of part-time study. These new programs are a result of UM’s ongoing partnership with the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, aka CPED.

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principal corps admits seventh cohort

Eleven career teachers from school districts across Mississippi joined UM’s elite educational leadership program in June. Founded in 2009, the Principal Corps has a near perfect success rate in securing educational leadership jobs for graduates, and its alumni have an average School Leaders Licensure Assessment score of 174.5. To join the program, recruits first must be nominated for admission by their district superintendent. Upon signing a contract as a principal or assistant principal, all graduates receive a $10,000 signing bonus and make a five-year commitment to serve in Mississippi public schools. To date, the program has produced 66 alumni. The Principal Corps is funded by the Barksdale Foundation and Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation.

emd program offered

UM prepares teachers for emotional disorder intervention The SOE now offers a specialized can atypically affect a child’s behavior. program to train teachers to become “Scholarly research shows that skilled interventionists in emotional students diagnosed with an EMD often behavior disorders (EMD). have unfavorable academic, behavioral UM’s 12-hour EMD program inand social outcomes and are more likely cludes four graduate-level courses and is to drop out of school or be incarcerated,” designed to help meet a rising demand Soares said. for educators in this area statewide.

By using research-based intervention and teaching techniques, educa“There is a huge need for teachers tors can help at-risk students improve who are knowledgeable of emotional behaviors in a constructive and healthy behavioral disorders and the support way. Educators who complete the proservices required for success,” said gram will qualify to receive an add-on Denise A. Soares, assistant professor license endorsement in EMD intervenand coordinator of special education at tion from the state.

UM. “We’re seeking teachers who have “Our university is committed to classroom experience and want to help providing quality teacher preparation at children who display at-risk behavall levels,” said Susan McClelland, chair iors. Students with emotional behavior of the UM Department of Teacher Edudisorders have the poorest educational, cation. “There’s a growing demand for behavioral and social outcomes of any EMD intervention, and our vision is to disability group. It is imperative that we train teachers how to provide accommo- equip teachers with research-based tools to excel in this area.” dations, interventions and supports for Currently offered at UM’s Oxford this group of students.”

According to data from the Mississip- campus, admission into the program pi Department of Education, the state has experienced a 57 percent increase in students diagnosed with emotional behavior disorders and an 8 percent decline in EMD-licensed teachers since 2009.

The UM program prepares teachers to promote academic success among students who struggle with emotional disabilities, a general term for any number of disorders that the university of mississippi school of education annual report

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requires a current Mississippi teaching license and two years’ relevant experience. Those seeking to complete the program outside a graduate degree program must apply to the UM Graduate School as a nondegree-seeking student.

“We believe that teachers can have a positive impact in this area,” Soares said. “By providing them with the resources to intervene in a school setting, it can lead to drastically improved circumstances in later life.”

EMD Courses

The new curriculum can be completed independently in one year via night and weekend classes or be applied toward a master’s or specialist degree in education at UM. The EMD program requires the following 3-hour courses: • EDSP 676: Education and Psychology of Individuals with Behavior Problems • EDSP 678: Positive Behavior Support • EDSP 680: Applied Behavior Analysis and Management • EDSP 653: Practicum and Field Experiences with Exceptionalities

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a teacher corps turnaround

With MTC support, North Panola High School boosts graduation rates 21 percent At North Panola High School in Sardis, teachers lead class with an air of confidence and most seniors plan to graduate this year. Much of that success can be traced back to support from UM’s Mississippi Teacher Corps (MTC).

Last fall, the Mississippi Department of Education revealed that North Panola, which has nearly 400 students, rose in status from a C school to a B school. For an institution that was failing in 2010, the promotion was a significant milestone.

Jamone Edwards (MEd 10), now assistant superintendent, served as principal of North Panola for four years. He is quick to praise his teachers, especially those hailing from MTC. More than one- the program has fine-tuned a process for Safety Nets North Panola built itself up by establishtraining college graduates, who often third of North Panola’s 35 teachers are ing a series of “safety nets.” From freshcurrent or former members of the corps. hail from leading universities around man year, students identified as at risk in the country, to teach and succeed in “The Teacher Corps’ impact can’t be overstated,” Edwards said. “The Teacher critical-needs schools where high teach- reading are enrolled in an extra 50-miner turnover can be the norm. To date, ute remediation period during the school Corps does a fantastic job. If you bring the program has produced more than day. On Mondays and Wednesdays, the us a new teacher who has strong con600 teachers, most who are still involved school offers afternoon tutoring. Once a tent knowledge and passion, I promise in education across the nation. semester, classes are paused for a parents’ you, we can teach them the rest.”

At North Panola, MTC has placed day to ensure that every parent, especialWhile lasting change comes slowly in new teachers for the last eight years; ly those working irregular hours, have education, veteran teachers at the school however, the relationship between the the chance to sit down with faculty. will tell you that North Panola is drasschool and program has improved drastiWhen a student fails a required test tically different from what it was four years ago. Since 2010, the graduation rate cally in the last four. MTC administration for graduation, he or she is enrolled in seeks to place groups of teachers within a special 40-minute remediation class has risen from 49 percent to nearly 72 called Learning Strategies to focus on a percent. In subjects such as Algebra I and schools with supportive principals who will provide the direction that is essential particular content area.

U.S. History, students’ test scores surpass in the development of new teachers.

Hannah Olivier (MA 10) is a five-year state averages. Last year, North Panola “Nothing works in a school unscience teacher at North Panola and a graduates received college scholarships graduate of Millsaps College in Jackson, valued at more than $2 million — up from less you have a principal who is there to support the teachers; that means where she majored in chemistry before $200,000 in 2010. visiting their classrooms, giving them joining MTC. During her time at the “During my first year here I saw that advice and backing them up,” said MTC high school, she’s witnessed a rejuvenathe teachers did not feel supported,” he tion of the once-failing school, especialco-founder Andrew Mullins (PhD 92). said. “We have to make sure the envily in the attitudes of the students.

An alternate-route program, the ronment is conducive to teaching and “Students take school very seriousMTC is a two-year commitment and relearning. I believe in shared leadership ly now,” said Olivier, who is also the because, ultimately, it’s the teachers who sults in a master’s degree in curriculum school’s science instructional coach. “Stuand instruction from UM. Acceptance will carry out the plan.” into the program is highly competitive dents are interested to try new things.

A lot of kids are asking questions about and includes a full-time teaching job at Corps Values a critical-needs school in Mississippi colleges. It’s a very different culture here Founded in 1989, MTC is supported by and full tuition for graduate studies. than when I started. It’s really great to the state Legislature and provides some Throughout the two-year program, the see kids encourage each other and comof Mississippi’s most demanding secteachers return to UM seven times a sepete with each other to try and break into ondary classrooms with new teachers mester for course work with UM faculty. the top-10 or top-20 spots in their class.” every year. Over a quarter of a century, education edge

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metp in d.c.

NEW LEADERSHIP

Some 15 undergraduate fellows in the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program spent spring break in Washington, D.C., to gain a close-up glance at how education policy is crafted and administered at the national level.

Throughout the 2014-15 academic year, METP students studied education policy in specialized seminars. One of the most valuable scholarships in the nation, UM just accepted its third cohort of METP fellows. The new group of 16 hails from 10 states and has an average ACT of 29.3.

Niemeyer named interim chair of Leadership and Counselor Education Ryan Niemeyer (PhD 08) was named interim chair of the SOE’s Department of Leadership and Counselor Education in July. The appointment marks the fourth major move for Niemeyer at UM. An associate professor of educational leadership, he also serves as director of the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program and has served as co-director of the Mississippi Teacher Corps and director of UM’s campus in Grenada.

Leadership and Counselor Education is a graduate department offering master’s, specialist and doctoral degrees in the fields of counseling, educational leadership and higher education.

2015 impact award winners

McCarthy, Patton, Reynolds, Williams recognized for teaching Four recent graduates from the Department of Teacher Education received 2015 Griffin Family IMPACT in Education Awards in recognition of excellence in the classroom. The group included Mississippi Teacher Corps member Kathryn McCarthy (MA 15), Lafayette Elementary School teacher Lauren Patton (MEd 15), special education alumna Christi Reynolds (BAEd 15) and elementary education alumna Jennifer Lee Williams (BAEd 15). In addition to being recognized at the SOE’s annual awards ceremony on May 8, each received a $1,000 award. Each winner was nominated for the award by their peers and was selected by SOE faculty. The award is made possible by a 2013 $125,000 donation from longtime UM benefactors Ed and Jan Trehern (BAEd 77), who created the awards program in honor McCarthy Patton Reynolds Williams of Jan’s parents, Ralph and Jerry Griffin.

the education minute

Facebook Series Prepares for Second Season The SOE's original Facebook series, The Education Minute, will return in August.

A micro news program, each minute-long episode updates UM friends, donors and alumni about the latest news and information each month and is hosted by UM academic counselor Kelvin Willingham.

Launched last January, the first season ran thorough May and each episode typically reached more than 40,000 viewers nationwide. Season two will run from August 2015 through May 2016.

Watch the Education Minute and follow the SOE on Facebook at Facebook.com/ OleMissEdSchool the university of mississippi school of education annual report

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omg, ftc!

High school robotics program grows 975 percent The UM Center for Mathematics and Science Education hosted 47 teams of high school-age robotics enthusiasts during Mississippi’s third annual FIRST Tech Challenge state robotics competition in February. The FTC robotics program was established in 2012 with just four teams statewide. The program has grown by 975 percent in three years.

More than 400 students participated in the 2015 statewide competition at UM.

celi helps dundee elementary

Delta school earns A rating with UM support Through its professional development partnership, UM literacy specialists from the Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction helped Dundee Elementary School in Tunica achieve an A rating from the Mississippi Department of Education in 2015. The school reported 94.4 percent of Dundee’s 216 students showed significant improvement in reading with 67 percent reading above the 80th percentile.

Annual Giving TeachLivE is a top annual-giving priority. Your gift of $25, $100, $250, $500 or more provides 700 junior students a cutting-edge experience in our virtual classroom.

To learn more, contact Development Officer Billy Crews at wlcrews@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2836 or visit education.olemiss.edu.

Imagine • Innovate • Inspire

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cutting edge staff

Kelvin Willingham

Academic Counselor/ Phase II Officer Hometown: Taylor, Mississippi His side project

Host, The Education Minute (Facebook series)

Message for students

“Life is full of twists, turns and speed bumps.

School is no different; it is an oasis of opportunities and challenges, so enjoy the journey. Use your resources, get involved, stay committed, keep your GPA up, and you will be successful.”

Working at UM

“Ole Miss is a community of lifelong learners and working in such an atmosphere promotes growth. Being an academic counselor gives me the opportunity to help guide students through the collegiate process. I love helping students find 'good fits' and solutions. Ole Miss has definitely been a 'good fit' for me.”

Future Plans

“I am currently applying to graduate school with hopes of earning an MBA with an emphasis in finance after which I plan to teach and pursue a PhD. I’m also currently writing and recording music with hopes of releasing an album in the near future.“

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cutting edge alumni

D.T. Shackelford

MA 14 Development Officer, Ole Miss Athletics Foundation Former Rebel Linebacker Hometown: Decatur, Alabama On studying higher education:

“In my hometown, not too many people make it to college. It was coincidental how I ended up playing Ole Miss football but also learning to love the academic side of college, as well. In addition to pushing myself athletically, I wanted to see how far I could go academically. I’m the first in my family to finish college and the first to earn a master’s degree.”

Proudest moment at UM

“There are so many. But I think it has to be winning the Chucky Mullins Award twice. For me, that was huge because it had never been done before. I’ve met so many amazing people. I’m blessed because there are just so many moments to choose from.“

His new role

“Right now I’m working as a development assistant in the UM Athletics Foundation. I’m focusing a lot more on the annual giving side of things and learning what it will take to become an athletics director one day. Playing on the field, I didn’t know what it took to fill stands and renew my scholarship every year. This opportunity is definitely a huge blessing.”

Giving back

“This summer, I was invited to help host the Jeremiah Castille Character Camp in my hometown of Decatur. It was at my high school. The camp brings together athletes who have played in college and in the NFL to work with kids. The focus is not just on football; it’s all about developing character.”

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cutting edge faculty

K.B. Melear, PhD

Professor of Higher Education 2015 Outstanding Teacher Hometown: Franklinton, Louisiana Teaching philosophy

“I want to challenge students to develop their critical-thinking skills and encourage them to become productive citizens of the university community. I also firmly embrace the inclusion of international perspectives across my courses to build cultural competencies and an understanding of how public policy affects all members of a global society. In the end, I want our students to be informed, discerning and engaging.”

Favorite course to teach

“Law and finance of higher education are my expertise areas. I also enjoy teaching Comparative Higher Education, a study abroad course I created 10 years ago. Through that course, 60 of our higher education students have studied international higher education systems with me in England and South Africa, resulting in a number of international practicum experiences and two professional placements at universities in London and Port Elizabeth, South Africa.”

From CPA to PhD

“I’ve always been fascinated by how educational institutions function. After working for a Big Six accounting firm, I began a PhD in higher education at Florida State University and then worked as a policy analyst for the Florida Legislature. All of these experiences inform my teaching and research, and I draw on my professional background to provide practical perspectives from the field.”

Proudest moment at UM

“Without question, it’s seeing our successful and engaged students as alumni. I’m delighted when our students enter the profession and exercise the skills they have developed in the program to the benefit of colleges, universities and communities. On occasion, students have shared with me that courses such as Comparative Higher Education changed their lives — what more can a professor ask for than that?” the university of mississippi school of education annual report

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cutting edge undergraduate Ryley Blomberg

METP Fellow/ Orientation Leader Hometown: Belleville, Illinois Why she chose education

“Being an educator puts you in the position to create positive impacts that translate into significant changes for the better. Interacting with children everyday and creating a positive environment for them to learn can have a huge impact on the rest of their lives.”

Why she chose Ole Miss

“I spent nearly every summer of my childhood with my mother’s family in Georgia, and I loved it. The South is such a different environment from Illinois where I grew up, and I always knew that I wanted to go to a SEC school.”

Why she chose METP

“In my opinion, METP is the single best teacher scholarship program out there. The support we have from everyone in the SOE, from the dean to the faculty and staff, is just outstanding. It really makes me feel appreciated as a student.”

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cutting edge graduate student Jessica Simpson

BAEd 03, MEd 04 PhD Candidate/Graduate Instructor Hometown: Oxford, Mississippi Research Inspiration

“During my time as a teacher in Tennessee, I taught students with varying degrees of a variety of disabilities. In my classroom, I tried to make sure the environment was as inviting and calming as possible. Adjusting the amount of direct sunlight and the number of overhead classroom lights helped me accomplish this. Over time, I discovered that there is a growing amount of research related to how lighting affects academic growth and behaviors we see in the classroom. It became my ‘research niche.’”

Teaching philosophy

“Every lesson must be approached with thoughtful planning strategies to ensure authentic learning opportunities that lead to complete understanding for every child.”

Why she chose Ole Miss

“When I learned about a new PhD in Special Education at UM, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to be a part of it.”

Her role model

“Kim Lampkins is the principal at Crosswind Elementary School in Collierville, Tennessee, where I taught for five years. She is the epitome of greatness as an professional educator - aware, organized, committed, flexible and supportive. I want to be just like her!”

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teach abc

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well m

ississippi schools are facing a stockpile of challenges in the 21st century, and the health and wellness of students is, without doubt, an immediate concern.

A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found 21.7 percent of 10- to 17-year-olds in Mississippi are obese — placing them at a high risk for hypertension and Type 2 diabetes. By adulthood, that statistic surpasses 35 percent. A 2010 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found U.S. children spend close to seven-anda-half inactive hours each day in front of TV or computer screens. Data from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education suggest only one in three U.S. children is active daily. The unsettling data grow each year.

However, University of Mississippi School of Education faculty members have a vision to help tackle this challenge by training a new type of teacher for the K-6 classroom. The goal is nothing short of a paradigm shift in teacher preparation, and, with help from expert faculty and $1.2 million in private support from the Bower Foundation in Ridgeland, UM’s effort is well underway.

“Our goal is for elementary education graduates to teach in a way that benefits the whole child,” said Alicia Stapp, assistant professor of teacher

education and coordinator of UM’s new endorsement program in wellness and physical activity for teachers.

“Integrating wellness and physical activity into academics benefits all forms of intelligence including academic, physical and social. We know from research that there is a direct correlation between cognition and physical health.

Our teachers will know this, too.”

Last May, the Mississippi Department of Education in Jackson issued a new license credential for K-6 teachers based on UM’s new 12-hour curriculum. Currently, Ole Miss is the only university in Mississippi offering the required courses for the endorsement, and it is now optional for all UM elementary education majors.

A veteran of public schools in central Florida, Stapp joined UM in 2014 to design and implement the program.

Her primary research interest involves the integration of movement into K-6 instruction. She paints a vivid picture of the benefits.

Imagine this: An elementary school teacher uses holistic and active teaching methods to help students learn language arts, mathematics, reading, social studies and more. Lessons integrate movement and music for at least 30 minutes each day. This quickens blood flow, releases endorphins and helps students think more clearly and solve problems more quickly. Attention spans rise. Behavior problems fall.

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Activating the brain and body for K-6 learning

by Andrew M. Abernathy

And, over time, the risks for obesity and other health issues decrease, too.

Research even suggests that standardized test scores can go up in this kind of environment.

“Movement is a powerful teaching tool,” Stapp said. “When teachers thoughtfully integrate elements of physical activity into the classroom, we elevate the learning experience.”

Beyond the Classroom By focusing on K-6 learning, UM faculty members hope educational environments that are active and wellness-focused will have long-term benefits for students beyond the classroom.

“Habits — both good and bad — are often solidified in children by age 10,” said Dr. J. Edward Hill, vice chairman of the Mississippi State Board of Health. “Data show that even just 10 minutes of aerobic exercise can improve retention and test scores. This is because physical activity pumps oxygen-rich blood to the brain. We know children who are healthy are not the ones dropping out of school.”

Hill, a longtime proponent of public health education, spent more than 20 years in private practice in the Mississippi Delta and is a fellow in the American Academy of Family Physicians. While there are many dangers to prolonged inactivity and poor nutrition, the primary health concerns for inactive children are obesity, hypertension and education edge

Type 2 diabetes, Hill said. He recalled a time when family physicians rarely diagnosed children ages 8-10 with diabetes. Today, he said, it’s not uncommon to diagnose diabetes or pre-diabetes in children weekly. The good news is such conditions are manageable and often reversible. One of Hill’s primary prescriptions for children is 150-300 minutes of aerobic exercise per week.

He also noted that chronic inactivity and poor health is having a negative economic impact in the state.

“In 2011, Mississippi spent $2.4 trillion on health care,” he said. “Half of that cost goes to treating completely preventable health conditions.

You might say we can’t afford to do anything about this, but I say we can’t afford not to.”

different results. Some might think you can’t teach children to learn math and science while doing a physical activity.

But, we know we can.”

After UM authored a successful grant proposal, a partnership was forged. The concept for a wellness endorsement for teachers appealed to Bower’s mission to improve health statewide.

“The important thing for all of us to learn is that when you exercise your body, you’re also exercising your brain,” said Anne Travis, CEO of the Bower Foundation. “For us, funding this program is an upstream effort. We’ve worked with school

The important thing for all of us to learn is that when you exercise your body, you’re also exercising your brain.

Wellness Partners The inspiration for UM’s wellness and physical activity endorsement has roots in another program funded by Bower. The Move to Learn initiative, established in 2012 and led by energetic spokesman “Coach” Larry Calhoun, visits elementary schools across the state to motivate students to be up and moving each day. The organization also helps educators adopt similar techniques in their own lesson plans with free educational videos on DVD or via download or streaming.

In 2013, UM School of Education Dean David Rock, who had just learned of Move to Learn, met with members of the organization for the first time. Rock, a former middle school math teacher, became inspired. Why not train UM student teachers for similar success?

“Our children are our most valuable resource,” Rock said. “If we’re not thinking of their health, we are not setting them up for success. We are absolutely crazy if we think we can keep doing things the same way and get

nutrition and fitness initiatives for years; now we hope to make an impact much earlier in the careers of classroom teachers.”

Move to Learn results have shown that many students are more eager to attend classes each day and are able to better concentrate on course work after exercising, Travis said. A five-minute Move to Learn session helps refuel the brain for learning. Many teachers who have adopted the program use the videos to transition from one subject to another throughout the day.

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— Anne Travis

CEO of the Bower Foundation

Following Bower’s initial investment in UM in 2013, Travis and Coach Calhoun visited UM on Oct. 25 and led more than 300 junior and senior education majors in a Move to Learn lesson at the Jackson Avenue Center. Then UM senior Kristen Saltzman (BAEd 15) became inspired to incorporate Move to Learn into student teaching that year in her second-grade class at Lafayette Elementary School in Oxford.

“I led a session every day before announcements,” said Saltzman, who is pursuing a master’s degree in deaf education at the University of Southern Mississippi. “Some, of course, were not interested in it at first, but, once they started moving more, I saw their eyes light up. It made me realize that I could incorporate movement into every lesson.”

Saltzman further explained the many ways she began to shape her lesson plans to include movement. For spelling, she encouraged her students to form their bodies to resemble letters and spell out words, one at a time or sometimes in a group. For vocabulary, she asked her students to act out verbs and emotions. During one lesson on geometric shapes, all 19 of her students huddled together and extended their arms to form a cube.

“On test days, they knew certain answers because they’d spent so much time acting them out,” Saltzman said.

“It was wonderful to see.”

The Next Step In May 2016, UM will produce its first group of wellness-driven teachers who will be equipped with the pedagogical training to implement wellness curricula into K-6 schools. With more than 700 students, elementary education is the largest professional major at Ole Miss, and the endorsement has the potential to make a significant workforce

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impact. UM’s plan is to use existing partnerships with school districts, especially critical-needs districts, to find places for these new teachers to teach and succeed with peer support.

“This program has the potential to positively affect thousands of students and teachers,” said Susan McClelland, chair of the UM Department of Teacher Education. “Dr. Stapp has done an exceptional job in designing a program to motivate our students to make schools happier and healthier places to learn.”

Stapp and other faculty at the UM School of Education spent the spring semester marketing the program to upcoming juniors and seniors as they prepare to offer the first sections of the new course work throughout the 201516 academic year.

“I would say that I’ve always had a general interest in wellness,” said UM junior Amber Sims, who will begin the program in August. “I’m really looking forward to learning more about wellness and physical activity and how I can be that kind of teacher. It really makes me look forward to student teaching.”

One of the major battles for the new program may be misconception.

The wellness and physical activity endorsement is no traditional PE program. The Ole Miss program focuses on success in the academic classroom and how to link academic standards with wellness opportunities.

“Every subject has academic standards that you need to meet, and we’ve found that you can actually be more effective when you integrate physical activity into the academic curriculum,”

Stapp said. “If I’m teaching vocabulary, I can have students memorize a definition at their desks. Or, I could have them draw the word out in a picture, then physicalize it through creative movement. This makes the abstract word more concrete for students.

That’s the creative part of teaching — seeing the connections between standards and opportunities.”

For more information about the endorsement program in wellness and physical activity, visit teachwell. olemiss.edu.

For more information about Move to Learn, visit movetolearnms.org.

Andrew M. Abernathy is a communications specialist at the UM School of Education and the editor of Education Edge.

Endorsement Curriculum The SOE’s wellness and physical activity endorsement prepares future teachers to integrate wellness into all aspects of K-6 teaching and learning.

EDWP 340 Integrated Music and Movement for the Elementary Classroom Introduces fundamental music and movement concepts, skills and vocabulary that enable students to broadly experience music and movement in relation to cognition.

EDWP 341 Essential Concepts of Wellness Integration for the Elementary Classroom Provides an introduction to wellness content, concepts and skills within the context of a classroom.

Students explore foundations of anatomy, physiology and nutrition.

EDWP 342 Methods for Integrated Wellness and Physical Activity in the Elementary Classroom An overview of methods for effective wellness and physical activity integration. An emphasis is placed on development of lessons and assessments.

EDWP 343 Classroom Implementation of Wellness and Physical Activity A practical approach to wellness instruction wherein students plan, implement and reflect through observation, peer teaching, self and peer assessment.

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out and about SOE Annual Awards Reception, Friday, May 8, 2015

SOE Hall of Fame Inductee Jerome Smith (red and blue tie) and family

SOE staff members Sarah Jacobs and Blake Adams

Ian Turnage-Butterbaugh, Professor Lori Wolf with Stephanie and Patricia Bell

Donna, David and Lauren Patton with Caitlyn Kimball, guest, Andrea Rucker and Haley Wilson

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Anita, Emily Carol and Mike Alef

Theron, Kendall and Derya King

Associate Professor Ellen Foster with Bob Dalton

Stani Schiavone and Sofia Idoyaga

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Boothe Higgins with Kathryn McCarthy

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Associate Professor Virginia Moore with Nicole Herbert

Bob with Terri Hovious

Sierra, Eddie and Cerita Anderson

Hunter and Jenny Soloman with guest

education edge

Tiffany Gregory with Coulter Ward

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the university of mississippi school of education annual report

SOE Faculty: Assistant Professor Nancy Douglass, Associate Professor Jerilou Moore, and Assistant Professor Diane Lowry

Caryl Vogel with Elizabeth, Kim and Bruce Day

Dean David Rock with 2015 SOE Hall of Fame Inductees Jerome Smith, Judith Reynolds and Milton Kuykendall

SOE Faculty: Professor Joe Sumrall, Associate Professor Michael Mott, Assistant Dean Kaye Pepper, Associate Professor Ann Monroe and Assistant Professor Joel Amidon the university of mississippi school of education annual report

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education edge

donors we appreciate our

Fiscal Year 2015

Patron $25,000+ The Bower Foundation Donna and James L. Barksdale Trehern Charitable Foundation The Robert M. Hearin Foundation

Benefactor $10,000 to $24,999 Jumpstart For Young Children, Inc. Madison Charitable Foundation, Inc. North Ms Ed Consortium Inc

Executive $5,000 to $9,999 Carl E. Lindgren Marye and Paul H. Moore, Sr. Melody and Ronald Musgrove

Advocate $2,500 to $4,999 Enterprise Holdings Foundation

Associate $1,000 to $2,499 Sandra H. Carlton Chevron Texaco Elizabeth R. and John R. Cleveland Deloitte Foundation ExxonMobil Foundation Julie M. and Michael T. Hearne P. Gail and G. R. Jones, Jr. Raymond Murov Jean M. Shaw Christopher Speer Ginny L. and William H. Street, Jr. Margaret J. Varshock Diane S. and Paul G. Walker Martha S. and Donald Q. Weaver

Steward $500 to $999 Eugene R. Anderson Allan E. Bellman Catherine and Billy Crews Collett B. Cross Carol A. and William J. Dunn Leslie K. Farr Ann and Gene Henson education edge

William A. Ivy Joe James Jane N. Jones Sheila D. and Neil B. Jurinski Sue T. and Edmund D. Keiser, Jr. Lenora R. Lott Rosemary Oliphant-Ingham Claire H. and Logan Phillips, Jr. Michelle L. and David Rock Susan P. and David C. Shaw Susan B. Skinner Helen W. and Francis M. Stevens Linda B. and Turner W. Tyson II

Senior Partner $250 to $499 Bonnie P. and Taylor D. Buntin III Sara J. and Thomas R. Burke Kathryn M. and Mark J. Chaney, Sr. Martha and Brent S. Chumbler Amy E. Wells Dolan Clara S. and Burl Hunt Joyce O. Jenkins Laura D. Jolly Joette Kelley-Brown and Stephen R. Brown Susan S. and Ben McClelland Jenifer K. McMillan Billie Ruth A. Moore Sandra S. Morris Rebecca G. Pace Victoria G. and Barry Pekich Carson Reed Janet R. and Gary W. Scott Mollie G. Smith Jessica C. Thorpe Patsy G. and Gary W. Walker Barbara E. White

Partner $100 to $249 Gregory D. Adkins Glenda K. Alderson Mary J. and James E. Ashmore Marie and Robert W. Barnard Deanna S. and John W. Beam, Jr. Judy G. and Roland A. Blanco Brenda Windham-Bolen and J. David Bolen 20

Joan W. Bossung Janet H. Bowman Annette M. and James R. Bryson Virginia W. and Charles G. Campbell Hilda L. Casin Donald G. Clark, Jr. Denice W. Cross Charles W. Crouch, Jr. Sharon L. Crouch Janet G. and Bert B. Cupit June Czerniawski Josephine W. Davis Laura Y. and Raymond M. Dearman, Jr. Kinnie Divine Gail W. Dossett Carole S. and William M. Dye, Jr. Macey T. and S. Gray Edmondson Mimi W. and Keith Eide Peggy Emerson Amani S. Floyd John C. Fourcade, Jr. Keith J. Fourcade Jan W. and Eric S. Freimark Lela K. Hale Patty B. and David P. Harner Sheri M. Harts Robyn J. Hassell Lara J. Hayes Nell J. and Thomas R. Hodge Jerrie and James D. Jackson Sandra M. Kane Kenneth L. Kauerz Shirley S. and Donald H. Keith Margaret and Roy Kinney Amy R. and Robert Koehler Lynda L. Kosciolek Verda J. and John D. Laws, Jr. Lynda M. and Ernest B. Lipscomb III JoAnne and Larry J. Mardis Dana W. Markham Betty M. Marquis Mary F. and Walter M. Mathews Zella C. McDonald Sue J. McFadden Virginia A. and G. L. Mears Kerry B. Melear Monica R. Meredith

Lillie C. and Jesse D. Merriweather Eugenia A. Minor Bobbie R. Montgomery Judy G. and Paul M. Moore, Jr. Sylvester A. Moorhead Jean S. and James E. Nichols Josephine I. Njoku June W. Parham Andrea C. Payne and Raymond Payne Betty L. Peebles E. Gaye Pitts Kathryn Plants Judy H. Poe Pontotoc Civitan Club Connie C. and Randle O. Poss Donnis N. and James G. Prather W. Richard Prine Charlotte L. Quinley Carolyn T. and Jimmy H. Reeves Judith M. and E. D. Reynolds, Jr. Robert E. Ringer Sydney J. and Richard S. Ruble Linda E. and Paul E. Sabin Patricia S. and Dwayne P. Sagen Lisa L. Sanders Lucille A. and Robert E. Schiller Sharon Shilling Patricia F. and G. Witt Smith, Jr. Rutha Smith-Carr Tara B. Sparks Doris A. Stanton Ann M. and John L. Stasi Paul A. Stewart Martha Stinnett Cytha Stottlemyer Michael J. Sturman Molly M. Tanner Patricia S. Terry Tracey L. Till Jamie D. Ungerleider Ryan L. Upshaw Wanikka T. Vance Gwen Vanderfin Kristian J. Walker Vicki L. and Patrick L. Washington Richard Watters Dianna L. and Mark C. Webb Renee J. and Nick A. Webb

the university of mississippi school of education annual report

Rheta A. and J. Wayne West Thelma S. and Arzell Wilson Rebecca B. and Michael B. Young Cuihua and Yang Zhang

Friend $1 to $99 Ann J. and H. Dale Abadie Lindsey M. and Andrew M. Abernathy Charles H. Alexander, Jr. Emily G. and Phillip J. Bailey Jon D. Barnett Carol A. and Thomas E. Bates Ann M. and Robert J. Beebe Fred A. Bell III Janey U. and Leland J. Bigger Lesca K. Black Jean P. Blackston Susan H. and Paul P. Blake Marietta L. Blunt Cheryl K. and Melvin R. Booker, Jr. Demetria T. and William R. Bouchillon Erie J. Bowen Margaret A. Boyer Elizabeth W. and W. D. Brandon, Sr. Brenda P. and Bub Brannan Margaret C. Briley Hazel Brooks-Johnson Cheryl P. Brown Donna T. and Earl D. Browning Rudolph V. Burdine Amanda N. Byrd Pamela J. Cain Frances A. Calvery April M. Caraway Maria D. Carrera Perry L. Cartlidge Shunta A. and Eddie A. Chevis Regina T. Childers Shawn C. Clark Sue H. Cook Finney H. and Peter M. Couhig Faye W. and David W. Cox W. Michael Cox Peggy R. and Lloyd H. Crossley Teresa S. Crum Ginger R. Daniels

Deidre P. and Stephen Davis, Jr. Sara W. Davis Diana D. Delcambre Mardie O. Dixon Kay A. and Donald W. Durden Jack Eady Mary S. Enright Carol A. Feather Frank F. Fernandez, Jr. Marguerite C. Ford Betsy H. and Robert O. Friedl Linda F. and Richard S. Glaze Richard D. Goodwin Catherine W. and Charles Grace Bradley J. Gray Dale A. Hair Carolyn B. and Jerry M. Hall Jennifer J. Hall Minnie T. Harris Terre B. and Samuel H. Harris Beverly E. Hays Joanna P. and James B. Heidel Mary G. Herrington Pamela R. Hill-Cunningham Jane F. and R. Mark Hinkle Rosemary H. and Oliver H. Hopkins, Jr. Annie Glenn J. Howell Sharon K. Hudson Muriel S. and Kenneth P. Hughes Matthew E. Hunt Carrie and Douglas W. Ingram Marsha V. and M. Kirby Jackson Vernon Jackson Anita M. and Carl D. James Sarah M. Jenkins Sherry L. Johnson Michael B. Joiner Bettina C. Jones Courtney N. Jones Norma J. Jones Joyce D. Jurik Hsin-Yi Kao Lisa C. Karmacharya Annie B. Kelly Carolyn C. and Donald E. Kessinger Kelly Tellis-Warren and Derek King James R. King

Inda M. and Kenneth A. Kleinschmidt, Sr. Anna M. and Paul Koshenina Kim Lawrence Margaret C. Lay Kathryn B. and Richard H. Leigh Ken W. Lence, Jr. Timothy D. Letzring Susan R. and L. Cooper Lewis Heather C. Linville Claire K. Long Enley R. and Raiford N. Long III Mary M. and Claude D. Malone, Jr. Kristi R. Marcantel Dorothy M. Martin Valerie M. Mathis Eloise H. and Walter P. May Linda B. Mayer Willa J. McCarthy Margaret S. McGuire Joshua L. McIntyre Sarah C. and Michael S. McLellan John D. Meeks Larry J. Middleton David Miller Carol J. Moody Pamela N. Moore Victoria Moore Sturleen D. Butler-Morris and Anthony L. Morris Anna M. Nelson Jennifer L. Nelson Mineasa T. Nesbit Angie Newlin Linda J. Northrup William A. Parchman Janice S. Parrish Margaret T. Patton Elizabeth G. Peterson Wanda B. Pettey Maudann W. and Michael E. Phillips Kimberly N. Pierce Sharone S. Powell Cecil W. Puckett Rachel L. Red Annie L. Rice Sherrie S. Rikard Marion T. Riley James A. Robertson, Jr.

Ernestine and Charles Rosenbaum Casonya N. Ross Frances A. Sam Ben Sams Irvin Sanders Elizabeth H. and David G. Sansing Jane L. Sarphie Donald N. Schillinger, Jr. Katherine D. and Brian J. Schnitta Jane A. Scholl Anthony C. Sedlacek Susan M. Sharpe Cody S. Shumaker Shonturia L. Simmons Jennifer D. and Adam R. Slovensky Susan H. Smith Cassandra Spearman Elizabeth Y. Spence W. St. Amand L. Gail Stables Sarah L. Strzalka Linda P. and Eugene W. Sullivan Kristen M. and William J. Sumrall Linda C. and James H. Taylor, Jr. Willa J. Terry M. Sue Tettleton Jill and James F. Thomas, Jr. Peggy A. Threadgill Lisa C. and Bobby A. Towery, Jr. Sylvia M. and L. E. Tropp III Karla W. Tubertini Daniel H. Turnell Barbara H. Tutless Kay S. and J. Larry Tyler Teresa L. Vails Betty W. Vance Gail W. Veazey Karen Vincent Delora and Joseph P. Walker, Sr. Charlotte B. and H. R. Wallace Laurie J. Washington Sarah K. Wheeler Widmeyer Communications Linda F. Wilkinson Amanda and Jonathan C. Winburn Maggie L. Winters Richard C. Wittorf, Jr. Lauren G. and Jon A. Zarandona

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 66 Oxford, MS 38655

Guyton Hall P.O. Box 1848 University, MS 38677-1848

Join the 1903 Society Today Build a lasting endowment

The newly established 1903 Society will achieve the School of Education’s first $1 million endowment.

A lifetime membership with special recognition requires a $10,000 investment (payable over two years).

Our endowment will provide $40,000-$50,000 annually to fund top-priority initiatives.

Annual membership requires a yearly $1,000 donation.

To learn more, contact Development Officer Billy Crews at wlcrews@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2836 or visit education.olemiss.edu

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SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

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