Outstanding Educators Formed Friendship, Path to Success at UMW
![UMW grads Amelia Carr (left) and Shelby Press met during their first college class and became best friends. Press was named Fairfax County Public Schools’ Outstanding Elementary New Teacher this year. Carr received the honor in 2021. Photo courtesy of Fairfax County Public Schools.](https://eagleeye.umw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Screen-Shot-2022-07-14-at-11.19.37-AM-300x236.png)
McCall, Hydorn and Clayton Receive Grant
Dr. Venitta McCall, professor of the College of Education, Dr. Debra Hydorn, professor of mathematics and Dr. Courtney Clayton, assistant professor of the College of Education have received a $35,600 grant from the Virginia Department of Education. The purpose of the grant is to train 30 teachers from critical teacher shortage areas in Spotsylvania County, Stafford County and Fredericskburg City to become Clinical Faculty members for the College of Education.
Selected teachers will be trained in effective mentoring practices, in best practices for instructing English Language Learners and in using learning analytics – the appropriate collection, use and analysis of data to facilitate instructional improvement. Research has shown that having highly skilled Clinical Faculty is a key component in enhancing teacher retention.
Gift Supports New Makerspace Program
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Left to Right: UMW Professor of Education George Meadows, Interim Dean of the UMW College of Education Nina Mikhalevsky, Dominion External Affairs Manager James Beazley, and UMW Vice President for Advancement and University Relations Torre Meringolo
The University of Mary Washington received a $15,000 gift to support its “E3 Makerspace Network.” Awarded by the Dominion Foundation, the funds will help create a collaborative network with two UMW colleges, the Friends of the Rappahannock, and the England Run Branch of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library system.
UMW Professor of Education George Meadows says the new network will sustain and expand makerspace technology and the engineering/design process to provide creative approaches to teaching about energy and the environment as well as researching and developing technological solutions to environmental problems.
“UMW students from the College of Education and students enrolled in science disciplines within the College of Arts and Sciences can now do some exciting things with real world technology and applications,” says Meadows. “The fact that we will be collaborating with area organizations to solve problems and share solutions makes for a great teaching environment.”
Out of nearly 400 applications for the 2015-16 academic year, the Dominion Foundation awarded grants totaling $1.5 million to more than 140 schools and educational institutions in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Dominion Foundation grants are funded by shareholder dollars and support nonprofit causes that meet basic human needs, protect the environment, promote education and encourage community vitality.
Gifts count toward the $50-million Mary Washington First Campaign, which began July 1, 2011. As of Sept. 15, 2015, Mary Washington alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff, and businesses have committed $41 million in gifts and pledges. The Campaign is scheduled to conclude June 30, 2016. Visit http://umw.edu/marywashingtonfirst or call 540-654-2059 for more information.
College of Education Co-Hosts Kindergarten Transition Conference
The University of Mary Washington College of Education, Smart Beginnings Rappahannock Area and Germanna Community College came together Saturday, Nov. 8 to host the inaugural Smart Beginnings Rappahannock Area Kindergarten Transition Conference.
Early childhood educators, caregivers, kindergarten teachers and school administrators participated in the event with the theme “Peek-A-Who,” which focused on cultural diversity, self-reflection and enhancing school-family-community partnerships.
The event featured a keynote presentation by Ken Smythe-Leistico from the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development. He is a nationally recognized early childhood education expert on transition best practices and developed the “Ready Freddy” program, which is being used by Smart Beginnings Rappahannock Area.
Gardner Presents at Conferences
Roberta Gardner, assistant professor in the College of Education Department of Curriculum and Instruction, presented a paper, “Moving from Essence to Tentative Manifestations in Post-Intentional Phenomenology,” at the International Congress of Qualitative Research held at the University of Illinois May 21-24.
Gardner also presented research at the International Reading Association Conference May 11 in New Orleans, La. Her research presentation at IRA highlighted the socio-cultural dimensions of race, place, class, and gender as lived experience variables that inform and animate the literate lives of children. Gardner’s literacy research employing lived experience methodology is highlighted in the recently released book Crafting Phenomenological Research (Vagle, 2014).
Educator-in-Residence Talks Leadership with Graduates
![Martha Abbott '72, the 2014 Educator-in-Residence, shows attendees the beanie she wore as a student at UMW.](http://www.umw.edu/news/files/2014/04/Martha-Abbott-EIR-300x232.gif)
![Laura Gomez (left) received the Barbara Bishop Mann (right) Award.](http://www.umw.edu/news/files/2014/04/Gomez-Barbara-Bishop-Mann-300x212.gif)
![Olivia Costello received the Outstanding Master of Education Student Award.](http://www.umw.edu/news/files/2014/04/Olivia-Costello-196x300.gif)
COE Faculty Present at AERA Conference
Janine Davis, Courtney Clayton, and John Broome, all assistant professors in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, presented their research at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association on “The Power of Educational Research for Innovation in Practice and Policy” in Philadelphia on April 6, 2014. Their study investigates the ways that action research impacts professional identity among preservice teachers.
AERA is concerned with improving the educational process by encouraging scholarly inquiry related to education and evaluation and by promoting the dissemination and practical application of research results. AERA is the most prominent international professional organization for educational researchers, with the primary goal of advancing educational research and its practical application. Its more than 25,000 members are educators; administrators; directors of research; persons working with testing or evaluation in federal, state and local agencies; counselors; evaluators; graduate students; and behavioral scientists.
Myers and COE Students Attend Teachers of Promise
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Pictured from left to right are Nicole Myers, Ciara Norquist, Kathleen Wallace, Karissa Herrick, Mariela DeMaio and Gabrielle Kuhn.
This weekend, Dr. Nicole Myers and five UMW students from the College of Education: Gabrielle Kuhn, Ciara Norquist, Kathleen Wallace, Karissa Herrick, and Mariela DeMaio attended the Teachers of Promise (TOP) Institute in Richmond. These students were chosen by the COE faculty as exemplary teacher candidates. The TOP Institute celebrates the decision to teach, elevates the teaching profession to the status we believe it deserves, and activates all of us to make a difference in public school education. UMW students participated in a variety of activities, including an evening Gala where they participated in a pinning ceremony, attending workshops and presentations, and connecting with mentor teachers. Three UMW students won prizes at the events which included gift cards and teaching resources. At the Gala, each Teacher of Promise connected with their mentor and received a card from a public school student providing them with advice and encouragement as they begin their upcoming first year of teaching.
EdTech Brings Regional Educators to UMW
![Students from J.W. Alvey Elementary School show Catherine Walker, adjunct instructor for the UMW College of Education, a project that they are completing. Pictured from left are Walker, fourth-graders Misha Padigala and Jessica Minelli.](http://www.umw.edu/news/files/2014/03/EdTech-2014-300x248.gif)
![From left to right, seventh-grader Danbi Rhee, second-grade teacher Roxanne Edwards, third-grade teacher Juliette Snyder and sixth-grader Ben Kopek introduce EdTech participants to Frames and Shares and explain how it can be used in an elementary classroom.](http://www.umw.edu/news/files/2014/03/EdTech-2014_2-300x225.gif)