FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION MAGAZINE SPRING 2020
FROM THE DEAN Welcome to the newest issue of The TORCH. During the creation of this issue, the education community faced the unprecedented challenge of COVID-19, forcing educators to take their classes online and administrators to make difficult decisions regarding education. These are trying times, but I know that the FSU community will continue to come together to support one another and get through this challenge.
To address some of our students’ needs as a result of this pandemic—from food insecurity and medical bills to technology and housing assistances—FSU’s Great Give will host Support our Students (SOS), a 24-hour online giving campaign on Tuesday, April 7. If you’d like to donate, you may do so online at foundation.fsu.edu/emergency.
As educators work tirelessly to adapt and take their classrooms online, their importance as leaders, role models and educators cannot be overstated. We had long planned for this issue to be dedicated to the impact of education, but we think that message is particularly poignant in a post-COVID-19 world.
Education is truly one of the most powerful forces in any society. It can open up a world of new ideas, challenge you to think outside the box and offer you new opportunities. As you’ll see in this issue, education can be a transformational force for positive change, even lifting up underprivileged groups of people and breaking cycles of poverty.
In order to nurture the power of education in our society, we need exceptional teachers. Unfortunately, as many of you know, there is a teacher shortage around the country. This shortage is fueled by a negative perception surrounding the profession. However, teaching is too vital to give up on, and that’s why we are doing our part to support teachers everywhere. In this issue, you’ll learn about a new initiative we’ve launched, called Project ElevatED, and the role it has already played in creating new educational pipelines, supporting teachers around the state of Florida and reminding our alumni how proud we are of them as Seminoles.
I see every day the kind of impact teachers have on the lives of not just our students, but their respective fields. I am reminded of a quote by the American philosopher William James. He said, “The greatest use of a life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” Truly, teaching accomplishes just that. That’s why we don’t just teach our students to be great learners; we teach them to be great teachers.
All my best,
Damon P. S. Andrew, PhD, FNAK, FNAKHE Dean and Professor College of Education Florida State University
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CONTENTS 04
PROJECT ELEVATED ED
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NUMBERS AND SENSE: MATH EDUCATION RESEARCH AT THE COE
09
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: DANIEL GREGORIO
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REMEMBERING HAILEY MARIE MULLEN
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LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE: MIGRANT EDUCATION IN FLORIDA’S PANHANDLE
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EDUCATION BEYOND THE CLASSROOM: EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AT THE FSU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
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GIVING BACK TO FUTURE EDUCATORS: THE IMPACT OF DR. IMOGENE MATHISON MIXSON
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THE IMPACT OF PARTNERSHIPS: THE SOUTHERN SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION AND THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
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FSU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION ALUMNI HELPING TO ALLEVIATE FINANCIAL STRESS FOR STUDENTS
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ElevatED care package dropoff at Leon High School. Pictured L-R: Assistant Principal Riley Bell, Dean Damon Andrew, Superintendent Rocky Hanna, Assistant Principal Cari Molinaro
Project ElevatED By Jennie Kroeger
W
e all remember a teacher who made a difference in our lives—the teacher who inspired you, who encouraged you to do better, to overcome your personal challenges, and to see yourself and the world in a new way. We know that teachers have the power to change lives, yet the teaching profession faces challenges that can keep the very best teachers out of the classroom. Ever-changing performance metrics, the removal of job security, increased safety concerns and low salaries can deter talented young people who wish to make a difference. In fall 2019, the Florida State University College of Education launched Project ElevatED, a new initiative aimed at raising the profile of careers in education and recognizing education professionals around the state for the difference they make in the lives of students.
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ElevatED kickoff ceremony at the 2019 FSU vs. NC State game
“Project ElevatED seeks to change the narrative around education careers and promote our programs as pathways to meaningful lives in the service of our students,” said College of Education Dean Damon Andrew. “We can better serve our university and our state by providing better training, support and recognition of the teachers, counselors, administrators, coaches and other professionals who work with Florida’s students.” Project ElevatED kicked off during halftime of the FSU-NC State football game on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019. In partnership with the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, FSU President John Thrasher and Andrew honored the Florida Teacher of the Year, Principal of the Year, Assistant Principal of the Year, Superintendent of the Year and School-Related Employee of the Year on the field. All current and former education professionals in
the stadium were also be asked to stand and be recognized for their important work in the education of Florida’s students. The initiative is designed to support the key influencers in the lives of Pre-K-12 students, whether they serve as teachers, school counselors, school psychologists, principals, superintendents, coaches, athletic directors or in other critical roles. “Florida State University founded the first College of Education in the state, and for more than 100 years, FSU’s College of Education has prepared some of the very best Pre-K-12 professionals in the history of Florida,” Andrew said. “In preparation for the launch of Project ElevatED, we critically examined the educational support we provide to these professionals and added new programs as needed over time.” Within the past two years, the College of Education has launched online Ed.D. programs in educational leadership and policy and instructional systems and learning technologies, along with an online master’s in curriculum and instruction focused on autism spectrum disorder. This past fall, the college redesigned and relaunched the M.S./Ed.S. program in school counseling, as well as an online graduate certificate in athletic coaching, which is available to degree-seeking students at FSU and the larger community. “Each of these programs was designed to prepare Pre-K-12 professionals to overcome the challenges they face today and in the future,” Andrew said. “For example, now more than ever, students need access to high quality school counselors. Students of today not only can face challenges at school, but also personal issues and struggles in their home life. School
Diane Nowaczyk, a pre-kindergarten teacher at Margaret K. Lewis School in Panama City, holds up her new Cimarron.
counselors are in a unique position to help students overcome these obstacles, and we hope our relaunching of this program will address this growing need.” As part of these new program launches, the Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching, known as FSU COACH, was created to meet the growing demand for well-trained athletic coaches at all levels of competition, from school and amateur leagues all the way to professional organizations. “For some people, a coach can make as much of a difference in their life as a teacher or even a parent,” Andrew said. “Training the next generation of coaches will have a tremendously positive effect on the lives of students and society at large.” As part of Project ElevatED, FSU alumni who are working as teachers in Florida are being sent a care package that includes a stuffed Cimarron, the official mascot of the Florida State Athletics Kids Club, that can be placed on their desks or other highly visible areas of their classrooms. “This care package is a token of our appreciation for all that they do,” Andrew said. “We also want our alumni to be able to show their FSU pride. By having Cimarron in a prominent location, it will no doubt spur curiosity from their students about FSU and provide our alumni with the opportunity to talk about their time here and why they chose to go into education. We will continue to need high quality teachers in the future, and this initiative helps the next generation of students think about the profession of teaching as their way to positively impact society.” n
Dean Andrew presents care packages to Cavette Gray (M.S. ’05) (left), a second grade teacher at Pineview Elementary School in Tallahassee, and Shannon Gerry-Johnson (B.S. ’02) (right), a kindergarten teacher at Pineview Elementary School. THE TORCH - FSU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION MAGAZINE | 5
Numbers and Sense: Math Education Research at the COE By Josh Duke
2+2=4. It’s probably the most cited example of a mathematical equation. But at some point in all of our lives, we didn’t know the meaning of the equation. Thanks to the work of teachers, students are able to make sense of numbers and learn how to use them to accomplish incredible things. FSU College of Education faculty member Robert Schoen researches how this happens and how best to improve math teaching and learning.
Dr. Robert Schoen
S
choen is an associate professor of mathematics education in the School of Teacher Education. He also serves as the associate director of the Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (FCR-STEM) at FSU’s Learning Systems Institute. He earned his bachelor’s degrees in both mathematics and atmospheric science from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. His work in meteorology led him to the study of fractal geometry, which drew him deeper into the world of mathematics. Eventually, he decided to go to graduate school—this time at Florida State. After teaching courses in the mathematics department as a teaching assistant, he was hired as a research assistant on a project involving teacher learning, and thus began his journey into the field of education. This appointment as research assistant would prove to be a turning point for Schoen. He worked on a teacher professional development program focused on teaching mathematics and science in the intermediate and middle-grade levels. “After spending some time working with middle school mathematics and science teachers, I decided that I wanted to spend my career helping them to find ways improve teaching and learning in their classrooms,” Schoen says. “In our society, each and every one of us has to spend at least 13 years in math class. I decided that my career would focus on helping to make that time more productive and enjoyable for all involved.” From that point forward, Schoen devoted his attention to mathematics education. He earned his master’s degree and then his doctorate in mathematics education from the FSU College of Education.
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During his career, he has conducted a number of important research projects with the support of state and national agencies, as well as private foundations. He has served as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator on over $30 million in grants from the Institute of Education Sciences, the U.S. Department of Education’s Effective Educator Development program, the Florida Department of Education and the Helios Education Foundation over the past decade.
mathematics, whether to teachers or to
Throughout all of his research projects, he has pursued one central question: What can be done to improve mathematics teaching and learning for all students? Of course, this is no small question and not one that can be definitively answered; instead, Schoen knows that this is a question that he will constantly consider and evaluate for the rest of his career. While this might frustrate some, to Schoen, it provides a focus and a drive to search for better and better ways to teach
to increase teachers’ quality and
students. “In everything I do, I pay close attention to ways people learn mathematics, what they believe about mathematics, and how they feel about mathematics, because mathematical cognition is endlessly fascinating, offers insight into my driving question, and serves to guide all the work I do,” says Schoen. With this support, Schoen has developed and tested many programs designed effectiveness. His work in research and evaluation has required the development of assessment instruments to help evaluate the impact of mathematics teacher professional development programs on schools, teachers, classrooms and students. By testing highly regarded programs, Schoen’s research helps to validate or revise existing theories about how to help children learn mathematics. All this led
him to earn the 2019 Florida Mathematics Teacher Educator of the Year Award from the Florida Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators. PUTTING THE MATH BACK IN MATH EDUCATION One of the things that makes Schoen’s work in mathematics education unique is his large-scale, empirical, quantitative approach to testing hypotheses and informing theory. Measuring something as complicated as learning might seem impossible, but Schoen’s belief that math is a turning point in many people’s lives drives him to try. Over the years, he has gained experience conducting scientific evaluations of educational interventions. “There is no shortage of ideas about how to improve education,” he says. “Almost everybody has an opinion about how mathematics should be taught, and billions of dollars are spent every year trying to implement popular ideas. Very few of those ideas are subjected to a rigorous test of whether it is being implemented as intended or whether it is getting the desired effects.” Currently, Schoen looks at what experts call the theory of change for teacher professional development programs. The typical theory of change starts with teachers participating in professional development. This affects the teacher’s knowledge and beliefs, which then translates into changes in classroom instruction. Finally, these changes influence students’ learning in mathematics. Schoen evaluates the various components of this model and certain connected parts of it. Specifically, he wants to understand what takes place in the underlying mechanisms at play in this model. Schoen has an enormous sample size to test his work. In fact, he is currently directing the fourth large-scale,
Schoen’s team at the 2019 Biennial National CGI Conference. (Photo by Linda Levi)
continued on next page
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Numbers and Sense, continued randomized controlled trial of a professional development program in Florida called Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI). CGI focuses on number, operations and algebraic reasoning in elementary mathematics. There is evidence that CGI is making a difference in classrooms already. Laura Steele, a teacher at Wright Elementary School in Okaloosa County and participant in Schoen’s CGI program, recently received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching award. She cited the effectiveness of CGI as one of the reasons for her success in the classroom. “The award celebrates the success of teaching children through developing their conceptual understanding of mathematical ideas and problem-solving strategies,” says Steele. “Children are empowered when teachers listen to them, encourage risk-taking, and value mistakes not as stumbling blocks, but as building blocks for success.” EMPIRICAL STATE OF MIND Why go through all this effort for empirical results? Schoen believes that measurable and interpretable research results are needed by classroom teachers and other leaders in education around the state. While he also strongly believes that qualitative research is important and makes critical contributions to theory, he has made it his role to design and conduct large-scale, quantitative, empirical research in mathematics education, despite the difficulties in producing such studies. “A well-designed evaluation can provide important insight about implementation and impact, and it can also provide important information for cost-benefit analysis,” he says. “Similarly, many theories are developed in our field, but those theories are infrequently tested. When I evaluate programs, I am testing theories and hypotheses. The results of these tests, in turn, inform theory, and they also can help improve the design and implementation of the programs.” Running empirical evaluations is a difficult task in more ways than one. Beyond their financial cost, these studies require cooperation from volunteers and participants. Even if researchers can gather enough people to participate, there is always a chance that the intervention being tested is not implemented in classrooms properly. These two major challenges doom many empirical studies. Schoen explains that measuring the data can be tricky, particularly when looking at the outcomes between the intervention group and the comparison group. Another problem that he has run into is participant retention. Some of these studies can last for years, and participants can drop out during that time. Teachers move schools, get reassigned
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CGI By the Numbers 5-year project $15 million in grant funding 1,160 teacher participants in 320 schools across 21 school districts in Florida, impacting 25,000 students By the end of the project, 3,000 teachers will have completed at least one year of the three-year professional development program
to different job roles or leave the profession altogether. As participants drop out, concerns about how those dropouts may affect the results increase. RESEARCH THAT ADDS UP Even though empirical studies are difficult, Schoen views them as essential to improving mathematics education. “Many programs are purchased and implemented. Schools and other stakeholders, such as parents, students, taxpayers, need to know whether they are getting the desired results and which types of programs/investments offer a better return on investment,” he says. “These returns might be in the form of student achievement on mathematics tests, but they also can be in the form of positive attitudes about mathematics, interest in STEM-related careers, or a stronger foundation in quantitative reasoning in general.” Ultimately, Schoen wants teachers to know which kinds of training and teaching skills get the desired results and which ones don’t. His work is just some of the important mathematics education research conducted at the College of Education. The goal for researchers like Schoen is to improve the lives of students by helping their teachers to do their work better. Especially for something like mathematics— which goes from learning how to count and recognize names of numerals to problems whose solutions can require many pages of writing to explain—it is vital students have strong foundations. More information about Schoen’s work, including resources for current K–12 teachers, can be found on his website at teachingisproblemsolving.org. n
Student Spotlight: Daniel Gregorio By Jennie Kroeger
Graduation Spring 2020 Major English Education
I
was born in Toronto, Canada, but was raised in Miami, Florida. My Cuban family always taught me to value education highly, and that made me who I am today. I’m a huge nerd; I have always loved school and learning, and student has always been the most salient feature of my identity. My passion for education even led me as far as deciding to become a teacher, because in a classroom is exactly where I want to spend my career. I had not decided on a major when I started as a freshman at FSU, but after taking Introduction to Education during my first semester, I was hooked. Of course, I had considered teaching before, but after taking that class I knew that I wanted nothing more than to become an English teacher. The FSU College of Education quickly became something of a second home for me, and it has since been an ideal place to learn and to grow into the identity of “teacher.” Teaching is an opportunity to give back and help students grow, and I look forward to every minute of it – even the difficult ones. My firm belief in the intrinsic value and importance of education also influenced my decision to become a teacher. I’ve always enjoyed working with kids, and I was lucky to have had amazing teachers who inspired me and made it easy to admire the profession. I can only hope to someday come close to their degree of excellence as educators. I took a campus tour in the 10th grade and loved everything about FSU. More importantly, some of my best high school teachers were proud Seminoles. I looked up to them (and still do), so choosing FSU was easy. After graduation, I plan to become a secondary English teacher. I hope to make a genuine, positive difference in my students’ lives, and I can confidently say that the FSU College of Education has prepared me to do just that. n
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Remembering
Hailey Marie Mullen By Jemison Thorsby
A
graduate of Dixie Hollins High School, Hailey Marie Mullen received her associate’s degree with honors from Saint Petersburg College prior to enrolling at FSU. On November 19, 2018, while returning home from class with her grandmother, Mullen perished in an automobile accident. She was well known and well liked, and she will be sorely missed. Family and friends knew that she was always looking to help others, which influenced her chosen career path majoring in visual disabilities education. Her life was cut too short and this tragedy will deprive so many of what she had to offer. In her memory, her family and friends have created the Hailey Marie Mullen Endowed Memorial Scholarship to inspire countless students to follow her example and strive to help others. Sue Glaser, Mullen’s advisor at FSU, shares her story: “She was the glue that held the group together,” observed an adjunct instructor less than a week after Hailey’s tragic passing. Her absence from class made it evident what an impactful presence she had on her classmates and FSU’s satellite program in Visual Disabilities Education, located at the University Partnership Center on the Seminole campus of St. Petersburg College. Though the classes were small and Hailey’s time in the program was cut short, she did not waste time in affecting the lives of those around her. Hailey first inquired about FSU’s satellite program long before she graduated with her Associate in Arts degree from St. Petersburg College. That was Hailey. Always planning ahead, diligently following through with her plan, and paying careful attention to the details along the way. Once Hailey started classes, she influenced her classmates with her foresight and organizational skills in the same way, reminding them of upcoming deadlines and assignments. She was the first one others went to when questions arose.
Mullen guides a student at the Florida Cane Quest.
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It was not just her classmates that Hailey influenced. When it came time to start her
first practicum experience, she wasted no time. She reached out to a teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) in Pinellas County Schools and chose to work with a young student who was visually impaired with multiple disabilities, a population that could leave experienced teachers hesitant or unsure. Hailey’s face lit up whenever she spoke of this student and everything she learned from the knowledgeable TVI she was observing. After a few months of the practicum experience, Hailey proudly described the lesson she planned to teach to this young child. She explained the careful considerations she made to meet the child’s unique needs and learning style. She rejoiced in the challenge of learning how to communicate based on the child’s subtle movements, vocalizations, and patterns. She was not one to shy away from a challenge.
Mullen works with a middle school student at a Florida Cane Quest station.
Even while working and taking a full course load of classes, Hailey found time to volunteer one of her Saturday mornings at a one-ofa-kind competition for school-aged cane travelers from around the state. Over 40 students with visual impairments and their families attended Florida Cane Quest in November of 2018, a student-family event run by the Florida Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired. Before the contestants put their travel skills to the test, an exciting morning of educational activities took place. Hailey learned the morning of the event what her assignment would be, and she did not hesitate to jump in and make the students and their families feel welcomed. Like an experienced teacher, Hailey taught skills to the students with visual impairments with descriptive instruction, minimal physical assistance, and plenty of patience.
Above: Mullen poses at her high school graduation ceremony. Below: Mullen teaches a student at a Florida Cane Quest station.
Hailey’s innate patience, calming demeanor, strong work ethic and joy for working with children made her a natural teacher. In only a few months as an undergraduate student in the Visual Disabilities program, Hailey Marie Mullen positively affected many lives, who will in turn, affect many lives to come and continue what she started in August of 2018.” n
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LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM By Kevin Derryberry
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A
few dusty miles east of Castlereagh Highway just over the Queensland border into New South Wales, Dr. Willis Veal and his traveling companion, Julie Hansen, passed horse-drawn wagons as they entered the small outback town of Lightning Ridge. The town claims only 500 or so permanent residents, but there were thousands of folks who weren’t the type to register with the census or be troubled to share their last names—folks like Herman the Shark and the man they had come to meet, Sharif the Wrestler. Not everyone would drive eight hours into the Australian Outback to find a town full of transient miners, but it was all in a day’s work for Veal. After all, he was a teacher, and teachers always do their homework. The stories that family and friends tell of Veal, a former FSU College of Education faculty member, can sometimes sound like tall tales or the set up for a joke. Dr. John Hansen, a fellow former faculty member, begins one such story, “Have you heard about the night that Will found Jesus?”
dark and couldn’t find his way back to the condo on the coast where they were staying. This was long before cell phones and GPS, and Veal didn’t speak a lick of Portuguese. He wasn’t sure how to make it home, when out of the dark he saw lights shining on the “Cristo Rei,” Portugal’s hilltop statue at the national Sanctuary of Christ the King. The statue served as the landmark he needed, and he followed the light back home. “Who knew he was in Portugal?” Veal’s brother, Franklin Dewey Veal Jr., describes their life growing up in Pike County, Alabama. “Daddy was a sharecropper and mom was a teacher. There were seven children and Will was the youngest.” When their parents passed, Frank and Will were taken in by an older sister and the two stayed close. Veal had a zest for life and wide-ranging interests that took him around the world. By all accounts, he was a good storyteller, a lover of history and a collector of unset gemstones. His trip to Lightning Ridge was due to the fact that the dusty backwater town is home to the world’s black opal mining industry and unset black opals can be bought for a song and transported dutyfree back to the States. In retirement, Veal and the Hansens ran a small business buying unset gemstones in places like Lightning Ridge and selling them to friends back home in the U.S.
The two men were in Lisbon, Portugal for a conference when Veal decided to see the sights. He got turned around in the
Hansons describe losing him during a trip through the English countryside, only to find him doing a rubbing in a local cemetery. Veal’s brother, Frank, describes his curious nature thus, “He wanted to experience it for real; that was his life.”
He wanted to experience it for real; that was his life.” – Frank Veal Over the course of his life and career, Veal sought experiences that informed his teaching. “You never felt like he was teaching history,” says Hanson. “It just felt like he was telling stories to his class. He had a sense of humor and interest in experiencing the world.” The picture of Veal that the family tells is of a kind and funny man who cared deeply about his friends, family and the world around him, but they add that he was a fighter when he needed to be. In 1968, Veal had been a Bay County, Florida teacher for eight years when the state’s teachers went on strike over teacher compensation. He served as president of the Bay County Classroom Teachers Association when the Panama City Herald called him “the most vocal and militant spokesman for their cause.”
By the time they visited Lightning Ridge, Veal had retired from his career in public education, but his interest in learning about the world never faded and he would go to great lengths to learn what he could.
The rhetoric reached a fever pitch when Veal, employing his trademark wit, publicly declared those crossing the picket lines to be “very well qualified prostitutes . . . uh, substitutes.”
Veal’s daughter, Sonja Veal-Volino, a Florida High and FSU MBA alumna (’93), shared that Veal once spent a week living on the streets in Jacksonville to better understand the experience of the homeless. His longtime friends the
Opponents displayed less of a sense of humor and reacted with a burning cross left in Veal’s front yard on the night of February 25, 1968. The tensions forced Veal to leave Bay County for Tallahassee and the Developmental Research and
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Education is the leading of the human soul to what is best.” – John Ruskin
Education Center in the early 1980s, shares that, “Will was very dedicated to make teachers more effective. He was a sweet man with a real sense of humor, but who always took education very seriously.”
Lab School known as Florida High. Veal was already in the master’s program at FSU in 1968, and Frank remembers him recounting the story of his first class in the College of Education. “It was on ethics in the classroom and Will stood up and applauded” as the instructor opened the class in support of teachers unions and arguing for the fair treatment of teachers. Veal’s bachelor’s degree in education had come from his home town’s Troy State University in 1960, but at FSU he would earn his masters (‘68) and his doctorate in educational leadership (’76) and would continue to teach at Florida High and in the College as a professor of social science education. Veal taught American history and government and economics and received high praise for his work in the classroom from former Florida High Director, Dr. Edward Vertuno. In his promotion letter of 1982, Vertuno described Veal’s classes as
“creative, challenging, and enlightening. Never static, they often utilized the latest techniques coupled with timetested content and values,” adding that he “could not help but be impressed with Will’s dedication, preparation, and implementation of the latest pedagogical findings” in education. Veal was also a leader in teacher education statewide through his work as the College of Education’s liaison with the Teacher Education Center. Veal worked with school districts across the State of Florida on professional development programs for teachers. In a letter of thanks from the School Board of Palm Beach County, the project manager Mona Jensen proclaimed that Veal’s “training is, in my estimation, one of the best staff development programs available to classroom teachers . . . If I ever have the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Veal in the future, I will accept with delight.” Dr. James Croteau, director of the Teacher
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Veal was a frequent traveler, a good father and a great friend who never stopped his love of learning. When Veal passed away from liver cancer in 1998, his burial marker was inscribed with the words, “Education is the leading of the human soul to what is best.” More than twenty years after his passing, Veal’s legacy lives on in the people whose lives he has changed and the family members who loved him. In Fall 2019, Veal’s grandson, Rowan Volino, entered Florida State University as a freshman with interests in commercial music and entrepreneurship. In 2019, Veal’s older brother, Frank, created the “Dr. Willis Dekalb Veal Memorial Scholarship Endowment” through a whole life insurance policy earned through his service in the Air Force. “That benefit has to go somewhere; I think I’d like it to go to honor Will.” The Dr. Willis Dekalb Veal Memorial Scholarship Endowment will support students in the social science education program who will act ethically, employ a sense of humor and write their own tall tales as teachers who lead the human soul to what is best. n
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Making a Difference: Migrant Education in Florida’s Panhandle By Josh Duke
Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” The transformational power of education can change the trajectory of not just an individual, but an entire group of people. With knowledge comes self-empowerment and the potential for social mobility. That’s one of the reasons why so much focus is put on not just educational quality, but also educational equity and access.
T
he Florida State University College of Education understands the vital importance of education and conveys that belief to our students. Faculty members, students and alumni further that philosophy by working with underserved and historically at-risk populations. One of these particular groups is migratory farmworker families identified as eligible for the migrant education program. Despite being an integral part of the American workforce, migratory farmworker families face an uphill challenge when it comes to escaping a cycle of poverty. In terms of education outcomes, migrant farmworker families— particularly the children—have some of the worst graduation rates. In fact, only 1 in 10 children of migrant families will graduate from high school. This lack of education only perpetuates the lack of upward mobility and difficulty escaping poverty. Because of these conditions and poor success rates, individuals at the College of Education have partnered with the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium (PAEC) Migrant Education Program to address the educational needs of migrant workers and their families. PAEC’s Migrant Education Program aims to break the cycle of poverty by providing literacy programs and connecting migrant families with support programs to improve their well-being, particularly the well-being of migrant children. MAKING A DIFFERENCE WITH PAEC PAEC has been around since 1967, when nine school districts in the Florida panhandle created the region’s first educational non-profit service agency. The consortium seeks to provide vital services to underserved populations, at-risk students, and improve outcomes of all students. Because PAEC’s board includes superintendents from partner districts, the organization benefits a wide range of individuals in the region. Over the years, its member districts grew to 13, as well as including the Florida A&M University Developmental Research School. Currently, PAEC focuses its efforts on providing a number of services, including the Migrant Education Program. Other services include instructional technology, distance learning, curriculum support services and much more. Students in the FSU College of Education have taken a particular interest in the Migrant Education Program, which provides much more than just education to migrant families. On top of a safe environment in which to learn, the program also offers health services, social services, nutritious food, transportation and early intervention
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services. Participants gain access to basic yet important
STUDENTS MAKING AN IMPACT
healthcare through agency referrals, including
Two College of Education students, Latanja Peoples (school psychology M.S./Ed.S.) and Madison Lierman (biology/FSU-Teach), started working with this summer program to help students in need. Both of these students became involved in PAEC through Laura Ballard Bell, TESOL program coordinator and teaching faculty in the College of Education.
immunizations, health screenings, dental care and more. For the past few years, the Migrant Education Program has come to the Stone Building for its annual summer camp. During this time, children of migratory farmworkers enjoy hands-on activities, crafts, reading time and educational games in a safe environment while College of Education students gain experience in working with this population. Summer learning is critical to maximizing the potential for each child in the upcoming school year. “The opportunity to collaborate with an educational organization that serves such a specific population of learners is eye-opening for my students,” says Laura Ballard Bell, teaching faculty and ESOL coordinator in FSU’s School of Teacher Education. “They usually go in to fulfill a course requirement, but they finish out the experience having learned so much more than how to work with a nonnative speaker of English; they gain a deeper understanding of how culture impacts lives beyond clothes and food. “Ultimately, it is through relationships and taking the time to get to know the children and what they bring to the learning process rather than simply viewing them as a student needing to be taught or filled with content that makes the experience so impactful,” says Bell.
We asked these two students to share their thoughts on PAEC, working with migrant families, and what made them interested in working with the program. What are some of the unique challenges facing migratory farmworker families, especially in terms of education? Madison Lierman (ML): Migrant families, specifically the students, tend to face problems with education due to gaps in their learning. This can cause the students to fall behind in their English learning and in the curriculum for schools. This is the purpose of the PAEC camp—to fill those gaps and prepare them for the next school year. Latanja Peoples (LP): Unfortunately, the children of the migrant agricultural workforce are some of the most educationally disadvantaged children in the Panhandle from my experience working with area schools. Of course, the limited proficiencies in English (speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills) may be an additional educational continued on next page
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Making a Difference, continued burden to these students. Area schools faced with temporary, seasonal enrollment increases confront significant challenges in addressing the migrant students’ individual educational needs. Gadsden County Public Schools faces this issue. My heart goes out to these children; they can learn. Most of these children want to learn and have a better life. What is your favorite part of being a volunteer at PAEC? ML: I really enjoy volunteering with these students. Even though my focus is with secondary education, I have been working with the little kids more than anyone. This has given me the chance to see so many different proficiency levels throughout the ages and introduced me to student proficiency levels who are very unlikely to be in my classroom. I am getting a rounded experience of helping all students. So far volunteering, I have really enjoyed meeting all of the kids and learning about their experiences. I love working with each student and seeing them be excited about learning. LP: The experience has been fantastic; I cannot say that there was one favorite moment because there has been so many. What a privilege to work with the children and the caring staff (Mrs. Mathis and Mrs. Soto)! The children are well-behaved and ready to learn. As a volunteer at PAEC, the experience is teaching me a better understanding of how these students learn as well as experience teaching the students. Who inspired you to work in education? ML: My mother is my main inspiration behind me working in education, and she is actually a high school biology teacher as well. What do you hope to do after you graduate from the college of education? ML: After I graduate, I plan to become a high school biology teacher. LP: My hope after graduation is to advocate for these students in my role as a school psychologist to enhance their social, emotional and educational quality as students. HELPING HANDS Students like Lierman and Peoples and faculty members like Bell work to not only improve the lives of students in our local community, but hope to improve the outcomes of all students. “The sense of community that is carefully crafted by the program director and teachers welcomes my student volunteers in a way that allows them to build relationships with the children in the program,” says Bell. Thanks to organizations like PAEC, students across the region can find success and hope like never before. n
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Education Beyond the Classroom: Experiential Learning at the FSU College of Education
By Josh Duke
Where does learning take place? Does it happen in a classroom while a professor talks through new material and leads discussion? On the pages of textbooks, assigned articles or educational books? Or do you learn while doing, whether in an internship, at a new job, or through a work-study program?
Y
ou probably already realize that learning happens everywhere. It’s something that the College of Education understands, which is why our programs have long tried to approach learning from every conceivable angle. Universities have historically put a focus on teaching in a classroom; however, as a College of Education, we know that students learn in all kinds of places. In 2019, Florida State University made the announcement that undergraduate students would have to complete experiential learning in order to graduate. This new requirement aims to help students gain more hands-on experience before entering the workforce. Alumni and current students from the College of Education might seem surprised that this wasn’t a requirement already. After all, many of our programs have included experiential learning from the beginning. “Experiential learning has helped many of our graduates feel more prepared when they begin their careers,” says Dean Damon Andrew. “Whether working in a classroom, with a professional sport team or a Fortune 500 company, our graduates are ready to dive into their new positions.” Why put emphasis on experiential learning? FSU Provost Sally McRorie, who was a major proponent of experiential learning at FSU, explains that there is a strong link between hands-on experience and student success. “Research shows that participation in high-quality experiential learning improves students’ academic performance, such as higher GPAs and graduation rates, and also improves students’ post-graduation outcomes, helping them secure employment or enter graduate school,” she says. Many universities are starting to require experiential learning, but FSU is one of the largest to make it a prerequisite for graduation. As you would expect from our students, however, many of them already engage in experiential learning. In fact, 75 percent of undergraduates completed some form of experiential learning before the university made it mandatory. PLAY HARD, WORK HARD The FSU Sport Management program might have one of the most active and visible experiential learning programs on campus. Students in both the undergraduate and graduate programs know the importance of internships, networking and hands-on experience, all of which are encouraged by faculty members.
Sarah Piersall (B.S. Mathematics/FSU-Teach ’18) interning at Nims Middle School in Tallahassee, Florida.
One of the things that distinguishes the FSU sport management program from its peers is the opportunities our students have to engage in experiential learning. Leveraging its extensive connections and national prominence, the program regularly sees students volunteer at major sporting events. Most recently, students traveled to Super Bowl LIV in Miami, the Women’s Final Four competition in Tampa, Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, the NCAA College Football continued on next page THE TORCH - FSU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION MAGAZINE | 19
Education Beyond the Classroom, continued
A group of sport management students interning with FSU Football.
Playoffs, and the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. Far from being an excuse to watch “the big game” in person, these sporting events offer a chance for our students to practice their skills and get a taste of potential future job opportunities. More often than not, these trips are multiple day-long affairs, involving hours of work as volunteers for various organizations. Students serve many different roles during these experiences, from guides who direct crowds and VIPs to helpers setting up stages and other event infrastructure. It’s not all hands-on work, though. Students often get to talk to staff and professionals in the field, thanks to the network the sport management faculty have built over the years. These guest speakers give their thoughts on the sport industry and often talk about their beginnings. And they are worth listening to, since many of them hold senior titles at their respective organizations. Sport management student Chelsea Boretti attended the NCAA College Football Playoffs and said that the experience was unforgettable. “The trip was very beneficial to me personally as it helped me realize what I want to do in the sports industry,” she adds. Students in the sport management program also regularly take on internships. Every semester, sport management students log hundreds of internship hours. This precious time spent with sport professionals and working for companies big and small gives our students confidence and experience. These internships can range from sales and marketing positions to athletic trainers working closely with athletes.
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CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE As early as their first semester, students in our teacher education programs learn what it’s really like to be a teacher. Through a variety of placements in different educational contexts, they are exposed to a broad spectrum of students and environments that prepare them for their careers in the classroom and beyond. Meredith Higgins, director of student teaching, works hard to make sure that our students are placed in classrooms that will benefit them the most. She carefully considers what experiences the student has had already and then what experiences they could still use to further hone their skills. “Students are best served when they are given a variety of settings in which to practice and learn about the skills needed for successful teaching,” she adds. When looking at school placements, Higgins considers mentorship to be one of the most important factors to determine the success of a placement. Veteran teachers and mentors help guide our students in practical ways, showing them how the knowledge they gained in the classroom translates to the real world. “Receiving and applying targeted feedback from a mentor in a K-12 setting can make a huge difference in a teacher education student’s practice.” “Our field experiences provide students with a rich diversity of placements,” says Higgins. “These include rural and urban school sites, Title I schools, nationally recognized Blue Ribbon schools, and others. The experiences that our students receive in the field are essential to their growth as educators.”
An FSU teacher education student tutors a local high school student.
Through these hands-on experiences, our students learn how to implement classroom management strategies for different populations. They also engage in tutoring, small group learning, whole group teaching, and teacher tasks, like filling, grading and attending meetings. The number of hours they spend in the field ramp up as they progress through the program, culminating in a semester-long student teaching internship. Higgins cautions that students shouldn’t just go into a placement expecting to simply grade papers. “The most important thing is to take initiative to work with the cooperating teacher in their placement,” she says. “Students should ask their cooperating teacher how they can be the most helpful and then act on that recommendation.” While working in a classroom for the first time can be a little scary, Higgins encourages students to jump in. “Experiential learning through placements in K-12 settings are one of the only times in a teacher’s career where there is another experienced teacher there to back them up,” she says. “It is a time to try out new methods and strategies to see what works for them, while having a person there to talk through what went poorly and congratulate them when things go well!” Our students also learn how to work with individuals outside the classroom. They tutor English language learners (ELLs) in a variety of community settings, including the Boys & Girls Club, Ghazvini Learning Center, and the Leon County public library. This important work helps to ensure that ELLs get the support they need to succeed in school.
Starting in fall 2019, our students began to utilize technology to enhance their field experiences and teaching skills. Through a program called GoReact, students can now upload, record or stream a video with a webcam or smartphone. Instructors will then give time-coded feedback on their video to allow students to improve their skills in a shorter amount of time. Through this software, peer-to-peer reflection, self-reflection, and supervisor reflection will all be housed within the same video. This will serve as an important teaching tool that allows for immediate feedback and continuous growth of our students. Higgins views the experiential learning component of her students as vital to preparing them for future careers. “The students learn methods and theory of teaching during their coursework, but then are given the chance to apply that knowledge first-hand within a K-12 school setting,” she says. “The application of their knowledge builds the instructional and personal skills needed to be an effective teacher or counselor moving forward to their careers.” EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER Now that experiential learning is a requirement to graduate from FSU, students across the university will have to consider their plans; however, for many College of Education students, not much has necessarily changed due to how prevalent experiential learning is at the college. Regardless if it’s an internship, working in a classroom, volunteering at organizations or studying abroad, our students learn something new wherever they are... n
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Giving Back to Future Educators:
The Impact of Dr. Imogene Mathison Mixson By Amanda Coffman
D
r. Imogene Mathison Mixson (Ph.D. ’72) sums up her outlook on philanthropy with the words of John Bunyan, who wrote “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” Bunyan’s insight into giving back could easily be considered a mantra for all educators. Educators give of their time and their talent to help young people improve and grow without any expectation of reward or recompense from their charges. Mixson always wanted to be a teacher and was destined to be a leader in education. The Alabama native graduated valedictorian of Ozark High School, earned her bachelor’s in English education at Troy University and spent the first seven years of her career in education as an English teacher at Dothan High School. While continuing to teach, Mixson earned her master’s in English education from Auburn University in 1963, in the same year that the state legislature formed the Alabama Community College System to provide affordable education and technical training to students across the state. Mixson saw her opportunity to serve the Alabama Wiregrass community where she was raised and joined Enterprise State Community College as an English instructor in 1966. By 1968, she was chair of the English department. After exploring graduate programs in the Southeast, she chose Florida State
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University, where she would go on to receive a Ph.D. in English education in 1972. After completing her first term during her year of residency, she was awarded a full fellowship that provided not only financial assistance, but the encouragement and confidence that continues to inspire her today. “This moment for me was transformational,” says Mixson. “It’s one among many memories that motivates me to give back to a place that has made such a positive impact on my life, since the summer term of 1967 when I first enrolled in the College of Education.” Over her thirty-seven-year career in public education, Mixson served as an English instructor, English department chairperson, academic dean and interim president. During her time as an educator, she was honored three times as Teacher of the Year. She also received the Distinguished Leadership Award and Administrator of the Year Award from the Alabama Community College System. In 2016, Troy University named her a Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, Auburn University’s College of Education named her the Outstanding Alumnus, and Florida State University’s College of Education presented her with our highest honor, the Distinguished Educator award, in 2016. The accolades she received would be testament enough to
You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” – John Bunyan
Mixson received the College of Education’s Distinguished Educator Award in 2016, presented by Dean Emerita Marcy Driscoll.
her impact as an educator, and no one could blame her if she chose to put her feet up and rest. But even in her welldeserved retirement, Mixson believes in continuing to serve others through her philanthropy. “I’ve always felt I came in the world to be an educator and I want that to be true in all phases of life—even in retirement,” she says. Her latest gift to Florida State University, the Dr. Imogene M. Mixson Endowed Scholarship in Educational Leadership, provides support to continue the training and education of teachers and administrators who will go on to lead schools, colleges and universities. This new scholarship in educational leadership joins the Dr. Imogene M. Mixson Endowed Scholarship in English Education as her second endowment at Florida State. She has fifteen scholarships awarded annually among seven educational institutions. That includes two high schools, two community colleges and three universities. Mixson looks at her scholarships as a way of continuing to be an educator and doing what she refers to as “one small thing” to make the world a better place. She believes strongly in doings things for the common good to help as many people as possible. “There’s never been any question in my mind about whether or not this kind of giving or this kind of educational support would be the right thing to do,” says Mixson. “I know that it is the right thing to do.” Mixson has seen firsthand the kind of impact that giving has on both students and faculty and keeps careful track of the letters sent to her from all of those she supports. “I have just stacks of letters of affirmation from faculty and
students that these dollars are indeed making a difference. It gives me the assurance that this phase of life matters in a very positive way. These heartwarming responses inspire me to take personal action to enable others to have educational opportunities that can lead to a better quality of life and promote the common good. They also encourage me to achieve my personal commitment to lifelong learning and lifelong service.” She sees her scholarships not only as financial support, but also a way of telling the recipients that she believes in them. She is hopeful that they serve as a reminder that there is someone in their corner, even if they never meet her personally, and they can make an impact on the world. In addition to her educational support for students and faculty, Mixson also has a consistent pattern of helping numerous charities throughout the Wiregrass area and beyond. A lifelong active member of the United Methodist Church, she has supported numerous ministries, including the United Methodist Children’s home and various global ministries. Active in the local community, she is an avid supporter of the Ozark-Dale County Library where she has served on the Board of Directors for years, most often as treasurer. “See, these people that I’m helping, I’m not looking for anything back from them. I’m looking for them to make their contributions and make the world a better place.” Mixson continues to enjoy and appreciate her relationship with Florida State University. In addition to her association with the College of Education, she is a lifelong member of the Alumni Association, the Strozier Society and the Wescott Society and continues to make a positive impact wherever she goes. n THE TORCH - FSU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION MAGAZINE | 23
The Impact of Partnerships: The Southern Scholarship Foundation and the College of Education By Kevin Derryberry
“F
or me, Southern Scholarship Foundation was the key to the door of going to Florida State,” recalls Patricia (Duggins) Sigmon who earned her B.S. (’66) and M.S. (’67) in health education at FSU.
While a student, Sigmon lived in the Future Educators of America (FEA) house on Palm Court and both she and her husband Keith (B.S. ’66) remember the house fondly. “It had a warm feel to it, with a great group of girls. It was a neat little place.” Today, Palm Court serves as an access road to the sorority houses of Park Avenue and Calhoun Street. A parking lot replaced the last of the buildings, but in the 1960s, the Sigmons remember the Palm Court House of the Southern Scholarship Foundation as “an old three story house that had a wide front porch with a swing. It was only a block from Westcott and the Mecca, and just across from Old City Cemetery.”
of any program who need support to cover housing costs, more than 800 College of Education students at FSU have directly benefitted from Stone’s vision of a communal living arrangement for students who could not afford the living expenses of attending college. Stone’s daughter, Nancy Thompson, recalls the impetus for the Southern Scholarship Foundation. “I was probably six years old when one of the college boys or high school boys came to our front door and said, ‘Dr. Stone, I would like to go to college, but I have no money,’ and so my dad started thinking.” Stone was a professor of teacher education and knew that hard-working students could succeed if he eliminated the financial barriers to education, so he looked for a solution. During WWII, the Army Air Corp had built barracks on the western side of campus, so Stone reached out to members of the community to provide funds to rent one of the unused buildings for the first three students. The very first of whom was Enoch Hanna (B.S. ’53), a career teacher whom Stone first met while speaking at Hanna’s high school graduation. The experience left an impression on Hanna that would last the rest of his life. “To see so many people that were interested in seeing us get an education impressed us and we wanted to help those that we came into contact with to have the same opportunities.”
“Men weren’t allowed past the kitchen,” Sigmon remembers, “not that there was much to see. There were four bunks to a room, no air conditioning and communal desks.” Though she’s quick to add that the women who filled Palm Court made it a home. The Southern Scholarship Foundation has provided affordable housing for thousands of students at Florida State University since its founding in 1953 by former College of Education Professor and Dean Mode Stone. While the Southern Scholarship Foundation provides a place for students
2019–2020 Stone house residents
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Many fellow alumni of the Southern Scholarship Foundation and Florida State University have shared Hanna’s impression and have chosen to give back to support both the College of Education and the Southern Scholarship Foundation.
Keith and Patricia Sigmon
In 2019, the Sigmons completed their pledge of $100,000 to the R. Keith and Patricia Duggins Sigmon Endowed Scholarship in Education, which supports education students living in Southern Scholarship Foundation housing. The Sigmons have been incredibly generous to Florida State, having created an endowment in the College of Business, a football scholarship with Seminole Boosters and a sizable commitment to support their endowments from gifts in their estate. This year’s Sigmon scholar, Claudia Berroa, is a first-generation college student in her junior year of the combined bachelor’s/master’s pathway in elementary education and a resident in Southern Scholarship Foundation housing. Berroa describes the biggest barriers to her success as fear of the “inability to pay off tuition, textbooks and housing without taking out loans.” “My parents always encouraged me to put my studies before anything,” says Berroa. “Although they work full time and pick up extra shifts every week, they do not have enough to help me pay for college after they have paid their bills.” Thanks to the support of the Sigmons and many other donors to the College of Education and Southern Scholarship Foundation, when Berroa graduates, she will be able to focus on her students, not on her student loans. n
Mode L. & Jeanne C. Stone Scholarship House
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Tom and Evelyn Vlasak
FSU College of Education Alumni Helping to Alleviate Financial Stress for Students By Lexxie Beckmeyer
T
om and Evelyn Vlasak have many cherished memories from their time as students at Florida State University. Both graduates of the FSU
College of Education, the couple went on to prosperous
Evelyn Smith Vlasak Endowed Education Scholarship, which provides tuition support for deserving education students from Hamilton County or surrounding counties in north Florida.
careers, but they always remained passionate about one day paying it forward. “I was raised in a very large family from Hamilton County, Florida, and so I had to work (to cover my college expenses),” Evelyn says. “With no children of
“You hear the news about students graduating from college with tremendous amounts of debt, and that can be a big weight above their heads,” Tom says. “If we can help alleviate that financial burden, it can make all the difference.”
our own, we started looking at how we could support students who may not come from the best economic background and afford them the opportunity to attend FSU.” Together, the Vlasaks generously gifted $165,000 to the FSU College of Education to establish the Tom and
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This past February, the Vlasaks further helped FSU students through an additional contribution of approximately $94,000 to establish the Evelyn Smith Vlasak and Tom Vlasak Endowed Southern Scholarship Foundation Fund. For more than 60 years, the Southern Scholarship Foundation has partnered with institutions
of higher learning—including FSU—to support students who demonstrate excellent academic merit but who lack much-needed financial resources with rent-free housing and cooperative living options. As a former Southern Scholarship Foundation house resident, Evelyn expressed her appreciation for the foundation’s mission. “We see high school graduates who would love to attend college, but because of their financial situations, think ‘I can’t do it.’ I had the burden of paying for a place to live lifted off my shoulders thanks to the Southern Scholarship Foundation and we wanted to be able to do the same for others.” As the couple continues to look at ways of expanding their philanthropic legacies at Florida State, both Tom and Evelyn couldn’t help but speak of how proud they were of their alma mater and the focus the university has placed on the success of its students.
“Florida State, overall, is the whole package,” Tom shared. “Every student we’ve met is so sharp, and the academic excellence FSU has made standard to ensure their success is why FSU is now ranked No. 18 among all public universities (according to U.S. News & World Report).” “The College of Education remains thankful for our donors who are dedicated to ensuring our students, especially those who come from more rural parts of the state, have the resources they need to thrive despite economic circumstances,” FSU College of Education Dean Damon Andrew says. “The support of our alumni, like the Vlasaks, truly strengthens not only our college, but the university’s ability to provide young scholars with an exceptional educational experience.” n
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CREDITS DEAN Damon P. S. Andrew
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jennie Kroeger
CONTRIBUTORS Lexie Beckmeyer Amanda Coffman Kevin Derryberry Josh Duke Jemison Thorsby
PHOTOGRAPHERS Ken Higgins Jennie Kroeger
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