Education Connection

SPRING 2013

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New Curry Magazine Issue

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Education Connections is published by the Curry School of Education and is sponsored by the Curry School of Education Foundation, P.O. Box 400276, Charlottesville, VA 22904 curry.virginia.edu/education-connection

Ready or Not

Online courses are popping up in state mandates, yet policy guidance may be in short supply

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eginning with this year’s freshman class, all Virginia public school students are required to take one online course before they graduate. Yet, Virtual Virginia, the state-run site offering online courses to middle and high school students handled just over 6,300 enrollments last year and is unprepared for the more than 90,000 freshmen statewide needing an online course over the next four years—or all of the students coming behind them.

Virginia’s solution, according to a dissertation study prepared by Adam Hastings (Ed.D. ’13 Admin & Supv), has been to approve 18 different online course providers—both private and public—from which school districts can contract services.

Hastings, director of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Technical Education Center, found in his five-state policy analysis that Virginia school districts and building-level administrators have received little guidance for navigating the options. They are expected to provide effective leadership of students’ distance learning, although most have little to no firsthand experience with the idiosyncrasies of web-based education.

“General policy direction for online learning is offered within Virginia’s policies for traditional education,” Hastings says, “yet, education researchers consistently identify online learning as categorically different from traditional brick-and-mortar education.”

Fewer than half of the school leaders in his study reported completing several key leadership tasks recommended by the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL).

As more states legislate online learning, Hastings recommends a focus on developing statewide alignment for online learning leadership and policy, following Alabama’s lead.

“In support of its ACCESS program, Alabama maintains not only replicable state-level policies for leadership of online learning but also articulates a clear strategic process for online learning leadership across all levels, including classrooms, schools, and districts.”

For states like Virginia, where the genie is already out of the bottle, Hastings says leaders should seek out resources on high quality online program organization, function, and leadership from sources like iNACOL. They may also consider developing professional learning communities in their districts and schools to promote collaborative improvement and growth around the challenges and opportunities unique to online education.

Read more about this issue at curry.virginia.edu/education-connection

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Class Notes 2010s Ben B. Blohowiak (M.Ed. ’11 IT) works as a Simulation

Technology Specialist in the Clinical Skills Center, U.Va. School of Medicine.

Emma L. Earnst (M.Ed. ’11 C&I) works for the Core Knowledge Foundation in Charlottesville.

Deanna M. Becker Faust (M.T. ’11 Spec Ed) is a special education teacher at Armstrong Elementary School in Reston, Va. Deanna Forney (M.T. ’11 Spec Ed) is living in Rota, Spain, and working as a substitute teacher at the Dept. of Defense School.

Shannon (Bremer) Gillikin (M.T. ’10 EC/Devel Risk)

teaches at-risk preschoolers at Jackson-Via Elementary. in Charlottesville.

Kristen Pollard (M.T. ’12 English Ed) teaches English language and literature at the International School of Stuttgart, Germany.

R. Brennan Schmidt (M.Ed. ’12 C&I) and Sarah Elizabeth Eskew were married in July 2012. The couple resides in the Belmont neighborhood of Charlottesville.

Heather Simpkins (Ed.S. ’11 Reading) is a teacher at Maybeury Elementary School in Richmond.

Thomas W. Taylor (M.Ed. ’06, Ed.D. ’10 Admin &

Supv) is superintendent of the Middlesex County

Public Schools. He, his wife Elizabeth “Lee” (M.T. ’97 Foreign Lang), and their three daughters recently moved to Saluda, Va. Robert Wolman (M.Ed. ’11 App Dev Sci) is a lecturer on the faculty in the U.Va. College of Arts and Sciences.

2000s Michelle Capozzoli (M.T. ’01 Spec Ed) is a Special

Education Mentor Coach in the Office of Special Education Instruction, Fairfax County Public Schools.

Jaime-Duke S. Hawkins (M.T. ’01 Elem Ed) is program director for the African American Teaching Fellows of Charlottesville/Albemarle.

Kate (Bourdow) Juhl (M.T. ’06 Soc Studies Ed) is program director with the University Career Center & The President’s Promise at the University of Maryland.

Abby Swanson Kazley (M.T. ’01 Spec Ed) is program director of the MHA Program at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Sheri Kohne Caligan (M.T. ’00 Elem Ed) was named Teacher of the Year 2012-2013 for Cameron Park Elementary School in Hillsborough, NC. Kirk Lindgren (M.T. ’04 Science Ed) is a finalist in the competition for Teacher of the Year in Charleston County Schools in So. Carolina.

Erica Lloyd (M.T. ’02 Elem Ed) was a recipient of a 4 Under 40 Award presented by the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce. Lloyd is program director of the I Have a Dream Foundation.

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Submit your class note at curry.virginia.edu/classnotes

Patrick McGuinn (M.Ed. ’01 Ed Policy) published

Education Governance for the Twenty-First Century: Overcoming the Structural Barriers to School Reform.

Rebekah Edwards O’Dell (M.T. ’05 English Ed) and husband, Evan, welcomed their first child, Georgia Isabelle, in Sept. 2011.

Leslie Nanna Quinlivan (M.T. ’01 Elem Ed.) and her husband Jeffrey welcomed their son, John Mark Quinlivan II, in August 2012. They reside with their daughter Kate, 4, in North Palm Beach, Fla. Scott A. Reighard (M.Ed. ’04 Admin & Supv) teaches at Glenvar Middle School in Roanoke County. He recently published his third novel, Death in the Valley.

Alexandra Roosenburg (M.T. ’05 Elem Ed) is an assistant principal at Washington International School, Primary School, in Washington, DC. Derek Wasnock (M.Ed. ’05 Admin & Supv) is principal of Providence Middle School in Richmond.

Tracy Watterson (M.Ed. ’09 Math Ed) is Elementary Mathematics Coordinator for the State of Vermont Agency of Education. She, her husband, and two daughters live in Burlington.

Wade Whitehead (M.Ed. ’09 Admin & Supv) is a fifth-grade teacher at Crystal Spring Elementary School in Roanoke, Va. He founded the nonprofit Teachers of Promise Foundation.

Kathleen (Katie) Van Horn Davis (M.T. ’08 Elem Ed)

is the education director at Carolina Ballet in Raleigh, N.C..

Laura S. Yee (M.Ed. ’08 Spec Ed) is completing her Ph.D studies at University of Maryland, College Park, in the Minority and Urban Education Program.

1990s Kelly Bird (M.A.T. 1991) is a management-side employ-

ment attorney practicing in New Jersey.

Tracye Boudell (M.T. ’91 Science Ed) “My current

passion is to help put some STEAM in STEM by reminding scientists & educators of the importance of arts education. We need students who are capable of both critical & creative thinking. After all, science itself is a creative endeavor!”

Michele Del Gallo Castner (M.Ed. ‘96 Admin &

Supv) is the principal of Agnor-Hurt Elementary in

Charlottesville, a 2011 Distinguished Title I School.

H. Nicole Frye-Myers (M.T. ’96 Spec Ed) edited and wrote five chapters in a textbook titled, Social Skills Deficits in Students with Disabilities: Successful Strategies from the Disabilities Field. Myers is the director of the Autism Clinic and Play Lab and an associate professor of Special Education at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. Roberta Gentry (M.T. ’97 Spec Ed) completed her Ph.D in Special Education Disability Policy and

Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University.

She is an assistant professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. Bob Grimesey (Ed.D. ’91 Admin & Supv) of Orange County Public Schools was named 2013 superintendent of the Year by the Virginia Association of School Superintendents.

Virginia Loh-Hagan (M.T. ’99 Spec Ed) was reappointed to the City of Escondido’s Library Board of Trustees. Her newest picture book is entitled Paper Son: Lee’s Journey to America.

Jay McClain (M.Ed. ’96 Admin & Supv) is Vice President, Teacher Leadership Development for Teach for America-D.C. Region.

Suzi Pomerantz (M.T. ’91) is the author of Seal the Deal: The Essential Mindsets for Growing Your Professional Services Business.

1980s Leslie Fenwick (B.S. ’83 Elem Ed) is completing her

sixth year as dean of the Howard University School of Education.

Helene Frantz (B.S. ’86 Elem Ed) is teaching first grade in Henrico County, Va., and is working on her Masters in Reading Education through U.Va. Joyce Glaise (Ed.S. ’83 Couns Ed; Ed.D. ’02 Admin

& Supv) is an associate professor and Coordinator of

Secondary Education at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Va. Gerry Kruger (M.Ed. ’83 Reading) presented her book On Kruger Pond: Charlie’s Story at the Virginia Festival of the book in Charlottesville on March 20, 2013.

Eugenia Leggett (B.S. ’82 Elem Ed) is in her seventh year as the Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Engagement for the Elon University School of Law. Tim McIntire (Ed.S. ’89 Admin & Supv) lives in New Mexico and works with Carney Sandoe & Associates in Boston. “I am always eager to hear from fellow Curry School graduates who are interested in top leadership positions.”

Deborah D. Pettit (M.Ed. ’84, Ed.D. ’94 C&I) superintendent of Louisa County Public Schools was named the 2013 Regional Superintendent of the Year for Region 5 of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents.

Margaret Wohler (M.Ed. ’86 Sci Ed) works with the Fairfax County Park Authority as a seasonal naturalist at Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria. She illustrated a Field Guide to Dragonflies.

Read more. Some class notes were abbreviated due to space limitations. You can read the full versions at curry.virginia. edu/education-connection

Passing It On

Curry Student and Mentor Teacher Both Inspired by Young Writers Workshop

Curry School Off-Grounds Programs • Administration & Supervision: EdS, MEd, Certificate • English Language Learners: Course series • Gifted Education: Course series

P HOTO BY TO M C O GI L L

• Professional Studies: Course series • Reading Education: EdS, MEd, Reading Specialist & Adolescent Literacy Certificates

/// Abbey Harris and Carly Nicholson (M.T. ‘05)

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bbey Harris found herself in a serendipitous fourth-year field placement this year. She was paired with Charlottesville High School English teacher Carly Nicholson (M.T. ’05 English Ed), who shares with Harris a history with U.Va.’s Young Writer’s Workshop.

YWW is a residential summer program that provides a supportive, non-competitive environment where teenage writers can live and work together as artists. It was founded in 1982 by Margo Figgins, Curry School professor of English education, a former high school English teacher and an alumna of the Curry School herself.

Harris was 16 when she participated in YWW, an experience which she says helped her find her own unique voice. The YWW instructors also influenced her decision to pursue a teaching career.

“They were not only insightful but they also found ways to make learning engaging and even fun for me,” Harris says. “Their energy and enthusiasm for teaching adolescents has certainly worn off on me.”

Carly Nicholson was not able to attend YWW as a teenager herself but connected with the program during her teacher education program. She participated as a residential counselor in 2004, 2005, and 2007, the summer Harris was there. She returned in 2009 as an assistant summer director.

“YWW taught me the power of collaboration, as an educator and as a writer,” she says.

In founding YWW Figgins drew upon her classroom teaching experience, which had led

her to three critical observations: Teens were most alive to themselves and to each other when they were being creative; their most powerful work occurred in collaboration with each other; and they would spend endless after-school hours absorbed in artistic expression—whether that be creative writing, theater, dance, or music—when their work was being taken seriously.

Now YWW is in its third decade and involves not just classes in writing, but living as a writer for two or three weeks in a community of writers.

Nicholson, who has taught at CHS for the past six years and is the English Department chair, says she learned some things about teenagers while working with YWW that have helped her as a teacher.

“Teenagers are the best at giving valuable feedback to each other and to instructors,” she says. “I learned how to create a community for feedback, and I use that workshop model in all of my classes.”

Harris is grateful for the opportunity to learn from a teacher who was prepared at the Curry School and also influenced by the YWW experience. She wants to pass on to her future students the same message she has received from both at experiences.

“It is OK to make mistakes in their writing, and no essay, poem, narrative, etcetera, is ever a finished piece. Writing is an ongoing and often rewarding process.”

• Social Foundations: MEd • Special Education: MEd, Certification leading to licensure Find more information on application deadlines and registration as a professional development student at curry.virginia.edu/offgrounds

Curry School Online Courses The Curry School offers synchronous and asynchronous online courses in all off-Grounds program areas.

Receive a Reading Degree or Certificate online, or take our Gifted and ELL course series online.

Summer course dates are June 7 – July 31.

Fall course dates are September 9 – December 16. curry.virginia.edu/offgrounds

Read more about Abbey and Carly at virginia.edu/education-connection

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Curry Research You Can Use Middle School Science/Math

WISEngineering is a free online learning environment (www.wisengineering.org) that provides support for students and teachers to conduct engineering design projects in middle schools.

An R&D team led by Jennifer Chiu, assistant professor of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, has been developing and testing the learning environment since late 2011.

The environment is similar to Coursera or Blackboard but specifically tailored to support engineering design projects. It has a Facebooklike Design Wall where students post their designs and get feedback from their peers, a Design Journal that records all of the students’ work, and a Design Portfolio where students pick parts of their Design Journal to share with their classmates and teachers.

It also includes automated student feedback and assessment, teacher feedback and monitoring tools, as well as project authoring tools for researchers and curriculum developers.

Research findings on the first three completed design projects indicated that middle school students significantly improved scores on state standardized tests. The learning environment helped teachers implement engineering design projects and helped students—especially those from at-risk and diverse populations—learn Common Core mathematical concepts and principles.

Projects for high school students are currently in development.

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Language Across Borders

Simply mixing English language learners in a classroom with native English speakers is often insufficient for relationships to form between students. Yet, social bonds engendered by frequent cross-linguistic peer interactions can be beneficial to both groups of students, especially the ELLs. An extracurricular two-way language program, called Languages Across Borders, invited high-school-aged Spanish-speaking ELLs and English-speaking Spanish language learners to pair up for a 30-minute tutoring session before school every morning for seven months.

The curriculum encouraged lots of interactions, in which the students practiced their second languages with each other, according to program developer Amanda Kibler, assistant professor of English education.

Typically, students of different language backgrounds don’t interact socially. In a pilot study of this program, however, students learned more about each other’s culture, increased their confidence with the new language, and developed or deepened relationships with each other. The Latino students especially emphasized the value of talking in the hallways and other public spaces with their Spanish language learner partners and being acknowledged or greeted in front of other students.

At least for the students in the study, opportunities to collaborate with each other on meaningful tasks helped them bridge social gaps that could ultimately benefit them academically as well.

The Meaning of the Equal Sign

Elementary students use the equal sign more than any other mathematical symbol, yet they frequently misinterpret it as operational, telling them to do something. Students who think this way may see 10 = 5 + ___ and think, “I should add these two numbers.”

As students move into more advanced levels of mathematics like algebra, however, they struggle if they do not understand the equal sign as relational, a balance between two sides of an equation.

Math textbooks aren’t helping much to correct this misperception, according to an analysis by Sarah Powell, assistant professor of special education. She examined equation types and equal sign definitions in eight elementary mathematics curricula commonly used across the US, considering both student textbooks and teachers manuals.

Based on her findings, Powell recommends that at every grade level, teachers supplement published curricula with periodic reminders of the relational meaning of the equal sign.

Students would also benefit if the same definition of equal sign were used across grade levels. (Sometimes the curricula provided different definitions within the same grade level!)

Effective phrases include “the same as” and “the two sides are the same.”

Teachers can also help students better internalize the equal sign’s meaning by providing additional exposure to nonstandard equations, like 4 = 11 – 7, 12 = 12, and 9 x 4 = 12 x 3.

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