School of Education - Spring 2016, Volume 2

NEWS Traveling trunk brings wars into focus in several cities including St. Cloud, Anoka and Monticello.

Tom Stoffel, Jocelynn Moran, Payton Pulkrabek and Cassie Nelson took the Traveling Trunk to Vanderberg Middle School in Elk River for Alex Sears’ sixth grade social studies class.

SCSU students Payton Pulkrabek, Jocelynn Moran and Tom Stoffel

A group of future social science teachers are making the wars of this country’s past a bit more real to middle school and high school students. Under the guidance of Kyle Ward, a number of teacher candidates are traveling to area schools with artifacts from the American Civil War, World War I and World War II. It all began in Ward’s War and Society course. As part of the course, Ward made arrangements for his students to spend time at the Minnesota Military Museum at Camp Ripley in Little Falls.

Based on their experiences, the students put together a “Traveling Trunk” of uniforms, helmets, boots, ammunition pouches, canteens, load bearing vests and other materials from the museum.

Student Allyssa Evenstad wrote a lesson plan for a Civil War unit for middle school students. Another lesson was created for high school students focusing on World War I and World War II. Other students presented the lessons in schools

“The most impressive part about the St. Cloud State students’ presentation was how they were able to bring Civil War education to life,” Sears said. “They brought artifacts such as Union and Confederate jackets, Elk River student tries boots and caps that out a Civil War drum. students were able to try on and walk around in. One student even brought homemade hardtack and Johnny Cakes [made from authentic recipes] for the students to taste-test, which elicited many disgusted, but a few satisfied reactions.

Overall the presenters exhibited a great deal of preparation and did a fantastic job.”

The program continues to be available to schools. For more information contact Kyle Ward at krward@stcloudstate.edu.

Volume 1, Issue 2 Summer 2016

Plan it and they will come

By Melanie Howe

The title of this article has been Dona Yetter’s motto since beginning the partnership between North Branch and St. Cloud State University in 1999.

At that time, the North Branch Area Public Schools Superintendent James Walker and Vice Superintendent Al Bass went to Joane McKay, then Dean of the College of Education, and proposed a K-8 cohort program.

The partnership would consist of North Branch serving as a Teaching Center to assist in providing on-site coordination to oversee off-campus programming and field experience placements.

North Branch is designated as a PDS (Professional Development Site), which allows St. Cloud State students to complete licensure or degrees when they enroll in St. Cloud State/North Branch cohort programming.

The first cohort was a program for licensure in elementary education in fall 1999 with students graduating in 2002.

Next year will be the 18th year of the partnership and one that Yetter says, “is the most aggressive.”

The newest initiative is one that will be kicking off this summer with courses starting for a new graduate cohort for a Continued on page 2

Inside this edition

Desert Fest -Page 2

Makerspace, Somali International Univ.

-Page 3

Dean’s message, Alumna teaching -Page 4

Retirements -Page 5

Hall of Fame -Page 6

Revealing the truth, Brainerd programs -Page 7

Continued from page 1

Curriculum and Instruction Master of Science and/or a Technology Integration Certificate.

Additionally, a Special Education K-12 cohort and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Endorsement cohort will also be made available to staff from the North Branch and surrounding school districts this fall.

Yetter has been a pivotal force in continuing the North Branch partnership with St. Cloud State from the beginning. She attributes the partnership success to strong communication and collaboration with the faculty at St. Cloud State.

On a personal note, as a student who has participated in online synchronous classes that included North Branch cohort students, I can state that it was a class that enhanced my learning because my fellow students had varied experiences that helped to enrich the course content and homework in a variety of ways.

It allowed us as students not only to learn from the professor, but from each other as peers because we could apply the content to different environments based on what we learned from our peers’ life experiences. This is one example of an experience that students who are based at St. Cloud State or in North Branch can expect.

In addition, students who are participating in the North Branch cohort can expect similar availability of on-campus resources as students on campus. North Branch cohort students have access to St. Cloud State financial aid, technology support and library resources. Several of the classes make use of Adobe Connect as a technology for online classes, and this has increased partnership possibilities and provided access that allowed faculty on campus to provide enhanced support. Due to the strong and constant communication and collaboration between North Branch and St. Cloud State, we can expect to see this established partnership continuing strong into the future.

Dessert Fest event honors scholarship recipients

Donors Kate Steffens and Christine Imbra with recipient Saby Labor

Recipient Caitlin Lindsay and Dean Steve Hoover

Recipient Brenna Siltala and Honored Faculty Melissa Hanzsek-Brill

The School of Education recognized 2015-16 scholarship recipients at the 17th annual School of Education Dessert Fest April 27.

Scholarship recipients, their families and scholarship donors were invited to Dessert Fest as an opportunity the meet each other and socialize. Scholarship recipients took the moment to say thank you in person to donors.

Students also honored faculty and staff members who made a significant difference in their lives at St. Cloud State. All of these things happen while enjoying some delicious desserts.

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Sample Desserts

More than 375 School of Education alumni are fund sponsors or have contributed to scholarships for students in the School. Due to their generosity, 94 students received scholarships and were recognized at the Dessert Fest.

“We in the School of Education are proud of the accomplishments of our students and grateful to the scholarship donors whose contributions have helped our students pursue their academic and career goals” said Katie Kustritz, student relations coordinator and organizer.

St. Cloud State University / School of Education

Makerspace Movement fosters exploration For many decades, classrooms, especially elementary classrooms, involved a high level of hands on activity. Teachers were skilled in setting up learning centers where students could explore deeply at their own pace. Sadly, more recent decades have seen a decline in the opportunity for such independent exploration.

The emphasis on the need for data, particularly from standardized testing performance, has greatly diminished, if not completely extinguished, the amount of time that can be spared for creative play and exploration. The current makerspace movement is a direct result of a desire to restore play and creativity in the classroom.

A makerspace can take many forms and contain a range of resources, from robotics to craft supplies. In some schools, makerspaces are found in classrooms, while in other schools, they are part of a media center or a learning commons. In the SCSU School of Education, the Discovery Lab (part of the Vera Russell Curriculum and Technology Center) is evolving into a makerspace featuring robots, circuitry, games, window crayons, Legos, and coloring supplies. At a recent Discovery Lab Open House, students and faculty were able to get some hands on experience with resources that fall under the umbrella of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education.

Discovery Lab resources include Dot & Dash, Makeymakey Go!, Ozobots, Brain Teasers, and Osmo kits for interactive iPad gaming. By exploring the resources independently and creatively, innovative ways of incorporating them into learning environments can be developed. The Discovery Lab provides these resources and opportunities for exploration not only for students, but also for faculty and staff professional development. Hopefully, makerspace exploration will return the classrooms of the future to spaces where play and creativity are valued. Next time you are in the School of Education, stop by the Discovery Lab to see what you can create.

Teacher education students create paths for Ozobot robots to follow.

As an added benefit, in addition to charging up your maker self, creative play can serve as a great stress reliever!

For more detailed information about the makerspace movement, see Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering and Engineering in the Classroom by Martinez and Stager (2013) as well as trade and professional journals such as Make or School Library Journal.

Note: Marcia Thompson and Tiffany Miley will be leading a one day workshop on makerspaces during the School of Education Teacher Renew U Week in June. Come to the Discovery Lab and play with us. Click here for more information. http://www.stcloudstate.edu/soe/teacher-renew-u/default.aspx

Somali International University president visits

SCSU President Potter and SIU President Mohamed Ali Ismail

SoE Interim Dean Hoover and SIU President Ismail

This spring St. Cloud State University and the School of Education hosted a visit from Mohamed Ali Ismail, President of Somali International University (SIU) along with several of his staff.

Somali International University is exploring opportunities whereby it might enter into collaborative endeavors with St. Cloud State to provide new opportunities for students and faculty from both institutions.

Ismail was accompanied in his visit by local Somali leaders who are working with St. Cloud State to further support Somali students and the community.

The talks were exploratory and very encouraging. The School of Education plans to continue these discussions during the coming year.

Interim Dean Hoover, School of Public Affairs Dean King Banaian, SIU President Ismail and members of his delegation

St. Cloud State University / School of Education

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Message from Dean Steve Hoover Welcome to our second issue of the School of Education newsletter. This issue has much to offer in celebrating the positive contributions our school is making for students and education.

To speak of commitments to students is to recognize the outstanding achievements and work of three of our faculty and staff who will be retiring this spring.

In Special Education we will be losing Mary Beth Noll and Janet Salk. Mary Beth and Janet have been making significant contributions to St. Cloud State and the School of Education for many years. In addition, Fran Umerski, director of the Office of Clinical Experiences will be retiring in July of this year.

Fran has been instrumental in working with our students and partner school districts to provide outstanding field experiences for our teacher candidates. Mary Beth, Janet and Fran will be missed tremendously. We all wish you the very best in retirement.

Speaking of a commitment to education — Lucille Decker, 92, a 1945 graduate of St. Cloud State Teacher’s College, retired from teaching 12 years ago, still substitute teaches in Princeton. We have highlighted her in an article found elsewhere in this issue.

Sudie Hoffman, of Human Relations and Multicultural Education (HURL) has published an article on the history of slavery at Mt.

Vernon. We include a summary of her article and a link to the original piece. Hoffman provides a unique perspective which contributes to our points of view in education.

The Special Education Department has been very active in the movement to create paraprofessional programs. A great need exists for special educators in Minnesota, in particular, helping special education paraprofessional obtain teaching licenses. The department continues to work with a program in Brainerd and is actively working on a West Metro program in conjunction with North Hennepin Community College.

This issue also shares innovative educational experiences our faculty and students use including a Makerspace in our Curriculum Technology Center Lab. Kyle Ward has worked with his social studies teacher candidates to develop a traveling trunk which is engaging school students in discovering the personal aspects of history.

As this issue goes to press, we are approaching the end of the academic year and have much to celebrate. On April 27 we had our annual Dessert Fest to celebrate our student scholarship recipients, honored instructors and esteemed donors. We announced our first annual School of Education Hall of Fame Awardees at the event.

All the very best – Steve Hoover

Alumna teaching at 92 WCCO Television recognized alumna Lucille Decker, 92, as an excellent educator in March. What made Decker an excellent educator is her dedication in the classroom.

Her devotion to teaching proves age is truly just a number. Decker became a teacher 71 years ago in 1945 after completing her teacher preparation program at St. Cloud State Teachers College (now St. Cloud State University).

She has been teaching at the elementary school level since she was 21. Even though she retired 12 years ago at 80, she is still substitute teaching students four days a week at South Elementary in Princeton.

The children who’ve come through her classroom have changed, but her love of teaching them has not. Shirley Miller, a former student of Decker, became a teacher in the same school. Miller retired several years ago, before her former teacher. Decker has now taught twice as long as Miller had been teaching — further proving age is just a number.

Decker taught the very first class at South Elementary School in Princeton, and she’ll teach her last class in that building as well.

Next year the school will close and open in a new building nearby.

The principal, Greg Finck announced the media center will be named the “Lucille Decker Media Center” in her honor.

“It’s been my life forever. It’s refreshing that I can do it, and I get energy from the children.” she said.

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St. Cloud State University / School of Education

Retirements Fran Umerski

Janet Salk

The Office of Clinical Experience (OCE) has big shoes to fill. Each year more than 1,600 students come into the OCE looking for field experience and student teaching placements.

After 40 years of teaching at St. Cloud State, Janet Salk is preparing for retirement.

For the last 11 years Fran Umerski has been coordinating, along with her fellow staff in the OCE, these placements, securing about 1,000 field experience and student teaching placements each semester throughout central and metropolitan Minnesota.

Umerski started her career teaching early childhood special education in the St. Cloud Area School District. During her 18 years in the district, she helped create a program focusing on Birth to Grade 3 Early Intervention, and was instrumental in developing inclusive preschool models for 4 and 5 year olds.

She became the coordinator/supervisor for the program, until she made her move to St. Cloud State University in 2001 to teach in the Child and Family Studies Department.

Not only did she help develop, manage, the Birth to Grade 3 and 3-5 year old early childhood special education programs throughout the St. Cloud Area School District, but Umerski is one of the first people to become licensed in this area in the state of Minnesota. As she continued with her career she also added an administrative license to her repertoire: director of Special Education. It has been the knowledge and skills from Umerski’s experiences that have assisted her in developing a clean and tight organization within the OCE, especially through the method of incorporating liaisons throughout the education programs.

This has allowed Umerski and OCE staff to provide constant feedback to ensure that questions are being answered. Her driven and highly-communicative skills are seen throughout her career in education.

Even though we must say goodbye, Umerski is going to continue being an advocate for early child education and a strong supporter in St. Cloud State’s education programs.

She hopes to continue her partnership with China Women’s University, Beijing, where she is working with faculty to start their own Parent Education and Early Childhood Special Education programs.

In addition, she is hoping to bring delegations here from Beijing to view Minnesota programs for both areas of study, so they can continue their work in course sequence and curriculum of their programs. Through this partnership Umerski hopes to work toward a future where students come to study and work toward their master’s degrees at St. Cloud State.

She began as the special education teacher at the Thomas Grey Laboratory School at St. Cloud State from 1976-1983. She first started working at the Lab School one year after the first federal special education legislation was passed, the Education of All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. It was a big moment in the history of educating children with disabilities.

Salk feels that it was exciting to welcome these students back from the institutions into their families and communities and educate them in their neighborhood schools right alongside their nondisabled peers. The disability rights movement owed a lot to the Civil Rights movement. Salk explained, “It was fulfilling to be a part of that mission for the last 40 years.”

When the Lab School closed, Salk moved to teach in the Special Education Department full time. Her primary research interests were in teacher preparation.

Her first work with college students was supervising their field experiences in general education. It involved training graduate assistants to do the supervision. Salk worked with students doing their field experience and student teaching in special education settings. She really enjoyed this because many of the teachers her students worked with in the field were her former students.

“The most fulfilling thing about my career at St. Cloud State is working with students,” Salk said. “Many have gone on to be successful teachers and administrators and candidates in doctoral programs.”

In addition, she has devoted her work and personal life to see special education programs grow in other countries. She participated in a collaborative relationship St. Cloud State has with Gyeongin National University of Education in Korea.

She was able to teach there and advise and host Korean students in the United States. She also worked with international students who obtained graduate assistantships in the Special Education Department. They supervised undergraduate students in the field.

Salk and the international students had many discussions about educational policy and trends in each other’s countries.

As she prepares for travel upon retirement, Salk sends words of wisdom to St. Cloud State students. “Work hard, learn as much as you can from your elders, take care of yourself and find what is fulfilling to you in life,” She said. “Work in that area or work so you can support yourself and spend personal time doing what you love.

Think seriously about the debt you’re taking on. Get a degree in a field that will lead to employment.”

St. Cloud State University / School of Education

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Retirements (continued) Mary Beth Noll At the end of spring semester 2016, the Special Education Department will say good bye to a long standing member of that department. Mary Beth Nolls has taught at St. Cloud State since 1993. Prior to that she served as a special education teacher, primarily in the Kansas City area, for 16 years. She earned her doctorate at the University of Kansas in 1984 and remained in public school teaching for six years.

In 1990 she assumed a teaching position at Indiana University of Pennsylvania before moving on to St. Cloud State.

During her tenure in the public schools, Nolls taught students with emotional and behaviorial disorders for 10 years. This was followed by an additional six years teaching students with autism spectrum disorders. At the university level she has primarily focused on preparing teachers to work with students with emotional

and behaviorial disorders and on special education program development.

Nolls’ focus has always been more on effective teaching rather than research, but research has always guided her practice. She moved from public schools to universities with the mission of preparing effective special education teachers.

To that end, her research addressed effective educational interventions for students with emotional and behaviorial disorders.

She is particularly proud of her involvement in encouraging individuals to enter the teaching profesion and in developing programs for paraprofessionals to become licensed special education teachers. School of Education faculty and staff will miss Nolls’ enthusiasm and spirit and wish her well in her retirement.

Hall of Fame honors first inductees She earned $300 for eight months in her first teaching job. That salary rose to $1,450 after she earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Cloud State in 1940.

Russell went on to earn her master’s degree from the University of Michigan and went on to a career as an elementary school principal in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

In 1977-78, her last full year as an educator, Russell earned $27,064.

Ruby Cora Webster

Vera Russell

St. Cloud State University’s first African American student and an amateur radio enthusiast were the first inductees in the School of Education’s Hall of Fame.

Ruby Cora Webster and Vera Russell are the first alumna honored in the newly established Hall of Fame. The inductees were announced at the Dessert Fest.

Webster was born in Delphos, Ohio, in 1889 and attended St. Cloud High School before entering then St. Cloud Normal School in 1908. She was the first African American student to attend the university. She graduated from the one-year Elementary Graduate Course in 1909. And was a member of the fifth year class at the normal school 1911-12. She later married Robert Maddox and lived in Kansas City, Missouri.

Russell grew up in Chippewa County in the 1920s-1930s when opportunities for women in Western Minnesota were few.

The opportunity she found was at St. Cloud State, where she earned a two-year teaching certificate.

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When she wasn’t educating young minds, Russell enjoyed amateur radio and operated with the call sign K8BPQ. She served as president of the Genesee County Radio Club in 1963.

After retirement, Russell enjoyed traveling and retired in Houston, Texas. She remained committed to education and served as a volunteer tutor at Almeda Elementary School.

Russell made a final trip to Minnesota and St. Cloud State in November 2007 where she addressed faculty, staff and students at a reception in her honor. She died in 2008.

“St. Cloud has always had a special place in my heart,” Russell said at her reception. “I enjoyed going here. You don’t know how much I appreciate the education I got here.”

Webster and Russell will be honored in the Hall of Fame, which will be installed in the first floor student lounge where it will be highlyvisible to students, faculty and visitors to the School of Education.

The Hall of Fame recognizes the achievements of alumni and affiliates of the school. At least one inductee from the School of Education will be announced each year along with inductees from individual departments.

St. Cloud State University / School of Education

Professor advocates for educational responsibility to reveal the truth After her fifth tour of Mount Vernon, Virginia, Sudie Hofmann, professor of Human Relations and Multicultural Education at Saint Cloud State University, has written about the historical truth of slavery at this site for the Zinn Education Project.

She posits that Mount Vernon was created on the backs of African men, women and children. Hofmann points out the historical negligence about George Washington’s ownership of slaves. She brings to light Washington’s purchases of 318 human beings to be held in bondage on his plantation. Though her research, Hofmann suggests that Washington had an obsession with money and his utopian design of a self-sustaining community.

Hofmann’s approach to U.S. history differs from what is traditionally taught about slavery in this country. She explains that most accounts recognize some atrocities regarding slavery, but quickly move to the position that the “peculiar institution” was necessary or rationalize it as a “practice” or culturally accepted because “everyone was doing it.”

Some accounts attempt to compare one slave owner’s vicious actions to another owner who is perceived as gentle, painting the picture of nice slave owners. Attempts have been made to compare one region’s slave traditions to another, with benevolence at the forefront of the conversation. Regardless of the niceties, slavery was abolished in this country because of its many negative impacts.

The vantage point of the victor is apparent in the treatment of U.S. history in most texts. These are the champions who usurped the labor and resources from people of color and promoted genocide in many forms. White heroes, patriotism and nationalism drive the narrative in these titles.

Hofmann argues that the United States has presented itself as a daring experiment in democracy, ingenuity and courage through the artificial control of information, omission or lies.

Historical moments like the Manifest Destiny are characterized as virtuous. She is concerned that textbooks are sanitized to be palatable for the public. In these texts, both students and teachers are prevented from developing a critical analysis of U.S. history and are not motivated to ask important questions.

Hofmann thinks students and teachers need to have a working knowledge of the 500 years of racism, cultural appropriation and colonialism in this country. She suggests that educators should maintain a continuous engagement with critical sources such as “People’s History of the U.S.” by Howard Zinn, “Teaching What Really Happened: How to Avoid the Tyranny of Textbooks and Get Students Excited About Doing History” by James Loewen, and publications by Teaching Tolerance, Teaching for Change, Rethinking Schools and the Zinn Education Project (ZEP).

“We all have a responsibility to challenge the omissions and lies in the texts,” Hofmann said. “It takes a strong commitment to do the reading and seek out sources to supplement shallow curriculum.

Adding one’s name to the ZEP electronic mailing list and getting alerts on their new postings is a start. The articles on ZEP are usually limited to 1,100 words and are a quick read on different periods of U.S. history. In addition, Teaching Tolerance’s films and curriculum are free to all educators by simply filling out an online form.”

Besides teaching at St. Cloud State, Hofmann is working on the accuracy of tours on southern plantations, primarily in Louisiana, Virginia and South Carolina. The Whitney Museum opened in New Orleans last year, and it may be the first plantation tour that accurately portrays slave history. If you would like to read Hofmann’s article about Mount Vernon in Virginia, visit this link: http://zinnedproject.org/2015/02/mount-vernon-tour/

Paraprofessional to licensure program in special education The School of Education and the Paul Bunyan Education Cooperative (PBEC) together are offering an opportunity for school paraprofessionals in the Brainerd to pursue teacher licensure in Special Education.

Community College in Brainerd. The program began in spring 2015 with 28 undergraduate and graduate students. Seventeen stayed with the program and are expected to complete all requirements for licensure by spring 2017.

The PBEC cohort program is designed for both undergraduate and graduate students seeking to attain the Academic and Behavioral Strategist (ABS) license.

Courses are offered onsite in Brainerd at the PBEC Central Administration Building, online or in a hybrid format (i.e., a combination of online and in the classroom).

This license prepares teachers of students with mild and moderate disabilities such as autism spectrum disorders, developmental cognitive disabilities, emotional behavioral disorders, learning disabilities and other health impairments.

The students complete two or three courses each semester and maintain employment while pursuing their teaching license.

Developed by the Department of Special Education at St Cloud State University, the program offers three courses at Central Lakes

This cohort is an example of the Department of Special Education’s efforts to address the special education teacher shortage in Minnesota.

St. Cloud State University / School of Education

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Contributors 720 4th Avenue South St. Cloud, Minnesota 56301-4498

St. Cloud State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, status with regards to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or status as a U.S. veteran. The Title IX coordinator at SCSU is Ellyn Bartges. For additional information, contact the Office of Equity & Affirmative Action, (320) 308-5123, Admin. Services Bldg. Rm 102.

Robert W. Kapfhammer

Yewon Sung

Melanie Howe