SNHU School of Education Viewbook

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Go teach. Go learn. Go be a role model. Go help children grow. Go to the head of the class. Go advocate for children. Go change the world.

Go on campus. Go on location. Go online. Go-getters go here.

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Do you?

• Crave the smell of dry erase markers and new textbooks?

• Get a thrill from seeing other’s “Ah-ha” moments?

• Want to get paid for what you love to do?

• Want to impact the lives of others?

If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, then the School of Education at Southern New Hampshire University has a program for you.

There are no limits to what you can do, what you can be or how you can change the world.

We have undergraduate and graduate, certification and noncertification programs. We’ll help you prepare to launch your career or, if you already are in the classroom, obtain the credentials to help you gain a promotion or increase your salary.

It’s all about the experience As a School of Education student, you won’t only learn about education and early care, you’ll experience it.

Our undergraduates begin observing and working with area teachers in real classrooms during their first semester. While many other universities make students wait a year or even two before sending them into the field, we want you to get a feel for the profes-

sion as soon as possible. (After all, how else will you know it’s the right career for you?)

Depending on your program, you’ll spend time working in elementary, middle or high school programs, in tutoring programs or in early care and education centers. For example, teacher education majors complete at least 100 hours of field work in different schools, with different grade levels and a number of teachers, so they get a truly diverse experience.

Students in the child development programs can work with parents and children in local school districts and other community-based organizations. Teacher education students are encouraged to apply what they’re learning in our classrooms in the classrooms in which they work.

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Southern New Hampshire University is accredited by: New Hampshire State Department of Education for Teacher Certification | Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration | American Culinary Federation | Educational Institute Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs | European Council for Business Education | New England Association of Schools and Colleges | New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission | North American Society for Sport Management 4

Go-getters

Wanted!

In the field Excellence. Service. Community.

Leadership. Whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student, a teacher seeking professional development or an administrator from one of our many partner schools, these are words you’ll hear often in SNHU’s School of Education.

Our students spent 65,000 hours in 117 area schools during the 2007-2008 school year.

We believe education can transform lives. We believe we must serve our communities. We believe we can improve public education. Today’s educators must be ready to use innovate resources and technology as well as time-tested approaches to meet the needs of our ever-changing society. We can help you become a leader in the field and in the classroom. We’ve pledged a lifelong devotion to learning, and we’re proud of our idealism.

We also believe in learning by doing. Wherever you are in your career, we’ll help you put theory into practice. If you’re an undergraduate student or a graduate student seeking certification, you’ll be sent into classrooms in the community immediately.

If you’re an established teacher, we’ll help you apply what you’re learning here where you work.

You won’t have to go it alone

Small classes (our faculty-student ratio is 12 to 1) mean you’ll get personal attention and plenty of support from faculty. Our faculty members are passionate teachers with years of experience. They’ll be your advisers as well as your instructors – true partners in your education.

Everyone in the school can answer questions about your program.

When it comes time to do your field experience, we’ll worry about the details so you can focus on the experience. You’ll be partnered with experienced teachers who are familiar with our programs. You’ll be coached on everything from classroom etiquette to instructional methods. And if you are an undergraduate and don’t have a car, we’ll help you get to where you need to go.

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Go-getter: Jen Pento Jen Pento thought she wanted to be a nurse after she left the military.

But when she “didn’t do as well as I hoped” with anatomy, she realized she wanted to help people through teaching.

“I want to be one of those teachers that students can look back and say, ‘I remember Miss Jen; she always took the time to help,’” she says.

Jen is working on a bachelor’s degree with double certification in early childhood education/special education at Southern New Hampshire University. She is fascinated with children and loves teaching them – and learning from them.

“As adults, we think we know everything,” she says. “But you give them a project and you have one thing in mind, and they use their creativity and come up with another alternative.”

Her boundless patience and desire to help drew her to youngsters with special needs.

“I just feel like sometimes they’re pushed along. I’d like to get more involved and hopefully make a difference,” she says. “I have a brother with cerebral palsy. I always saw the challenges that he faced and always said I wanted to make it as easy as possible.”

Jen, a mom to three boys ages 10, 12 and 15, also juggles a full-time school load and works part-time at an early care center in Hooksett, N.H. She says she receives a lot of support at home.

“I made the President’s List (for high grades), and my son … puts it right on the fridge for me. Their schooling is very important to them as well,” she says. “They love when they actually help me out.”

She hopes to work in a school district with children with autism after she graduates. The field experience required by the School of Education has been helpful, too.

“I thought it was a great opportunity to see different classrooms instead of staying in one school,” she says. “The School of Education is wonderful.”

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More Than 30 Ways to Get Ahead There are more than 30 ways for you to graduate from the School of Education. We offer undergraduate and graduate certification programs for aspiring early childhood, elementary and secondary school teachers, master’s programs for certified teachers, bachelor’s and master’s programs in child development, conversion programs for career-changers and more. All of our programs are offered on campus; some programs and courses also are available on location at our centers.

Our graduates are leaders who are committed to excellence in education and high-quality service.

They are equipped to meet the changing needs of students, families, schools and communities. They become teachers, school administrators, child development experts and community leaders. They are early intervention specialists, child advocates, college faculty and more.

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Undergraduate Programs SNHU offers three paths to certification, depending on your age group of choice.

discipline and focuses on traditional, innovative and research-based approaches to teaching.

Our Bachelor of Arts in child development program includes concentrations in early childhood leadership, early

Early childhood, elementary and secondary education students may also pursue dual certification in general special education, which qualifies

care and education and family studies. With the leadership concentration, you’ll be ready to run an early childhood business or become a licensed director of an existing program. Family studies graduates may become caseworkers, advocates or early interventionists. The child development focus will provide in-depth knowledge of the dynamic transformations young children experience as they grow.

The B.A. in early childhood education program covers child development, family systems, curriculum and instruction for teaching children from pre-k through grade 3. You’ll become qualified to teach kindergarten through eighth grade with our B.A. in elementary education program. These programs includes a concentration in an academic

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them to work with students with special needs at the K-12 levels.

Go-getter: Cory Vejraska Student Cory Vejraska entered the School of Education seeking to combine two of his passions: history and basketball. The Alachua, Fla., resident is a secondary education-social studies major who wants to teach high school history and coach basketball.

“I think I relate to older kids,” he says. “I can push them and challenge them to succeed in more ways than one – athletically and scholastically.”

The teachers in his life inspired his goal.

“I’ve always had really good teachers, growing up – teachers who were really kind, taking the time to teach me what I needed to know,” he says. “They really made me feel fond of this profession.”

A power forward on SNHU’s basketball team, Cory comes from a family of basketball players. His twin brother plays for Campbell University, and his father is a hall-of-famer from his days playing for the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

“I’ve always been around basketball,” he says. “I could play the game my whole life.”

Though only in his second year, Cory already has spent hours in real high school classrooms, as field work is part of the curriculum from day one.

“You get to look at it from the perspective of a teacher and a student. It’s very helpful,” he says.

His SNHU professors also have been helpful.

“They’re there for you in every aspect of your life,” he says. “They come to my basketball games and cheer for me. You wouldn’t get that at a large university. “(Prof.) Audrey (Rogers) has led me down a great path. I know if I went to a large university, I wouldn’t have had the one-on-one time with an adviser that Audrey gives me.”

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Go-getter: Jess Murray Though she flirted with becoming a rock star, a doctor or a lawyer, Jess Murray, of Groton, Conn., has always known deep down that she wanted to teach.

“Teaching is always No. 1. It’s the job I know I want, and that I know I would do for free,” says Jess, an Honors Program student majoring in elementary education. “It’s exciting for me to go to class and say, “What am I going to learn today?’ That’s what I want to give to my students.”

She didn’t have to wait to get into the classroom – students are required to begin observing classes and helping teachers in the community beginning first semester.

“When you first walk into your first classroom, you’re so nervous – ‘Did I dress OK, is the teacher going to like me, are kids going to think I’m weird?’

Then, after a while, you get more confident to use your voice, to shout and get silly with the kids,” she says.

Initially she wanted to teach higher elementary grades, but being exposed to a first-grade classroom changed her mind.

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“I love the looks on the children’s faces. Everything is new and so exciting,” she says. “It was so great to watch the kids (to see) how they absorb it like a sponge. It was surprising to me how much the teacher was able to do.”

Jess keeps busy outside the classroom, too. She belongs to Coordinators of Activities & Programming Events, is president of the Young Educators Society (the YES club) and is a member of the Dean’s Council, a group of students that serves as ambassadors for the school and helps at school events. She also works in the Curriculum Resource Room, a learning lab for School of Education students.

“It feels right to be here,” she says of SNHU. “You come onto the campus and you feel so comfortable. You just click and you know right away this is the place I want to be.”

The faculty connections have been inspiring as well.

“They’re great people to work with. They’re not just teachers,” she says.

“I have a connection with some of them. It makes me want to be here.”

Undergraduate Programs (continued) We also offer secondary education programs for those wishing to teach at the junior, middle and high school levels (grades 5 through 12). Those in our B.A. in English education program major in education and take English and literature courses.

B.A. in social studies education students choose between concentrations in history and political science and take education and social studies teaching methods courses.

Social studies certification covers history, government and economics. The interdisciplinary program prepares students to teach in these areas.

All of our certification programs include at least 100 hours of field experience and 16 weeks of student teaching. Upon graduation you will be prepared for certification in the state of New Hampshire, which is reciprocal in 43 other states.

Undergraduate education majors Child Development – three concentrations in: – Early Care and Education – Early Childhood Leadership – Family Studies Early Childhood Education Elementary Education English Education Justice Studies Social Studies Education – two concentrations in: – History – Political Science

Undergraduate education minors Child Development Justice Studies

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Keep

Going!

Get your master’s degree.

We offer a number of graduate programs for certified teachers wishing to pursue a master’s degree to advance in their fields, take on more responsibility in their schools and districts, and/or increase their salaries and those seeking professional development hours. We also offer programs for those who already have college degrees and want to become certified teachers.

Already have a bachelor’s degree? Don’t stop now.

A Master of Education or a Master of Science can help boost your career. If you’re already a certified teacher or a child development specialist, you can increase your knowledge and pedagogical skills with our Master of Education degrees. And a master’s degree is a necessity if you want to become a school administrator.

Many states mandate that teachers earn master’s degrees within a few years on the job. Plus, an M.Ed. can boost your bottom line: In New Hampshire, for example, teachers with master’s degrees had starting salaries that were an average $6,700 more per year than those with only bachelor’s degrees.

Not a teacher, but wish you were? We also offer degree and nondegree certification programs to help you make the career change.

The bottom line: An SNHU master’s degree can really pay off, financially and professionally.

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Graduate Programs We offer a number of graduate programs for certified teachers seeking master’s degrees or professional development hours. We also offer teacher certification programs for those who already have college degrees and wish to start a career in the classroom.

Noncertification Programs The Master of Education in child development is for professionals working in education, policy, administration and research.

The M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction is for certified school teachers seeking an in-depth study of teaching and learning.

Certification programs* Our M.Ed. in child development, elementary education and secondary education is for college graduates with degrees in another field who wish to become certified teachers. You also may pursue dual certification in K-12 general special education.

Our M.Ed. in child development with early childhood education is for professional practitioners working in education, policy, administration and research who are seeking teacher certification for pre-k through grade 3.

Our M.Ed. in elementary education leads to certification for teaching grades kindergarten through eighth grade. The M.Ed. in secondary education is for those seeking certification to teach English or social studies in grades 5 through12.

*All of our certification programs include 16 weeks of student teaching. Upon graduation you will be prepared for certification by the state of New Hampshire and 43 other states.

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Go-getter: Crystal Jean School of Education graduate student Crystal Jean is committed to helping children of all ages. How did she develop such a caring attitude? Her answer is simple—she had foster brothers and sisters.

paired with kindergartners and first- and second-graders to work on literacy skills. The program has been so successful that Crystal is starting Math Buddies at another elementary school.

“My parents brought four children into our home and adopted two of them,” says Crystal, who was 11 years old at the time. “It was a very positive experience. I loved being a big sister and helping them adjust to their peers at school, for instance. Family is everything to me. Even now, I’d rather spend weekends at home.”

What is the best way to develop a child’s potential? “Give them understanding,” Crystal says. “Every child is different and every child needs you to be there for them.”

Crystal, who is pursuing a Master of Education degree in child development, plans to apply her foster experience to her career. Her goal is to land a position in the social service arena caring for children like those her parents cared for over the years. Within five to 10 years, she hopes to be a foster or adoptive parent herself.

She already is helping children in schools through the university’s Center for Service and Citizenship. She coordinates the Book Buddies program at the Fred C. Underhill School, in which SNHU students are

She also helps low-income and first-generation high school students prepare for college as part of the university’s Partnership Program.

Crystal is confident that she will be successful in life, thanks to her experiences at SNHU. “When I came here as an undergraduate, I was the shyest person you’d ever meet,” she said. “The professors and staff made me step out of my shell. They opened so many doors and opportunities for me.

This university is a great place to see your potential.”

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Graduate Programs (continued) The Master of Science in business education provides business educators with advanced knowledge and skills and the opportunity to pursue teacher certification. Certificates are available in training and development, computer technology education and school business administration.

Additional Certification for Certified Teachers For those interested in teaching English as a second language in the U.S. (or as a foreign language abroad), we offer the M.S. in teaching English as a foreign language program.

Certified elementary and secondary school teachers may pursue additional certification in English for speakers of other languages and general special education. (These may be pursued alone or with the M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction.)

Conversion Program College graduates who want to become teachers need only complete those courses required to meet New Hampshire Department of Education teacher competencies. This program does not lead to a degree.

Conversion programs are available for secondary education in social studies, business and English teacher education. (You must have an undergraduate degree in English, a social studies-related major or business.)

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Cohorts and Field-based Education Take classes with your colleagues with our cohorts and our Field-based Graduate Program in Education.

With cohorts, a group of teachers may take courses together, enabling them to focus on their school’s or district’s needs while in class.

Our part-time, weekend field-based program takes place in school communities, often in rural settings, so you can match content to your specific school’s needsfocuses on excellence in teaching and promotes intellectual development, empowerment and social responsibility. You can earn a Master of Education or, if you already have a master’s, a Certificate of Graduate Study in education.

Field-based locations include Vermont, Mexico, and Manchester, N.H.

Teaching the Teachers Professor Lorraine Patusky is helping area teachers rethink their science lessons.

Patusky, who teaches science and math instruction methods in the School of Education, is the project director of a U.S. Department of Education grant that is aimed at helping teachers rethink how they teach science. The goal is to help teachers align their science curricula with state standards and to teach students to think like scientists.

Patusky has brought together teachers from several area school districts, enabling them to learn from each other as well. The grant provides professional development and has created a partnership between the School of Education and the districts.

The project is a success story that is attracting national attention. The U.S. Department of Education has sent a research firm to observe how and why it is working. It is proving to be very popular, too.

“A hopeful participant showed up well in advance of the start time to be the first person in the wait list line,” Patusky said.

It’s apparent that Patusky’s passion for science and its instruction is infectious.

“We have a number of teachers who’ve become leaders in teaching science in the elementary grades since our participation began,” said Kevin Farley, of the Goffstown/New Boston/ Dunbarton district.

Go-getters Teach Here Our faculty members are knowledgeable, passionate advocates for education and service.

They are committed to their communities and their students. All have decades of experience as teachers, school administrators and leaders.

They know how to connect theory with practice because they’ve been there.

For example, Dr. Marilyn Fenton, an assistant professor of education, has taught writing and English in public high schools in New York and New Hampshire and is an expert in curriculum and instruction.

Dr. Marge Harris, associate professor of education, has taught secondary school history and social studies for 27 years. A licensed administrator, experienced adviser and longtime teacher, she also is a Fulbright Fellowship winner who has studied in South Africa, Japan and Brazil.

Assistant Professor Audrey Rogers taught social studies in Nashua for 12 years and at the college level since 1999. An author of several Jackdaw Primary Source Kits and Cooperative Learning Basics, she’s an expert in educational technology and literacy.

Dr. Ed Haddad, associate professor of education, has taught for more than 25 years and is an active consultant throughout New York and New England. He has expertise in working with children with disabilities and their families and worked with foundations created by John F. Kennedy Jr. and Geraldo Rivera.

They love to teach (especially about teaching), and it shows in their classrooms.

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Go-getter: Professor Cathy Stavenger School of Education Assistant Professor Cathy Stavenger rejects one-size-fits-all teaching.

“I have the same expectations for students but provide different pathways to get there,” she says. “There are some students who need me to sit and go through the notes with them. Others might need an outline and then go find the information on the Internet or in a book.

Others might find they work better in a group.”

Stavenger teaches this to her college students and lives it in the classroom. It is one of many ways content is mirrored by her methods.

“I always have to plan twofold – what is the content I want them to leave with and what is the methodology I want them to be exposed to?” she says. “What are some of the current practices that I want my students to know about? How can I use those practices? I have to be very conscious of the strategies I’m using and be sure to voice them or point them out to the students.”

She wants her students to understand that being a teacher goes beyond lesson plans and textbooks.

“We need to establish relationships with our students so that they trust us, they respect us, and that only happens if they trust them and respect them,” she says. “When students feel safe and students feel valued, students will learn. These aren’t empty vessels in front of me waiting to be filled.”

Stavenger, who supervises student teachers, spent 26 years as an elementary school teacher in Bedford, N.H., before joining the faculty. The winner of the 2008 SNHU Excellence in Teaching Award, she also has received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching and has served as a Distinguished Educator for the New Hampshire Department of Education.

“I’m blessed that I get to do something that I love to do,” she says. “When I walk into a classroom, I feel as if that’s where I belong. I love the energy. I love the relationships. I love the potential. I love the opportunities that you get in this profession that you don’t get in others.”

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Get into the community We believe field experience and community service enhance education, and we’ll provide you with plenty of opportunities for them.

Depending on your major, you’ll spend time observing and assisting in urban and rural classrooms or working with tutoring or community-based early care and education programs. For example, our M.Ed. in child development students have gotten involved with Manchester’s early learning consortium. They work with students and their families as well as the Manchester School District, the VNA Child Care and Family Resource Center and other organizations.

Students are encouraged to create their own opportunities, too. For instance, the student YES Club (Young Educators Society) teamed with Assistant Professor Cathy Stavenger to offer Family Math Nights in local

elementary schools. They spent a handful of evenings playing educational math games with children and offering parents tips for helping with homework. Students will collaborate with the Special Olympics and the City of Manchester on future events as well. Other activities have been offered through the university’s Center for Service and Citizenship.

Within the school, undergraduate students may apply to join the Dean’s Council; members serve as school “ambassadors” at campus and community events. Graduate students on the Graduate Council provide feedback about classes, programs, assessment and evaluation.

It all adds up to great experiences for students and members of our surrounding communities.

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Go-getter: Darcy Ferry Darcy Ferry ‘07, a Continuing Education graduate from the university’s Manchester Center, almost didn’t make her goal to become a teacher.

Raising two young children, working full time, buying a house and having her husband deployed to Massachusetts, Darcy had decided it wasn’t the right time for her to be in school. She was about to drop out when a children’s literature instructor helped change her mind.

“She turned me around and made me remember why I wanted to start teaching,” she said.

The university offers child development and elementary education programs through its Continuing Education program.

Darcy found she could do all she needed to and attend classes.

“A full-time day school was just not in the cards for me,” she said. “SNHU offers night and weekend classes that I can fit into my schedule.”

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Track your Progress: E-Portfolios You’ll be able to see exactly how far you’ve progressed by the time you graduate because you’ll be keeping track. Our students “maintain” their work using electronic portfolios from day one.

E-portfolios go way beyond term papers and test scores.

You’ll have a record of course work and community service and can include pictures, videos, interviews and more. Faculty use them to assess your work; the state

“This is the tool to use if you want to sell yourself.”

– Peggy Zola ‘07

uses them to make sure you have met all the required competencies for certification or licensure. Your e-portfolio will detail your transformation from start to finish. You’ll also use your e-portfolio to reflect on your experiences and methods, to help you figure out what works and further your development as an educator. This goes way beyond a resume and will help you impress prospective employers.

Graduate education majors M.S. in Business Education M.Ed. in Child Development – two concentrations in: – Child Development (student-designed) – Administration M.Ed in Child Development with Early Childhood Education M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction: Advanced Studies in Education M.Ed. in Elementary Education M.Ed. in Field-based Education M.S. in Justice Studies M.Ed. in Secondary Education M.S. in Teaching English as a Foreign Language

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I recently spent a day in one of our local elementary schools as "Principal for the Day" and I was struck by the profound magic that is education when I watched two talented SNHU Education majors working with small children and observed that telling moment when a child's face goes from wrinkled concentration to smiling revelation.

There are few people in a child's life that play a more profound role than a teacher.

Indeed, if asked to list the most influential people in our lives, most of us would include at least one teacher in the top five. The School of Education at Southern New Hampshire University seeks to produce the next generation of life-changing educators.

Dr. Paul LeBlanc President

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Questions?

Contact us at 603.645.SNHU or via e-mail at admission@snhu.edu or visit us online at www.snhu.edu.

Southern New Hampshire University School of Education 2500 North River Road Manchester, NH 03106

on campus. on location. online.