College of Education
University of South Carolina
College of Education partners with Nickelodeon Theater for "Monsieur Lazhar".
Join the College of Education in its partnership with Nickelodeon Theater for "Monsieur Lazhar". The film will show at 5:30 p.m. at the Nickelodeon on Monday, May 21st and will be followed by a “films and conversations about the world of schools” panel discussion. Our panel will include:
Rick Palyok, Director, FACES program James T. Siler, (incoming) Superintendent, Williston 29 School District Kara D. Brown, USC, Office of International and Comparative Education (OICE)
Please share with your current (and recent) students.
Nickelodeon is located at 937 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201
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Nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, "Monsieur Lazhar" tells the poignant story of a Montreal middle school class shaken by the death of their well-liked teacher and trying to heal. Bachir Lazhar, a 55-year-old Algerian immigrant, offers the school his services as a substitute teacher and is quickly hired. As he helps the children heal, he also learns to accept his own painful past. This moving film features exquisite performances and a stunning ensemble of child actors. French, with English subtitles.
South Carolina is one of the America's leaders in hosting international teachers on temporary exchanges. While such exchanges can create challenging cultural adjustments for both children and teachers, their presence and experiences can open up new worlds for children. "Monsieur Lazhar" sensitively captures some of the challenges and opportunities that exist in their classrooms.
The Nickelodeon and the College of Education are partnering to present this film and dialogue. We hope to continue to offer fine films and discussions about critical educational issues at home and around the world, beginning in the fall. Inquiries about such films and about USC's courses and events in education around the globe are most welcome. Please contact Dr. Doyle Stevick, Director, Office of International and Comparative Education, at: stevick@sc.edu
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Congratulations To the Graduates!
Congratulations to the ninth graduating class of the SC Technical College Leadership Academy. This academy is coordinated and facilitated by the Community College Leadership Alliance in the Department of Higher Education Leadership - USC College of Education. Graduates include Nancy W. Bishop, Sylvia M. Byrd, Christy Vansant Cimineri, Chris Dooley, Sarah Shealy Dowd, Katherine Fox, Michael N. Kaltwang, C. Lynn Lewis, Shawn K. Livingston, Janice T. Lyle, Kerri McGuire, Bradly R. Neese, Mary A. Oakman, Crystal G. Pittman, Laura Ropposch, Laura Ross Sturgis, Lee Tennent, Michael D. Thom, Jr., Leslie A. Trant, Abby Grainger Villar, Jennifer Wilbanks, Jenny Williams, and Lenna Corley Young.
2012 College of Education Awards
2012 College of Education Student, Faculty and Staff Awards pictures are now available at http://smu.gs/JlPdUR. Feel free to download any you like at no charge!
College's Kim Smoak Wins Award for Outstanding Teaching in University 101
Kim Smoak, clinical faculty and director of the Teaching Fellows program in the College of Education, is the recipient of the 2011 Award for Outstanding Teaching in... University 101. A committee of faculty, staff and students selected Smoak from the 275 nominations (for 105 instructors) submitted by University 101 students. Smoak was nominated by 4 students.
Smoak will be recognized at the University 101 Building Connections Conference on May 16, an annual professional development event for instructors of the UNIV 101 course. At the luncheon, she will share reflections on how she has demonstrated some of the criteria for the award in her classroom.
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Smoak was applauded by the committee for her focus on student relationships in her teaching philosophy. Her students wrote about the positive relationships they had with both Smoak and the class community. Smoak developed a safe and welcoming environment in her University 101 classroom, demonstrated motivation and passion for the UNIV 101 course, and met students where they were throughout their transition to the University.
The committee appreciated the level of rigor and challenge in her course and her ability to maintain high expectations while supporting students in their work. This combined with the end-of-course evaluations and high-quality student nominations further encouraged the committee to award Kim Smoak as the recipient of the 2011 Award for Outstanding Teaching in University 101.
Excerpts from Smoak’s nominations, end-of-course evaluations and teaching philosophy are included here as well as the full criteria and nomination and selection process for the award.
Student Nominations for Kim Smoak 2011 recipient of the Award for Outstanding Teaching in University 101: "Mrs. Smoak was an amazing U101 teacher. She really tried her hardest to connect to all of her students, not only as a Professor but as a mentor and friend also. She was so knowledgeable about different backgrounds and was open to learn as much as she could about her students. I felt like I could go to her about any issues that I was having and she would be willing to listen and help me through them. Our class was so much fun. We did so many different things like going to different presentations, climbing the rock wall at STROM, doing a scavenger hunt in the Horseshoe, team building, and many different class discussions. We discusses many hot topics in education and Mrs. Smoak was always wanting to hear everyone’ opinions on each topic. Hearing Mrs. Smoak talk about teaching really inspired me to want to be a teacher. I was skeptical about my major, but hearing from her really helped to confirm my decision. I wish there was a University 102 with Mrs. Smoak because that class was so amazing and Mrs. Smoak was truly outstanding. "
"Miss Kim is the head of Teaching Fellows at USC, teaches education classes, and still found time to create lessons that were not only fun, but super interesting. University 101 was my favorite class because of her. She goes above and beyond in everything she does. She had our class over to her house so we could all hang out and get to know each other better. She did this on a Friday night when she could have been relaxing and taking a break from her crazy students, but instead she had us all over and enjoyed doing it. She always puts the needs of others before hers, and she knows each and every teaching fellow by name and cohort, and actually knows us too. She deserves to win this because she is the absolute best at what she does."
"Mrs. Kim is an amazing professor who actually cares about her students and wants to make sure that their transition to college life is the best that it can be. She goes above and beyond the requirements for this class by making sure she is accessible and valuable to her students. She is involved with our lives outside of the classroom and is always ready to listen and help. Between arranging paddle boarding adventures to having us over to her house, Mrs. Kim is busy planning meetings and speakers for our class. There was always a point to attending class and it was a class that me and my classmates enjoyed attending. I have had a wonderful University 101 I thanks to her commitment to teaching and her students."
"Mrs. Smoak is one of the best instructors I have had in my first semester. She is like a mom and is always there to answer any questions you may have. We are all well aware now of all the things in our Teaching Fellow program, and I have a mom on campus. She is a great person, and show respect and is sacrificing to all of her students. She is a great person and should be very well appreciated."
Excerpts from Kim Smoak’s Philosophy of Teaching:
"There are many responsibilities that come with teaching but the one I take most seriously is that of creating a safe and welcoming environment for all students.
Teaching them in University 101 is a wonderful opportunity to help them navigate the large campus of USC while getting to know people from very different backgrounds than their own. I feel strongly the importance of helping these young people open themselves up to what those of other walks of life have to offer, while also developing their own individual identity as they move into this new phase of life.
Content, no matter what it is, is certainly important but information is available at our fingertips much of the time. Attitudes and personal interactions can make the difference between a class students want to come to and one they feel is not open to them."
Excerpts from UNIV 101 Students about Kim Smoak in the End-Of-Course Evaluations
"Very intelligent and available whenever needed. Build really strong, positive relationships with students."
"She is a great teacher and inspires me to love my students when I become a teacher."
"My instructor was very enthusiastic and was willing to listen to each student. She encouraged us to be active in the class and acted as the type of teacher that I wish to be some day."
"Very relatable and compassionate. You can tell she cares about each individual."
About the University 101 Outstanding Teaching Award:
The Award for Outstanding Teaching in University 101 has experienced significant growth in nominations since the award first began 3 years ago. In 2010, University 101 received 214 nominations for 97 instructors. In fall 2009, which was the first year the award was given, the office received 28 nominations for 27 instructors.
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Professor Discusses Student Speech on the Internet and Cyberbullying
Jesulon Gibbs-Brown is an expert on the legal and policy aspects of student speech on the Internet and cyber bullying. Her research primarily focuses on the role and influence of school law in public education and the scholarship of engagement and outreach.
A licensed attorney with experience practicing in the area of school law and the author of Student Speech on the Internet: The Role of First Amendment Protections, much of Gibbs-Brown’s scholarship focuses on schools and the law, policy formation and analysis, and issues in educational leadership. With funding from the Thurgood Marshall Foundation in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy, she explored ways to integrate Blackboard into graduate studies using Web-based instructional training for faculty and students.
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During her doctoral studies, Gibbs-Brown was an instructor of public school law at the Indiana University School of Education. She was also the recipient of the Indiana Network of Women Administrator’s Fellowship, the Managing Editor of the Month Award from the Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies, and the “I Am An Educator” Award.
Gibbs-Brown is an active member of the Education Law Association, the South Carolina Bar Association’s Law Related Education Committee, and the South Carolina Association of School Administrators. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Spelman College in Atlanta, her master’s in economic policy from Georgia State University in Atlanta, and her doctorate of jurisprudence and doctorate of philosophy in educational leadership and policy studies from Indiana University Bloomington.
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Professor Focuses on Education and Development of Rural Youth
Matthew Irvin is an accomplished researcher in the development and education of youth from rural areas. Specifically, his research focuses on the academic, social, and behavioral development of adolescents from rural communities. This includes students’ risk and resilience, motivation and engagement, learning in online courses, and peer relations.
Before joining the College of Education, Irvin served as a research scientist in the Center for Developmental Science and National Research Center on Rural Education Support and as a clinical assistant professor in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. While there, Irvin taught courses on development, learning, and instructional theories for undergraduate and graduate students and developed a graduate level online child development course for the School of Information Library Sciences. He also served as an instructor of educational psychology for advanced undergraduate and graduate students at North Carolina Central University’s School of Education.
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With funding from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Irvin recently examined the role of advanced math course-taking and extracurricular activities in the educational attainment of rural youth. He has frequently presented his research at invited presentations for regional and national organizations, at national conferences, and been an author on peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. Irvin has served as a guest reviewer for the American Educational Research Journal, the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, and the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology.
Irvin earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, his master’s and certificate of advanced study in school psychology from East Carolina University, and a Ph.D. in education with a specialization in educational psychology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
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Professor Explores the Link Between the Instructional Environment and Student Understanding
Kelley Buchheister’s research focuses on representations in early childhood mathematics, “Best Practices” for mathematics instruction at the early childhood and elementary levels, and how the instructional environment influences student understanding. She also examines all early childhood and elementary students’ mathematical thinking and reasoning, which is the core of her research.
During her doctoral work at the University of Missouri, Buchheister studied the struggling learner’s knowledge and development for number and operation among first and second grade students as part of a four-year National Science Foundation-funded research project. She was also a fellow in the university’s Center for the Study of Mathematics Curriculum and a Center for Elementary Mathematics and Science Education fellow at the University of Chicago. In addition, she served as an Everyday Mathematics consultant at the University of Chicago.
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Buchheister joined the College of Education after three years of teaching in the University of Missouri’s Teacher Development Program. Prior to that, she spent several years as an elementary, middle school, and mathematics teacher in Florida.
A recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award from the University of Missouri, Buchheister earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Missouri, her master’s degree in elementary education from the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, and her doctorate in learning, teaching, and curriculum from the University of Missouri, Columbia.
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Meet Marie Antoinette Cook
Hometown: Timmonsville, S.C.
Job Title: Contract and accounting program manager
What I like best about working in the COE: I love the diverse student population and watching their daily interactions with the faculty and staff as they pursue their educational goals.
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You’d be surprised that: I have the same first and middle name as the French queen, Marie Antoinette, who was beheaded during the French Revolution in 1793! When I was growing up, I was thrilled to learn that I was named after royalty. However, the glamour sort of faded when my mom told me that my godmother’s name was Marie and her name was pronounced in the “down home” Southern way as Maa-rry?
I’m proudest of: My son, Miles. He’s 10 years old and has received the Presidential Award from Caughman Road Elementary School for maintaining an “A” average the entire school year!
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Meet Sharon Supplee
Hometown: Wilmington, N.C.
Job Title: Administrative coordinator
What I like best about working in the COE: The people. I have worked in the Department of Physical Education and Athletic Training for 12 years, and I have met and worked with people who are really great, both personally and professionally.
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I am proud of: My husband and I have four sons, and I am proud that we have raised four very wonderful men--and that we are beginning to get wonderful daughter-in-laws.
You’d be surprised to know that: “I graduated from the University on the same day as one of our sons. I went back to school when our sons were in college, and at one point, all five of us were in college at the same time.
Words I live by: “It’s never too late to be what you might have been." G. Elliott
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Meet Sheryl Horton
Hometown: Columbia, S.C.
Job Title: Student services coordinator, Office of Educational Outreach)
What I like best about working in the COE: The faculty, staff, and students I work with.
I am proud of: My daughters Lauren and Ashley. Both are USC graduates.
Freedom Schools Are an Exciting Frontier for Education Professor
Dr. Jackson (right) met with Marian Wright Edelman (center) and Arlonial Bradford-Jackson (left) in Columbia on Jan. 27. The two will direct the capital city’s Freedom Schools project this summer.
Dr. Tambra Jackson is passionate about teaching. She is equally passionate about community-based education programs. Working in Freedom Schools allows her to pursue both passions.
Since 1995, the assistant professor in the University of South Carolina College of Education’s Department of Instruction and Teacher Education has worked in the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® Program, capitalizing on her experience teaching students ranging from kindergarten to graduate school.
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Proudly rooted in the American Civil Rights Movement and the courageous efforts of college-age youths to make a difference, Freedom Schools provide six weeks of summer and after-school enrichment through a model curriculum that supports children and families around five essential components: high quality academic enrichment; parent and family involvement; social action and civic engagement; intergenerational servant leadership development; and nutrition, health, and mental health. Freedom Schools are an initiative of the Children’s Defense Fund, a non-profit child advocacy organization,. To date, more than 90,000 children have attended Freedom Schools in 29 states across the country.
“Working with Freedom Schools really helped me to find my voice as an advocate,” said Jackson, who has been a certified teacher in Georgia, Indiana, and Ohio. “Freedom Schools empower students and the interns who teach there to be successful and to be the change they want to see in the world. They provide life-changing experiences, and the number one requirement is a desire to serve your community, regardless of your professional interests,” Jackson said. “Mrs. Edelman always says ‘everyone can serve’."
Jackson practices what she teaches. After completing a servant-leader internship at a Freedom Schools site in Cincinnati, Ohio, and at the Children’s Defense Fund national office in Washington, D.C., she was site coordinator for a new Freedom School in Lansing, Mich. In addition to being a Freedom Schools consultant, Jackson also serves as lead facilitator for the second-year track of the program’s national training institute held annually at Haley Farm in Clinton, Tenn.
She is part of a team that trains servant-leader interns (the teachers in Freedom Schools) how to implement and deliver the integrated reading curriculum. The training also prepares the interns to deal with conflict resolution, embrace critical thinking, encourage participation in art and athletic activities, engage students in community service, and inspire them to explore problems facing their communities and work toward solutions.
“Freedom Schools are just one of many community-based education programs that have been successfully serving underprivileged populations for years. I’m very proud of the fact that my scholarship investigates what teacher education can learn from community-based programs such as Freedom Schools.”
Jackson earned a BS in elementary education from Miami University, her M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction from Indiana Wesleyan University, and a Ph.D. in curriculum, teaching, and educational policy from Michigan State University.
Much of Jackson’s research and scholarship evolves from her work with the Freedom Schools program. She has presented her scholarship at national conferences in her field, such as the American Educational Research Association, the National Council of Teachers of English, and the National Association for Multicultural Education.
Currently, Jackson is working with school districts, colleges, faith-based groups, community organizations, and businesses to bring the Freedom Schools program to Columbia, with the goal of serving approximately 200 K-12 elementary, middle, and high school students at two initial sites.
“I believe that educators not only have a responsibility to do no harm, but we also have a responsibility to fight injustices and improve the conditions of schools and schooling opportunities,” Jackson said.
If you are interested in collaborating to sponsor a Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools program in Columbia during summer 2012, please contact Dr. Jackson at tambra.jackson@sc.edu or 803-777-3077.
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International Scholar Investigates Physical Activity Impact
College of Education assistant professor Collin Webster investigates how school and community agents can increase youth physical activity.
Through the Department of Physical Education and Athletic Training, Webster conducts research with pre-service and in-service elementary teachers to determine which psychosocial factors are associated with physical activity promotion in the classroom and at recess. He also examines compulsory high school physical education classes to determine how teacher communication and student motivation affect learning and physical activity outcomes. In addition, he collaborates with faculty in USC’s Arnold School of Public Health on a YMCA intervention study designed to increase staff physical activity promotion behaviors and children’s physical activity levels.
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"Identifying ways to increase youth physical activity is an important focus of current educational and public health goals. Schools and community programs have the potential to make a significant impact on the participants’ health behavior patterns," Webster said.
Webster has lived in Pakistan, Singapore, Cyprus, and Taiwan and taught health and physical education at schools in Dubai and the Dominican Republic. Last summer, he completed a research fellowship in Japan, exploring the physical activity opportunities provided to children in Japanese public elementary schools.
"I believe comparative studies and international research have the potential to expand or even redirect current approaches to physical activity promotion in the United States and improve the overall effectiveness of our efforts," he said.
An American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Research Consortium Fellow and an invited fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion for Science Invitation Fellowship Program for Research, Webster earned a Ph.D. in physical education and sport studies, his M.A.Ed. in two-year college teaching, and a BS in communication. His research findings have been published in the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, Preventive Medicine, and the Journal of School Health.
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