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New Faculty to Open Center on Family, School and Community
This fall, the School of Education (SOE) is welcoming two new professors, husband and wife Drs. Philip and Dianne Ferguson, whose tremendous educational backgrounds will bring a more family and community focus to SOE programs. In this effort, Dianne will oversee the effort to shape the SOE's new Center on Family, School and Community. Before coming to Chapman, Dianne was a professor at the Teaching Research Institute at Western Oregon University and within the Center for the study of Disability Education and Culture at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL). She was honored as a Fulbright Scholar, and along with her husband, has traveled around the world teaching, lecturing and consulting for general and special educators. Philip was the E. Desmond Lee Endowed Professor for the Education of Children with Disabilities at UMSL and director of the newly established Center for the Study of Disability, Education and Culture at UMSL. "We decided to come to Chapman because the faculty shares our ideas about effective inclusive education and communities, and we got the opportunity to develop a new doctoral program," says Dianne. "In addition, the new center will bring a more central focus on families to all of the current School of Education programs and activities."
Chapman's School of Education Joins AACTE
Chapman University's School of Education (SOE) recently became a member of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), a national voluntary association of higher education institutions and other organizations dedicated to ensuring the highest quality preparation and continuing professional development for teachers and school leaders to enhance preK-12 student learning. AACTE is made up of almost 800 institutions, including private, state, and municipal colleges and universities large and small, located in every state, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam. The association also has a growing number of affiliate members, including state departments of education, community colleges, educational laboratories and centers, as well as foreign institutions and organizations. Collectively, the AACTE membership prepares more than two-thirds of the new teachers entering schools each year in the United States. "Being a member of AACTE is another indicator that the School of Education is an important participant in the national scene of teacher education," says SOE Dean Don Cardinal. "Joining AACTE also gives us a voice in arguably the most important professional organization in teacher education in America."
Renowned Stanford Professor Discusses Program Redesign with SOE Faculty
Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at Stanford University and author of more than 200 publications, including The Right to Learn, met with School of Education faculty members in May to discuss best practices in teacher preparation. Specifically, she addressed the cultivation of a professional development school model that carefully links theory and research in the field to classroom practices. Dr. Darling-Hammond also shared details about her work at Stanford, as well as her research on exemplary teacher preparation programs at several universities nationwide. "Our School of Education faculty members are examining new approaches, which are grounded in research, for our undergraduate programs," says Dr. Mary McNeil, associate dean and professor for the School of Education. "A strong emphasis on clinical work in schools is being discussed as we move toward a new program design."
Student-Run Special Ed Symposium Provides Forum to Learn, Share Ideas
Chapman University partnered with Team Up for Down Syndrome in May for the Fifth Annual Symposium of Instructional Strategies for Students with Special Needs, which attracted 220 participants, including students, professionals, family members, as well as local exhibitors and donors. The five-hour symposium was put on by Chapman graduate students with the help of Dr. Judy Montgomery, who serves as the faculty advisor for the annual symposium. "My students not only plan, organize and conduct the symposium, they also present their papers there," says Dr. Montgomery.
This year's symposium featured sessions and demonstrations presented by teachers from more than 23 Orange County school districts. But the highlights of this year's event were the two keynote speakers: Dr. Deborah Smith, professor of special education at Claremont Graduate University, and Chapman student Andrew Pierce, who delivered a heartfelt message of his experiences living and learning with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). "The conference really gives professionals and parents the opportunity to learn about the latest, most successful evidence-based practices for students who struggle to learn," says Dr. Montgomery. "Through the symposium, they get the chance to interact with the authors and researchers, and leave with new ideas and a greater commitment to the cause."
Inaugural Ph.D. Cohort Celebrates with Family, Faculty
The 25 students who make up the inaugural cohort of Ph.D. students in Chapman's School of Education (SOE) celebrated with family, as well as SOE staff and faculty, at a May reception in their honor. At the special Dean's Reception, which took place in Chapman's Leatherby Libraries, the new students received a special Ph.D. pin, signed a commemorative poster and were treated to words of encouragement from SOE faculty and Chapman's Chancellor Danielle Struppa. "There was a special feeling of community that was initiated by having the students, their families, and faculty and staff in attendance," says Dr. Joel Colbert, director of the Ph.D. in education program. "It was the first time that the cohort got together with faculty, so there was some real bonding going on."
Professor Explores the Science of Superheroes
Dr. Frank Frisch, scientific director of the School of Education's Science Teaching and Research (STAR) Institute, was a featured expert on The History Channel's Spider-Man Tech special. The show relied on scientists, as well as comic-book legends and filmmakers, to unlock the secrets and deliver insight into the true abilities of the web-slinger behind this summer's biggest blockbuster. Dr. Frisch discussed how genetic changes might manifest into physiological attributes that are spider-like. "My argument is that everyone should be able to suspend belief in movies, but people should understand the value, limits and possibilities of science," says Dr. Frisch, who has also been a featured science expert on four National Geographic episodes, including last year's The Science of Superman. Regarding the public's fascination with superheroes, Dr. Frisch says, "Superheroes embody the attributes we admire. ... We all want to transform ourselves and enlist the full potential of our powers. That is why a university is such an attractive place to be."
Professor's Book Honored as Finalist for Distinguished Achievement Awards
Dr. Judy Montgomery, professor of special education and literacy, had her book The Bridge of Vocabulary honored as a finalist in two categories of the Association of Educational Publishers' (AEP) 2007 Distinguished Achievement Awards Program. The book was honored in the "Curriculum: Reading and Language Arts Teaching Resources: Activity Books Category" for both grades 6-8 and 9-12. The Distinguished Achievement Awards recognize the best educational materials within subject categories and by audience. "The Bridge of Vocabulary is a new concept that combines evidence-based vocabulary instruction for general education and special education students in the same room, enabling all of them to learn more successfully," says Dr. Montgomery. "Each lesson includes a state standard and a research-based practice in a format that is entertaining for students. The activities begin at preschool and continue through high school. Vocabulary is the most important element of language development and academic growth. It really makes a difference."
For more information on Dr. Montgomery's book, and her systematic approach to fostering vocabulary and language growth, click here.
Professor Named President of Puerto Rican Women’s Organization
Read Around the Clock Highlights Success of Chapman’s Literacy Programs
The 5th Annual Read Around the Clock, the School of Education’s main fund-raising event, took place March 20 at BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse in Brea, Calif. Drawing about 100 people, the event’s new condensed, intimate format allowed it to focus more on reading and the benefits of the school’s literacy programs than it has in the past. Among those in attendance were former students; BJ’s co-chairmen Paul Motenko and Jerry Hennessy; Ambiguous Clothing founder Frank Delgadillo ’96; Dennis Kuhl, president of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and a Chapman Governor; and master of ceremonies Ed Arnold, anchor of KOCE’s Real Orange.
Dean’s Reception Honors Inaugural Ph.D. Cohort
The School of Education recently held a Dean’s Reception for the inaugural cohort of Ph.D. students in Chapman’s Leatherby Libraries. The 25 doctoral students and their families were treated to a special evening celebration that marked a new era for the School of Education.
Chapman Collaborates with New Zealand University
In an effort to develop a more authentic international presence for Chapman’s School of Education, Dean Don Cardinal and a group of faculty met with the dean and faculty members from the University of Waikato’s School of Education last month at the annual American Educational Research Association Conference in Chicago. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss possible connections between the two schools of education, such as joint research projects, and student and faculty exchanges. This fall, Chapman will be sending a few faculty members to New Zealand to spend a couple of weeks familiarizing themselves with the foreign campus and faculty, while Waikato’s former dean will visit Chapman’s main campus in Orange.
Professor Publishes Book on Essay Writing
Dr. Judy Montgomery, professor of education, is co-author of a new book, Ten Steps to Writing Better Essays, which will be released on June 1. Published by Super Duper Publications, the 130-page book provides an evidenced-based program for teaching expository essay writing, a requirement for high school graduation in many states. The book also offers a 10-step plan that uses a systematic, verbally scaffolding approach to help students learn how to think, talk, read and understand, organize, and write.
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Education Faculty Join Million Dollar Club
Chapman held its first Sponsored Research Million Dollar Club Awards early this year at which four of the five recipients were from the School of Education. The awards were given to faculty members who obtained more than a million dollars in external support for scholarly work at the university.
The four School of Education scholars honored were: Dr. Anaida Colón-Muñiz, associate professor of education and director of Project Connect; Dr. Frank Frisch, professor of biological sciences and scientific director of the Science Teaching and Research (STAR) Institute; Dr. Roxanne Greitz Miller, assistant professor of education and education director of the STAR Institute; and Marianne Smith, director of Project I-TEACH.
Ph.D. Program Boasts a Diverse Student Mix
The first cohort of Ph.D. in Education students is a diverse mix of professionals who are about to make history at Chapman. The cohort was originally supposed to be 18 students (three in each emphasis area), but according to Dean Don Cardinal, the candidate pool was so strong that they ended up selecting the top 25 students: eight in both the disability studies and the school psychology emphasis areas, and nine students in the cultural and curricular studies emphasis. Here’s a breakdown of the inaugural class:
