A new program by the College of Charleston’s School of Education, Health, and Human Performance demonstrates the College’s commitment to educating top teachers. The Teacher Leader program, new in 2012, will provide a select group of highly motivated students access to challenging extracurricular opportunities in the education community. On Sunday, August 12, 2012, the first class of eight students will leave on a five-day statewide education tour.
As part of the tour, Teacher Leaders will visit public and private education organizations, tour schools, and meet with education policy makers and leaders. The schedule includes meetings with S.C. Senators Wes Hayes and Joel Lourie, S.C. Department of Education officials, education consultants, the director of the S.C. School Boards Association and other leaders in the education field. Students will also meet with business and economic development leaders who have taken active roles in education as it relates to workforce development.
“This trip is a unique experience for our Teacher Leader students, who will be exposed many of our state’s leaders in education from a number of perspectives,” explains Fran Welch, dean of the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance. “These experiences will expand the views of our future teachers as the wider role of education in our community becomes more evident.” Welch is serving as facilitator for the program’s inaugural year, with volunteer support from William Youngblood of McNair Attorneys.
The education tour is just the start of the Teacher Leader program. The goal is for Teacher Leaders to fully understand the educational landscape and to acquire the tools to traverse the landscape as effective communicators, problem solvers, and innovators. The program is designed to inspire and motivate them to take active roles in education and reform efforts. Each student has been assigned a mentor who has taken an active role in education leadership and will communicate with them throughout the program. Monthly, students will meet with education leaders like Charleston County School District Superintendent Dr. Nancy McGinley, business leader Anita Zucker, professional etiquette expert Cindy Grosso, and advocate Bill Youngblood.
Eight exceptional undergraduate teacher education seniors will participate in the program throughout the 2012-2013 academic year, each of whom was selected through a rigorous application and interview process. These students are Traci Madden (special education), Chopper Johnson (secondary education – history), Rachel Davis (secondary education – English), Stacey Goodwin (early childhood education), Kelsey Clark (middle grades), Jared Gambrell (elementary education), Shane Silpe (elementary education), and Angelica Smith (elementary education).
In addition to outstanding academic records, these students are also making a difference in their communities. Angelica Smith works with Minds in Motion, a partnership between the College of Charleston and the University of Virginia that works with at-risk elementary students, helping to fine tune motor skills. Shane Silpe has volunteered with World Languages 4 Kids as a teaching assistant for preschoolers learning Spanish.
For more information about the Teacher Leader program, contact Sara Perry at 843.953.5272 or seperry@cofc.edu.
