Three LSU faculty members are making a difference by helping todevelop aspiring teachers, and were recently rewarded for theirefforts.
The AT&T Foundation based out of Atlanta, Georgia, awardedthe College of Education $25,000 for their involvement in thetraining of student teachers. Three faculty members and seven EastBaton Rouge parish school teachers received $2,500 each for theirwork with the program.
Barbara Furhmann, dean of the College of Education, originallyapproached the AT&T Foundation with the idea of awarding theindividuals involved in the program, according to Elizabeth Willis,one of the recipients.
“She felt so strongly about the three of us — doing the kind ofwork that we do, that doesn’t often get recognized,” Willissaid.
Debbie Guedry, Thomasine Mencer and Willis, all three from theUniversity’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction, received themoney.
“The college could’ve kept the whole thing, but they chose togive $2,500 to three of their people because they all worked withstudent teachers and worked in the College of Education,” saidPhyllis Crawford, principal of Sherwood Middle School, one of thelocal schools which take part in the program. “Then they choseseven teachers in those schools that have student teachers, andthey gave them $2,500 each.”
The money can be used in any way the recipient desires, saidCrawford.
The program is for students who are working toward their degreein education. There are many different student teaching programs atthe University, said Willis, but the two largest are the elementaryand secondary school categories. Within those are the “traditional”students and the “Holmes” students.
Traditional students work towards a bachelor’s degree ineducation for four years, with one semester of student teaching.Holmes students work towards a bachelor’s degree and a master’sdegree in education for five years. The fifth year consists of ayear of student teaching — where the students are called internsinstead of student teachers — and thesis research, Willissaid.
The three faculty members were awarded the money for theirextensive work with both traditional student teachers and Holmesinterns.
“The three of us have a very particular kind of assignment,”Willis said. “We actually spend a large portion of our teachingtime in schools, in the field.”
Willis said Guedry works at Highland Elementary, where sheteaches classes and also works with student teachers and interns.Mencer works at McKinley Middle School, where she works withinterns as well. Willis has interns spread among several schools,but her main focus is Sherwood Middle School.
The program helps teachers in her school to stay current withtrends in education, and it also gives her an opportunity to meetpotential new teachers, said Crawford.
Mencer also sees benefits from the program.
“The benefits are multiple,” said Mencer. “Not only the internbenefits, but the students in the elementary and middle schools arebenefitting from having three teachers in a classroom — twointerns and a certified teacher — great teachers to be able toshare their knowledge and engage interns in discussions, discoveryand inquiry.”
Guedry, Mencer and Willis received their checks at the Collegeof Education Convocation in early May. They were also recognized atan East Baton Rouge Parish School Board meeting on May 20, wherethe seven East Baton Rouge school teachers also received checks,and all ten received plaques from U.S. Representative RichardBaker.
“There’s a lot of hard work that goes into being in the schoolsand helping the interns connect to practice, and it was nice to berecognized for the effort that was put into [training] futureteachers,” Mencer said.
Crawford said the teachers’ recognition was wonderful.
“When someone cares that much about the efficiency andeffectiveness of these people to give up their time to help producenew teachers, I think to recognize their work is outstanding,” shesaid.
Willis said the three are grateful to AT&T for recognizingthem, and consider it an honor to share the award with theclassroom teachers as well.