Students, faculty plan middle grades education conference

The Sixth Annual Summit on Middle Level Education, “Premiering the 21st Century Curriculum,” was held in the Kilpatrick Education Center and Peabody Auditorium on Oct. 8.
Caroline Heidt, a senior middle grades education major, is the Summit Chair for The Collegiate Middle Level Association.
“The current goal of the Summit is to provide a place and a day to collaboratively develop innovations for the middle school world of education,” Heidt said. “We really wanted to showcase our program.”
With her teaching concentrations in English and mathematics, she aspires to receive her master’s degree in Intercultural Youth and Family Development at the University of Montana.
Dr. Tom Erb, distinguished professor at DePaw University and former editor of Middle School Journal, spoke on “Reaching Our Highest ideals: Middle School Curriculum in the 21st Century.” In addition, Dr. Nancy Doda, President and Founder of Teacher to Teacher Consulting Services, spoke on “A Difference Worth Making: Opening Hearts and Minds in the Middle Years.”
The Collegiate Middle Level Association conference consisted of examples and sessions of integrated curriculum about young adolescence. With 180 registrants, administrators, in-service teachers, pre-service teachers and professors of teacher education came from other Georgia schools.
“Every year I am impressed with the quality and organization of the GCSU Summit,” said Bruce Fraser, principal of Northwestern Middle School in Alpharetta. “It’s wonderful to see that an increasing number of schools are taking advantage of this opportunity for professional development.”
The Dean of the John H. Lounsbury College of Education, Jane Hinson, provided continental breakfast and the registration fee provided lunch for all.
The Middle School Movement began over 30 years ago as a reaction to inadequate growth and development in middle school education.
“(Summit) teaches students to be self advocates and to be part of a community,” Heidt said.
In addition, Greg Ott, the seventh grade language arts and reading teacher at Northwestern Middle School, received the Milken Educator Award. The award is one of the many national teacher recognition awards that teachers receive grants for their program and research.
“It was a great opportunity to share ‘what’s working’ in the profession at a time when the media seems to focus on ‘what’s not,’” Ott said. “The enthusiasm and interest of the conference participants was highly refreshing, and it was great to see so many future teachers preparing to change the world.”
Students, faculty, staff and others in attendance all benefited from the students’ hard work on the Summit.
“It’s really great and with any professions or any major you meet with people that share your passions and goals—it is inspiring and gives you that drive to press on,” Heidt said.

Posted by Brittany Henderson on Oct 22 2010. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.