CLARION – A process, which placed research into practice and resulted in education improvements in the Laurel School District was the keynote presentation at the 2008 Clarion University Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) Superintendent’s Roundtable.
Dr. Richard Sabousky, chair of Clarion University’s Special Education/Rehabilitative Sciences Department, and Susan Miller, curriculum director for Laurel School District, related how a cooperative effort resulted in improved reading skills in the Laurel School District.
Their presentation, “Turning Research into Practice and Getting Results!” traced from their efforts from the beginning of the process. Information gathered from initial research in the district was applied to implement curriculum changes, pool the resources of administration and faculty, and apply funding to best help the students. They presented the quantitative and qualitative data, which led to these decisions.
Twenty superintendents attended the Superintendent’s Roundtable at the Clarion Holiday Inn traveling from as far away as Somerset, Erie, and Pittsburgh
Dr. John Groves, dean of the College of Education and Human Services at Clarion University, provide a curriculum update, explaining the changes made to Clarion University’s education degree program. The goal is to design an inclusive teacher preparation program that extends from entry level to advance practitioner.
The curriculum revisions will meet the January 2001 Pennsylvania Department of Education requirements. Clarion plans to have the following teacher certification programs in effect for fall 2009:
Early childhood education, single certification, 120 credits; early childhood with special education, dual certification, 126 credits; elementary, mid-level, single certification, 120 credits; elementary mid-level with special education, dual certification with dual degrees (bachelor’s and master’s), 150 credits; secondary certificates, single certification, 120-123 credits in biology, chemistry, earth and space science, English, general science, mathematics, physics, and social studies, and K-12 certificates, single certificate at 120 credits, in Spanish, French, music, library science, and a dual K-12 certificate in environmental education.
Dr. Williams Williams, director of CTE, and Susan Staub, assistant director of CTE, provided an update of CTE programming.
The CTE is a university-wide program administered by the office of Extended Programs. The office is designed to be a single point of contact for area educators and university faculty members. The goal is to provide quality professional development opportunities through workshops and coursework by: identifying educational training needs of the area’s educational communities, developing programs to meet educational training needs, and helping area educators meet their Act 48 requirements.
The CTE also offers graduate courses for teachers, enabling them to pick and choose what they need to complete Act 48 or professional certification requirements; workshops focusing on instructional skill areas determined to be a need across all school districts; and conducting the annual Superintendent’s Roundtable and EC-17 council events in conjunction with the College of Education and Human Resources.
The service area extends 40 to 50 miles in all directions from Clarion. However, programs can be arranged anywhere and have extended from Somerset to Erie.
Clarion University is the high-achieving, nationally recognized, comprehensive university that delivers a personal and challenging academic experience.