St. Petersburg College student leaders had an opportunity to gain insight into the legislative process in February on a retreat to Tallahassee. Ed Woodruff, SPC’s Government Relations Director, held a roundtable discussion with the 40 participants invited. 

Michelle Feo is in College of Education’s Elite Educator Program.  This is a partnership with SPC and Pinellas County Schools.  It prepares students to teach K-6 with an ESOL and Reading Endorsement.  Students are admitted as cohorts and take their classes together. A mentor is assigned for the entire program to help make an important connection.  One of the benefits of the program is students are better prepared in all subjects, especially math and science, to work with all students, including Exceptional Students and English Language Learners.

Pat Roper, COE registration specialist,  recommended Michelle as a motivated candidate for the trip with Dr. Williams.

                                                                                                         Michelle Feo, Elite Educator at State Capitol

“The terrible shooting that happened in Parkland occured after the retreat was planned.  We arrived the day after Parkland students had been at the Capitol, so emotions were still high. My experience was  more fulfilling than it would have been had I gone on a personal trip. ”

Michelle is working on her Elementary Ed Bachelor’s Degree.  “This trip was for me to meet some of the people that will make the laws and standards that I will have to adhere to throughout my career.”

Being able to sit with the legislators and ask questions were Michelle’s favorite part of the trip.  Her connection with the ELITE program gained her a new experience.

Upcoming  Elite Educator Program Information Sessions:

Thursday, April 12th & Wed, May 2nd

5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Clearwater Campus – Building ES / Room 113

RSVP: http://web.spcollege.edu/survey/25992

or email Pat Roper at roper.pat@spcollege.edu

If you successfully complete the Elementary Education degree program in four years, you will receive:

• Employment: A job with Pinellas County Schools upon completion of a PCS internship.
• Paid internship: Monetary incentives upon completion of a PCS internship.

Call 727-712-5410 so we can connect your application with the cohort for the Elite Educator Program

One of the things we build into our program in the College of Education is using interactive sites to build and reinforce math skills.  Our goal is to provide a broad set of experiences which are both practical and current.  To find activities which support this idea we often turn to the internet.

While there are many sites and collection of sites out there, they are often scattered. This may require some patience and detective work to find what you are looking for.  There is also the problem with limited content, distracting advertising, inconsistency of format, ease of access, and ease of use.  Two that I would highly recommend are the Shodor site and the Illuminations site from the National Council of Teacher of Mathematics (NCTM).

One of my favorites from the Shodor site is the tessellation creator Tesselate!   Here you can explore an endless variety different patterns and colors.   Note the colorful school of fish below right.

Working with Pattern Blocks is always a good way to learn:

• geometric shapes
• area ratios
• symmetries
• arranging objects on a plane surface

Illuminations has good site Patch Tool which is easy to use for all sorts of math problem solving scenarios.  Below I have created a pattern using all the available choices to show reflective symmetry.  Another favorite is in the Math Playground collection which is the Virtual Geoboard.  Here you can explore geometric figures without worrying about your students or children finding other creative ways to use rubber bands.  The example shows the relationship of a triangle to a rectangle.  There are hundreds of possibilities waiting out there for you to explore and more coming along every day.  They are educational, free, and fun and perhaps best of all easy to put away when done.

For more information about the exciting careers available in teaching and  using math skills, please contact Pat Roper at 727-712-5888.

The Student Florida Education Association (SFEA) College of Education students had the privilege of receiving STEM training at Sea World on sea turtles in December.

Sea turtle skull

STEM Training in Education

STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines. They are: science, technology, engineering and mathematics using an applied approach. Rather than teach the four disciplines as separate subjects, STEM integrates the four into a cohesive learning model based on real-world applications.

Sea turtles have long, streamlined shells. Depending on the species, sea turtles color range can be olive green, yellow, greenish-brown, reddish-brown, or black.  Adult male and female sea turtles are about equal in size.  Most sea turtles are 21-45 in. The largest species, the Leatherback, can reach 3.9-6.2 ft. A Leatherback turtle is covered with leathery skin, not scutes (horny plates) like other sea turtles. It is the only marine turtle whose backbone is not attached to the inside of its shell. 

Eight Species Endangered or Threatened

Despite several management measures to preserve sea turtles, their future is still in question, due to a number of natural and human-induced factors.  Exploration of taxidermied sea turtle shells exposed the man-made threats to sea turtles and their survival. These threats include poaching their eggs to the exploitation of sea turtle shell products.  In the U.S., sea turtles are hunted illegally  for meat and shells.  Shells are used to make combs, eyeglass frames, and curios.  Hurricanes can impact sea turtle nesting success. Coastal development and disturbances, like noise and activity on beaches, hinder sea turtle nesting areas.

In conclusion, SFEA students were granted behind the scenes access to the sea turtle hospital. Sea turtles are rehabilitated and  injuries treated from threats like predators and boat strikes.Injured turtle receiving care at Sea World 

College of Education students learned about sea turtles, Sea World’s efforts and made the STEM training connection. We cannot wait for next year’s trip!

For more info on SFEA please contact:   santos.wanda@spcollege.edu   OR              curtis.jessica@spcollege.edu

For information on the College of Education:  please email roper.pat@spcollege.edu or attend our Open House on Wed., February 7th @ Clearwater Campus, ES 104 from 4-7pm.

Sea World Parks & Entertainment: Saving A Species: Sea Turtle

Students at SPC’s Seminole Campus took a walk in someone else’s shoes – part of a class diversity experience designed to give them a better understanding  of others’ struggles.

Students who take the blended Diverse Populations course learn about various diversity issues such as family, behavioral, learning, gender, cultural, racial, socio-economic and religious differences. The course gets the participant to understand what it is like to live through the experiences of others.

In the sensory deprivation activity, students were first exposed to being hearing impaired. They placed earplugs into their ears and tried to conduct normal conversation and follow instructions from the teacher while very loud background noise blared. The students learned the frustrations of someone who is hearing impaired. After the first diversity experience activity, each student could better understand why the hearing impaired may not participate in conversation and ultimately isolate themselves.

For the pinnacle of the sensory deprivation activity, the students blindfolded themselves to simulate blindness or a visual impairment. They had a fellow class member guide them while navigating to various locations on campus. At one location, they received a mini lesson on JAWS screen reader. After the excursion, they had a new appreciation for navigating a bathroom break, an elevator and beckoning a stranger to ask for directions. Upon returning to the classroom, the challenges continued as they prepared their meal by.  Students had to get ice in their cups, fill their cups with fluid, use tongs to place their salad in bowls, add the right amount of dressing, choose from 5 different types of pizza, use a spoon to retrieve mints, and select a corner or middle brownie ALL WHILE SIMULATING BLINDNESS.

Much to students’ dismay, they had to remain blind to eat their food as well. The quote of the day came from Erica. She said, “But I can’t eat when I am blind.” The lesson became blaringly clear at that point. Students who are blind or visually impaired cannot choose to see again at any given point. As the students sat and ate with their blindfolds still on, they did not engage in a much conversation.

It is so easy to believe you understand others’ struggles, but until you really walk in their shoes for a while, you really cannot fathom their experiences. This activity was as enlightening, as it was messy!  True authentic learning in Dr. Jennifer Lechner’s Diverse Populations class.

For more info about the College of Education, email:  roper.pat@spcollege.edu

By Dr. Cher Gauweiler

Nancy Davenport enjoys the kid connections she has made at Calusa Elementary in Pasco County. I had the privilege of interviewing a former student who graduated from the College of Education in May 2013 with an Exceptional Student Education degree.  Now, in her fifth year of teaching, Nancy is currently a kindergarten teacher.   For the 2017-2018 school year, she was a nominee for Teacher of the Year.

I asked her “Five Questions” about teaching:

What do you enjoy most about your current position?

By far, I enjoy the relationships that I am making with the kids.  I really try and connect with each student on a personal level to find what works.  I have learned how to provide differentiated attention for students who need that from me.  For instance, we have “lunch bunch” on Fridays where I can spend time with children informally.  I have a student with behavioral issues, but I have learned what makes him laugh.  I may hold a paper a little longer than necessary and then let him have it.  These moments make teaching fun.

What have you learned in the COE that has helped most in your career?

I appreciate the value of class time and how every moment counts.  It is amazing what I can teach in even two to five minutes!  I have learned the value of teamwork and being part of a learning community.  At my school, I cannot do it alone and just shut my door.

What has been the biggest challenge?

It is difficult when you have students who move alot within the school year.  There are different reasons for student mobility, and you can’t blame children for not coming to school. It is hard for them as they may not have the feeling of security that they will stay at our school and be able to make friends.  Last year I had 18 students in my class.  This year only half of them still go to Calusa.

What do enjoy about working at Calusa?

The administration is very committed to supporting teachers and our ideas.  I have a great kindergarten team and we work well together.

What would you say to someone who is considering teaching as a profession?

Make sure that your heart is in this career for the right reason.  The children know if you are not fully committed to what you are doing.

Nancy has discovered that teaching is right for her.  She also knows that connecting with students is what makes that “bond” so special.   For more information about a degree in teaching contact Pat Roper  at roper.pat@spcollege.edu or check out our website.

This week is an opportunity to gain a new perspective on the world celebrating International Education Week. For the past two weeks, Dr. Melissa McAllister has worked at a primary school in Boscobel, Jamaica. She worked with fourth, fifth, and sixth graders on writing and reading in an effort to improve the students’ overall literacy.

Dr. McAllister went to Jamaica to serve  as the lead faculty for the Jamaica Education Study Abroad program. And, even though she went to support her SPC students as they practiced their instructional skills in Jamaican classrooms, she learned a lot. Dr. McAllister learned that students everywhere enjoy opportunities to express themselves. From practicing how to write a descriptive paragraph by first describing an M & M, to participating in readers theater  writing unique poems. The students she worked with enjoyed sharing their creativity. She  learned that students may be reluctant about participating in a new activity, but with encouragement and support, they thrived. Technology is awesome, but you don’t really need it to help students read and write well. Finally, Dr. McAllister learned about the beautiful Jamaican culture working with the students and teachers at the school.

Her experiences were unique due to the nature of the program  run through the College of Education.  “The opportunity to be more than just a traveler is what makes international education so valuable. Throughout an international education experience, your beliefs and conceptions of the world may be challenged. Your view of other countries will surely change as you interact with the locals. You may also find that your goals for your life may change as a result of your international education experience.”

So, in honor of International Education Week, get out there, explore, and learn. The world is huge, and the opportunities for learning are endless.