All posts by Marilynn Cirri

Education Open House and Career Exploration June 8

College of Education Open House
College of Education

Trying to figure out if teaching is the right career for you? St. Petersburg College is hosting an Education Open House Event on Thursday, June 8.  During this career exploration event you can learn about education bachelor’s degree options that lead to:

  • Florida certified teacher jobs
  • Education careers outside the traditional classroom

Education Open House Event Details

Thursday June 8, 4-7 p.m.
SPC Clearwater Campus, Room ES 104.

Degree options

Early Childhood Education – Our programs in early childhood education follow a pathway to prepare you to work effectively with early learners (birth to age 4) and their families in both the public and private sectors.

Elementary Education – If you love learning and want to help students discover their potential, SPC’s College of Education is the place for you. Explore our new all online option geared for paraprofessionals and the true Florida distance learning student.

Exceptional Student Education – A bachelor’s degree in Exceptional Student Education (ESE) prepares you for a career in great demand: special education teacher.

Community Leadership Degree

Educational Studies and Community Leadership (Totally Online) – Our Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies and Community Leadership is for those who want to deepen their understanding of the learning and teaching process, yet seek careers in non-school settings. Helping, guiding and coaching others to their dreams is a very satisfying fundamental form of job fulfillment.

Middle Grades Math and Science / Secondary Math & Science Education – Teachers with expertise and certifications in science and math remain in critical demand across Florida’s school districts.

Paths to Teacher Certification – temporary to full certification and renewal & reinstatement

Education AA Transfer Plan – This A.A. transfer plan is intended for students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Education at St. Petersburg College.

Educator Prep Institute – Designed for those with a non-education bachelor’s degree or higher, our Educator Preparation Institute provides a fast-track certification program that only takes one year to complete.

Meet with faculty, advisors and staff during Education Open House

  • Attend a break out session on admission requirements and career program exploration

  • Financial assistance information (scholarships for teaching, loans, and student employment)
  • Panel discussion
  • Meet students and explore teaching clubs
  • Visit tables and learn about job opportunities

 Reserve your seat today for COE’s June Education Open House Extravaganza

During their event there will be door prizes, food and an opportunity to enter a drawing for one of three teacher supply baskets valued at $300+ each!

http://web.spcollege.edu/survey/23799 or call Pat Roper at 727-712-5410 to for more information.

Elementary Education ONLINE Bachelor’s Program starts Fall 2017

stock photo of kids
College of Education, Elementary Education

Our new Elementary Education Bachelor’s Online Pilot program is geared for current paraprofessionals and the true distance student within Florida – teaching assistants, instructional assistants, teacher aides, or office personnel – in an educational field.  The program begins this fall and includes Reading and ESOL endorsements.

Our online program allows you to study at the times and places you choose while still enjoying the close connection with your classmates and instructors via online discussions. Unlike exclusively online colleges, our program is supported with the integrity and prestige of a traditional campus.  Our classes are appropriately sized and offer engaging interaction with classmates as well as individual attention from instructors who care about your success.

 Ideal program for the paraprofessional and the true Florida distance learning student

Quality academic programs provide the essential knowledge and skills needed to be effective in today’s complex business world.

Our goal is helping students to find their purpose and achieve their potential by preparing them to pursue the profession of their dreams, advance in their current occupation, or re-career into a different field.

You can choose between an elementary education campus education or online options, depending on what works best for you, your schedule and your location.

Admission requirements: 
  • AA degree from regionally accredited school
  • Completion of EDF 1005
  • 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale
  • General Knowledge Test –passing scores, register for GK, GK Review Session June 16
  • Complete fingerprint and pass background check
Information Session – Elementary Education Online

Information Session for Elementary Education Online

 

Learn more about earning your bachelor’s in elementary education online at our upcoming information session:

  • Tuesday, May 9, 2017
  • 5:30-6:30 pm
  • SPC Clearwater Campus
  • ES 113 (Ethics and Social Science Building)
  • RSVP to attend the Info Session
Want more information?

Remember Administrative Professional’s Day –Wednesday, April 26th

College of Education
Marilyn Lovely,  Dean Hartman’s Administrative Professional

A Bit of History

Administrative Professionals Day is an unofficial observance, not a professional holiday.  During WW II there was a need for skilled administrative personnel or secretaries then, in the United States.  An association for the National Secretaries was formed to recognize contributions made by secretaries and attract more into the profession.  This added to the US economy and supported secretary’s personal development. The intent was to recognize and celebrate the work of secretaries, administrative assistants and other office professionals for their contributions to the workplace.

In 1981 the association’s name evolved to Professional Secretaries International and in 1998 altered again to International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP).  The name changed to reflect the ever changing scope of work, qualifications and tasks that members of this organization carry out.

Pat Roper,  COE upper division student registration

In 1952, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Charles Sawyer, and the United States Department of Commerce, numerous office supply companies and equipment manufacturers declared to celebrate National Secretaries Week.  On the Wednesday of that week, June 4th, 1952,  National Secretaries Day  was declared.  The names of the week and day changed again in 2000 to Administrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day to keep up with changing job titles and expanding responsibilities.

 

Remember your Administrative Professionals

The most common ways of recognizing your Administrative Professional(s) today are:

  • Flowers
  • Cards, often with shopping gift certificates
  • Take them to lunch
  • Candies
  • Assorted Gift Baskets
  • A special thank you is always appreciated
Miriam Larrea, Clearwater Campus, working with EPI students

The College of Education supports their “office support staff” known at SPC as the Administrative Services Specialists.  We are always remembered for our contributions and want to thank our Dean and staff for their support!

Francine Fuentes, Office of School Partnerships & Autism Endorsement, Gibbs & Tarpon Campuses
For more info on College of Education programs:

Pat Roper – College of Education areas of study

Miriam Larrea – Educator Preparation Institute for Non-Ed Majors

Francine Fuentes – Autism Endorsement

Beyond Traditional Employment; New Online Community Leadership Degree

Community Leadership Degree
College of Education

St. Petersburg College now offers a completely online Bachelor of Educational Studies & Community Leadership degree. This program does not lead to teacher certification. It prepares you to serve in non-traditional educational positions such as community leader, youth development coordinator, corporate trainer, or non-profit director.

Education isn’t just about teaching. There are many careers in youth, family, and community services available.

 Admission requirements
  • AA degree
  • 2.0 GPA
Educational Studies and Community Leadership Program benefits
Community Leadership Program
Be prepared to work in areas such as youth and family community settings.

Students will graduate with workplace-ready job skills like leadership, organization, management, communication, and motivation. They will complete coursework in diversity, youth and community development, program management, grant administration and resource development, and managing global resources.

The Educational Studies & Community Leadership program is designed to meet many different employment career goals. Especially relevant is the fact that employers often look for employees who have strength in communications, the ability to work well on teams, who are well-rounded in their education, demonstrate leadership skills, and possess excellent computer skills.

Most noteworthy is the fact that the program was designed to meet the needs of individuals who wish to function in an education, youth, family, health, or human services setting.  The Educational Studies & Community Leadership program leads to careers in business and industry, non-licensure education settings, religious, youth and family community settings, non-profits, human resources, and advocacy groups.

Examples of beyond traditional blackboard employment
  • Children, family, and community outreach Programs (adult education, GED, job skills training, literacy programs, senior services, etc.)
  • Youth development (YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, after-school programs, etc.)
  • Non-profits (homeless/transitional programs, help lines, at-risk programs)
  • Human resources/higher education (corporate training, health benefits, records management, advising, career counseling, recruiting, financial aid, etc.)
  • Entrepreneurial (start your own child care, after-school program, youth leadership program, tutoring, etc.)
Community Leadership Degree
Prepare to serve in non-traditional educational positions such as community leader, youth development coordinator, corporate trainer, or non-profit director.
Get more information

For more information about this exciting new way to complete a bachelor’s degree with many employment options, please contact:

Motivation, Determination, Overcoming Obstacles

Daniel Conrad
College of Education, Middle and High School Education

St. Petersburg College education graduate Daniel Conrad is making a difference by challenging students who live in a remote Utah community to believe they can do anything.

Team 6546 Naatsis’áán Robotics

“Motivation, determination and imagination,” is what Conrad, an advisor/science teacher coaches to his students who are competing in multiple rounds of what’s called a “First Robotics Competition.” Conrad is a 2014 SPC Middle Grades Science grad who currently teaches at Navajo Mountain High School.

100 miles from the nearest grocery store

Navajo Mountain High School in Utah is located near the Arizona border and is one of the most remote in the continental United States. The school has 32 enrolled students who are Navajo. The staff consists of five teachers, one librarian, and one assistant teacher.

Navajo Mountain High School

The area’s community are a self-sufficient enclave of hardy individuals.

The majority of people who live in the area have no running water, and there is one paved road in and out of the community. The nearest gas station/convenience store is more than 30 miles away.  The nearest grocery store is in Page, AZ, about 100 miles away.  Internet access is only available at the school.

Determined to succeed

The school’s Robotics Team, made up of 40 percent of the student population, are determined to succeed even when facing adversity.

Their first obstacle – not receiving their kit until one week after kickoff due to a snow storm.  Students had to use critical thinking and learn new skills, stretching beyond what they thought they were capable of.  With the nearest Home Depot about 170 miles away, they had to make due with scraps to substitute for materials they lacked.

Since their mentor and the team lacked experience, there was much trial and error. Competitors worked for six weeks to design, build, program and test their robots. This year the competition’s theme was based on the science-fiction genre steampunk, which involves mixing old and new technology.

First Idaho Regional Robotics Competition

For the competition, robots need to complete several tasks, including catching large gears and driving across the competition field — dubbed “the pit” — then placing gears on pegs and climbing rope. Sophomore Nahida Smith, proudly watched the robot move driven by her code who helped program Navajo’s robot. “I didn’t know I could do this,” Smith said.

Briana Bitsinnie, a 17-year-old junior on the team, welded metal scraps to build the cage, which holds in the workings of the machine. She has a 23-mile commute to and from the school.

Determination to Overcome

On March 27, Conrad and the team were off to Idaho for the first Idaho Regional Robotics Competition at Boise State University.  They finished in 9th place and won the Rookie All Star Award.

Winning this moves the team to an invitation to the First Championships in Houston, Texas that begins April 19.  To meet their goal to participate, Conrad and the team are raising funds to go to Houston.

Motivation

Competing isn’t Conrad or the team’s only mission. They also started a LEGO Robotics Team for the local community school to introduce STEAM education and inspire other young people to become leaders in science and technology.

STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking.

Their long term goals involve revolutionizing education at both community schools and start programs at other Native American schools.

 

Team 6546 Naatsis’áán Robotics
 The next chapter

Stay tuned for Part II of how the Robotics Team rank in Houston and how Conrad ended up at this tiny remote school where he is making a difference and motivating students every day!

Special Olympics Exceptional Experience for COE Students

College of Education, Exceptional Students Education
Special Olympics here we come!

Special Olympics Region VI Games were held at Lakewood High School on Saturday, March 4 with volunteers from the SPC Student Club — Council for Exceptional Children.

The Council for Exceptional Children represents the interests of educators, youth and adults on a local, national and international level. The Pinellas County Special Olympics Florida program is made possible through the generosity of local individuals, civic clubs, businesses and corporations. Athletes participate in the program at no cost. The program depends on volunteers and donations, otherwise the program would not exist.

Their website states: Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and competition to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They serve approximately 1400 athletes in Pinellas.

What exceptional student training does SPC offer ?

The College of Education offers five specialized courses that give students who major in Exceptional Student Education (ESE) the additional tools they need to be successful teachers. Students can earn a Reading and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsement through the program and are eligible to take the general education certification as well.  These extra endorsements make students valuable job candidates to school systems. SPC offers continuing education for ESE coursework and autism endorsements.

Jessica Curtis, Dr. Emily Hoeh and Dr. Sue Blanchard

Selected job profiles for careers in exceptional education can be viewed online from the U.S. Dept. of Labor Occupational Handbook 2012-2013 – Teachers–Special Education.

Donations in the form of cash or checks or items such as water, food, transportation, office supplies, and equipment, uniforms or shoes for our athletes.

For more info on this club or Exceptional Education– contact Dr. Emily Hoeh by email or phone 727-712-5204.

A wonderful day of volunteering and service!

 

Professional Development for Teachers

Atlantis
College of Education

The College of Education sponsors a trip to the Kennedy Space Center NASA to provide College of Education students with STEM professional development that they can use in lesson planning and future instruction.

The  Spring NASA trip consisted of experiences such as a professional development workshop, exploring the Atlantis exhibit, Goddard Rocket Garden, Heroes and Legends exhibit, an IMAX movie, and touring the visitor’s center.

The professional development workshops are based on the belief that real-life problems capture students’ interest and provoke critical thinking skills. Students learn and apply new knowledge to the problem-solving context. The teacher plays the role of facilitator, working with students to frame questions, structuring meaningful tasks, coaching knowledge development and social skills, and assessing what students have learned from the experience.

Rocket Garden

The Goddard Rocket Garden at NASA features many types of rockets and old flight hardware.  Each piece in the collection is a real artifact.  All that are on display are real, even though certain components have been removed for safety.  The Heroes and Legends Exhibit includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.  Ninety three Americans are on exhibit with the space exploration journeys of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo.

Interactive kiosks provide the stories of each of the Hall of Fame inductees.  A four dimensional theater allows you to join four of the heroes during a dangerous stage of their

Heroes and Legends

mission.  The heroes description characteristics include — inspired, passionate, curious, tenacious, disciplined, courageous, principled and confident.

NASA tries to inspire interest in science, technology, engineering, mathematics or STEM.  NASA supports colleges and schools by providing internship and research opportunities.  Professional development is offered for preservice, in-service and informal educators as well as college professors.

NASA experiment

There are two primary Office of Education programs:  The SEA program (STEM Education and Accountability) provides learners and educators to NASA assets.  The ARCD (Aero Space Research and Career Development) accomplishes its goals through beneficial relationships with external partners recruiting those underrepresented in STEM fields.

NASA understands that an emphasis on STEM will give students a foundation in preparation for middle school, high school, college, and future careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Current opportunities for PreService Educators 

Learn more about NASA Kennedy Space Center.  

 

Pre-service teachers learn about penguins

College of Education, Middle and High School Education

SPC pre-service teachers at Sea WorldPre-service teachers from St. Petersburg College recently attended a College of Education  workshop at Sea World entitled Penguins: Flightless and Fearless. Members of the Student Florida Education Association (SFEA), the students learned amazing facts about the lifelong plight of penguins and how to incorporate the information into hands-on STEM activities in the K-12 classroom.

St. Petersburg College offers bachelor’s degrees in math and science education that give you the know-how to help students learn to solve problems in the real world.

Pre-service teachers go behind the scene at Sea World

As part of the workshop, the SFEA members were permitted behind the scenes access to several penguin habitats where they experienced person-to-penguin encounters.

SPC pre-service teachers learn about penguinsSPC pre-service teachers plan STEM activities on penguins

Penguin Highlights:

Penguins are flightless birds, aquatic in nature. They spend 75 percent of their time in water.  Their tux like appearance is a form of camouflage called “countershading” to keep them safe while in water.  They use their wings like flippers in the water.  Their prey is found within 60 feet of the water’s surface, so no need for them to swim in deep water.  They catch their prey while swimming and swallow their food whole.  Penguins are found on every continent in the Southern Hemisphere.  The life span of a penguin is approximately 15-20 years depending on the species.  There are 18 different species of penguins. The Galapagos, yellow-eyed, northern rockhopper, African and erect-crested penguins are considered endangered. Each penguin has a distinct call which allows for them to find their chicks and mates even in large groups called rookeries.

SPC student with penguinSPC student with penguinSea World staff and SPC student in penguin habitatMore info about SFEA

SFEA at SPC was designed for future educators.  The club offers professional development workshops, networking and leadership opportunities.  Members also get the opportunity   to meet other pre-service teachers as well as in-service educators.

If  you’re interested in learning more about leadership and service learning for educators, please contact Jessica Curtis at  Curtis.jessica@spcollege.edu or Dr. Wanda Santos at Santos.wanda@spcollege.edu.

Future Educators Learn Lessons In Leadership

SFEA Service Project
College of Education

Future educators and members of the St. Petersburg College of Education Student Florida Education Association recently had the opportunity to meet new people in the field of education and attend a leadership conference.

Those who attended the conference went to breakout sessions on topics such as institutional racism, accomplished teaching, service leadership, interviews, classroom management and loan forgiveness. Club members had the chance to ask a panel of first-year teachers questions.

On Sunday, students participated in a local community project in Orlando at the New Image Youth Center. The New Image Youth Center provides a safe place for local students to come after school to learn and play. Programs are provided for children in academic assistance, social and community engagement, and health and wellness.

SFEA chapters that attended the leadership conference came together on Sunday to team build in a service project at the center. SFEA members helped paint the classroom and bathrooms, mulch the playground, plant a vegetable garden, replace ceiling tiles, fix computers and clean up the kitchen.

SFEA at SPC Legacy
Little Free Library

Each chapter who participated in project received a Little Free Library box that can be placed in the local community.

The SPC SFEA chapter plans to place theirs in the Clearwater community. It will serve as the chapter’s legacy project and provide the community with access to free books.

Future educators: Interested in joining SFEA at SPC?
SFEA Service Project

SFEA at SPC was designed for future educators.

The club offers professional development workshops, networking and leadership opportunities, as well as the chance to meet other pre-service and in-service educators.

If  you’re interested in learning more about leadership and service learning for educators, please contact Jessica Curtis at  Curtis.jessica@spcollege.edu or Dr. Wanda Santos at Santos.wanda@spcollege.edu.

Fill an urgent need for K-12 teachers

Elite Educator Info Session
College of Education

Do want to make a difference and change the future? Then St. Petersburg College is challenging you –  become teachers and role models for our most important resource, our children.

There is an urgent need for K-12 teachers in education. Learn more at an information session this week – Thursday, Feb. 2, at SPC’s Clearwater Campus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn3r3KljBh8

If you have a bachelor’s degree or higher in a non-education major but would like to teach, SPC’s Educator Preparation Institute (EPI) may be the perfect fit for you.  If you would like to attend, reply here.

Learn more at the upcoming EPI Information Session on Thursday , Feb. 2, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. on the Clearwater Campus, ES 104 . The alternative teacher certification program at SPC is a state-approved, three-semester program that leads to Florida’s Professional Teaching Certificate, the state’s highest licensure.

EPI starts during summer term

SPC’s EPI starts during the summer in May only. It is an evening program with daytime teaching requirements during the second and third terms.

All EPI courses are “blended,” meaning the course content will be delivered both on campus and online.  Although coursework involves online components, it is not an online program.

On-campus class times may require one or two nights a week (Monday – Thursday) beginning at 6 p.m. and ending between 8 and 9 p.m.  Online instruction and modules may be completed at any computer and any time (24/7) during the time frames specified by the instructor.

Practical teaching is also an integral part of the EPI. Teacher candidates will complete a 60-hour practicum during the second term of the EPI. SPC works with Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties to secure practicum and internship assignments for all College of Education students.

You have been challenged! Call 727-791-2521 or join us on Feb. 2 and join the education community.