NOTES FROM KB

First of all I would like to thank each and every one of you for the fine job you did with our Four Year Evaluation Visit, October 25-26. The Evaluation Team was very impressed with our Teaching Fellows and the leadership shown by students at every level of the program. I was very proud of you; so many Fellows helped to make this visit the great success it was. I thank you for your efforts and for how you continue to show excellence in all you do. It was exciting to share with the Team all your accomplishments and what makes our program so strong. While I’m glad that we have another four years before we do this again, I have to admit that the process helped to reinforce what we do well and to help us identify ways we can be better. Such reviews are a positive force in bringing change; it also lets us brag a bit, which can’t be all bad!

RECOGNITIONS:

Thanks to senior Lou Southerland for giving the TF office a copy of the PRAXIS I (PPST) review book. It is available to check out as you prepare for the test to get admitted to the Watson School of Education.

Freshmen Ashley Bryant and Jess Hudson, along with junior Melissa Galler, volunteered for the Halloween Haunted House. Also joining in on the spooky activities were freshmen Fellows on second floor Schwartz who decorated their floor for local Trick or Treaters. Hope they didn’t make anyone cry!

The campus chapter of Student North Carolina Association of Educators (SNCAE) has flourished this year due, in large part, to the efforts of several Teaching Fellows. Senior Kate Boyce has really breathed some life back into the organization as President. She’s joined by Amanda Bass and Brooke Riddick. It’s a great organization for future teachers…contact Kate at kateboyce@hotmail.com

Speaking of Kate, she serves as the Student Representative to the Teacher Education Council under the auspices of the Dean’s office. You go, girl!

December social

When: Tuesday, December 5

Where: warwick center ballroom 4

Time: 6:30-8 pm

What’s going on: dinner, entertainment provided by Fellows, door prizes, recognition of December grads and spring interns, and much more!!

Can’t wait to see you there!!

IMPORTANT DATES:

November

9 Senior Orientation Week registration on-line

16 Junior Enrichment registration on-line

December

4 Required Student Intern Orientation for Secondary Majors (EDN 408, 409); 4-6pm King Aud

5 TF December Social; 6:30 pm Warwick Center Ballroom 4

Required

7 Required Student Intern Orientation for Pre-K, Elementary, Middle and Special Education Majors (EDN 411,412, 465)

Reading Day

8-9 Exams

11-14

15 Deadline for Bus Facilitator requests for Discovery 2001

16 Commencement!!

SEALINE/SEAWEB opens for Drop/Add

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR DECEMBER GRADUATES:

Lissa Dowcett, Middle Grades Education
Kelly Langston, Elementary Education
Hunter Moon, Secondary Social Studies Education
Sabrina Padgett, K-12 Physical Education Education

We wish you much success in your future as teachers and/or graduate students. We will miss you!

CONGRATULATIONS TO…

· Charla Lane, Senior, who got engaged over Thanksgiving!!!

· Tamicah Williams, Sophomore, who was selected as an Orientation Leader!!!

· Sabrina Padgett, December grad and PE major, already has a job! She begins 12/4 at a middle school in Lee County as a PE teacher. Way to go, Nina!

EVALUATION VISIT REPORT

On October 25 and 26, the UNCW Teaching Fellows Program had its Four Year Evaluation Visit. A review of the campus program and the satisfaction of students involved, it brings a team of TF Commissioners and TF staff from the Raleigh office to campus to meet with a variety of people. This year’s team included TF Director Gladys Graves and Special Programs Coordinator, Cindy Gresham. Rev. Bill Foust, Ms. Linda Little, Ms. Colleen Lanier and Mr. Franz Holscher represented the Commissioners.

The team met with the TF staff, selected campus faculty members and Fellows, and staff from several offices that work closely with the program (i.e. Admissions, Housing, Financial Aid). They also met with Chancellor Leutze, Provost Cavanaugh and Dean Cathy Barlow from the Watson School of Education. KB and Dr. Carol Chase Thomas met with the team prior to their departure to get some initial response to their findings.

Although a formal report will be sent to the university by the TF Commissioners, here is a brief description of some of the issues:

Students really impressed the team! They found Fellows to be articulate, engaging and very pleased with their program here at UNCW. One member commented on how easy it was to converse with Fellows about their program, the seminars and their inquiry projects.

The Commissioners found several areas where the program could be improved; some of these included an expanded budget, more field trips, greater involvement of the TF Advisory Board and better alumni follow-up. These are reasonable requests and we will be looking at how best we can make these improvements.

While the feedback from the faculty and student surveys will be part of the final report, it was mentioned that there was a high degree of satisfaction with UNCW’s TF program (Now, who wrote “KB’s the bomb”?!!). We may have a small office but we’ve got a big heart!

Special thanks go out to all those students who helped prepare for the visit and who put in extra time and effort. Kudos to Shaunita Wallace, Jay Daniels, BJ Johnson, Lester Turner, Airess Eatmon, Meredith Antes, Megan Burroughs, Sarah Meshaw and office assistant Jordan Miller. And a bouquet of roses to Janeen Graham, our wonderful TF secretary, whose help added greatly to our success.

Don’t forget to check out the TF webpage for some terrific pictures, info on alums and educational resources/links. You can find us at www.uncwil.edu/tfellows (of course if you’re reading this you may already have discovered us!)

***If anyone is interested in working on the Newsletter in the Spring, please see K.B. I will not be able to do it due to student teaching. –Jennifer Wester.

KB’s note: Many thanks to Jennifer for doing such a great job with our newsletter this semester!