Instant Impact – News from Baylor School of Education

December 9, 2024
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Dr. Suzanne Nesmith Receives Statewide Honor

Dec. 9, 2024

By Theodora John Milton

Dr. Suzanne Nesmith, Baylor School of Education associate professor and a leader in science and engineering education, has been recognized with the ADoT Distinguished Service Award for her exceptional contributions to teacher preparation at the university level. ADoT, the Associate and Assistant Deans and Directors of Texas, presents only one yearly award, chosen by a selection committee that reviews numerous packets submitted by nominators who must be employed by a Texas university-based educator-preparation program or a Texas P-12 school. The prestigious award honors former or current associate and assistant deans or directors who have significantly impacted the field of teacher preparation. The award was presented this fall at the statewide meeting of the Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education (CSOTTE). Continue Reading →

November 25, 2024
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Dr. Kelly Johnston Shares Tips for Literacy as a Family

Dr. Kelly Johnston

Nov. 25, 2024

Families can build reading, writing, and communication skills through simple daily routines and shared moments, says Dr. Kelly Johnston, associate professor in the School of Education’s Department of Curriculum & Instruction. And what better time to focus on fostering a love for reading and learning than a long holiday weekend that caps off Family Literacy Month (November)? Dr. Johnston offers eight simple ways to integrate literacy into family life (some of them may surprise you) and a helpful list of online resources.

“By blending literacy into the rhythms of everyday life, families can foster an environment where children not only build essential skills but also develop a lifelong love of learning,” Johnston said.

Read the full story on the BAYLOR MEDIA WEBSITE.

November 18, 2024
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Baylor SOE Researchers Working on EPA Grant to Advance Food Security and Climate Resilience Initiatives

Drs. Stephanie BOddie, Joshua King, and Kevin Magill

Nov. 18, 2024

Baylor University has been awarded a nearly $1 million grant from the EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program (CCGP) to drive transformative local initiatives aimed at bolstering food security, advancing sustainable agriculture, and enhancing climate resilience in Waco’s underserved communities. The $938,141 grant is part of a larger $17.9 million EPA Community Change grant awarded to local Waco nonprofits and the City of Waco.

The Baylor project is led by co-principal investigators Stephanie Boddie, Ph.D., associate professor of Church and Community Ministries in the School of Social Work, who also has a faculty appointment in the School of Education; Joshua King, Ph.D., professor of English and director of Environmental Humanities Minor; and Kevin Magill, Ph.D., associate professor of curriculum and instruction in the School of Education. Boddie and Magill will oversee the expansion of education programs and gardening projects in underserved communities across the city through local schools and faith-based organizations.

Read about the full scope of the grant on the BAYLOR MEDIA WEBSITE.

October 28, 2024
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Dr. Jeffrey Petersen Delves into Collegiate Athletic Budgets with Baylor’s Centennial Professor Award for Research

Dr. Jeffrey Petersen used his Centennial Professor Award to travel to the University of Notre Dame, which houses the world’s largest collection of sport documents including printed media guides for NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball and football.

Oct. 28, 2024

Dr. Jeffrey Petersen, professor of sport management and program director of the MSEd in Sport Management, received the 2024 Centennial Professor Award for summer research projects and focused his project on the finances of collegiate sports through research at Notre Dame University.

The Centennial Professor Award, created by the Baylor Class of 1945, annually honors two tenured faculty members with a $5,000 Centennial Faculty Development award for research projects that facilitate their development and contribute to the academic life of the University. These projects often include travel for study or research, the development of innovative teaching materials, or other professional development activities.

Dr. Petersen and graduate student Rachel Hickey at the University of Notre Dame

Dr. Petersen and graduate student Rachel Hickey on the Notre Dame campus.

Petersen and sport management graduate student Rachel Hickey dug into the archives at Notre Dame, which houses the world’s largest collection of sport documents including printed media guides for NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball and football. Using historical staffing levels as a proxy for athletic budget levels, their research will provide insights into the evolving landscape of NCAA sport management and operations.

The study, titled “Projecting the Future of NCAA Athletics: A Historical Analysis of Team and Athletic Department Staffing,” will analyze team and administrative staffing structures through a longitudinal analysis of media guides from the advent of television coverage in the 1950s to the present, seeking to identify shifts in support staff roles and contextualize these changes within larger societal and economic trends. Petersen also intends to project future trends based on the changing financial situation in college athletics. Continue Reading →

October 25, 2024
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Baylor School of Education Grad Named National Student Teacher of the Year

Oct. 25, 2024

Ashlyn Bergethon, BSEd ’24, earns top Texas & national honors, extending Baylor SOE’s string of student teaching awards

Baylor University School of Education (SOE) graduate Ashlyn Bergethon, BSEd ’24, has continued an impressive string of Baylor SOE student teachers being recognized with national and state honors for their work in the classroom while a Baylor senior.

Bergethon was named National Student Teacher of the Year by Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society in education, and the Association of Teacher Educators and Clinical Teacher of the Year for the State of Texas from the Texas Directors of Field Experience, an organization of faculty members within university teacher-education programs who supervise field experiences.

READ MORE at BAYLOR MEDIA SITE…..

September 27, 2024
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School of Education Faculty Collaborate with Engineering Faculty on $4.3-million Grant

Students and professors with the "Meet the Scientist" sign at the Mayborn

“Meet the Scientist” Showcase at the Mayborn Museum was a big success for the nine students, pictured with Dr. Sterrett and the Mayborn’s April Love.

Sept. 27, 2024

School of Education faculty Dr. Bill Sterrett, Dr. Rishi Sriram, and Dr. Sandi Cooper partnered with Baylor engineering and physics faculty to provide a 10-week summer experience for undergraduate students focused on collaborating with the Baylor Point-of-Needs Innovation (PONI) Center, Baylor’s Mayborn Museum, and regional partners as a part of a large effort focused on Friction Stir Additive Manufacturing (FSAM) research at Baylor.

Lead Principal Investigator and PONI Center Director, Dr. Paul Allison, invited Drs. Sterrett, Sriram, and Cooper to collaborate as Co-PIs in a $4.3-million effort funded by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences that focused on providing the 10 students with a true Baylor experience on campus, including living on campus. Continue Reading →

September 24, 2024
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Own the Narrative: Empowering Educators to Advocate for Public Education

Graphic design reading " Own the Narrative Advocacy Event"

Sept. 24, 2024

Baylor University School of Education and Raise Your Hand Texas will host a transformative advocacy event, Own the Narrative, supporting public education and the role of teachers and other educational leaders. This event is designed to equip educators and those who support public education, including parents and community leaders, with the tools and knowledge they need to become powerful Texas public education advocates.

Event Details:

Own the Narrative: An Advocacy Event
Date: Thursday, September 26
Time: 4:30 PM (snacks) | 5-6 PM (program)
Location: Baylor Business School, Foster 250 (1621 S 3rd St, Waco, TX 76706)
FREE and no reservations required Continue Reading →

September 16, 2024
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Mindfulness: A Superpower Within Reach for Student Teachers [09/16/2024]

Two Baylor students show the mindfulness reminder stickers they received.

These charming mindfulness stickers, given to students from Baylor’s Office of Professional Practice, are a fun and easy way to practice mindfulness — “breathe in, hold, breathe out, hold” and repeat.

by Theo John Milton

In today’s fast-paced world, everyday decisions and obligations can feel overwhelming. But what if a simple yet powerful tool existed to help manage it? Chris Asikis, a staff clinician at the Baylor Counseling Center, believes mindfulness is just that, and he explained how to unlock its power in a presentation at Baylor School of Education’s School Safety and Wellness Summit, a professional learning seminar for seniors who are beginning a full year of student teaching.

Asikis presented a compelling case for the future teachers that mindfulness is an important tool to reduce depression and anxiety. His research-backed presentation offered practical techniques to help the young professionals cultivate a more mindful approach to their daily lives and their profession as a teacher. Continue Reading →

August 16, 2024
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SOE Professors Offer Back-to-School Expertise

Baylor faculty members Dr. Bill Sterrett, professor chair of the Department of Educational Leadership, and Gae Connally, lecturer and coordinator of the elementary education program in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, are featured on the Baylor Media website with K12 back-to-school information and advice. Click the story titles for full information.

• The Four-Day School Week in Texas — Is this Best for Students?

The jury is still out on the benefits of a four-day school week, says Baylor education expert

This fall, more than 100 Texas school districts have moved to a four-day school week with another 19 districts moving to a hybrid schedule, but does this move benefit students? This is a question Baylor University education expert Bill Sterrett, Ph.D., is asking as he looks at how the four-day week could potentially affect student learning, attendance, teacher retention, and cost savings. As of now, Sterrett says the data is inconclusive about the benefits – and stresses – of the four-day school week.

• Returnin to Routine: Five Tips to Lessen Back-to-School Stress

School of Education expert offers ideas to help make the start of the new school year less stressful for everyone

As summer comes to an end – earlier than ever, it seems – parents and children are getting ready for the new school year. For younger children, making the transition from a relaxed summer schedule to the routine of school can be jarring. Veteran teacher and Baylor University School of Education faculty member Gae Connally, M.S.Ed., offers five practical ideas to help make the start of the new school year less stressful, especially for younger students. Continue Reading →

July 31, 2024
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Former SOE Interim Dean and Associate Dean Retires

Dr. Trena WIlkerson presented gifts to Dr. Doug Rogers at his retirement reception.

After 37 years in service and leadership in the Baylor School of Education and beyond, Dr. Doug Rogers retired in May 2024. An expert in educational technology, Rogers served as interim dean, associate dean, technology director, and faculty member in the SOE.

At his retirement reception — which was attended by former students as well as current and former colleagues — Curriculum & Instruction interim chair Dr. Trena Wilkerson commended Roger’s leadership for the SOE. “Doug was visionary, pursuing the concept of what we see now as online learning, easy access, and focused professional development that we take for granted,” she said. Wilkerson said she worked with Rogers on a major grant project when she first came to Baylor in 1999. “He was a mentor to me,” she noted. “We presented and published together, taught together, and served on doctoral dissertations.”

Dr. Doug Rogers with Kinsey Award presented by NAPDS for significant leadership and contribution to the organization.

Rogers is a 1978 BSEd graduate of Baylor with a major in secondary English education. He taught English, speech, and drama in middle school for several years and then pursued a master’s in library science (1982), and EdD (1987) from East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University Commerce). After earning a master’s, he held university positions in library and technology services before returning to Baylor in 1987 as director for the SOE’s Center for Educational Technology and assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction. He became associate professor in 1990.

Rogers served 12 years (2004-2016) as associate dean in the SOE, overseeing undergraduate programs and student and information services. His purview included advising, the Learning Resources Center, state certification of educators and administrators, clinical placements, school accreditation processes, recruitment, communications, scholarships, and more. Continue Reading →