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July 15, 2019
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Let’s Talk About Math: 2019 Mathematics Teacher Academy Focused on Mathematical Discourse in the Classroom [07/15/2019]

2019 Mathematics Teacher Academy

Baylor School of Education’s Mathematics Teacher Academy (MTA) gathered over 50 Texas secondary and middle school teachers on June 25-27 to talk about . . . talking about math. This year’s theme was “mathematical discourse,” the conversation about mathematics in the classroom that empowers student learning.

MTA, now in its third year, included nationally known speakers and hands-on workshops, enabling the professional educators to share discourse-based planning and instruction techniques. Dr. Trena Wilkerson and Dr. Rachelle Rogers, faculty in Baylor SOE’s Department of Curriculum & Instruction, co-chaired MTA. Continue Reading →

July 8, 2019
by Baylor Instant Impact
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An American Intern in Paris [07/08/2019]

Rachel Renbarger, an educational psychology doctoral student at Baylor, is in the midst of a six-month data-analysis internship in Paris with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The OECD offers many internships — 40 in education alone. However, Renbarger was the only intern selected as a data analyst for the study on social and emotional skills. “Day to day, I’ll be doing a lot of teamwork and a lot of collaboration,” Renbarger said.

During her time working on the study, the main focus is on field data – working to make sure that everything is set to run smoothly later in the study. “I think it’s going to be really great to collaborate with people who are from outside the U.S., because I haven’t done that before,” Renbarger said. Continue Reading →

July 3, 2019
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Research-proven Early-intervention Math Program Launches for 2019 [07/03/2019]

Dr. Sandi Cooper, professor and MELA director, with students

Baylor’s Mathematics for Early Learners Academy (MELA) launched its fourth summer of math intervention for struggling young students on Monday, July 1. The program has proven effective in helping pre-K and kindergarten students who were identified as below level in mathematics to achieve and exceed grade level in their mathematics skills.

Founded in 2016 by the Baylor School of Education and Sandi Cooper, Ph.D., professor of mathematics education, the program is expanding this year, with 80 students from La Vega ISD and Waco ISD — 36 who just completed pre-K and 44 who just completed kindergarten. MELA 2019 is funded by a $74,000 grant from Waco’s Cooper Foundation. The partner school districts also provide significant support, including bus transportation and para-professional staff during MELA.

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June 26, 2019
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Baylor’s Center for Christian Education Announces Inaugural Holder of Chair in Christian School Leadership [06/26/2019]

Eckert

Dr. Jon Eckert speaking at the inaugural Academy for Transformational Leadership, hosted by the Baylor Center for Christian Education

Baylor University today announced the installation of Jon Eckert, Ed.D., as the inaugural holder of The Lynda and Robert Copple Endowed Chair in Christian School Leadership within the School of Education. The installation was part of The Academy for Transformational Leadership, a continuing education and leadership training conference hosted by Baylor’s Center for Christian Education.

The newly established chair was made possible through a gift from Lynda and Robert Copple of Frisco. The Copples are long-time supporters of Baylor University and members of the National Campaign Steering Committee for Give Light, Baylor’s recently announced $1.1 billion comprehensive fundraising campaign.

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June 24, 2019
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Baylor Freedom Schools Helping to Prevent Summer Learning Loss in Waco Students [06/24/2019]

Baylor’s third annual Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools program has launched at Indian Spring Middle School and J.H. Hines Elementary School, both in-district charters through the Transformation Waco initiative of Waco ISD. The program will serve more than 170 students, providing quality literacy enrichment from June 12 – July 26. The program is free to students and includes field trips, special guests and meals.

Freedom Schools literacy program exposes students to culturally relevant books for maximum student engagement and the prevention of summer learning loss. Freedom Schools also offers curriculum in social action, character building and STEAM activities. Freedom Schools students, called “scholars,” will participate in community service and create a project for the National Day of Social Action focusing on gun violence and awareness.

Dr. Lakia Scott with Freedom School scholars

Lakia M. Scott, Ph.D., assistant professor of curriculum and instruction in the Baylor School of Education and executive director of Baylor’s Freedom School, said the program has successfully  prevented summer learning loss in participants. For 2018 participants, who were middle school students only, 100 percent either improved (80 percent) or maintained (20 percent) in independent in-text word recognition skills. And 94 percent of scholars increased or maintained comprehension, based on independent questioning, with 77 percent increasing and 17 percent maintaining. Continue Reading →

June 19, 2019
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Baylor’s Center for Christian Education to Host inaugural Academy for Transformational Leadership [06/19/2019]

The Baylor Center for Christian Education (CCE) will host the inaugural Academy for Transformational Leadership conference June 23-25 in Waco. The Academy is a professional development forum for leaders of preK-12 Christian schools who want to explore the philosophical, clinical and theological foundations of Christian schools and the role leadership plays within that environment.

Attendees will include more than 125 heads of public and private schools, including principals, school board members, financial managers and the directors of enrollment, marketing and spiritual life. This year’s theme is “The Essentials of Christian Educational Leadership.” During the course of three days, topics will include collaborative leadership, Christian education and its purpose, developing future leaders, managing institutional change for greater faithfulness, the primary role of the Christian school leader, effective board leadership, and development and fundraising.

Thomas

Dr. Matt Thomas, Executive Director

“It’s no secret that leading Christian schools has become more challenging than ever before,” said Dr. Matt Thomas, executive director of the CCE. “In fact, today’s Christian school leader faces issues and concerns that weren’t even a thought 25 years ago.”

Keynote speaker for this year is Dr. Michael Lindsay, a Baylor alumnus and the President of Gordon College in Wenham, Mass. Lindsay’s Monday evening topic is “A Legacy of Influence: Developing the Next Generation of Christian Leaders.” Continue Reading →

June 18, 2019
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Baylor SOE Hosts Institute for Graduates who are Early-Career Elementary Teachers [06/18/2019]

Boe Classroom

Early-career teachers who are Baylor SOE graduates will be back on campus June 21-22 for professional development. When they share stories from their first-year teaching adventures, the alumna who set up this classroom will have a tale to tell. She had only been a teacher for seven days when her first classroom was lost to Hurricane Harvey.*

More than 20 elementary classroom teachers who are recent graduates of Baylor School of Education (SOE) will be on campus June 21 – 22 for the inaugural Baylor Beginning Teacher Institute (BBTI).

The free professional development opportunity is offered as a benefit for Baylor graduates who are current elementary teachers and who earned degrees in general education, elementary education, special education, or gifted-and-talented programs in 2016, 2017, or 2018. Only limited spots were available for the institute’s first year, and the program will expand to secondary graduates for 2020.

By supporting early-career teachers, Baylor SOE hopes to improve retention in the teaching profession, said Dr. Barbara Purdum-Cassidy, clinical professor and coordinator of the School of Education’s elementary education program, the School’s largest major. Continue Reading →

June 12, 2019
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Local Social Studies Teachers to Explore Cameron Park and Branch Davidian History [06/12/2019]

Social Studies

Baylor’s Texas Collection was the site of one session for the HOT Social Studies teachers’ conference in 2018.

Baylor School of Education (SOE), in collaboration with the Heart of Texas Council for the Social Studies (HOTCSS), will host the Social Studies Academy (SSA) Summer Summit on June 18-20. Launched in 2017, the three-day seminar is one of three annual events SSA hosts to bring together Central Texas social studies teachers and Baylor teacher-education faculty members. Together they share engaging curriculum from their own classrooms while developing professionalism and community involvement. Continue Reading →

June 3, 2019
by Baylor Instant Impact
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University for Young People Launches for 2019 [06/03/2019]

Baylor School of Education’s summer enrichment program for gifted and talented students, University for Young People (UYP), launches June 3, 2019.

Baylor UYP’s program for fourth-twelfth-grade students runs daily through June 21 on the Baylor campus. Classes are offered in three different one-week sessions, and students may sign up for two each week. Students may choose from dozens of courses, taking one class in the morning and one in the afternoon. Courses for 2019 include cooking for nutrition, water quality, robotics, art, poetry writing, improvisational acting, superhero physics, computer game design, and more.

“We are welcoming 104 students in grades 4-12 to the Baylor campus for up to three weeks of courses,” said Dr. Jenny Robins, clinical assistant professor and director of the Center for Gifted Education & Talent Development, which operates UYP. She said that the students thrive by being around other gifted students similar to them. Continue Reading →

May 30, 2019
by Baylor Instant Impact
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SOE Hosted 12th Annual Higher Education Conference [05/30/2019]

Baylor School of Education and the Department of Educational Leadership hosted the 12th annual Christian Higher Education Leadership Seminar on the Baylor campus May 19-22. The seminar is sponsored by the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities (IABCU) and is geared toward leaders of faith-based colleges and universities.

The 30 participants included faculty, deans, program heads, and future administrators in Christian institutions of higher education from across the country. Speakers at this year’s Seminar comprised university professors, chaplains, provosts, directors, deans, and academic scholars.

Dr. Rishi Sriram, associate professor of higher education and associate chair for the School of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership spoke at this year’s seminar and completed his third year as the conference’s director. Continue Reading →