In Brief

Drake students Sally Beisser, Tara Bassett and Michelle Terry pose with the new SMART Board.

The technology costs approximately $2,500. To acquire a SMART Board for the School of Education, Bassett and Terry applied for a $900 Smarter Kids Foundation Prep Grant while obtaining matching funds from Bankers Trust Co.

The SMART Board enables a teacher to display his or her computer screen in front of the whole class, enhances lecture delivery method, frees students from the task of taking notes and increases computer-based instruction.

"The SMART Board is a revolutionary product for teaching," said Bassett, who hopes to teach at the elementary or secondary level. "It allows teachers and students to do a variety of things." The SMART Board arrived at Drake in late August and is being used in a variety of classes at the School of Education.

Positive behavior support emphasizes a holistic approach to lifestyle changes, systems change and the value of teachers and students as collaborators. The use of positive behavior support in the state of Iowa has increased since the Iowa Department of Education awarded a five-year, $2.3 million contract to the Iowa Behavioral Alliance, which is based at Drake's Resource Center for Issues in Special Education, in late 2002.

Throughout the presentations, a common finding was the number of reductions in office discipline referrals, thus freeing up more time for academic engagement. Area Education Agency directors of special education, educational services directors, Department of Education staff, school administrators and teachers interested in adopting the approach were among those who attended. Dr. Rob Horner and Dr. George Sugai, professors at the University of Oregon, spoke on PBS from a national perspective. The schools will have another opportunity for the schools to showcase their results on March 18.

The Downtown School, which opened in 1993, is a public school located in the Des Moines skywalk in the heart of the business district of Des Moines. The curriculum is project-based and focuses on a thematic approach to learning. The weekend classes allow teachers to learn the latest teaching techniques and apply their new skills in the classes they teach during the week.

Speakers shared different techniques to use with hard-to-reach kids and showed how many professionals dealt with similar issues, including alternative schools, special education and truancy. Topics included mandatory reporting, transition planning issues, alternative education and a child's right to education.

The Joan and Lyle Middleton Center for Children's Rights is the result of a major gift from Joan, ED'63, GR'77, and Lyle Middleton, LA'61, LW'64, to establish a new program that focuses on the rights of children and families.

The project's goals include increased student achievement in science, a more positive student attitude about science and the development of leadership skills. The program is designed for students from grades three through five, with select grade five students acting as student mentors to the younger students. Ongoing work in the project will result in the use of student mentors and Drake University preservice teachers in the science classroom.

Organizers are currently in talks with potential partners The Science Center of Iowa and Pioneer in an effort to generate financial support to implement this project.

After learning about such topics as DNA evidence, handwriting analysis, interviewing techniques and fingerprinting, the students worked together to investigate a crime scene related to a hypothetical case — the dognapping of Drake's mascot, Spike the bulldog.
Two Drake professors and eight student teachers conducted the science activities for the students. All of the activities were designed to give the students an exciting, hands-on experience that exposed them to possible careers and gave them a sense of what it takes to make the career a real possibility. To provide a first-hand perspective on a career in crime scene investigation, Kristi Evans, an analyst for the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, spoke to the students.

"The camp offered Drake School of Education students an exceptional opportunity to learn firsthand the joys and challenges of working with urban students," said DeDe Small, assistant professor of education at Drake. "Our students learned the importance of positive management and the powerful dynamic that exists between a teacher and a student."

The Dreamer College Camp was made possible by support from Kemin Industries and The Principal Financial Group Foundation.

Your gifts tell us that you feel a connection to and belief in our work of educating teachers and other school professionals. In this newsletter, we outline some of the events, activities and developments that have taken place over the summer and fall semesters. As you read, I hope you take pride in being connected with us and find us worthy of your support. Your gifts are vital to our ability to maintain our excellence in professional education. They also are crucial as we develop new areas of expertise, such as online education (see the featured article in this newsletter) and urban education (see our Spring 2003 newsletter).

There are two ways to support the School of Education. The first is to give a designated donation to the School of Education in support of one of our initiatives. To do this, please contact me, Salina Shrofel, at 515-271-3726. The second is to give to the Annual Fund, which benefits all schools and colleges at Drake, including the School of Education. If you would like to discuss your Annual Fund donation, please contact Julie Ripper at 515-271-4558. E

Salina Shrofel
dean of the School of Education

index

next >>