Spring 2013 | Volume Three | Number One

News on Innovations, Effectiveness, Collaborations, and Relevance from the College of Education at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Transforming Teacher Preparation

Teacher preparation at Minnesota State Mankato in 2013 looks much different than it did in 2008. From recruitment to curriculum to field experiences to mentoring and job placement, the College of Education has transformed the way it approaches and implements teacher preparation. Read more on page 4.

Greetings,

I invite you to peruse this issue of Educate and note the level of activity and intentionality occurring with our work. As a college we continuously challenge ourselves to improve and grow. We know education has the power to transform lives, and we wholeheartedly accept the crucial role we play in preparing professionals who ensure student success.  The knowledge and hard work of our faculty and students along with the strong partnerships we have with our P-12 colleagues have allowed us to innovate and collaborate in ways that have heightened the quality of our programs and increased our ability to deliver on our mission. The articles shared in this issue reflect the breath and depth of our commitment to our profession. We are actively engaged in effectively recruiting and preparing candidates, we are continually assessing our programs to ensure that our candidates have quality experiences, and we are conscientiously preparing ways to support our candidates not only as they complete their programs but also as they begin their professional careers.

Our faculty and students are actively engaged in their work. Please sit back and capture a glimpse of the results.

Best regards,

Jean Haar

College of EducationDr. Jean Haar Dean

DepartmentsAviationCounseling & Student PersonnelEducational LeadershipElementary & Early Childhood EducationK–12 and Secondary ProgramsMilitary Science and LeadershipSpecial EducationThe Children’s House

CentersCenter for Engaged LeadershipCenter for Mentoring & InductionCenter for School-University Partnerships

The mission of the Minnesota State University, Mankato’ s College of Education is to prepare professionals who embrace big ideas and real-world thinking to ensure student success.

The purpose of Educate is to inform education stakeholders of the ongoing work of the College of Education and its impact on the education profession. Educate is published two times per year by the College of Education and distributed to faculty, staff, students, alumni, and education supporters. The College of Education welcomes ideas for feature stories and other content consistent with the mission of the magazine. Please e-mail story ideas to col-of-education@mnsu.edu.

College of Education Minnesota State University, Mankato118 Armstrong Hall Mankato, MN 56001 Phone: 507-389-5445 Fax: 507-389-2566

DesignerWendy Johnston

Managing Editor/WriterCarol Jones

PhotographersJonathan ChapmanChelsea KocinaWes Taylor

Print CoordinatorDoug Fenske

A member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System and an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University. This document is available in alternative format to individuals with disabilities by calling the College of Education at 507-389-5445 (V), 800-627-3529 or 711(MRS/TTY). EDUC171NE

EducateSpring 2013 | Volume Three | Number One

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Educate is also available electronically. If you prefer to receive Educate electronically, please contact the College of Education at col-of-education@mnsu.edu

Transforming Teacher PreparationIn December 2009, the College of Education accepted a challenge from the Bush Foundation to guarantee the effectiveness of its teacher candidates. Since that time, the college has drastically changed its implementation of teacher preparation. Business as usual has been transformed.

Raising Math Scores for AllThe COE is on a mission to help all kids succeed by recruiting great teacher candidates. A 60-point gap between math scores of white kids and those who are black or Hispanic makes recruiting secondary mathematics teacher candidates a high priority. Robbie Burnett coordinates an innovative, collaborative solution that attracts strong candidates and gets them into 5-12 math classrooms quickly.

Counseling in the Age of TechnologyCounseling at a distance using videoconferencing is the future for counselor education and the Department of Counseling & Student Personnel is ahead of the curve. Diane Coursol, professor of counseling and student personnel and early adoptor of technology is not aware of another program that is using Telepresence to actively teach students how to engage in appropriate online counseling.

Developing Courageous LeadersUsing real-life situations and real data, the Institute for Engaged Principal Leadership helps K-12 early career leaders facilitate real change in their schools. The group meets monthly to hone their leadership skills and support each other as they address the challenges and provide solutions that get real results for kids.

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Transforming

Teacher Preparation

Minnesota State University, Mankato grew from what started as Mankato Teachers College. As a cornerstone of the University, the education program developed a solid reputation for preparing good teachers. Now the University’s College of Education is on a mission to prepare great teachers and education professionals—courageous leaders who serve as teachers, principals, counselors, superintendents and professors, and who can make an immediate and positive impact on children’s learning.

In December 2009, the College of Education accepted the challenge to guarantee the effectiveness of its teacher candidates and was granted $6.25 million from the Bush Foundation. The project covers a 10-year period.

Guaranteeing the effectiveness of its teacher candidates? What, exactly, was the COE thinking?

Ginger Zierdt, director of the Center for School-University Partnerships and NExT coordinator, smiled as she acknowledged that even as the project enters its third year, that statement is sometimes a bit daunting. But with a strong foundation, fearless leaders and a committed team she said they are well positioned to deliver.

The NExT projects focus on recruitment, preparation, support, placement and assessment. Nearing the end of the early, catalytic phase of the project, the COE has initiated and adopted many new processes that target student recruitment, student preparation, student placement and student support.

“Formerly, teacher education was divided into chunks,” said Zierdt. “This project makes teacher education a comprehensive stream. From the day students are recruited, we have people wrapped around them, including our K-12 partners. Our commitment and support past graduation is intentional. They leave us and we still care—full on responsibility, maximum engagement.”

Why is intentional recruitment important?

The former recruitment philosophy was that people who were interested in teaching would come to the University. Now, recruitment is intentional and a team effort.

The myriad of support and experience such as co-teaching helps Minnesota State Mankato’s teacher candidates become comfortable and confident leaders in the K-12 classrooms.

The most significant change in recruitment is the addition of the Maverick recruitment coordinator. Developed in response to a review of research that indicated a lack of specific efforts in teacher recruitment as well as a need for more teachers of color, it may be the only such position in Minnesota.

The demographics in K–12 schools are changing. According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, minorities currently make up 17 percent of Minnesota’s population but 30 percent of its preschool-age ranks. One of the goals is to recruit new teachers who will reflect the demographics of the classroom. And it is working.

Teacher candidates of color at Minnesota State Mankato rose from 2.4 percent in 2009 to 6.9 percent in 2012. The University recognized the position as a game-changer and assumed financial responsibility for the Maverick recruitment coordinator position in 2011.

As students are recruited, the COE works to ensure those recruits become successful educators. “We don’t just recruit them, graduate them, and tell them, ‘OK, now you go out and be successful,’” said Robbie Burnett, recruitment coordinator. “We support them through the process and show them how to be effective and successful.”

How is preparation changing?

“Compared with some of the other aspects of the project, curriculum changes require very little financial investment. But they do require a great effort and commitment from faculty and our K-12 partners,” said Zierdt. Curriculum changes range from using technology for teaching and learning to the amount of time each teacher candidate spends in K-12 classrooms.

Several curricular changes were designed to better prepare candidates for the new Minnesota Licensed Teacher Exams. Others, like the ENVoY Program, teach hands-on skills like classroom

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management. Finally, several additions provide value-add experiences such as mentor training through the University’s Center for Mentoring & Induction.

“My training at the Center for Mentoring & Induction equipped me to use the Framework for Teaching,” said Eric Karikari, a communications studies graduate student. “Previously, I would just ask my mentee about class and about how things were going. Now we have a structure and a plan. It has been amazingly transformational for me as a mentor.”

Formerly, there were no requirements for teacher candidates at Minnesota State Mankato to serve in the K-12 classrooms until their student teaching block. That requirement has changed dramatically with the NExT project.

“We have significantly increased the amount of time teacher candidates spend in the classroom,” said Zierdt. “For example, elementary education students log more than 400 classroom hours prior to student teaching.”

She acknowledged that getting those teacher candidates into K-12 classrooms requires a commitment from cooperating school districts: “Our partnerships with K-12 schools are vital.”

Paul Peterson, principal for St. Peter Public Schools, has noticed a change in the quality of Mankato’s teacher candidates. “Those who come into our schools for observations, practicums and student teaching are well prepared,” he said. “What they know about teaching and learning has changed.”

In addition to more classroom experience, the COE offers a wider

Established in 1953, the Bush Foundation works to develop and support courageous leadership as it leverages change and finds solutions to public problems. In 2009, representatives of the foundation traveled around Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota looking for partners to become its Network of Excellence in Teaching (NExT)—innovators that could transform teacher education. Minnesota State Mankato’s College of Education is one of 14 teacher preparation programs in the tri-state area chosen as partners.

variety of field experiences—from rural to suburban to urban and from local to international, including Costa Rica, the United Arab Emirates and Australia.

Not only does the COE ask the professional development school partners to allow teacher candidates in their classrooms earlier and more often, it also changed the format of the student teaching experience. As part of the NExT project, Mankato adopted a co-teaching model for student teachers. This model requires that the master teacher work hand-in-hand with the student teacher during the semester.

“A couple of years ago, the co-teaching model was a tougher sell. Now some schools have a waiting list,” said Zierdt. “The performance and reputation of our teacher candidates are having a ripple effect. Master teachers are willing to give a huge amount of their own time because it has actual results for kids.”

“In the co-teaching model, student teachers and veteran teachers are mutually invested and committed to the success of their students. With two adults in the classroom, academic needs are identified and addressed earlier and students receive the extra attention and affirmation needed to grow,” said April Rosendale, teacher on special assignment for Le Sueur-Henderson Public Schools. “Co-teaching is a profound professional growth experience for everyone and a bonus for our students.”

Faculty members model the use of technology like iPads and clickers in the classrooms. Teacher candidates may use similar technology in their classrooms to keep K-12 students engaged and encourage instant feedback during class discussions.

Some districts are so impressed by what they see, they consider Minnesota State Mankato education graduates top tier candidates and guarantee them interviews.

Once its teaching candidates are placed, the University stays connected through trainings, visits and social media.

How will we know our candidates are making a difference?

Since the beginning of the NExT project, Daria Paul Dona, director of assessment and research for the COE, has been working with faculty to conduct research related to the project.

Paul Dona also works as part of the NExT Common Metrics group, which is charged with creating a performance-based assessment system that collects and analyzes data at critical points in the preparation of teachers. The group has developed entry and exit surveys for teaching candidates, a follow-up survey for first-year teachers and a survey of principals who employ the new teachers. The data collected will serve as a baseline against which the schools can measure progress of the effectiveness of teachers graduating from NExT project programs.

The NExT project strives to transform traditional teacher preparation. Stephanie Andrews, Bush Foundation director of leadership development, sees evidence of the transformation in every corner of Minnesota State Mankato’s College of Education. “Since our partnership with Minnesota State Mankato began in 2009, we have seen great progress in every aspect of their work—from developing systems and processes that support data driven program improvement, to building meaningful partnerships with P-12 colleagues and implementing innovative recruiting and support strategies,” she said. “We’re inspired and impressed by their ongoing commitment to excellence and innovation.”

“We are at the point where it is becoming almost an invisible grant—the work is happening,” said Zierdt. “It is part of the culture. It is just what we do in Mankato.”

University system, get to know faculty, talk about what happens in the K-12 classroom, and understand expectations of the teaching profession,” said Xiong.

It may seem initially that increased and ‘wraparound’ support of teacher candidates might make them more dependent in the field. Zierdt said that early research shows the opposite.

“We are finding that our candidates are independent faster. Candidates are able to visualize working through difficult situations,” she said. “We hear from our co-teachers that our candidates take on the classroom with incredible confidence.”

What is different about student placement?

Minnesota State Mankato makes education-related job openings its business.

The college does much more than simply watch for job postings.

The COE collaborates with professional development school partners to collect data on current and projected labor needs. It is working to develop additional professional development school partnerships with metro-area

districts. It listens to what districts need and responds with innovative programs like SEAL—designed to increase the number of licensed 5-12 math teachers. It sends teacher candidates to K-12 schools throughout their college careers, and school districts witness first hand the academic preparation and professionalism of students from Minnesota State Mankato. These activities are part of an increased effort to actively place University graduates in professional positions.

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The COE recruitment team invited students to consider the teaching profession. Recruitment efforts extend beyond a simple invitation. Sometimes students get a personal phone call, a text, even a home visit. That intention on the part of the University can make a difference. One North Minneapolis student was just going through the motions of high school. Now that student is excelling in the K-12 & secondary program, with plans to become an English teacher. “There is value in planting the seeds and growing more teachers,” said Robbie Burnett. “I want to get more students interested in getting into the profession, while also lifting the teaching profession.”

What is the value of increased student support?

Since the beginning of the NExT project, the COE has implemented student support differently. As a team, the college looks for creative and effective ways to engage and support teacher candidates from the first contact through their first year on the job.

Depending on the needs and interests of the teacher candidates, a variety of support and value-add activities are available: student advising; Teachers of Tomorrow (a weekly group offering academic and social support); Minnesota Teacher Licensure Exam preparation sessions; writing labs; tutor training; Friday professional seminars and more.

Pathy Xiong was one of the first members of Teachers of Tomorrow. “The weekly meetings helped us learn the

According to a 2011 report from the National Center for Education Statistics, Minnesota eighth graders ranked eighth in math scores among developed nations, while the United States as a whole ranked 17th. That seems like a good thing. However, closer inspection of the scores reveals that there is a 60-point achievement difference between white kids and those who are black or Hispanic. “We need all of our kids to succeed,” said Robbie Burnett, Maverick recruitment coordinator.

One of the strategies to strengthen our students’ math performance is to recruit more qualified math teachers. Minnesota State Mankato is reinforcing its efforts to recruit strong math teacher candidates and get them into schools quickly.

Burnett and the Maverick Recruitment Center initiated collaboration with the College of Education, the Mathematics Department, and Century, Inver Hills and Normandale community colleges to develop the Secondary Education Amplified Licensure (SEAL) program.

SEAL is a secondary mathematics teacher initiative designed to help fill a metro area market need for teachers with a 5-12 math license. “Part of our mission,” said Mark Zuiker, professor of mathematics and statistics, “is to prepare undergraduates to become teachers of mathematics in grades 5-12. Candace Raskin, professor of educational leadership, suggested that by offering our program in the Twin Cities area, we might attract students who are interested in becoming mathematics teachers but who are unable to travel to the Mankato campus. We saw this partnership as a means to help us fulfill our mission and help meet the needs of the metro area 5-12 students.”

Some unique features of the program include a three-year undergraduate licensure program using existing courses through the University and participating community colleges; a weekly two-hour advising/tutoring seminar; and ongoing mentoring and coaching for the Minnesota teacher licensure exams.

“We recognized a need, collaborated with various stakeholders, and developed an innovative solution to get more qualified math teachers in the classroom,” Burnett said. “School districts are watching the program closely and have expressed early interest in hosting student teachers and eventually filling math teacher positions with its graduates.”

RAISINGMath Scoresfor All

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Stay Connected with our Twin Cities’ Location chnl7700.mnsu.eduCHNL 7700 is a channel for the big ideas and real-world thinking that are at the heart of our classes and conversations at the Twin Cities’ locations of Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Join us often at CHNL 7700 for the big ideas and real-world thinking that challenge us to learn, explore, discover and do — for the benefit of our communities and our world.

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Counseling in theAge of Technology

Counseling requires interpersonal skills. So why has Diane Coursol, professor in counseling and student personnel, worked so hard to implement the use of technology in counseling skills courses?

“Counseling at a distance using videoconferencing is the future for our students,” Coursol explained. “The training, processes and procedures for that kind of work are very different from face-to-face counseling.”

Face-to-face counseling still dominates Minnesota State Mankato’s graduate programs in the Department of Counseling & Student Personnel (CSP). “Students must demonstrate they can be effective with a client—understand the client’s story, hear the client’s concerns, develop goals and treatment plans,” said Coursol. But more and more technology is being integrated into the learning process.

Located in the lower level of Armstrong Hall, CSP’s clinical lab facility includes six private counseling rooms, a control room and a classroom. It is equipped with digital audio and video recording capabilities, picture-in-picture monitors, bug-in-the-ear earpieces, Telepresence and iPads.

While students practice counseling skills in the private counseling rooms, faculty members monitor counseling sessions with wireless headsets or from the control room. From there, they can record all sessions as well as speak into the earpiece worn by each counselor and give immediate feedback and suggestions.

Diane Coursol, professor of counseling and student personnel, uses video and audio monitors to observe students’ individual practice counseling sessions. The technology allows faculty members to communicate with counselors during the sessions and provide suggestions for therapeutic interventions.

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“The nature of the work we do is very tutorial, so we keep our numbers down and literally put students in simulated counseling sessions,” said Coursol. “Every session is critiqued on the big screen with peers. Students are initially nervous because there is a lot of performance assessment.”

Katelyn Romsa, a recent Ed.D. graduate agreed. “When you see yourself, it is a little awkward,” she said. “But being able to practice our skills in the video-taped lab was a fun and powerful way to learn.”

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT“We add to the lab every year,” Coursol said. “We have wonderful technology that ensures our students acquire state-of-the-art counseling skills for the 21st century.”

The University’s Information Technology Services department has been a valuable asset during the constant lab iterations. “I cannot say enough about how they have worked with us to get what we need specifically for our domain in counseling and how to move us to the next stage,” said Coursol.

This summer, Coursol plans to upgrade to high-definition recording and bug-in-the-eye technology, which allows faculty to post on-screen text suggestions to student counselors. “Not everyone appreciates me in his or her ear,” she smiled. And while HD cameras and recordings may seem unnecessary, these technological advancements allow students to better observe both their own and their client’s micro-expressions, making them more effective counselors.

FROM A DISTANCEFor Coursol, the Telepresence technology is the most exciting. “Truly, this is what sets us apart from other programs in the United States,” she said. “I am not aware of another program that has Telepresence in their lab and is actively teaching students how to engage in appropriate online counseling.”

At conferences and through accreditation visits, colleagues from other universities hear about how the Department of Counseling & Student Personnel uses technology. Tom Keller, director of the school counseling program at Butler University, said, “I was able to view their (Minnesota State Mankato’s) counselor education lab first hand.  I was so impressed that I went back to my own university and proposed a similar lab. Their use of technology in counseling and personnel stand out in our profession.”

Students practice online counseling skills using EX90 Telepresence monitors. They learn to adjust their listening and observation skills as well as their communication techniques to be effective in a technological environment.

“Technology in the lab allows for a tremendous amount of learning over the course of the semester,” said Coursol. “Our students read about it one day and put it into practice the next day. It helps us put the book into action.”

In the Department of Counseling & Student Personnel’s clinical lab, graduate students use Telepresence technology to practice the specific skills required to counsel clients at a distance with videoconferencing.

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DevelopingCourageous

LeadersFrom developing a school climate that

promotes student growth to leading effective instruction to motivating and supporting the capabilities of teachers, principals matter in student achievement.

Candace Raskin, professor of educational leadership, conducted a yearlong study on the best practices around principal preparation. As a whole, universities in Minnesota do a good job of preparing licensed principals. But once they are on the job, principals are generally on their own. Raskin’s research exposed a statewide lack of support for early career principals.

As a former superintendent, Raskin knows first-hand about the gaps in on-the-job support and mentoring. “It is not because administrators don’t care or don’t have an interest,” she said. “There are just not enough hours in the day.”

FINDING SOLUTIONSIn an effort to tackle the problem head on, the College of Education launched the Institute for Engaged Principal Leadership. Raskin, who also serves as one of the Institute’s co-directors, said, “As a department and as a University, we want to be more than basic licensure for K-12. If we are really going to train the leaders we need for the future, we must offer more than an 18-month program.”

Designed for early career principals, the Institute is a two-year program. The group meets monthly to hone their leadership skills through exploration of several leadership strands: racial equity and achievement; developing self; developing others; change processes; high-leverage leadership practices; political leadership; communicating it right; and using data to inform their leadership.

Candace Raskin, left, and Melissa Krull serve as co-directors of the College of Education’s Institute for Engaged Principal Leadership. The mission of the Institute is to mentor early career principals as they become transformational leaders who get real results for kids.

Early in the process, leaders identify their beliefs about education and establish a set of behaviors to support those beliefs. That skill set serves them well when they need to make the sometimes-unpopular decisions of transformational leaders.

“When you are new to the world of administration, you tend to try to lead like you have seen others lead,” said Tina Willette from Inver Grove Heights Community Schools. “But when we completed the strengths-finder exercise, Candace was very clear. She told us to lead from who we are.”

Melissa Krull, assistant professor of educational leadership and the Institute’s other co-director, summed up the goal of the Institute: “We know that the principals are well-trained to do the job, but once they have the real responsibility and pressures of the position, do they have the skill set to lead in a way and at a level that is called for today? Our goal is to arm them with key practices that we know get real results for kids.”

Real results for Minnesota kids include closing the achievement gap between white students and students of color. Despite a high overall education ranking, the National Center for Education Statistics ranks Minnesota 38th out of 44 states for black-white achievement in fourth-grade math and 37th out of 45 states in reading.

Raskin and Krull are passionate about preparing courageous leaders who can eliminate the gap. “We know that if you aren’t influenced by some of these themes that we are talking about—racial equity and achievement, change processes, political leadership—in a really heavy-duty, unique, bold manner, it is very easy to slip into a pattern of leadership that doesn’t necessarily get results,” said Krull. “And once you create that pattern for yourself, you kind of stay there for your career.”

“For me, I find this to be one of the few places that we talk practically about ways to eliminate the achievement gap,” said Mike Savage, from Shakopee Public Schools. “Intentionally or not, it is a conversation that educators in Minnesota tend to avoid. How to raise the achievement of kids of color can be a very unpopular conversation to have sometimes. It is an uphill battle if you don’t have support. At this Institute, we are supported to bring the unspoken voices to the table. I am reenergized here every month.”

GETTING RESULTS The Institute is supportive but demanding. “We use real-life situations and real data. They don’t just use their gut to do the work,” said Raskin. “For example, we analyzed achievement gap data from their schools. Then they selected a population of students for which they will intentionally change their programming in an effort to increase student achievement/decrease the achievement gap.”

Each candidate will identify things like research recommendations, resources and strategies that will help them implement changes necessary to increase student achievement. After changes have been implemented, data will be analyzed again to see if the changes were effective.

“We infuse practices that principals talk about doing and wish they could do,” said Raskin. “We help ensure our candidates have the skill and support to help make

change happen. That is different. Early career principals don’t have that kind of support.”

“Getting together here with my colleagues is really important,” said Vicki Turner from Minneapolis Public Schools. “Not that they will be able to solve my problems for me, but it is great just to be able to dialogue about things and get some feedback.”

Willette agreed, “The position of principal is very isolating. Once a month you have a place to put things out on the table. It is a safe place to work through things.”

Raskin and Krull understand the value of that support. “We feel like if leaders don’t have strong support in the first five years, they will choose to lead below the line. It is safer and easier.” Raskin smiled and said, “Let me tell you, we have 35 folks here who are not staying below the line.”

Participants of the Insitutue for Engaged Principal Leadership provide peer support during the monthly seminars where they develop the strategies and skills required to lead in a way, and at a level, that make a real difference in K-12 education.

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118 Armstrong Hall, Mankato, MN 56001

This spring, College of Education students engaged 500 kindergarten students during Dr. Seuss Day. Along with entertaining group activities, teacher candidates and local kindergarteners connected one-on-one to improve literacy. Each of us in the College of Education at Minnesota State Mankato embraces the responsibility of student success that builds healthy individuals, stronger communities, and better schools. It is reflected in personal connections in our teaching, our research, our partnerships with area schools, and our community outreach. Individual connections change education outcomes. Join us. Contact Stefanie Kelly at stefanie.kelly@mnsu.edu or 507-317-1264 for more information.