Spring 2012 Page 1

Teacher Talk Newsletter

Teaching Fellows

Inside this issue: Pg. 2: Sophomores Abroad

Pg. 3: History Study Tour

Pg. 4: Social Events

Pg. 5: Dr. Crawford-Professor of the Year

Pg. 6: The Washington Center

Pg. 7: Spring Speaker-Dr. Christopher Emdin

Pg. 8: Behind the Fellow

Pg. 9: Millie Rosen-Abroad in Israel

Pg. 9: Education Faculty Dinner

Pg. 10-12: Photo Gallery

Greetings from the Teaching Fellows Office!

Spring semester has been a busy time for Elon Teaching Fellows. With the phase out of the NC Teaching Fellows

Program, we recruited within the state and nationally for a fall 2012 first-year cohort. During Fellows Weekend,

March 2-3, or by phone and campus interviews, 65 potential Fellows completed for the $4500 scholarship and the

opportunity to participate in our program’s unique enrichment experiences. We awarded 45 scholarships with the

goal of enrolling a class of 21 that includes one named Maynard Scholar. With 15 different states represented in

this award list, we are fast becoming a program of national recognition. Thank you for helping us spread the word

about Elon’s revised Teaching Fellows Program.

Dubbed fondly in the Teaching Fellows Office as “March Madness,” the activities for the month continued at a rapid

pace. We were delighted to host sponsored speaker Dr. Christopher Emdin, Assistant Professor in the Department

of Mathematics, Science and Technology and Director of Secondary School Initiatives at the Urban Science Educa-

tion Center at Teachers College, Columbia University. His well-received address, Reality Pedagogy: Teaching and Learning from the Student’s Perspective, provided insight and demonstration for relating to and teaching urban

youth of color.

The month concluded with a successful first collaboration initiative among Elon, UNC-G and NC A&T State Universi-

ties, the Triad Intercollegiate Council. On March 31, Elon hosted the Triad Leadership Conference. 125 attendees

participated in concurrent sessions on the theme of educational leadership. A panel of Guilford County Rookie

Teachers of the Year keynoted the event. As part of registration, Fellows from the three campuses collected dona-

tions for the Totes for Teachers service project.

In April we received the long-awaited and positive news from the NC Teaching Fellows Office that our Teaching Fel-

lows Program met approval on all categories. An official letter from Kerry Mebane, State Director, included the

following statement, “The Elon Teaching Fellows Program is one reflective of the strong model that the Commission

wishes to see when evaluating a program”. Thanks to all who helped to make our five-year program evaluation a suc-

cessful one! A special thank you to the outstanding evaluation team of Colleen Lanier, Brenda Hopper, Jan Hargrove,

Danny Bland and Kerry Mebane. Special congratulations go out to the class of 2012. We are so proud of your suc-

cessful four years at Elon and wish you the very best as you move forward as young professionals.

Glenda W. Crawford

Page 2 Teacher Talk Newsletter

Sophomores Studying Abroad in London or Costa Rica

Photos submitted by featured students

SARAH WORLEY: My London Experience so far has been amazing! I was a little nervous at first coming about spending a few months in another country away from my family, but the experiences have been so once in a lifetime that this trip has led me to realize how lucky I am. Within a few short weeks, I have already gotten to discover some of the major sites in London. I went with some girls to search out Harry Potter sites in the city, as well as visited Big Ben, St. Paul’s, and Trafalgar Square. Beyond London, I have been on day trips to places such as Stone Hinge, Bath, and Oxford. I cannot believe so much has happened in the few short weeks I have been here, and cannot wait to see what the rest of the semester brings!

WESLEY ROSE: It's true that

studying abroad will probably be

the highlight of my Elon experi-

ence. Here in Costa Rica, it's also

true that life is very different. I've

learned to live away from my hot

water heater and BBQ, close

friends and family, adapting to a

new culture and language that can

be as challenging as it is enriching.

LEIGH ILER: Studying abroad is a life-altering experience, for the bet-ter, of course. I love having the opportunity to travel. Of the many adventures that I have already embarked on, I really enjoyed STONEHENGE and BATH! We went with an International Student program and booked only a few days prior. Included within the cost were travel, entry fees, and audio tours at both locations. Stone-henge was practically in the middle of nowhere but was quite mysterious. We were able to walk around the cir-cumference of the circle from a distance, listening to the guided audio tour along the way. After eating our packed lunches on the bus, we arrived at Bath. We went through the Roman Bath Museum and saw the nation’s only hot springs! Later we ventured throughout the city, seeing the Jane Austen museum, the Circus, the Royal Crescent, and Bath Abby (which I of course enjoyed be-cause of my newfound love of historical churches!). An-other highlight of that day was eating my first ever choc-olate chunk cookie from Ben’s Cookies! It definitely ri-vals Acorn cookies! On our trip home we saw the sunset in the rolling hills of the English countryside and we even got a glimpse of Windsor Castle!

Spring 2012 Page 3

From January 5, 2012 to January 19, 2012, the Class of 2015 Teaching Fellows experienced a highly anticipated adven-

ture that many classes before them have already completed: the History Study Tour! Every year the freshmen Teach-

ing Fellows are expected to take part in this unique course of travel up and down the East Coast visiting famous histori-

cal sites and cities. The sites and cities tend to change from year to year depending on the professor teaching the

course. This year included: Stagville (NC), Colonial Williamsburg (VA), Monticello (VA), Harper’s Ferry (WV), Gettysburg

(PA), Philadelphia (PA), Boston (MA), Lowell (MA), Ellis Island (NY), and Washington, D.C. At each of these places, his-

torical significance was analyzed, as well as factors that contributed to how history developed the way it did there, and

what the outcome of that historic event was. The trip wasn’t just about learning history, but exploring the cities and

experiencing new parts of American culture. For some NC Teaching Fellows, this was their first time out of North Caro-

lina and also the farthest away from home they had ever been! Below are just a few of the thousands of pictures taken

on the trip, and what the Class of 2015 had to say about this amazing bonding experience.

American History Study Tour January 2012

By Dani Cardaropoli and Lainey McQuain, 2015

Favorite Parts of History Study Tour, by the Freshman Teaching Fellows: I had such a great time getting to know the other girls

on the trip. We had a great time making bear-y funny bear jokes and bonding over long bus rides! -Susannah Haynie

One of my favorite memories of our trip was secretly sending an ice cream sundae to our favorite bus driver, Homer, at Friendly's Restaurant in Gettysburg. -Allie Glenn

This picture was

taken on the ice skating rink in Boston on the last full day that we had on the trip. It is my favorite picture because a group of us were together, having SO much fun on the ice just fooling around, spinning, dancing to "Single Ladies" and skating (well, mostly falling for me). -Hayley Austin

I love this group shot from Philly because we had so much fun that night! --Ashtin Gill Along our journey, we ran into many different people,

places, sights, sounds, and have gained memories that will last a lifetime. These are the memories that will help define who we become in the future. -Elizabeth Decker

The trip for me was more

than just learning about history, but about bonding with people who have the same passion for teaching as I do. These girls are some of my best friends, and I loved spending every night watching Friends with them, or walking around busy cities trying to see the sites! -Erika Martin

Page 4 Teacher Talk Newsletter

The fall social for Teaching

Fellows this semester, took on quite an

interesting twist. As opposed to years

past where fellows dressed semi-

casually, this year the Teaching Fel-

lows went all out with a prom theme.

Girls made appearances in long dresses

and heels, while guys arrived in col-

lared shirts and bowties. To make the

theme more complete, the night was

filled with prom pictures! Groups could

reminisce about the high school days

as their pictures were taken beside a

potted plant in the corner of the room.

From there the Fellows initiat-

ed the usual chatter and conversation

that ensues whenever we

are all in one place once

more. After mingling,

the dinner was amazing

as usual (salad and chick-

en cordon blue), and the

senior slideshow was

emotional as ever.

The night ended

with a not-so typical an-

nouncement. In front of

all the Elon Teaching

Fellows, it was an-

nounced that Dr. Glenda

Crawford had received

Professor of the year in North Caroli-

na. Sophomore Fellow Meredith Citty,

was one of the first to congratulate

Dr. Crawford. She sums up what the

Teaching Fellows felt at that moment

“I was just extremely happy for her

and the recognition she received, be-

cause I feel she does not get recog-

nized enough for all that she does.” A

perfect end to a Teaching

Fellows prom night.

Fall Social: Have You Seen My Prom Dress? Sarah Worley, 2014

It was December 9th, and it was once again time for the annual social at Dr. Crawford’s house, and as usual, the social exceeded expectations. When Teaching Fellow’s first entered the home, they were greeted by Dr. Crawford, Mrs. Fish, and an enormous Christmas tree. The rest of the house proved to be just as festive complete with a decorate-your-own cookie station in the dining room. If a fellow wanted to see more of the house, all they had to do was jump into one of the house tours Dr. Craw-ford was giving. For the Teaching Fellows, this was a perfect time to take a deep breath and relax during exams. The freshman had their first real chance to mingle with upper classman in an informal setting, sophomores dis-cussed their upcoming trips abroad, juniors were able to connect after a Spring Semester apart, and seniors were focused on their future in the classroom. To add to the bonding of the event, the living room coffee table was filled with pictures of all the fellows from the prom-themed Fall Social. No matter what the stress level or grade level, there was entertain-ment for all the Teaching Fellows who attended the holiday gathering. The delicious food, warm atmosphere, and feeling of fellowship provid-ed a much-needed break to all and many are already looking forward to the festivities of next year.

Essays, Exams and Enjoyment By Sarah Worley, 2014

Left: The freshman class, consisting of all ladies, show their “true colors” while waiting for dinner to begin. Top right: The senior class takes one last group photo to commemorate their years at Elon. Bottom right: Sophomore girls enjoy dinner and laughter.

ASU visits EU! By Leigh Iler, 2014

This year, Elon University’s football team concluded its home games by rivaling against Appalachian State University. Before the game began, Teaching Fellows from both schools came together for a tailgate. An as-sortment of food was provided by the Elon Teaching Fellows Program, including pizza, chips, brownies, and soft drinks. Students from both institutions socialized and enjoyed getting to know one another.

Following the tailgate, several stu-dents travelled to the stadium together to watch the game. Both teams played their hardest; yet, in the end, Appalachian was vic-torious. Although the score was not in our favor, everyone had a good time togeth-er. The Elon Teaching Fellows Program hopes to make the tailgating event a tradition.

Spring 2012 Page 5

As the second professor to have ever represented

Elon University as the North Carolina Professor of the

Year, Dr. Glenda Crawford reflects a dedication to under-

graduate teaching focused on experiential learning that

resounds throughout Elon. A former A.B.S.S. teacher, Dr.

Crawford has helped to establish local collaboration with

public schools, advancing the role of real-world 21st centu-

ry experience in her courses. This not only provides exam-

ples to students preparing to enter the field of teaching,

but it also sends a greater message to all Elon professors

about the value of an experiential learning model. Pointing

to her joy, passion, and commitment to educating, Crawford

goes on to say, “I think it is the most important work.” Not

simply a personal gesture, but an overarching principle

about the role of education in society comes out in her

words. This outlook should also be widespread among Elon

professors and throughout the schools of the U.S., both

public and private – the attitude that will give the mission

of teachers the most value.

“I think teaching, to me, is the most important

thing I’ve ever done. I thought about administration. I

thought about going down a different pathway, but my

heart is in teaching and working with young people.”

As a NC Teaching Fellow, I aspire to share and

work in the frame of Dr. Crawford’s teaching philosophy.

Her success sets a standard of excellence that far ex-

ceeds what is to be expected of a professor – but not only

her achievements, her personal involvement too. Dean of

Education, David Cooper, points out, “She makes a point of

becoming familiar with her students as individuals, where

they’re coming from, and where they’re headed.” Although

Dr. Crawford has researched the cognitive, social and per-

sonal development of learners for more than 20 years, it is

easy to get the feeling that she’s beginning anew whenever

she meets a student, offering unbiased attention on the

basis of a personal commitment to young people, accepting

anything and everything they have to offer. At least, that

is how I first felt as a freshman Teaching Fellow. She was

inspirational from the start, before I knew about her suc-

cesses or how her role as the director of the Teaching Fel-

lows program would be so valuable. This award provides

significant recognition of an astounding teacher and men-

tor, equal only to the recognition that students will give as

they take Dr. Crawford’s message to their own classrooms.

Dr. Glenda Crawford, 2011 North Carolina Professor of the Year Wesley Rose, 2014

Above:

Juniors Alyssa Brown, Emily Dietrich, Kelsey Cones, and Lindsay Bell support the Phoenix. VS.

November 19,

2011

Page 6 Teacher Talk Newsletter

Junior Fellows Do DC By Carolyn MacAulay, 2013

they didn’t always know how to answer, yet increased

their awareness of a topic that is of great importance.

We also were able to go on several site visits around D.C.

We were able to meet with education representatives to

our Congresswoman Kay Hagan, attend a show at the

Kennedy Center, visit the Department of Education,

attend a banquet at the National Press Club, and visit

several of the incredible museums around the city,

including the Newseum!

Although we were exhausted by the end of each day, all

of us would agree that the experience we had in D.C. was

incredibly eye-opening. As future educators we are often

stuck in the classroom, not seeing the bigger picture that

impacts our students, schools and nation. Getting to

participate in the political side of education has shown us

that our work as educators needs to reach far beyond the

four walls of the classroom.

In the bitter cold of January, twenty-one brave Teaching Fellows ventured outside the comforts of Elon and made

the five hour trek to Washington, D.C. With our many bags packed and loaded onto the charter bus, we began our

journey up North, where we would be spending two

weeks in our nation’s capital. The Elon Teaching

Fellows were a part of an incredible seminar put on

by The Washington Center, where students come

from all over the country to learn and participate in

a one or two week session about the politics and

government of the United States.

Our days were jam-packed with speakers including

former Attorney General Edwin Meese, reporters

Ann Compton and John Harwood, and lobbyist

Grover Norquist. Each of the speakers presented a

unique and interesting perspective on the world of

politics as it works in Washington D.C. The

Teaching Fellows were able to challenge our

speakers with hard questions about education that

Above: The Junior Teaching Fellows at their visit to the Depart-ment of Education in the Capital.

Left: Carolyn MacAulay, Alexandra Sharpe, Emily Dietrich, Ally Golightly, and Millie Rosen in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, VA.

Spring 2012 Page 7

An expert on the use of hip-hop culture to better teach students in urban schools visited Elon University this month for public events that shared with faculty and students the science behind his innovative methods. Christopher Emdin, an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology at Teachers College, Columbia University, spoke March 7

for the annual Teaching Fellow’s Speaker Series event in Whitley Auditorium. The talk, “Reality Pedagogy: Teach-ing & Learning from the Student’s Standpoint,” centered on his thesis that “teaching is not divorced from the cul-tural things that are going on.” He followed his evening presentation the next day with two workshops for Teaching Fellows on hip-hop and education. The workshops offered Emdin an opportunity to build on his remarks from the Wednesday night lecture. Emdin on Wednesday evening introduced five researched-based tools for implementing reality peda-gogy: co-generative dialogues, co-teaching, cosmopoli-tanism, context and content. He said that in order to be able to get to a level where students are both engaged and responsive, there are several realities that future teachers must acknowledge. The first reality, he said, is that teachers are different from the students they are teaching. Differ-ences come in the form of age, race, ethnicity and gender, among other traits. Teachers must also rec-

ognize that students are able to com-municate with each other more effec-tively than teachers are able to com-municate to their students. Teach-ers have to be

willing to accept that content cannot be taught suc-cessfully without this acknowledgement, he said. To teach our students effectively, educators have to not only accept their differences, but tailor education to these differences. For example, Edmin claimed that hip hop is a structure that many students are familiar with, so teachers should be using this struc-ture to help students to learn, as opposed to using more traditional teacher-led and student-absorbed models. “Teaching is not ignoring those issues [cultural differences]; it’s embedding yourself in them,” Emdin said. Emdin said that many minority students, particularly black males, are not succeeding because of what edu-cation has done for them; rather, they are succeeding in spite of it. To reverse the cycle, Emdin said, teach-ers must reach students through the means by which they are already learning and absorbing information, such as social media and hip hop. Emdin gave the example of the popular DJ Khalid song where he says “hands go up, and then they stay there,” and listeners move to the words of the song. In addition, Emdin said that while social media such as Facebook and Twitter have been a ta-boo in the classroom setting, teachers need to infuse classrooms with such tools to help students learn how to use them appropriately as a means to express the content they are learning. While Emdin acknowledged that hip-hop is not for every teacher or every classroom, he said he strongly believes that no matter what the cultural influences that are meaningful to students may be, they are the tools that we must use to reach stu-dents. Emdin has ties to Elon University; his niece is a scholar in the Elon Academy college access and enrich-ment program for students in Alamance County.

Chris Emdin inspires Elon Education Department with Hip-Hop Pedagogy by Julie Tonnesen, 2014

“Teaching is not ignoring those issues [cultural differences]; it’s

embedding yourself in them.”

Page 8 Teacher Talk Newsletter

Behind the Fellow

Congrats to Heather Babb, Leigh Iler,

Jill Padfield, Wesley Rose and Cameron

Shirley for being inducted into the Hon-

or Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Phi Kappa

Phi is the nation's oldest, largest, and

most selective honor society for all aca-

demic disciplines. Membership is by invi-

tation only to the top 7.5 percent of se-

cond-semester juniors and the top 10

percent of seniors and graduate stu-

dents. Because Phi Kappa Phi is highly

selective, membership is a stamp of ex-

cellence that is recognized by graduate

and professional school admissions com-

mittees and employers alike.

Accolades to Heather Babb, Addie

Carr, Kara Schillings, Jackie

Serany and Helon Wright for

being inducted into Kappa Delta Pi,

the International Honor Society in

Education, founded by Dr. William Bagley in 1911

at the University of Illinois. It was established

to foster excellence in education and promote

fellowship among those dedicated to teaching.

The founders chose the name from the Greek

words to represent knowledge, duty, and power.

Emily Ash and Sophia Bauers

were inducted into Phi Beta

Kappa, the nation’s oldest and

most prestigious academic

honor society.

Kara Schillings was inducted into Elon's Circle of

Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) National Leader-

ship Honor Society. Inductees are juniors or sen-

iors in the top 35% of their class, who have been

in residence at least one semester, and who have

exhibited outstanding leadership in more than

one area of the University community.

Lumen Scholars By Cameron Shirley, 2013

My research project, being pursued through support from the Lumen Prize, is entitled "Scholars vs. Sites: Analyzing Interpretations of Revolutionary America at Historic Sties in Boston and Philadelphia." In summary, I am working to compare interpretations of the American Revolution that are given in secondary scholarly works with the interpretations given at historic sites related to the American Revolution in Boston and Philadelphia. This school year has been focused on book research and writing my historiographical essay. My historiographical essay traces the changes in interpretations of the American Revolution in scholarship over time. From here, I will travel to Boston and Philadelphia this summer to gather my historic site primary research. I will be visiting places like Independence Hall and walking the Boston Freedom Trail. My travel experience will provide me with the final pieces of information I need to begin to analyze interpretations of the American Revolution and then begin to discuss the importance of these interpretations in regards to public history.

Congratulations to Wesley Rose and Leigh Iler, Class of 2014, for both being awarded the 2012 Lumen Scholarship!

Spring 2012 Page 9

My semester in Haifa was life-changing. The

International School at the enormous Haifa University

contains about 80 students from all over the world, and even

if I hadn’t traveled, I would have been able to hear ten

different languages in a single walk through the dorms. Three

of my best friends in Haifa were Japanese, Filipino, and

German, and we had such a great time together! Every night

in the dorms, groups of international students would hang out

on stoops and we’d have night-long deep discussions, usually

about the sociopolitical situation in the Middle East, since that

was what most of our classes revolved around.

We traveled almost every weekend, either in

organized group hikes with the madrichim (ma-dree-[hacking

sound]-eem: dorm counselors) or on our own. We hiked to

the Dead Sea, which was breathtaking and fun to float in. We

climbed Masada, the ancient fortress of a group of Jews so

resistant to being taken prisoner by the Romans that they

killed themselves rather than be taken prisoner. We took a

study tour in Jerusalem, a place we all went back to multiple

times, to learn about the history of King David’s tomb, the

Kotel (Western Wall), and Arab Quarter, among the infinite

other intricacies of the city. We scaled the Golan Heights, the

northernmost point in Israel and a territory whose nationality

is still contested by Syria. We roamed around bunkers left

over from mid-century wars and listened to many native

Israelis (who are known as sabras, an indigent fruit known for

its spiny exterior and delicious, mushy interior) recount the

parts they played in the wars.

The atmosphere hanging over the whole country still

recalls the pioneering days of the early twentieth century,

especially since nearly every sabra can remember stories

their parents and grandparents told them of coming to Israel

and helping fight for its independence. It is also a very tense

country, to say the least, due to the ongoing conflicts with the

Palestinians, Syrians, and Lebanese—every surrounding

country except Jordan. However, “the air over Jerusalem is

saturated with prayers and dreams like the air over industrial

cities,” writes Yehudah Amichai, the former poet laureate of

Israel, who also wrote the famous poem, “Tourists,” about

modern-day Jerusalem.

My semester in Haifa made me even prouder to be

Jewish, and eager to return. There is enough history in that

tiny country to occupy a traveler for lifetimes, but Israel is

unique in that its history is still very much alive and causing

bloodshed today. I hope to return soon to contribute to the

peace process in the near future.

Studying Abroad in Haifa, Israel By Millie Rosen, 2013

Freshmen Fellows & Education Faculty Annual Dinner By Lainey McQuain, 2015

During the fall semester of 2011, the freshman Teaching Fellows had an opportunity to meet the faculty that would be their professors and mentors in education courses. Fellows were seated with two or three professors that taught in areas that related to whatever subject or grade the fellow wanted to teach. Faculty and freshman bonded over the amazing dinner and got to know each other on a more personal basis. MacKenzie Kiger met Dr. David Cooper and found out why the Dean of the School of Education

began his teaching career. Melissa Mallian said, “It was really nice getting to know our future professors on a more personal note.” The freshman also met the two professors who would be teaching the History Study Tour during Winter term: Dr. Mary Jo Festle and Professor Barbara Taylor. The freshman Fellows got their very first taste of what to look forward to in the future while taking education classes, and they also got a great meal!

Page 10 Teacher Talk Newsletter

Photo Gallery

Spring 2012 Page 11

Page 12 Teacher Talk Newsletter

ELON TEACHING FELLOWS ADVISORY COMMITTEE Dr. Steven House, Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. David Cooper, Dean of Education Dr. Glenda Crawford, Director of Teaching Fellows Program

Dr. Stephen Byrd, Faculty member Nina Namaste, Faculty member

Leon Williams, Director of Multicultural Center Betty Dillashaw, Lead Teacher, ABSS High Schools

Shana McLaughlin, 3rd Grade Teacher, Altamahaw-Ossipee Elementary, ABSS Taylor McKee, Class of 2012 Alyssa Brown, Class of 2013

Kyle Keith, Class of 2014 Connor McDade, National, 2014

Allie Glenn, Class of 2015

2011-2012 TEACHING FELLOWS LEADERSHIP TEAM

Class Chairs Taylor McKee, 2012 Alyssa Brown, 2013

Kyle Keith, 2014 Allie Glenn, 2015

Special Event Chairs Addie Carr, 2012 Jill Padfield, 2013

Amy Wagoner, 2014 Dani Cardaropoli, 2015

Social Chairs Jackie Serany, 2012

Rebecca Spurlin, 2013 Lauren Kepke, 2014

Summer Hedrick, 2015 National Representative Connor McDade, 2014

2011-2012 TEACHING FELLOWS NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE

Dr. Glenda Crawford Mrs. Jennifer Fish

Julie Tonnesen, co-editor, 2014 Sarah Worley, co-editor, 2014

Taylor McKee, 2012 Elayne Monjar, 2013

Mike Hall, 2014 Allie Hylton, 2014

Wesley Rose, 2014 Dani Cardaropoli, 2015

Nicole Cesari, 2015 Lainey McQuain, 2015

Dominique Preudhomme, 2015