Alum and First-time Author Explores Why Smart Kids Cheat

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Cheating BookNeag alumna Kate Maupin ’08 MA recently won the 2015 International Book Award (IBA) for her first book, Cheating, Dishonesty & Manipulation: Why Bright Kids Do It (Great Potential Press, 2014). Beating out 1,200 entries from around the world, she captured the top prize in the education/academic category, revealing how “more than 80 percent of bright students self-reported that they had not only cheated in an academic setting, but also had never been caught.” According to Maupin’s research, boredom, lack of challenge, perfectionism, and fear of failure are four of the reasons people cheat or lie.

Maupin graduated from the Neag School of Education with a MA in educational psychology, focusing on the education of the gifted and talented. She is currently the challenge and enrichment teacher at Hebron (Conn.) Public Schools, where she coordinates services for the bright and gifted/talented population. Spotlight recently had the opportunity to connect with Maupin about her book:

Alum and First-time Kate Maupin, poses with her book while visiting the Gentry Building. Photo: Shawn Kornegay, UConn.
Alum and First-time Kate Maupin, poses with her book while visiting the Gentry Building. Photo: Shawn Kornegay, UConn.

Q: How did the idea for the book come about?

A: I work with gifted children, and have for the past 12 years. During that time, I started to see patterns developing in regards to academic dishonesty. So many bright students found little loopholes to avoid activities, or even ways to make boring work more interesting through challenging cheats. What’s more, they were self-reporting this behavior rather than being caught. When I was a child, I did the same thing, even though I kept it secret because I thought I was the only one, and my behavior embarrassed me. Seeing identical actions in the students I worked with and consulted for made me realize that there was something about the gifted experience that might have some connections to cheating, dishonesty, and manipulation. When I went looking for answers through research (UConn-trained all the way!), I came up dry. So I decided to find the answers myself and write a book about my experiences.

Q: Why is the book important to the readers?

A: The book is important because anywhere from 80 percent to 90 percent of gifted and other high-ability children cheat. What’s more, they’re rarely caught. These behaviors serve as coping mechanisms for their desire to fit in, to quell their boredom, to assuage perfectionist tendencies, or even to find friendship. Cheating behaviors aren’t simply “grown out of.” Students need positive support to address the underlying causes of their behaviors. This book not only alerts readers what to look for, but also addresses the issues at their roots.

“The book is important because anywhere from 80 percent to 90 percent of gifted and other high-ability children cheat.”

—Kate Maupin ’08 MA, author of
Cheating, Dishonesty, & Manipulation:Why Bright Kids Do It

Q: Who are you hoping to reach with your book?

A: Parents and teachers of bright students. Anyone who works closely with bright students, or who has a child who has engaged in some sort of negative behavior that seems shocking based on their ability level.

Q: In writing this book, did you discover anything new?

A: The thing that stuck out to me most was the sheer lack of research into cheating or dishonesty as it applies to bright individuals – which is a shame, because if you look at high-profile “con artists” or scams, they’re often perpetrated by brilliant individuals or corporations. We as a society focus on the unfairness of cheating – which inherently makes us look at those students who are cheating to make up for a deficit. People don’t know how to begin looking at gifted cheating because it adds a big, puzzling question mark: Why would people who have no deficit to make up for cheat? What does that do to the fairness element? The book explores this. The other findings that I found absolutely fascinating were from the work of Dan Ariely, and his look at the link between high creativity and the likelihood someone has to not only cheat or lie – but to do this well.

Q: Do you have future plans for other books?

A: I definitely do. I alternate what I write every other summer when I’m on break from school – fiction one summer, then nonfiction. The nonfiction book was in a better place to publish first, so I sent that one out last year. This year, I’m back to working on a fiction book. It’s a young adult novel and doesn’t have anything to do with cheating. Most days I don’t know whether I’m a teacher masquerading as a novelist, or the other way around!

 

Neag School Alumni: Join Us Oct. 9-11 for Huskies Forever Weekend!

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Huskies Forever Weekend 2015We invite you and your family members to take part in Huskies Forever Weekend, a three-day event at the Storrs campus filled with activities open to all UConn alumni.

This three-day event will feature everything from a 5K race to museum-led art tours to a wine and beer tasting. In addition, the Neag School will be sponsoring the following activities on Saturday, Oct. 10. Registration is now closed.

 

Contemporary Conversations

Open to all.  Register for one, two, or all three sessions!

First Session: Mental Well-Being
Saturday, October 10 | 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Gentry 144
Are We Ready, Willing, and Able to Implement Behavioral Vaccines?: A Conversation on Challenges and Opportunities Across Settings in Promoting Mental Well-Being
Presented by the Neag School of Education in collaboration with UConn Student Affairs; the Collaboratory on School of Child Health (CSCH); and the Center for Health, Intervention, and Prevention (CHIP).

Neag School of Education Lunch
Saturday, October 10 | 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. | Gentry 142
Alumni, students, faculty and friends who participate in the Contemporary Conversations Sessions are invited to join the Neag School of Education for a boxed lunch. $8 per person.

HESA Alumni Lunch
Saturday, October 10 | 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. | Gentry 142
Higher Education and Student Affairs alumni, students, faculty and friends are invited to join the Neag School of Education for a boxed lunch. $8 per person.

Second Session: Diversity
Saturday, October 10 | 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. | Gentry 144
Constructive Discomfort: A Conversation on Learning through Difference
Presented by the Neag School of Education, UConn Student Affairs, and the UConn Cultural Centers.

Third Session: Creativity & Innovation
Saturday, October 10 | 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. | Gentry 144
Creativity and Innovation for All: A Conversation on Infusing Creativity into Everyday Life
Presented by the Neag School of Education and UConn Student Affairs.

HESA Alumni Dinner
Saturday, October 10
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Alumni Center Great Hall
Reconnect with fellow HESA grads and meet current HESA students over dinner at the Alumni Center. $30 per person. For more information, please call Stacey Murdock at 860.486.2265.

For the full Huskies Forever Weekend schedule, as well as further details on these and other activities, please visit huskiesforever.uconn.edu.

Registration is now closed.

René Roselle Named to National Commission on Clinical Practice in Teacher Preparation

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Rene RoselleThe University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education is pleased to announce that René Roselle has been named to the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE)’s new Clinical Practice Commission (CPC). René Roselle joins the group of higher education and K-12 leaders from across the country, which will examine the state of clinical practice (commonly known as “field experience”) in teacher preparation. The CPC is charged with identifying a set of criteria that define clinical practice, lifting up exemplary models in the field and ultimately publishing a set of recommendations for teacher preparation programs nationwide.

“The Neag School of Education here at the University of Connecticut has a longstanding commitment to preparing top-notch, dedicated teachers who go on to provide our nation’s schoolchildren with every opportunity to thrive,” says Richard Schwab, dean of the Neag School. “Effective clinical practice is the heart and soul of successful teacher preparation programs, and we are proud that Professor Roselle is a national leader contributing to establishing a common understanding of best practices for schools and colleges of education to follow going forward.”

The CPC, which includes representation from professional associations, institutions of higher education and K-12 school districts, will work over the next six months to develop a common understanding of effective approaches to field experiences. The group will develop a white paper, to be circulated broadly this fall for input from the field, and will also recommend ways to address common roadblocks to building successful district-university partnerships, such as transportation, funding and scheduling concerns.

“In 2010, the NCATE Blue Ribbon Panel on Clinical Preparation and Partnerships found that clinical preparation was a key lever to high quality teacher preparation,” says Rodrick Lucero, AACTE’s Vice President for Member Engagement and Support, who chairs the CPC. “Although we know how essential classroom experiences are to a candidate’s preparation, we also see a broad spectrum of practices being labelled ‘clinical.’ It is high time to create a shared and actionable definition of what high-quality clinical practice looks like to be able to continually improve individual programs and the field as a whole.”

The clinical component of the Neag School of Education’s Integrated Bachelors/Master’s (IB/M) teacher preparation program prepares teacher candidates using a school/university partnership model. Each teacher candidate is provided with a variety of clinical experiences in diverse settings, in which he or she works closely with exemplary teachers in professional development schools. The Neag School of Education has collaborated with many of its partnership schools for more than 20 years, affording relationships that promote simultaneous renewal in both the school and university setting. Multiple opportunities for supervised practice, and an intensive master’s-level internship focusing on teacher leadership, are unique hallmarks of the IB/M program.

Current members of the CPC include educators involved in AACTE, the Association of Teacher Educators, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the National Association of Professional Development Schools, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the National Network for Educational Renewal, and K-12 schools:

Rodrick Lucero, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (Chair)

Michael Alfano, Central Connecticut State University
Nancy Dana, University of Florida
Derek Decker, Poudre School District (Colo.)
Christine DeGregory, George Mason University
Danielle Dennis, University of South Florida
Elaine Holmes, Poudre School District (Colo.)
Marcy Keifer Kennedy, Ohio University
Amanda Lester, State University of New York
Audra Parker, George Mason University
Jennifer Robinson, Montclair State University
René Roselle, University of Connecticut
Jennifer Roth, Poudre School District (Colo.)
Lisa Stooksberry, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Cindy Stunkard, Kutztown University
Diane Yendol-Hoppey, University of South Florida
Kristien Zenkov, George Mason University
Omar Davis and Tim Finklea, AACTE support staff

For more information, visit www.aacte.org.

 

 

Former UConn President Harry Hartley Leads New Scholarship Initiative With $250,000 Gift

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Former UConn President and School of Education Dean Harry Hartley at his home in Palm Beach, Fla.
Former UConn President and School of Education Dean Harry Hartley at his home in Palm Beach, Fla., on April 8, 2015. This year, the Neag School announces that Hartley and his wife, Dianne, have made a planned gift in support of undergraduate and graduate students in the Neag School of Education in the amount of $250,000, as part of the University’s Scholarship Initiative. (Stefanie Dion Jones/Neag School)

You may no longer find him cruising the Storrs campus in his Corvette or taking a jog in a UConn track suit with his former running partner, Jim Calhoun. But after having dedicated 31 years to UConn as an administrator, professor, dean, and University president, Harry Hartley remains a Husky through and through.

At his home in Palm Beach, Fla., Hartley, now 77, has lined the walls of his foyer and office – all the way up to the ceiling – with UConn memorabilia, from the large framed photograph of him beaming as he greets President Bill Clinton during the 1995 dedication of the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center to the snapshot of him at Horsebarn Hill, standing proudly alongside UC Harry H, the Morgan horse named years ago in his honor. Many mornings, Hartley still opts to suit up in his UConn track gear.

The last dean to be hired by former UConn President Homer Babbidge, Hartley first arrived on the Storrs campus in 1972. He recalls the afternoon he first met Babbidge, who turned up late for their interview, hair windblown, explaining that he had been delayed by the campus’ annual turtle race, in which his turtle – named, ironically, Search Committee – had failed to leave the starting line.

“I thought, ‘I’m really out of New York now,’” laughs Hartley, who had been living in the decidedly more fast-paced Manhattan, serving as an associate dean at New York University. Although he had no Connecticut roots, the Storrs campus reminded him of his days as Penn State, where he had earned his doctorate. “I felt at home,” he says – an impression strong enough to keep him at UConn for more than three decades.

Harry and Dianne Hartley
Former UConn President Harry Hartley and his wife Dianne on vacation in Greece. The couple has made a planned gift to the University’s new scholarship fundraising initiative. (Photo courtesy of Harry Hartley)

‘The Value of Education’

When the UConn Foundation announced its $150 million student-support fundraising initiative this past year, Hartley’s longstanding sense of devotion to the University prompted him to lead the charge. Through a planned bequest, Hartley has designated a gift of $250,000 in support of undergraduate and graduate scholarship specifically for students in UConn’s Neag School of Education. The gift will be made in his name and in that of his wife, Dianne.

“My parents were both teachers, so I’ve always seen the value of education,” Hartley says. “And if we can turn out better teachers, better administrators, counselors, et cetera, I think it’s a net benefit to the state of Connecticut and to the country.”

The scholarship initiative – which seeks to keep a UConn education affordable and, through merit and need scholarships, attract more high-achieving students – also resonated with Hartley on another level.

Raised in a steel community outside Pittsburgh, Hartley had been aware even from a young age of how financial constraints could limit one’s career options.

“You either worked in a steel mill all your life or, if you were an athlete, you’d get a scholarship that would put you into a college. But not every student has the athletic ability to earn a scholarship,” he says. “So I saw a great need for financial assistance way back then for students who couldn’t afford to go to college.”

With his $250,000 scholarship gift on behalf of the Neag School, Hartley is now looking forward to supporting students who need financial assistance at UConn. Plans are in the works for a special celebratory campus visit from Hartley and his wife this summer.

“We’re investing in people, and I think it has a great return,” he says.

Former UConn President and School of Education Dean Harry Hartley at his home in Palm Beach, Fla., on April 8, 2015. This year, the Neag School announces that Hartley and his wife, Dianne, have made a planned gift in support of undergraduate and graduate students in the Neag School of Education in the amount of $250,000, as part of the University's Scholarship Initiative.
Former UConn President and School of Education Dean Harry Hartley at his home in Palm Beach, Fla., on April 8, 2015. This year, the Neag School announces that Hartley and his wife, Dianne, have made a planned gift in support of undergraduate and graduate students in the Neag School of Education in the amount of $250,000, as part of the University’s Scholarship Initiative. (Stefanie Dion Jones/Neag School)

Making the Pitch

Money makes a big difference, Hartley likes to say – and he should know this better than most. In addition to having served as dean of UConn’s School of Education, as vice president for finance and administration under three different UConn presidents, and for many years as a professor of educational leadership – including up until his retirement in 2003 – Hartley has gone down in University history as the UConn president who successfully fought for the 1995 passage of UConn 2000, the 10-year, $1 billion program to rebuild and renew the University’s infrastructure across each of its campuses.

“There were times when I was apprehensive that the request was too much, when Connecticut had no tradition of supporting its state university,” Hartley says.

Adding to the challenge of passing such a groundbreaking bill was the fact that Storrs had the least amount of political representation of any UConn campus. “Even though it’s the main campus, we only had one or two legislators,” he says. “So, politically, you had to make sure you had something in the plan for every campus.”

Harry Hartley
Former UConn President and Neag School dean Harry Hartley gives remarks at a reception honoring him at the Alumni House in Storrs on July 21, 2015. Hartley’s friends and colleagues gathered to honor Hartley’s scholarship gift to the Neag School. (Stefanie Dion Jones/Neag School)

Hartley and his team campaigned heavily across Connecticut, meeting with legislators and alumni, explaining the benefits of the billion-dollar program to campuses statewide. In his arguments before the legislature, Hartley says it was important to show that Connecticut was, at the time, losing its best and brightest students. “They weren’t coming to UConn – and where they were going to school was where they’d end up living,” he says. “So I had to make the pitch that if Connecticut was going to be great, we had to keep them here.”

As luck would have it, the UConn women’s basketball team won its first national championship that spring. Hartley recalls introducing legislators in Hartford to the two basketball teams’ captains – Rebecca Lobo and Kevin Ollie. “They both spoke from the heart about how UConn badly needed new facilities [in order to recruit the best student-athletes],” Hartley says. “That played a key role in starting to switch the political support.”

Promises Kept

President Harry Hartley, wearing a UConn sweatshirt, at a brunch in October 1990. (University of Connecticut Photograph Collection, Archives & Special Collections, UConn Libraries)
President Harry Hartley, wearing a UConn sweatshirt, at a brunch in October 1990. (University of Connecticut Photograph Collection, Archives & Special Collections, UConn Libraries)

Years later, the level of transformation the University has undergone since the passage of UConn 2000 is no surprise to the president emeritus.

“I’m looking back at all the promises I made to the legislature when we were fighting for UConn 2000: that we’d raise the SAT scores if they funded us, that the quality of applicants would be much greater, that the financial contributions to the University would be greater, that our partnerships with state industries and companies would be great, that it would lift the general quality of life in the state – if only they could see it as an investment and not an expense,” he says.

“I take pride in what we achieved,” he adds. “I had a wonderful team. Looking back, I would’ve tried to assemble the same kind of team.” He pauses, smiling. “I can’t think of anything major that I would’ve done differently – maybe worn a tuxedo around campus instead of a warm-up suit.”

To learn more about how you can help in supporting scholarships for students at the Neag School of Education or to make a planned bequest, please reach out to Heather McDonald at hmcdonald@foundation.uconn.edu or 860.486.4530. 

Accolades: Read About the News and Accomplishments from our Students, Alumni and Faculty/Staff

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Accolades

Below are news and notes from our alumni, faculty, staff, and students. We are proud of all the amazing accomplishments by our Neag family. If you have an accolade to share, we want to hear from you! Please send any news items (and story ideas) to neag-communications@uconn.edu.

Students

Tyler Axon, a sport management student, received a UConn IDEA Grant for his project “Modern Advanced Statistics and their Effect on the Business of Sports.” Axon will analyze the recent trend of using advanced analytics in the scouting and signing of players and assess how they impact various sports. The IDEA Grant award recipients represent a variety of disciplines, from music education to civil engineering, environmental science to molecular and cell biology, and campus affiliations, including one recipient from the Stamford campus.

Harold Bentley, an incoming sport management master’s student, received an NCAA ethnic minority/women’s enhancement scholarship from the NCAA. He will be recognized in Indianapolis in June at the Career in Sports Forum.

Amy Christensen and her fifth-grade class at John A. Langford Elementary School in East Hartford, Conn., participated in Southwest Airlines’ Adopt-A-Pilot program. The students learned about geography, math, and the science of flight by tracking a pilot on their trips and conducting experiments in the classroom.

Emily Cole, an English education major, received a UConn IDEA Grant for her project “These Violent Delights: An Exploration of Love in Mixed Media.” She will create a mixed-media print book that juxtaposes her original poetry and photography, and uses a storyline, visual components, and a second-person narrative.

Andrew Didden won the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies award for outstanding preservice social studies teacher. This award is given to only one person in the state per year.

Marisa DelCampo, an educational psychology graduate student, was chosen as “Intern of the Year” by the Connecticut Association of School Psychologists.

Alumni

Karen Berasi ’04 6th Year, assistant school superintendent of special services from Ridgefield Public Schools, has been named the new school superintendent for the Suffield Public Schools in upstate Suffield, Conn. She starts her new role in July.

Alicia (Qerim) Bowman ’01, ’02 MA, ’08 6th Year, principal at West Woods Upper Elementary School in Farmington, Conn., is the 2015 Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) and National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) National Distinguished Principal of the Year. Bowman joined the Farmington Public Schools as a sixth-grade teacher and team leader. She went on to become a math resources teacher and literacy specialist. Bowman began her administrative career as the assistant principal of West Woods Upper Elementary School in 2008 and in 2010 was selected to be the principal at the same school.

Dyllis (Schlosser) Braithwaite ’51 recently published Oh! I Love What You’re Wearing, Volumes I and II, featuring photographs of dozens of outfits she designed and constructed. She resides in Barrington, Ill.

Abigail Flesch Connors ’83 MA has published Shake, Rattle, and Roll: Rhythm Instruments and More for Active Learning (Gryphon House, 2015). The book includes a collection of more than 100 play-based, active musical activities that encourage singing, moving, listening, and playing instruments. An early childhood music teacher and author of 101 Rhythm Instrument Activities for Young Children (Gryphon House, 2004), Connors has been teaching for more than 20 years. She has presented workshops for the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the New Jersey Association for Music Education, the Coalition of Infant/Toddler Educators, and many other groups.

Amy Bovin Dauphinais ’09, ’13 MM, the current band director at Bristol Eastern High School in Bristol, Conn., was chosen as one of only two conductors in the world to be a part of the annual “Cortona Sessions for New Music” in Italy this summer. It was an international competition, and out of the hundreds who applied, she was chosen for the fellowship. She was also accepted as a participant in the 2015 International Conducting Workshop and Festival in Bulgaria, beind held later this summer.

Paula A. Ballantyne DeSilva ’80 Ph.D. was recognized by the Malta House of Care Foundation as a recipient of its annual Wonder Women Awards. She is being honored for her passionate advocacy for individuals with disabilities and her mentoring and leadership skills in numerous nonprofits. Her work has included coordinating relief efforts for Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami and creating a 501(c)(3) to provide ongoing support to schools for the deaf and blind in rural Sri Lankan villages. 

Marcus Easley ’08 (ED) received the Buffalo Bills Ed Bock Courage Award in January. The award is presented to the Buffalo Bills player who exemplifies a commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. The recipient symbolizes professionalism, great strength, and dedication and serves as a community role model for others.

Shane Fogarty ’06 (CLAS), ’12 MA joins Fordham University as assistant coach – running backs for the school’s football program. Fogarty, who served as offensive coordinator at Colby College this past fall, returns for his second stint at Fordham as an assistant with the football program. Fogarty was a graduate assistant for the Huskies in 2010 and 2011, coaching the defensive backs and linebackers for the 2010 BIG EAST championship team, which appeared in the 2011 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and the 2011 squad. Fogarty also was a member of the Husky football program from 2002-05, earning a letter in his senior season. While at UConn, he earned the Joseph M. Giannelli Unsung Hero Award as well as the Counseling Program for Intercollegiate Athletes Award for Academic Excellence in the football program.

Stephanie Glavin ’06 (ED) became one of the youngest market managers ever for Bank of America in Palm Beach County, Fla. She works with local leadership teams and community organizations to put into practice the bank’s charitable giving strategy, sponsorships, and volunteerism. Before joining Bank of America last year, Glavin was executive director for the Muscular Dystrophy Association in Boynton Beach.

Madelaine Lawrence ’83 Ph.D. has published a book titled The Death View Revolution: A Guide to Transpersonal Experiences Surrounding Death (White Crow Books, 2014). Lawrence is a researcher, author, educator, professional life coach, as well as a certified hypnotist and instructor of hypnosis. She has taught research to graduate and undergraduate students for more than 20 years and has been a director of education and research for a large urban hospital in Connecticut.

Justis Lopez ’14 (ED), ’15 MA received the Alma Exley Scholarship Award in Hartford, Conn., in May. The program annually awards one scholarship to a student of color in a teacher-preparation program in Connecticut. The Neag School has numerous former Alma Exley Scholars.

Carley Mooney ’15 (ED) received the Steven Smith Scholarship at the Neag School’s Honors Day in April as well as the Women’s Center Outstanding Undergraduate Award for the Neag School. Mooney served as the 2015 Neag School of Education Undergraduate Student Commencement Speaker. She will be a student in the adult learning master’s program in the fall of 2015.

Timothy Van Tasel ’07 6th Year was selected superintendent for Hebron (Conn.) Public Schools. He has 16 years of experience as an educator and presently serves as assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction, and human resources for the East Hampton Public Schools.

In Memoriam

David G. Allbee ’69
Linda K. Bennett ’70
Yolanda S. Burr ’86
Dominique J. Castagna ’50
Rebecca E. Flowers ’96
John P. Garelli ’74
Robert H. Hart ’40
Evelyn M. Hawley ’42
Marie A. Herbst ’88
Lillian C. Lenentine ’73
Thomas J. Lyons ’54
Thomas G. Nevers ’50
Arlene D. Ryan ’90
Patrick L. Sinatro Jr. ’51
John A. Sullivan ’66
Wanda L. Taintor ’07
Charles E. Triano Sr. ’63
Cynthia C. Tribelhorn ’52
Linda Weintraub ’65
Lawrence F. Woodward Jr. ’70 

Faculty/Staff

AERA – Presentations from the 2015 Annual Meeting in Chicago.

EDCI – Hosted the first inaugural STEM Conference on May 12, featuring keynote speaker Bill Penuel, professor of educational psychology and learning services at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The one-day conference brought together approximately 50 UConn faculty members and representatives of the Connecticut education community to discuss emerging issues in STEM education and opportunities for collaborations in developing research-practice partnerships.

EDLR – Members of the UCAPP PLUS and LEAD CT/UCAPP Residency cohorts presented on change projects facilitated during their internships. The New Haven Public Schools submitted a letter of commitment to launch a PLUS cohort in July 2016. Admission offers were made to candidates for the traditional (34) and PLUS (14) cohorts.

Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) – The admissions process is complete for students entering Fall 2015. From a pool of 325 applicants, HESA has selected 20 outstanding students, all of whom have full assistantships in the Division of Student Affairs or other administrative offices.

Scott Brown co-authored “Developing Scientific Writing Skills Through Interdisciplinary, Technology-based Simulations: GlobalEd2” in The Curriculum Journal, 2015 edition.

Laura Burton co-presented research findings of “Women in Athletic Leadership: Adding Value” to the executive board of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators In April. She also gave the closing keynote address in May at the 2015 Women’s Advancement Conference, sponsored by the UConn Women’s Center.

Todd Campbell co-authored “Engaging Students in Modeling as an Epistemic Practice of Science: An Introduction to the Special Issue of the Journal of Science Education and Technology” in the April issue of Journal of Science Education and Technology.

Milagros Castillo-Montoya was given honorary mention at UConn’s Puerto Rican and Latin American Cultural Center’s (PRLACC) Annual Recognition Banquet in May during its faculty/staff awards ceremony for her service to Latin@s at UConn, and in particular for her initiative as founder of the Latina Scholars Alliance (LSA), an organization designed to provide an encouraging environment to learn, develop, and thrive as Latinas in the academy.

Casey Cobb, Morgaen Donaldson, Rachael Gabriel, Richard Gonzales, Kimberly LeChasseur, and Sarah Woulfin received the AERA Division L Outstanding Policy Report Award for their report on Connecticut’s implementation of a pilot educator evaluation initiative at the annual conference of AERA.

Joseph Cooper co-presented “An anti-deficit perspective on Black female scholar athletes’ achievement experiences at a Division I predominantly White institution” at the College Sport Research Institute in Columbia, S.C. in April. He was also a co-presenter on “MEAC/SWAC Bowl game? First-and-ten, moving the chains! Changing domains in highly bureaucratic environments: De-escalation of commitment and the road to secession” at the College Sport Research Institute.

Danielle DeRosa participated as a panelist on the first Cape Town Sport and Peace Conference in Boston, held on the occasion of the Cape Town, South African Marathon and World Peace Day. The 1st Boston Roundtable for Sport and Peace is dedicated to promoting awareness and visibility of sport as a means of building peace within communities, and for youth specifically.

Morgaen Donaldson, Jennie Weiner, and Sarah Woulfin have been asked to serve as evaluators for an i3 grant in preparation by the Hartford Public Schools.

Morgaen Donaldson received the award at AERA for Best Technical Report for the study she led (and several UCAPP faculty assisted to produce) on the pilot implementation of SEED, the educator evaluation and development instrument used in Connecticut.

Shaun Dougherty co-authored “Middle school math acceleration and equitable access to 8th grade algebra: Evidence from the Wake County Public School System” for in 2015 issue of Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis. He also published “Bridging the discontinuity in adolescent literacy? Mixed evidence from a middle grades intervention” in Education Finance and Policy.

Jen Freeman and Brandi Simonsen represented CBER (and the National PBIS Center) at U.S. Senator Chris Murphy’s policy briefing on restraint and seclusion at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford in May. They were asked to present on PBIS as a positive and proactive approach that prevents and reduces behavioral incidents in schools. (PBIS was also named as a framework for organizing evidence-based practices in a U.S. Department of Education Restraint and Seclusion: Resource Document.)

Richard Gonzales accepted an offer to be an affiliate faculty member of UConn’s El Instituto: Institute of Latina/o, Carribbean, and Latin American Studies.

James Kaufman wrote a musical, Discovering Magenta, which will be playing off-Broadway in early September. The music is by Michael Bitterman; Kaufman wrote the book and lyrics. It’s part of the Thespis Festival in New York City, N.Y.

Several research proposals were funded at a level of approximately $300,000, and include faculty from the Neag School of Education, UConn’s Department of Psychology, the Haskins Lab, and UConn’s Schools of Medicine and Pharmacy. Devin Kearns, Michael Coyne, and Jay Rueckl were awarded a grant to develop two theoretically different reading interventions for elementary-age children with developmental dyslexia (DD). They will test the efficacy of these interventions in improving the reading achievement of children with DD, and then examine the neurobiological factors and mechanisms that relate to treatment response and resistance. This project will further enhance UConn’s reputation for conducting applied neuropsychological research to solve important educational problems.

Kimberly Lechasseur and Morgaen Donaldson co-authored, with two other colleagues, “Situating teacher inquiry: A micropolitical perspective” in March issue of School Effectiveness and School Improvement.

This summer, Don Leu is conducting the annual doctoral seminar in language development, text comprehension, and literacy at the National Graduate School in Educational Science (NATED) in the University of Oslo, Norway. He is also working with the eSeek Project Research Group in Finland, a research project funded by the Academy of Science in Finland that has translated the Online Research and Comprehension Assessments, developed at the Neag School, for use in Finland. Finally, he is working with the TIMS/PIRLS group as a member of their Reading Advisory Group to develop international assessments of online research and comprehension for 10-year-olds.

Jonathan Plucker co-authored “Modeling Influences on Divergent Thinking and Artistic Creativity” in the March issue of Thinking Skills and Creativity.

Chris Rhoads was named an EAQ Outstanding Reviewer for 2014-15.

John Settlage co-authored “Explorations of the structure-agency dialectic as a tool for framing equity in science education” in the April issue of Journal of Research in Science Education. He also co-authored “School leader enactments of the structure/agency dialectic via buffering” in the April issue of Journal of Research in Science Teaching.

Suzanne Wilson has been appointed one of six co-editors of the newly integrated American Educational Research Journal (AERJ). This is a three-year term. She also presented on “Math Education Reform: Finding Common Ground at Math Education” at the National Math Festival.

Sarah Woulfin received a Dean’s Research Incentive Award (DRIA) from the Neag School to study coaching in the context of Hartford Public Schools. She will use micropolitical theory to analyze how principals and coaches construct the role of the coach. Shaun Dougherty also received a DRIA, along with the Educator Quality group.

 

UConn’s Administrator Preparation Program Cohorts Present Change Projects

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Student shares final UCAPP presentation with group
A LEAD CT/UCAPP Residency student, Jennifer Frese-Miller, shares final her project presentation with the group. (Photo credit: Brianna Ricciardone)

Educational leaders are responsible for promoting change, and UConn’s Administrator Preparation Program (UCAPP) students are no exception.

Richard Gonzales, assistant professor-in-residence and director of Educational Leadership Preparation Programs in the Neag School, welcomed guests, including current and future UCAPP students, faculty from the Department of Educational Leadership, and others, to the event. Diane Ullman, UCAPP program advisor, also spoke, touching on the potential power of UCAPP leaders to influence change across Connecticut and the preparation they undergo to lead urban schools. Bob Villanova, director of LEAD CT, discussed change leadership and the ways in which school leaders can foster conditions so that teachers can do the “magic” of high-quality instruction for all students.

The PLUS and Residency students divided into three presentation groups, facilitated by Mike Buckley, associate executive director of the Connecticut Association of Schools; Jen Michno, assistant clinical professor; and Sarah Woulfin, assistant professor. Students presented on the change they had initiated, how they served as the leader for that change, what they learned about leadership, and how they will employ those lessons as school leaders.

UCAPP Student Presentation
A UCAPP PLUS student, Adam Taha, shares his final project presentation with the group. (Photo credit: Brianna Ricciardone)

Understanding the PLUS and Residency Models
UCAPP PLUS students follow a two-year, urban school leadership model in partnership with Hartford Public Schools (HPS). The goal of this initiative is to feed the HPS leadership pipeline, improving teacher leadership in the short term and raising the caliber of principalship candidates in the long term.

The majority of the members of the first UCAPP PLUS cohort moved into campus- or district-level teacher leadership roles during the two years of the program. These individuals primarily serve as program specialists or intervention specialists who support schools in assisting struggling students. Those who remained at their schools assumed leadership responsibility for special projects, above and beyond their teaching assignments.

The LEAD CT/UCAPP Residency, meanwhile, is a one-year, turnaround school leadership model formed in partnership with LEAD CT, a reform initiative of the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Office of Talent Management. The goal of the Residency is to prepare principalship candidates to lead the schools most in need of immediate improvement, particularly in Connecticut Alliance districts.

Residents of this program are based in districts across the state, including Meriden, New Haven, Hartford, and Vernon. They served during their year in the program as school-level administrators, primarily as assistant principals. In addition to generally supporting the work of the schools, they assumed responsibility for projects in the areas of instructional leadership, organizational leadership, and talent management.

“Well-prepared and fully committed school principals are in demand,” says Villanova, LEAD CT director. “Across the country, school districts are recognizing the need to develop strong internal and external leadership pipelines in order to both prepare and attract strong principals.”

Change Projects
Given UCAPP’s emphasis on data-based decision making in program and/or school improvement, students engaging in these change projects were to identify a data-based need or an opportunity for improvement for which they would attempt to collaboratively lead change. Students’ projects were diverse – from writing a handbook for a secondary school and promoting a positive behavior system to creating a culture of professional learning.

Each student discussed the importance of using multiple forms of data to guide decision making and emphasized the interrelated dimensions of leadership: climate, culture, equity, instruction, and management practices.

While the projects varied in topic and scale, they all ultimately aimed to support of the work of the instructional core – teaching, learning, and curriculum.

“Students from both cohorts seemed to identify issues of inequity where the school was systemically not working well, or adequately, for a particular child or group of students,” says Gonzales.

Students also responded to questions and comments from the audience, which offered them not only the opportunity to practice their formal presentation skills and capacity to speak to a broad constituency, but also to learn from other aspiring principals’ change projects. As part of the program, future UCAPP students will conduct similar Change Project presentations as their culminating activity.

“We are incredibly proud of the graduates of these two inaugural cohorts, who aimed to positively impact the student achievement gap through leadership,” says Gonzales, citing the more than 60 cohorts who have completed the traditional UCAPP program over the past 25 years.

“UCAPP has operated to prepare capable and highly qualified leaders for Connecticut schools,” he says. “We believe [these cohorts] will live up to the high standard of being a UCAPP leader.”

The two inaugural cohorts graduated during UConn’s Graduate Commencement Ceremony on May 9, 2015.

Neag School and CLAS Collaborate to Improve Students’ Math, Social Studies Skills Through Intercultural Competence

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As part of the Math ICC project, Durham University Professor Emeritus Michael Byram visits UConn to discuss criticality of foreign language education at Gentry building on February 4, 2015. (Photo credit: Shawn Kornegay)
As part of the Math ICC project, Durham University Professor Emeritus Michael Byram visits UConn in February 2015 to discuss criticality of foreign language education. (Photo credit: Shawn Kornegay)

The name of the project is complex, but its purpose is straightforward: to develop students’ critical thinking skills, as well as improve their ability to communicate complex thoughts, see a scenario from multiple perspectives, and better relate to people from different cultures.

The process of creating systematic and multifaceted learning units that will teach math, world language, and social studies students these skills has also been complex. But the result of “Prototype of P-20 and Interdisciplinary Collaboration and P-20 Articulation” — funded jointly by UConn’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) and the Neag School of Education — will be not just more informed and inquisitive learners, but also more informed and skilled teachers.

More simply called Math Intercultural Competence, or Math ICC, by those involved, this “Prototype of P-20” project also integrates key Common Core requirements in math, as well as standard requirements of world languages and social studies that middle school students must master. The innovative learning units developed by the interdisciplinary Math ICC team will officially be introduced to sixth-graders at West Woods Upper Elementary School in Farmington, Conn., during the coming academic year.

Connecting the Classroom and the Real World
The units challenge students to find solutions to real-life problems affecting various parts of the world today, such as dwindling water supply. In another unit, students must help countries create a response plan for an earthquake, tsunami, or other natural disaster.

The lessons, like the project itself, follow the theoretical framework for intercultural competence developed by British educator Michael Byram, professor emeritus at the University of Durham and one of the leaders in the field. Byram spent an intensive week in February 2015 in Connecticut collaborating with all involved and continues to work closely on unit refinement and research components of the project.

“Learning math isn’t just about learning new formulas, and learning a language isn’t just about learning new words. There’s a context and culture involved in both fields that need to be understood, too,” says project co-principal investigator and UConn CLAS faculty member Manuela Wagner, an associate professor of foreign language education. “Language learners need to learn how to use the language in a socially and culturally appropriate way. Also, many of the critical thinking skills students use to solve math problems can be applied to learning a new language, and vice versa. The learning units we created show students how problem-solving strategies and intercultural competence they learn in one subject can be applied to different disciplines and to real-life situations.”

CLAS associate professor of mathematics and project co-principal investigator Fabiana Cardetti gives welcome remarks during event for Michael Byram. (Photo caption: Shawn Kornegay)
CLAS associate professor of mathematics and project co-principal investigator Fabiana Cardetti gives welcome remarks during Math ICC event for Michael Byram. (Photo caption: Shawn Kornegay)

Fellow CLAS associate professor of mathematics and project co-principal investigator Fabiana Cardetti adds: “There are many connections between different subjects, as well as connections between classroom learning and the outside world. But up until now, there’s been too-little emphasis on those overlaps. Common Core also now requires that students be able to critically consider, and then effectively communicate, their reasoning in math. So that idea of forcing students to consider ‘How did I arrive at this solution?’ is a big part of this project, as well as to show them the importance of opening their minds to different perspectives and possibilities. There are often multiple ways to get to a solution, and students need to be able to see that, as well as to be able to critique why some solutions are more effective than others.”

Understanding different cultures and developing a sense of cultural competence is essential, Wagner and Cardetti say, to living in today’s global society.

Many Layers of Collaboration
West Woods School teachers and administrators have been key contributors, as have partnering faculty and graduate students from UConn’s Neag School. Marijke Kehrhahn, associate professor of adult learning and former director of the Teachers for a New Era at UConn, and Donalyn Maneggia, Teachers for a New Era program assistant, have been “invaluable” players, says Wagner, who also served as the UConn Teachers for a New Era assistant director.

“We couldn’t have done any of this work without them,” Wagner says, or without the Neag School having been selected in 2003 to join the prestigious Carnegie Corporation Teachers for a New Era network. Awarded to just 11 colleges in the United States, the Teachers for a New Era designation recognizes institutions whose teacher education programs provide exemplary sites to design and implement initiatives to improve student outcomes through evidence-based practices and faculty collaboration. Math ICC is one of its outgrowths.

Others from the Neag School involved in Math ICC include Melissa Scarbrough, a preservice teacher enrolled in Neag’s Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s (IB/M) Teacher Education Program, and curriculum and instruction doctoral student Maddeline Williams.

“The work we’ve done to create practical learning units that bring together teachers from different disciplines, and investigate the connections between math, world language, and social studies, is challenging,” the Neag School’s Kehrhahn says. “It involves not just determining what basic skills must be taught in each of these curriculums, but how they can be applied to a framework of intercultural competence and best be put into practice.”

Teacher education and ongoing professional development are additional elements of the project. Another focus has been determining how teachers can implement these and similar types of learning units without having to take on additional work.

“Teachers work so hard already, and in most school systems, resources are limited. So as we created these units, we made sure we also created an implementation plan that would support teachers reaching their goals,” Cardetti agreed.

Two new graduate-level classes were also developed around understanding intercultural competence and applying it to the classroom.

“Ideally, these classes will make intercultural competence part of teacher education, further ingraining ways to incorporate social justice, equity, and global understanding into classroom lessons,” Cardetti says. “One of the next steps in this project is to create materials that all schools and school districts can use to implement similar models. Our goal is to make these lessons available and adaptable to all teachers and students.”

 

 

Neag Professor Co-Authors Book to Help Secondary Educators Reimagine the Science Department

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ReimaginingSciDepartment_coverconcept1A Neag School of Education faculty member is one of the co-authors of Reimagining the Science Department (NSTA Press, 2015), a book published in March by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) to help secondary educators create “a place where teachers are encouraged to question both their beliefs about science and the teaching and assessment strategies that develop in response to those beliefs.”

Like the NSTA itself — which promotes teaching through research, among other guiding principles — the book highlights the findings of studies conducted by several leaders in the field of science education, including co-authors Wayne Melville, associate professor of science education at Lakehead University in Ontario, Canada; Doug Jones, a science chair with Lakehead District Schools in Ontario; and Todd Campbell, associate professor of science education at UConn’s Neag School of Education. Within the book, the authors also ask high school administrators, district science coordinators, and teachers to consider the history of science education and science departments before beginning the process of departmental reform.

“Many of today’s practices are rooted in a tradition, yet few know why or how those practices began. What was the purpose of establishing those practices? What’s the purpose of establishing new practices now?” Campbell says. “Among other things, we provide the history of the evolution of teaching high school science, with the idea that it can be used as a foundation for determining where we need to go as we look to the future of science education.”

‘Collective Capital’

The Neag School of Education hosts the innagural UConn STEM Conference on May 12, 2015.
The Neag School of Education hosts the innagural UConn STEM Conference on May 12, 2015. Associate Professor of Science Education Todd Campbell, welcomes William Penuel (sitting) from the University of Colorado Boulder, who spoke on the Next Generation Science Standards. (Photo credit: Shawn Kornegay)

Reimagining the Science Department offers many other tools for science education reform, including concrete strategies supporting visions of teaching and learning envisioned by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Woven throughout the book are anecdotes written by science department chairs working in urban and rural areas. The vignettes illustrate how colleagues have collaboratively confronted “universal issues” related to teaching science in the context of their own schools and communities.

Each chapter ends with a concise, bulleted summary and a series of questions, written for science teachers and specifically for science department chairs, that challenge traditional teaching assumptions, Campbell says.

The book also explores the role and responsibilities of science department chairs. Established roughly 150 years ago, high school science departments and leaders in their current forms have never been clearly defined, say the authors – yet they must be if they are to support professional learning within science departments.

“The role [of department chair] has been seen at times as strictly administrative: making sure school policies are enacted and adhered to,” the authors write. Today, however, the demands for national educational reform outlined in the NGSS require science department chairs to be experts in science content; have the ability to advocate for science education; know how to build a collegial learning environment; and be effective, dynamic, and creative problem solvers, among other capabilities.

High school science chairs need to know not just how to transact the business of teaching science, but also how to transform it, Campbell says.

“Ultimately, the goal of the book is to help make great teachers,” Campbell says. “However, today’s education system is structured in such a way that individual teachers can’t overcome many of the challenges they face on their own. The many ambitious changes needed in science instruction require systemic support, so one of the things we try to show is how departments can use their collective capital to overcome challenges together.”

Collaborating Across Universities
In many ways, Campbell says, the book is the result of a professional relationship that began roughly eight years ago, when Campbell and Melville met at the Association for Science Teachers Association national conference. As their friendship grew, so did opportunities for them to collaborate on various research studies, including those related to improving secondary science professional development and partnering science teachers with scientists as a way to develop more realistic, inquiry-centered, and technology-supported scientific activity.

Together, the two have published seven articles in journals including the Research in Science Education and the Journal of Science Education and Technology. Three additional articles they have co-written are currently under consideration, as is another book proposal they have submitted to NSTA.

“Our work tends to complements each other’s,” Campbell says. “Wayne’s research focuses on needed systemic change, while mine is focused more at the classroom level through developing and supporting model-based instruction. So when he pushes for reform at the departmental level, I think about how this might play out at the classroom level.”

Increasing opportunities for collaborations between Neag scholars and those from other leading universities is one of the Neag School’s strategic goals, as well as one that Campbell and Melville well illustrate. Writing Reimagining the Science Department for NSTA — the largest organization in the world dedicated to science, excellence, and innovation in science teaching and learning — also positions them, the Neag School, and Lakehead University among the global leaders in this field. 

“One of our hopes is that our work will lead to a network of secondary science teachers and teacher leaders eager to take their thinking outside of traditional, static places,” Campbell says. “Growing science departments and really making an impact on professional learning could, like the title of our book suggests, take the field of science education to yet-unimagined places.”

Neag Alum Wrapping up First Year as an Administrator at Journalism and Media Academy in Hartford

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Dan Pichette, dean of students at the Journalism and Media Academy in Hartford. Photo credit: Shawn Kornegay, UConn
Dan Pichette, dean of students at the Journalism and Media Academy in Hartford. (Photo credit: Shawn Kornegay)

The Journalism and Media Academy (JMA) in Hartford is not your traditional high school, and Dan Pichette ’04 MA, ’11 6th Year is not your typical administrator. Nestled between the biology labs and math classrooms at the magnet school are green rooms, a radio station, a TV studio with camera equipment, and audio editing bays. Students are able to take the traditional math, science, English, and history classes while dabbling in electives such as blog writing, animation, and sports journalism, taught by industry professionals.

Pichette, who was appointed the dean of students at JMA this past August, is wrapping up his first year as an administrator. He graduated from the Neag School of Education’s Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates (TCPCG) program in 2004 and the University of Connecticut Administrator Preparation Program (UCAPP) in 2011.

“There is a sense of pride that comes with successfully completing the TCPCG and UCAPP programs,” Pichette says, who taught history at East Hartford High from 2004 up until he became JMA’s dean of students. “The depth of knowledge that Neag professors and staff bring to the programs is unparalleled, blending real life and research together.”

That said, he never expected to end up at a school like JMA. “Twelve years ago while I was in TCPCG, there weren’t many magnet schools; it was still a far-fetched idea,” says Pichette, who recalls members of his cohort at the Neag School having conversations about how these types of schools were on the horizon. “That type of discussion allowed me to see beyond what was the norm at the time, which was the traditional high school,” he says.

Taking the Leap
Pichette saw the opportunity to work at JMA – which had opened its doors in 2013 – and decided to “take the leap.” Despite his lack of experience working in a magnet school setting, Pichette thought back to his TCPCG supervisor, Dr. James Fallon, whose advice Pichette applies to his role at JMA.

“Dr. Fallon brought a lot of insight into how you work in a school system, no matter if it is small or large. He taught me how to handle myself professionally and how to really work through the ins and outs of a school. To this day, I take his words. They were invaluable,” Pichette says.

“I see full circle how dedicated the faculty, staff, and administration are to their students, programs, and alumni at Neag,” he adds. “The Neag School of Education has truly been such a huge part of my family and our history; I couldn’t imagine going any place else.”

Pichette also mentions the value of having learned firsthand about Positive Behavior and Intervention Supports (PBIS) from Neag School Professor George Sugai. “The resources that UConn brings are tremendous,” says Pichette, who serves as chair of the PBIS committee at JMA. “I got to learn about PBIS from the guy who created PBIS – how can it be better than that?”

Shaping a Progressive Curriculum
At JMA, students have access to a wide array of technology and media courses that can provide a competitive advantage during this time of media and technology dependence. Aside from the traditional courses like math, science, history, and English, JMA also has themed courses such as TV Production, Radio Production, and Digital Storytelling.

“We hope to draw people to JMA through the variety of thematic programs, which give students the opportunity to specialize in a field tailored to their interests and passions,” Pichette says. “We are constantly monitoring the needs of our students and adjusting to ensure that our students have access to the best educational opportunities in the state, and even in the nation.”

JMA also provides students with hands-on experience working in media production, both written and broadcast. The school partners with the Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network (CPBN), which offers students in their senior year the chance to work alongside industry experts at CPBN’s satellite campus to create a professional media portfolio. Going forward, Pichette says he would also like to “work with area colleges and universities to develop a progressive curriculum that suits the ever-changing needs of the students in a media-focused school.”

In addition to its media-related focus, JMA brings together a diverse student body, with students hailing from 43 different districts in the state. “These students represent a myriad of cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses,” Pichette says. “We strongly believe that the city of Hartford and the suburbs of Hartford can grow with each other, and build on positive experiences to have a community that continues to flourish.”

‘Driver of Change’
Although he misses the kinds of connection he had with students as a classroom teacher, Pichette says his first year as an administrator offers an education all its own. “I’m still learning; I’m learning every day,” he says. “Every day I walk in here, I’m faced with a something new I hadn’t been faced with before.”

Serving in a role at JMA that he says is similar to that of an assistant principal, Pichette now focuses on teacher evaluations, student discipline, and policy. “It’s been really refreshing to sit and have conversations with teachers about their work and to share my experiences with them,” he says. “I’ve been working with first-year teachers – just sharing some of the strategies I’ve used that worked when I was a teacher.”

Ultimately, Pichette says, he would like to become a principal. “I would like to move into that role, to be able to be the driver of change,” he says, looking forward to the opportunity to spend the summer being a part of the planning process for the next academic year.

“We’ve made some really great strides this year, but we want to keep that ball moving and keep the quality of the education as our No. 1 priority,” he says.

 

 

Career Changers Among Those Seeking STEM Teaching Certificates at UConn’s Avery Point Campus

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Jeffrey Labasi had spent more than 20 years leading a lucrative career as a research scientist in pharmaceuticals – an industry where, Labasi admits, he was never really happy.

A father of three, Labasi instead found fulfillment outside of working hours, filling his free time with activities at his children’s schools – organizing invention conventions for students, serving as PTO president for a time, and coaching a number of different sports, season after season.

Jeffrey Labasi
Former pharmaceuticals research scientist Jeffrey Labasi will embark on a new career as a science teacher after completing the TCPCG program at the Avery Point campus this May. (Photo Credit: Stefanie Dion Jones)

In his 40’s, Labasi began seriously considering a profession that would allow him to focus on working with kids. “I realized I had a kind of calling,” he says.

Thanks to an accelerated teacher education program for nontraditional students based at UConn’s Avery Point campus, Labasi, now 45 years old, is embarking this fall on a second career as a science teacher.

A Focus on STEM
The Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates (TCPCG) at Avery Point is a post-baccalaureate program designed for people like Labasi, who have previously earned degrees in the field of STEM – science, technology, math, and engineering – and preparing them to become math- or science-certified teachers in less than one year. Students enrolled in this STEM-specific program, offered through UConn’s Neag School of Education, earn a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, as well as recommendation for teacher certification by the state of Connecticut.

The 11-month program involves intensive coursework, as well as direct teaching experience with children in nearby New London and Norwich schools; a three-month student teaching assignment; and an internship that immerses enrollees in research examining some aspect of school innovation or reform.

A new grant will provide $30,000 to sponsor 24 individual future science teachers at UConn’s Avery Point campus over the next four years.

For Labasi, who completed the program this May and will be certified to teach biology and chemistry in Grades 7 through 12, two aspects of the Avery Point program were particularly powerful. “Learning with other science- and math-minded people was important to my growth,” he says. In addition, his stint as a student teacher in Waterford solidified his decision to change careers for good. “When I left student teaching, it was actually really hard; I was sad,” he says. “That feeling of being upset at leaving reinforced that I really enjoy doing this.”

In Search of Future Science Teachers
Teachers specializing in science and math are in high demand across the state of Connecticut, which makes the TCPCG program’s STEM focus at the Avery Point campus crucial, according to John Settlage, professor of science teacher education in the Neag School and director of Avery Point’s STEM teacher preparation program.

In fact, all 11 graduates from the program’s first cohort, who graduated in May 2014, had received job offers by the following July 1, within weeks of completing the program. As Labasi now looks to land a permanent position, he says he hopes that potential employers will see his firsthand experience in the field as a unique strength. “I have a real science perspective that I think will help me in making connections within the classroom,” he says.

TCPCG Grads
The second cohort of TCPCG students  at the Avery Point campus gathered at the Branford Mansion in May to give poster presentations. Pictured from left to right are Kristen Kohlhepp; Kaitlyn Larew; Erin Burke; Margot Albin; Kristina Torres; Karolyn Card; Donna Bednar; Danielle Gunderman; Michelle Przybylek; Joseph Steady; Jacqueline Ei; and Jeffrey Labasi. (Photo Credit: Stefanie Dion Jones)

Given Connecticut’s need for STEM-focused teachers, individuals with an extensive level of experience in the field are the bread and butter of the Avery Point program.

“Here, we can take advantage of people who want to change careers,” Settlage says, adding that Avery Point is the only teacher preparation program in the region. Career changers from the STEM fields who pursue the program, he says, know what they want; they possess not only a love for science and mathematics, but also a certain level of maturity and knowledge. “I can’t fool them,” Settlage says. “I can’t give them a course and tell them it’s what they need. They don’t play that game. They’re consumers; they ask hard questions. And we need more of them.”

Scholarship Support for Minority Teachers
Settlage is now actively recruiting aspiring science teachers from nontraditional backgrounds through a grant funded by the National Science Foundation. The grant will provide $30,000 – the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship – to sponsor 24 individual future science teachers at UConn’s Avery Point campus over the next four years.

“I think one of the reasons we have big achievement gaps in Connecticut is because kids aren’t seeing teachers who look like them,” Settlage says. “So we are trying to recruit the kinds of teachers kids would recognize. I realize now that when I was growing up I had all kinds of role models, but if I had been a kid of color, I wouldn’t have seen that, so I may not have even thought about this [as a career option].”

Settlage anticipates that the Noyce Scholarship support will be especially appealing to career changers who would benefit from being able to defray the expense of attending a full-time program.

Beyond the financial support, the immersion in coursework, an internship, and student teaching, Noyce Scholars would also have the opportunity to work closely with research experts within Avery Point’s world-class marine sciences facilities. In exchange for the scholarship support, those designated as Noyce Scholars would be required, after completing the program, to spend two years teaching in a high-needs school.

With its unique STEM focus, hands-on training, and its condensed, 11-month format, Settlage anticipates that the Avery Point program will be instrumental in helping to fill the state’s gap of qualified STEM teachers. “We’ll work with you,” he says. “We prepare you for your first five years – not just to get a job.”

Find more information about the TCPCG Program here.