Record-setting Freshman Class Enters Walsh University

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Teaching, earning and ollaboration in Our Classrooms Much has changed in the world of education in the past 50 years since the founding of Walsh University. What has not changed is Walsh’s commitment to develop educators to serve all willing learners in a global society. Today the Division of Education at Walsh thrives because of its greatest strength – the collaboration and creativity of its faculty, staff, students and alumni. Education faculty members believe the best classroom is the actual school and community classrooms with P-12 students. Service learning partnerships with area districts, private schools and community agencies help education students understand the social and cultural factors influencing the way children learn. Some of these community collaborations include a co-teaching model in the North Canton School District, mock interviews with area educators and a new Urban Outreach Program. Modeling Best Practices At Northwood Elementary School, Walsh professors Cinda Harold and Betty Marko are collaborating with the Northwood principal and teachers to demonstrate the benefits and challenges associated with the practice of “co-teaching” in a classroom. What makes their collaboration unique is the pairing of Intervention Specialist Professor Betty Marko with Early Childhood Professor Cinda Harold. Intervention Specialists are trained to work with special needs children with mild to moderate disabilities in the general classroom. “It is a benefit for our students to experience a true working collaboration between general education and special education teachers in a real class setting,” said Marko. “Because of the move towards inclusion, it is very likely that once our students enter the school environment, they will share their classroom and lesson plans with an intervention specialist.” 13
The inclusion model of teaching became law with the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which mandates that whereever possible, special needs students should be placed in the general classroom. Through the co-teaching model, student teachers will learn how to collaborate to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all students, while recognizing individual learning patterns in the classroom. “This is characteristic of what is happening in our entire division,” said Jeannie DeFazio, Division Chair. “Faculty are initiating creative ideas and collaborating in new and exciting ways with local community agencies. Their efforts continue to enhance our curriculum.” It’s All in the Preparation Another example that sets the Division of Education apart is the “student teaching” experience. Walsh education students are immediately introduced to a real classroom environment beginning in their freshman year of study. This is typically not initiated in most universities until a student’s junior year. All Division of Education students are required to spend an extra semester in their student teaching classroom prior to their student teaching experience. The semester before their formal student teaching experience, each student is required to spend time observing, assisting, and teaching lessons with their cooperating teachers in a mentoring relationship. This extra semester offers a useful familiarity of the classroom that creates a more meaningful student teaching experience overall. That kind of consideration follows a Walsh education student beyond graduation throughout their careers. Mock interviews are a key component to preparing students for their first job interviews. Prior to graduation, Walsh faculty members work with each student in a series of mock interviews organized with local school administrators and area district superintendents. “In May, every graduating student practiced interviewing with a superintendent or principal,” said DeFazio. “The environment was realistic and professional. The mock interviews have evolved to a place where students can polish their interview skills and practice presenting their e-portfolios and samples of prepared lesson plans.” A Commitment to Service Learning Community outreach is one of the principal components of an education at Walsh and a vital part of campus culture. In a unique collaboration, Walsh’s Theology and Education divisions joined forces for the first time this past spring to launch the new Urban Outreach Program. Originally aimed at the growing Hispanic population in Stark County, the program has since grown to include all minorities who are in need of educational mentoring. The program combines education practices with the mission and compassion of theological outreach. In addition to a Hispanic Summer Camp at St. Anthony’s Church in Canton, Walsh has partnered with St. Paul’s Catholic Church of Canton as a base for satellite sites throughout the county, assisting schools and the community with tutorial and enrichment programs for children and families. During the “Passport to Success” summer outreach camp organized by Connie Smith, Walsh Theology Education Hispanic Outreach Coordinator, twenty-one Walsh students worked with local Hispanic students to improve their speaking, reading and writing skills in preparation for the new school year. In an effort to bridge the gap between Hispanic and American cultures, Walsh education students undergo focused coursework and training in educational instruction and ministry practices. As the world of education continues to evolve and change, Walsh remains committed to providing a relevant and meaningful educational experience for students, faculty and community members. The combination of expertise and an understanding of the diverse needs of children, provides a foundation that promotes intellectual development and the spiritual formation of students who will graduate from Walsh as leaders in the world of education. walsh times fall 2008
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Record-setting Freshman Class Enters Walsh University

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