Page 2 - Childhood Education Classes

Great Teachers

Sunday, October 10, 2010 by Beth McKenna

Have you ever thought about teacher training education? Have you wondered how people become teachers at the early childhood or elementary levels? Childhood education classes are what makes it possible for teachers to become teachers. If individuals do not take education classes they are likely to just copy what they saw in school themselves. So look back at your own learning career. You probably had some great teachers and some ordinary teachers. Unfortunately you may have had more ordinary teachers. Yet if you want to teach, you want to be one of the great teachers. And that doesn't just suddenly happen. You need to become involved in childhood education classes that challenge you to think and to expand your knowledge. You need to be equipped to change with the times.
Classes at Granite State College make that possible. The classes are scheduled in the evenings so you can work during the day and expand your skills at night. You can enroll in just one class, at a local campus such as Portsmouth NH classes or Rochester NH classes, or you can take online classes.
Recently a student at Granite State College observed in an elementary school classroom and saw the teacher handing out worksheet packets while students got into trouble. She decided that the lesson was a good lesson until she was challenged in her evening class at Granite State to think about what could have been done differently to reach the many needs and learning styles in the classroom. Her thinking was challenged and with her classmates she discussed other options. Now and in the future her own students will have the benefit of her learning and experience. That thinking and reflecting is what makes ordinary teachers great.

The Final Exam Question

Tuesday, October 5, 2010 by Beth McKenna

Recently Harvard University announced that it was doing away with final exams. They stated that students do not really learning anything by taking final exams. They are better off showing what they know in projects, quizzes and hands on experiences.

This announcement raised an interesting discussion in the Early Childhood Assessment course at Granite State College, Rochester. Should students take final exams? The class members recounted their own experiences at Granite State College. They reported that in most classes in the Teacher Training Education department faculty relied on projects and papers to assess understanding. Most of the students had taken few final exams at Granite State College. They agreed that using projects and papers assessed their understanding of the material they were learning. They realized that final exams were appropriate in some courses but they felt that the faculty was responsive to the material being taught and they were happy that final exams were not always the only way to assess learning in the classes at Granite State College. What is your opinion of final exams in college?

The College Years in the Age of Technology

Monday, August 23, 2010 by Leslie Bowering

The college years of students--younger or older-- in the age of technology abound with opportunities to succeed at Granite State College. Websites are available--every baby step of the way-- to guide students along but only if they choose to investigate them.

I have attached a link about Career Advice that may be helpful to students who are undecided about which course or academic direction they may want to take, whether they are attending classes in Rochester NH college, Concord NH college, Claremont NH college, or Manchester NH college campuses.

It is necessary to have a sense of what direction to take. Perhaps the use of a website like this one could help students decide whether they have a better aptitude for the Behavioral Sciences offered through Granite State College or maybe they are more inclined to pursue Early Childhood Education Classes there. Either way, the technology abounds to provide information when college Advisors are not available at the end of a telephone line. At least this website gives students someplace to start.

http://career-advice.monster.com/job-search/Getting-Started/Try-This-4-Year-Career-Checklist/article.aspx

Adult Education is all about independently acquiring information, skills, and success. Technology is available to also help students form questions they need to ask of their Advisors.

Why not click on this website, dip your toes in and get yourself organized for the the Fall Semester. Granite State College empowers students to ask questions and achieve answers.

Give Me a 'G' - Give Me an 'S' - Give Me a 'C' ... What's that spell?

Saturday, August 21, 2010 by Erin Todd

A prospective student finished her accuplacer assessment and was anxious to know the results. The scores were not easily interpretable. At a quick glance, however, I noticed that the placement recommendation was for Contemporary College Math -- which is one of the required courses for a degree at Granite State College. I pointed this out to her and we both practically cheered because she was so pleased to discover that she knows more than she thought she knew!

This particular student, let's call her Miranda, works in a local elementary school. While she enjoys her role as a para-educator, she really wants to pursue Teacher Training Education. As a former high school dropout, Miranda didn't think she was equipped to go to college, but once she attained her G.E.D., she realized that she was thirsty for more. She decided to apply to GSC, the New Hampshire State College that offers Affordable College Study, and she's eager to start her Childhood Education Courses this fall.

Miranda wants to work with children that have special needs. At GSC, she will pursue a B.S. in Individualized Studies: English Language Arts -- which will enable her to meet the federal Highly Qualified Teacher requirement, and the Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification in General Special Education. The reason Miranda chose GSC, she told me, was because she could continue to work in her chosen field while taking Evening College Classes. I'm willing to bet that she will also find, as I have found, that taking classes with other adults of all ages provides a rich educational experience. GSC is the college in the University of New Hampshire System that specializes in Adult Higher Education.

The excitement Miranda expressed -- when she saw evidence that her abilities are indeed college-level -- is one of the reasons I love working at Granite State College. It's such a great feeling to watch someone's face light up at the realization of their possibilities! Our students are so invested in their education, because many of them already have real-world experience, and they are incredibly motivated to do well in their studies. They want the most out of their education. And we at GSC are here to cheer them on!

Calling All Early Childhood Professionals

Friday, August 20, 2010 by John Cook

I can't say enough about the classes for Early Childhood Education that we offer at Granite State College. Not only is this Bachelors Degree available in the form of evening college classes or online classes focused on adults, we have such wonderful Faculty as well. I'm thinking for example of Catherine Yeaton, who is currently teaching EDU 553, Creative Arts in Early Childhood Education, which we are offering this Summer at our Rochester NH College. Catherine runs the well-know Building Blocks School - located in southern New Hampshire.

But here is the key detail that might surprise working childcare professionals looking for career advancement programs: Granite State College has a program that will jump start your Early Childhood Degree. If you are employed at least 20 hours a week in a NH licensed or license-exempt child care center or family child care program, GSC will pay for half the costs of your first class, or even the full cost, depending on the class.  Click this link for details.

Let me be specific about Fall Term, because registration is open right now. Here are two classes that you can sign up for using the ECE Tuition Assistance Program:

PSY 508, Child Development, 4 credits
(GSC Rochester, Tuesday nights, starting Sept. 14th)

EDU 601, Observation & Assessment in Early Childhood Education, 4 credits
(GSC Rochester, Monday nights, starting Sept. 13th)

You do NOT need to be enrolled in a degree program to take these courses - but if you ARE interested in career advancement education, give us a call (603.332.8335) or register online.

What are you doing this summer?

Thursday, June 10, 2010 by Beth McKenna

Are you an early childhood professional, a paraprofessional, or a classroom teacher about to be out for the summer? Have you thought about what you are going to do? Maybe you are going to sit on the beach and read a good book, or just sleep late and relax. Have you thought about taking a course at Granite State College? Maybe you are interested in furthering you teacher training education, or maybe you are just thinking about improving your skills or pursuing an area of interest with a fun course or two. Well, I may have an answer for you. Try an online college course at Granite State College, or maybe a classroom course in Portsmouth, or Rochester or Concord. So many choices. So don't just sit on the beach with any old book, instead get college credit for all that reading you will be doing anyway! See you in class!

Granite State College: The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Wednesday, June 2, 2010 by Leslie Bowering

Ashlee Swasey in her essay "Cut" describes for her readers her dreams of "a life that was perfect." (p.1) She "dreamed of college" (p.1) and she set her sights on making her dream come true. It was also the plan her parents had put in place for her and she did not want to disappoint them. But Ashlee lost her way academically as a Freshman in high school when she "stopped trying." (p.1)

"Cut" goes on to describe the tormented life of a young girl trying desperately to escape those difficult high school years; the sad memories of feeling invisible so many of us have also stored away in our hysterical archives of youth.

And then, like a gavel slamming down on a bench the rejection slips from colleges begin to roll in and with them the devastation of shame no child should bear. The verdict was in according to them: "Not good enough" was the message.

Although many would have thrown in the towel at that point, Ashlee did not. Instead, she discovered a future of possibilities. Granite State College was the beacon as Ashlee moved slowly but surely toward the light. Through Granite State College she has achieved her Associates degree as she diligently presses on with her studies to earn her Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education.

At twenty-one years old Ashlee is one of the brightest and the best in expressing herself in my American Literature class. It is an honor to have the privilege of knowing her and her story of perseverence. I am proud of her for never giving in to the negativity, choosing instead, to press on.

For now she is manifesting her own destiny. We could all learn a lesson from her.

We, at Granite State College embrace her as one of our own for she has learned at a very young age what many of us don't learn until we are much older:  Our dreams are important. They really do matter. We can make them come true.

Just get it out of the way...

Tuesday, May 25, 2010 by Bette Papa

General Education Requirements - GenEds - are a part of every college degree be it associates or bachelors, Management or Early Childhood Education. English, math, computer, communications, and Critical Thinking are the 5 core GenEd courses required at Granite State College. Other requisite GenEds are in the areas of Arts & Culture, Literature & Ideas, History & Politics, Science, Global Perspectives, and Social Science. Why are students required to take these courses? What purpose do they serve the major? How quickly can they be taken to just get them out of the way?

I hear similar questions frequently from the students I advise and do not always know how to respond. I cringe however when I hear myself saying "Intro to Sociology is offered in Portsmouth this term. You could take it now to get your social science GenEd out of the way." Ouch! Does that mean if you aren't a Behavioral Science major and don't need Intro to Sociology for your major that it isn't an important class? Of course not! So I am trying not to say that any more and instead encourage students to use their GenEd choices to take classes that sound interesting or subjects they have never studied before. I want to tell students to use these classes to enrich their lives, gain understanding of topics outside the focus of their degree, find interests and talents that they never knew they had and, most of all, savor the learning experience. GenEds round out any degree and enable us to pursue subjects that are sometimes outside our comfort zone or to enhance the degree in creative ways. GenEd courses should be chosen thoughtfully and not taken just get it out of the way...

More on this topic in future posts.

Who is in a class?

Friday, April 30, 2010 by Beth McKenna

Did you ever wonder what type of people make up a class at Granite State College? Of course I am talking about Early Childhood Education because that is what I teach, but the students in the evening classes at Granite State as are varied as the faculty. In my present class the youngest student is right out of high school. She is just starting her career and is interested in Early Childhood education. On the other end of the spectrum there is a mom with 4 children. She is a para professional working with special needs children. In between there are mothers with young children, one person interested in the behavioral sciences classes, young women who want to finish a bachelor's degree in elementary education, and several students who are just interested in adult education classes and taking a course to see if returning to college is right for them.

A New Term

Friday, April 16, 2010 by Beth McKenna

Starting a new term is always an exciting time at Granite State College. There are new terms for fall, winter, spring and summer so if you are thinking of taking an evening course or an adult education course there are lots of options. This semester I am teaching Child Development. There are people in the course who are enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program, the Elementary Education program, Behavioral Science and those who are just taking a course but are not enrolled in a degree program at all. That is part of the fun of a new semester, getting to know a new set of students and finding out about their backgrounds, and interests. So, as the new term begins, I am excited by the energy and enthusiasm of a new set of students, and I am also glad to reconnect with my students from past semesters.

Sitting in a Classroom

Monday, March 29, 2010 by Beth McKenna

So you say to yourself what am I going to do sitting in a classroom at Granite State in childhood education classes or teacher training education classes all evening. Will the professor lecture all evening? Will there be anyone there to talk to? What if I fall asleep after working all day?

Well hopefully it will be better than you might imagine, after all, 4 hours is a long time to sit in a classroom after working all day.

For me, classes need to be active, even in a class where there is a lot of material to cover. Imagine being part of a discussion about a new special education law, or trying to budget to build a new day care center. Think of pretending to be the parent of a child who is struggling in school, or the teacher who must tell the parent what is happening. Imagine trying to identify your own learning style and then meeting with others who have a similar learning style. Maybe you are working on a computer, or even watching a video of children in a play setting.
Any of those things are possible in an childhood education classroom at Granite State College. Sure the teachers will need to lecture some of the evening, but you can be sure that with a full evening on class, it will not be 4 hours of straight listening. After all, I can't even talk for 4 hours even if you could stay awake that long.

Planning for Continuing Education

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 by Beth McKenna

I am planning to teach a new course at Granite State in Rochester for next term. It is not a new course to the college, or to me, but it is not one I have taught before here. So as I am gathering notes, media and information for the course I stop to think about the students I will have. These are students who are looking at career advancement programs, or adult education courses, adult continuing education courses, or classes for early childhood, or elementary education. What does that mean to me as a course planner?

Well, I want to meet the needs of my students. If they are taking a course to advance their careers, they will want practical knowledge that can be applied to what they do all day. If they are taking the course for continuing education, they may want a wide knowledge base but not the day to day focus. So, for all the students about to take a course, I want to make sure the course is meaningful and worthwhile.

The planning for my new course will take all these things into consideration so that on any given day the course will include a wide knowledge base and the hands on applications that students need.

Oh The People We Meet

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 by Leslie Bowering

Meeting new people is one of my favorite things to do! And I seem to be doing a lot of it through my career training education at Granite State College. During one of my evening college classes I arranged a meeting with Mike Sullivan, a local children's book author, Librarian, Storyteller, and Instructor at Simmons College.

Because Adult Higher Education manifests itself in many different capacities, I thought it would be a bonus for my class if we could meet with Mike and pick his brain a bit regarding boys and their reluctance to read. Many of the students in my class are either taking Childhood Education classes or Behavioral Science classes so I thought a discussion with Mike would be of interest to them.

My course instructor, Heidi Zollman, my friend Marilyn and one other student joined us for a conversation. Mike is clearly vested in the topic of boys and reading, a passion of his condern for a long time. He articulately described brain function in girls and boys which is directly related to its development in both genders. We discussed the very real reason why boys brains develop slower which in turn causes a cycle of delay which then deforms reading into something boys think they are not good at or cannot do at all so they stop trying.

At one point the conversation turned to"No Child Left Behind." I have not read the philosophy behind this Act though it was described by Mike Sullivan as a way to educate the middle 80% of students while the top 10% were on their own to succeed and the lower 10% were expected to fail anyway.

Heidi has invited Mike Sullivan to come to Granite State College in Rochester to visit with our entire class. His visit will include the topic of Storytelling as a lost art form and Mike will tell us stories. He will also describe ways to promote literacy with boys, and answer questions.

I am so happy I took the initiative to contact Mike Sullivan. His knowledge base is an amazing resource as we continue to make new discoveries in our own educational process whether we are teaching, observing, or parenting our boys. What we know for sure is that boys must learn how to read. It is to their betterment that we find ways to help them enjoy forming the habit of reading over time.

Juggling

Friday, February 19, 2010 by Beth McKenna

Juggling is one of the things that adult learners are good at. It is also something that the faculty at Granite State have to be good at. For me, I juggle the course I teach at the Rochester NH college site, with a full time teaching job in the York, Maine Public Schools, and a family.
For my students, they are almost always juggling a job with the college evening classes they are taking. Many of them are working in day care centers that don't even close before they need to be in class. Often, they are running out of work, driving up to 40 minutes, and then coming in to class. They occasionally run in even a little late because the last child was picked up late from daycare.

One thing that all this juggling causes, is a lack of time to eat. Students and faculty come from one job to another and arrive at their early childhood education classes without having eaten dinner. Often they bring something to eat in class, maybe a sandwich, a bagel, or even macaroni.

Well, these jugglers are also resourceful. In a class I taught last spring, one week a student arrived, not only with food for herself, but she brought a huge fruit salad, enough for everyone. The idea caught on and a few weeks later we were treated to homemade lasagna.

The students at Granite State are jugglers, but they are also caring. It is amazing to see how quickly students become friends, and reach out to support and help one another as they juggle all the many demands in their lives.

Education: Achieving a Childhood Dream

Wednesday, February 10, 2010 by John Ford

I've been thinking a lot about leadership and every day life lately. I have recently had several acquaintences diagnosed with cancer and each are dealing with this in their own personal ways. Some better than others, but in an interesting way, it has made me reflect on each of us and how we take on "leadership" roles each and every day.

I also just re-read the book, "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch, who, for those of you that may not recognize his name, was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. He gave his "last lecture" and presented his thougts as an opportunity to leave something behind for his children. You can use this link to watch his last lecture - www.youtube.com/watch - and do yourself a favor, take the 45 minutes or so and really watch and listen to what he has to say.

Now, you may be asking what does this have to do with "leadership" or adult education resources or career advancement education. If you think the connection is that he was a professor at Carnegie Mellon, I faked you out. Here's the connection, each one of us as opportunities to take on "leadership" challenges every day. Some we can easily recognize - a new team, a new work assignment, maybe coaching a little league or high school sports team. What we don't recognize are the hundred of moments where we use our leadership capabilities just to move through a difficult or challenging day.

It is about understanding outcomes. It is about doing things that will ensure the results you want, not just going through a series of tasks, one right after the other. It's about being in a particular place and space and being really present where it counts. Leadership isn't about the what.....it is about the who and the why!

In his book, Randy speaks to how we should chase our childhood dreams, no matter what they are or how long they take to achieve. He also challenges us to help others chase and achieve their childhood dreams. To be an enabler of those around us to realize their goals. To always be present and engaging.

He uses his "last lecture" as a gift for his children, but it is wrapped in a present for each of us who has taken the time to listen to the video or read his book.

A good education has been a childhood dream of almost every child at some point. While many people will never recognize that their time in an adult education class, or weekend college classes, or using distance learning universities is a way of achieving their childhood dreams, it certainly is our way of helping many gain the skills and knowledge they need to reach out and make that dream their own.

Students building community in Rochester...

Tuesday, February 9, 2010 by Nicole MacMillan

Just a note to remind all about our upcoming Student Activities Committee meeting on Feb. 18 from 4:30-5:30pm at the Rochester Regional Center. I am anxious to see how many students will turn out for the first meeting. I often hear from students in our region that they would love to connect with eachother more outside of the classroom. We have also invited alumni to attend this meeting and we are putting the word out to all students that this type of opportunity to engage with the college is available. Lena Grenier is the student responsible for pulling the group together and suggested the idea after a recent Rochester photoshoot. What a great way to start student initiatives to make our non-residential campus feel more like a learning community! Typically, Business, Behavioral Science Classes and classes for Early Childhood Education are our most popular majors-- so I'm hoping those groups turn out next Thursday!

See you there!

Nicole

Fresh Teaching

Tuesday, February 9, 2010 by John Cook

I had an interesting conversation with a student this evening at our Portsmouth NH College. I asked about her experience taking adult college classes with Granite State College, and her response made me sit up and pay attention. Because I hire Faculty that teach in both Portsmouth and our Rochester NH College, I was fascinated by her take on teaching at this particular NH State College. For her, the individuals that teach our adult college classes are "fresh."

I thought - well isn't that something for New Hampshire Colleges and Universities to consider. Granite State College does indeed have unique people in our classrooms bringing current, "fresh" and unique perspectives with them. I believe it was this student's view that our Faculty truly want to be in our classrooms, and offer a great deal.

This student asked me in return - so, what do I look for when I hire Faculty? Clearly I'll now be thinking about a "fresh" perspective. . .but rather than list particular qualities, I thought I would be specific.  Whether you are interested in classes for early childhood education, or behavioral science or management, chances are, you might consider a Sociology class as part of your adult college degree. If that class is with Granite State College in either Rochester or Portsmouth, you could have the pleasure of hearing a "fresh" perspective from Dr. Nena Stracuzzi.  Take a listen here to Nena talking about her research involving students from Northern New Hampshire. This is how we keep teaching at Granite State College fresh, and why I feel so fortunate to have individuals like Nena Stracuzzi as our Faculty.

What to do when life happens...

Thursday, January 28, 2010 by Cortney Henry

I was just in the middle of my Monday morning reporting when my phone rang. I picked it up to hear the sounds of a baby crying and a very frazzled woman on the other end. I discovered that it was one of our current students who had recently had a run of bad luck causing her to possibly have to withdraw from her evening college classes. She was heartbroken at the thought of having to withdraw from Granite State College, especially since she had been taking childhood education classes for over a year now, in hopes of earning her undergraduate degree.

After talking with her for a few minutes, I discovered that she had recently lost her job and was concerned about being able to pay for her classes since her previous employer had contributed to a good portion of the cost. She had never used financial aid before, and was unaware of her options.

I explained to her that we had many adult financial aid options available and assured her that we could get this situation worked out. I advised her that the first step to apply would be to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as well as complete our Financial Aid Institutional Application.

I then explained that since the income she was going to report on the FAFSA would be based off the year previous, it would not show an accurate depiction of what her current financial situation is since she had recently lost her job. Because of the higher income being reported on the FAFSA, she may not be eligible for the Grant programs, which are the programs that provide students with money that does not need to be paid back.

Since she had recently had a drastic change to her income, it would be in her best interest to complete a Special Circumstance form. This form allows students to explain their current situation as well as provide documentation showing any changes so Granite State College can adjust their income listed on the FAFSA. This then allows the Department of Education to have a more realistic picture of the student's financial situation which, in turn, can help the student receive additional financial aid.

The student was thrilled to hear that there were options available to her. She was going to start filling out the paperwork immediately and was happy to take my advice about filling out the Special Circumstance form. She mentioned that she originally chose Granite State College because of it's affordable college study, but now realized that we also provide support and guidance to students when they are confronted with the struggles of every day life, and she was truly thankful.

Hearing that made my job completely worthwhile. It always feels good when we are able to make a student's life a little bit easier!