This is my second post and I would like to say that I am very much looking forward to pursuing my dream of becoming a teacher. I have finally applied and have been accepted to Granite State College ( just waiting for transcripts to come in). As I think about my future career as a teacher, I will utilize my experiences at GSC to become better prepared to enter the classroom of the 21st Century. After researching and learning more about GSC, I am more excited to begin my courses so that I can finally make my goal of becoming a teacher a reality. Today I was talking with a friend of mine and I had mentioned GSC - she told me that she had graduated from the college with her associate and bachelor's degrees, and that I would really enjoy my courses and the learning experience. I would like to say THANK YOU GSC for helping me continue my educational journey, and for being so helpful and kind throughout the admissions process. A special thanks to Doug Cooper, Jodi Quinn, and Cara Newton for being so friendly, kind , and caring.
Name: Dan DeQuoy
Graduated: 2015
Location: Manchester/Concord
Degree: B.A. Individual Studies English Language Arts with teacher certification in Elementary/General Special Education
As an older, non-traditional college student, I have had the opportunity to attend several different colleges throughout my life. During the last couple of months, I have been reflecting on who I am and where I want to be in the next 5-10 years in order to really formulate my goals/plans for a better future with a degree which would bring deep innner satisfaction to me. As a part of this process, I made an appointment to speak with Jodi Quinn, a new academic coach at GSC who has gone above and beyond to help me focus on my career goals and actually begin the application process. Although I am not a student at GSC, Jodi, Doug Cooper, Bonnie, and other staff have always greeted me with a pleasant hello and personal greeting - and to me, that is very impressive. My ultimate goal is to obtain certification for elementary/special education and, with the assistance of Jodi and Doug, I feel that I can finally reach for the stars and make my dream a reality. I may be an older student, but I always tell others that slow and steady wins the race. As I write out my thoughts and ideas, the thought of embarking on a new learning journey will bring forth a new beginning for all who seek to pursue knowledge and learning in order to make our world a better place.
- Dan
This morning, instead of heading to Granite State College, GSC’s President paid a visit to a different kind of education institution: Bow Elementary School!
Dr. Todd Leach, along with fellow college and university presidents across New Hampshire, joined young children in classrooms around the state for Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, a world-record-breaking campaign in which adults and children nationwide will read the same book on the same day to establish the largest group of people ever to collectively read the same story on a single date.
This year Jumpstart’s featured book is the New York Times bestselling children’s book, Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad by David Soman and Jacky Davis.
The purpose of this event is to shine a national spotlight on America's early education achievement gap and to highlight Jumpstart's programs as a way to address this crisis. It’s a goal that GSC certainly understands.
In our School of Education, the teacher preparation programs focus in on the critical shortage areas that exist in education, which includes our early childhood education major.
GSC is proud to support Jumpstart’s mission through Read for the Record and proud to contribute by empowering future educators in our undergraduate degree programs and post-baccalaureate programs for teacher education.
On a personal note...
As a Jumpstart alumni, I was excited to learn that the New Hampshire College and University Presidents were going to participate in 2012's Read for the Record and it was a pleasure to help coordinate on behalf of GSC! I did three terms of service while I was earning my bachelor's degree and even have some photos to prove it (note the "vintage" Jumpstart blue from 7 years ago!).
-Jacqui Lantagne
Marketing Specialist, Granite State College
Jumpstart Corps Member and Team Leader, 2004-2007
On Sunday, June 10, 2012, Granite State College held its annual graduation ceremony. Under a near-perfect blue sky and beautiful warm sunshine, more than 200 students marched proudly across the stage at Meadowbrook Pavilion. It is one of my favorite days of the year as it is an uplifting and positive reminder of what we do - help adult students reach goals, better themselves, and prepare for new adventures.
Quite simply, graduation is the attaining of an academic degree. The reality is much more than that. The common theme of the speakers at the ceremony was one of commitment and support. Commitment by the students to pursue and complete their degree despite obstacles that often came their way. Support from family, friends, faculty, and college staff to continue the journey even when it was rough going.
I am always drawn to the other word we use for this occasion: Commencement. This is the ceremony to mark the conferral of the degree but the word also means to begin, to commence, to start new. As students walked the stage, clutching their hard earned diploma they feel great satisfaction about the accomplishment they have completed . What they may not be thinking about at the time is that it is a new beginning for them. Whether they studied Business, Health Care Management or Elementary Education, new opportunities will be theirs to pursue.
As I watched each happy graduate breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate their achievement, I was also reminded that Granite State College has helped them start on a new path. It is what we do. Congratulations and best wishes for all of the graduates.
I am interested in your opinion of online education. Granite State College offers many courses on line. They have many online education, early childhood certification, and elementary education degree courses now online. So I am wondering what you think of an online model in the field of education?
I recently taught the same course in both a face to face and an online format at Granite State College. The course was for Early Childhood Education Majors. I have asked students in the class for their feedback on the course materials including books, videos, discussions and forums. Those students who took the course face to face seemed less interested in the book and more interested in the discussions. Those students who took the course online were very impressed with the book and the videos. They enjoyed the posts of classmates to forums, but rated the book more highly. So I am asking your opinion of the online education experience. Is it a good way to gain an education? Do you think you get the same overall experience? Are there things that are missing in one format or the other that we should build in to the face to face or online models? Stay tuned to see what people are saying about online education.
Today I am sitting at an educational conference for paraeducators. I am writing as I await their next break and my next opportunity to help someone learn how teaching certification can be within reach. With Granite State College's new undergraduate teaching certifications, as well as the Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certifications we can now make teaching certification a reality for more individuals. Granite State College can also help Paraeducators achieve Paraeducator II Certification with the State of NH with a five class sequence or an Associate's Degree.
I am excited to be able to tell prospective students that we can now offer teaching certification with a Bachelor of Arts in Individualized Studies in Social Studies, English Language Arts and Math Studies or a B.S. in Early Childhood Education. We are offering the same teaching certifications as at the Post Baccalaureate level:
General Special Education (K-12)
General Special Ed (K-12)/ Elementary Education (K-8)
Early Childhood Special Ed. (0-age 8)/Early Childhood (N-grade 3)
ESOL (K-12)
Mathematics (5-8)
Secondary Mathematics (7-12)
By specializing in the critcal shortage areas for teachers in NH, Granite State College is able to help individuals be more "employable" upon earning teaching certification. Para educators are so excited to hear that they do not have to stop working to take classes and earn certification. Both undergrad and PBTC programs are job embedded and field based, meaning that we want you working in a school or approved program during your time with us. Classes are available online, as field based or occasionally as face to face, so you can live anywhere in NH (and surrounding states) and complete your teaching certification.
Time to go and talk with some future teachers and tell them... how easy it is to get that teaching certification... that allows you to take that teaching position... increases your ability to positively impact the future of our children and schools... and furthers your career!
Think about the Early Childhood Certification or Elementary Education Degree at Granite State College. You are busy working in a classroom all day helping children, but you want to complete a degree, or get those courses required for a promotion. Getting to class at night is difficult but you want some support from your peers. You think online education might be too hard because you won't have contact with others in the class.
The online forum is the perfect answer. Here you post a question or a thought about the reading you have done, and your peers respond with their answers or additional thoughts. You have an ongoing conversation with the other people in your class, right from your own computer. So consider the online college option as the perfect answer to your busy life.
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!
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