Tag: Literacy

FRONTIER SPOTLIGHT

Professor
Kimra Rogers

Professor Kimra Rogers has a history at Sul Ross State University. Along with teaching Reading and Literacy for our Education Department, she is also an elementary school counselor at Alpine Elementary School. Serving now for 27 years in education, she has taught 2nd grade, kindergarten, and was even a music teacher for one year. She is now in her 16th year at Alpine Elementary School as a counselor.

She received her Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree in M.Ed. Reading and Counseling certification from Sul Ross State University. Her career in education began in Lorenzo, Texas then taught in Mansfield, Texas, and Fort Stockton, Texas. Kimra comes from a strong family of educators. Her father was a professor and chair of Industrial Technology at SRSU for many years. Her mother was a professor of education and director of field experiences at SRSU. Her sister is currently a second grade teacher in Alpine.

“My favorite memory of Sul Ross is growing up around the Industrial Technology building with my dad. Sul Ross had a very active Industrial Technology Club. We participated in parades and cookouts at Kokernot Lodge. I also spent a lot of time with my mom in the Education Dept. They both made a tremendous positive impact on my life. I hold Sul Ross near and dear to my heart!”

Sul Ross State University is very fortunate to have Professor Kimra Rogers here to serve our students.

Meet Literacy Leader, Ashley Halfmann

Hello! My name is Ashley Halfmann and I am currently a 2nd grade teacher for San Angelo ISD.  This is my 9th year in education and I have served my district in many capacities. I have taught Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 4th and 5th grade English Language Arts (ELA).  I graduated in 2010 from Angelo State University with a Bachelor in Science in Interdisciplinary Studies and in 2018 from Sul Ross State University with a Master of Education in Reading Specialist. 

I have a passion for literacy and have served on many English Language Arts PLCs and mentor committees.  I was involved in Teaching for Learning curriculum writing, in which, I developed 4th grade ELA curriculum.  I also participate in a summer reading program that supports and strengthens reading skills of low socioeconomic children.  I was awarded Teacher of the Year in 2016.

As a former writing teacher, I have learned the value of strong writing instruction.  This begins with simply allowing your students to write daily.  A favorite activity comes from Corbett Harrison called “Sacred Writing Time”.  This is a short ten minute part of the day that becomes one of the most important.  This time allows students to freely write and draw about anything on their mind.  A set block of writing time builds writing fluency, challenges students to be creative and express their ideas in unique ways, and is a great time to practice skills and strategies discussed in writing mini-lessons.  Building confident writers in elementary classrooms paves the way for life-long writers!



SRSU Fall 2019 M.Ed. Reading Specialist Graduate

ESC Region 12 and Sul Ross State University Announce Online Master’s Program Partnership

Waco, Texas– Education Service Center (ESC) Region 12 is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with Sul Ross State University (SRSU), offering students participating in the ESC Region 12 Master Reading Teacher (MRT) certification program the opportunity to apply the practicum and observation components of the program as credit toward SRSU’s Master of Education Reading Specialist Degree program. Participants of the MRT program are also eligible to enroll in SRSU’s M.ED. Reading online at a reduced rate. The partnership will go into effect immediately, allowing students to enroll at Sul Ross as early as the Fall 2018 semester.

 

“We’re thrilled to offer an opportunity for our MRT students to receive credit toward a master’s degree,” said Denise Bell, education specialist at ESC Region 12 and facilitator of the center’s MRT program. “We’ve long received feedback from participants and program evaluators that the practicum course work is as rigorous as that of college degree programs, so this partnership is really a hard-earned acknowledgement of the work our students have been doing.”

 

The Master of Education Reading Specialist Degree program at Sul Ross is offered completely online, accommodating the schedules of working professionals and eliminating commute times for educators within Region 12. “We are looking forward to working with SRSU to provide a collaborative network for literacy leadership,” said Dr. Jerry Maze, executive director of ESC Region 12. “We believe this research-based partnership will assist in building a new frontier of literacy in a digital age.”

 

The reading specialist program addresses reading instruction, the implementation of reading instruction, reading assessment, and language acquisition. Students who successfully complete the ESC Region 12 MRT certification will receive credit for the practicum and observation portion in lieu of completing the SRSU practicum.

 

“We are excited to provide innovative and flexible online learning opportunities for educators to earn a Master’s of Education Reading Specialist degree with Education Service Center Region 12 and Sul Ross State University,” Dr. Jennifer Miller-Ray, assistant professor at Sul Ross State University said. “Together we will build the next generation of Literacy Leaders to serve our great and diverse learning population across Texas.” Reading Specialists serve in many positions within education including central office administrators, campus reading specialists, supervisors of campus reading programs, language arts and reading curriculum designers, and private practitioners.

 

Students interested in applying to the Master of Education Reading Specialist Degree program at SRSU should apply online here. For more information about the program, contact Dr. Jennifer Miller (jennifer.miller@sulross.edu – 432-294-8013). Students interested in enrolling in the ESC Region 12 MRT Certification program, or those are currently enrolled, should contact Denise Bell (dbell@esc12.net – 255-297-1227).

Rebecca Garcia is Promoting Global Citizenship Through STEM Literacy Skills

I was very fortunate to attend the Summer 2018 NASA MEI conference. During this time, I learned various STEM components and improved my knowledge of Aeronautical and Space Science. Prior to attending, I was having trouble trying to figure out how exactly I would incorporate this material in my future classroom. As an English major, these concepts rarely appear, and that is a huge issue.

STEM is in fact so versatile and should be incorporated cross curriculum. It makes learning more personal and fun. As an English teacher, my job does not end when the book is over. Therefore, incorporating STEM goes beyond the book. It places multiple subjects in the students minds and allows them to extend their knowledge rather than just stay at a base level.

Using STEM extends a student’s knowledge and pushes them to think in a way that they can incorporate their knowledge in the real world. Students can build and strengthen writing and literacy skills that will help them in math, science, technology and beyond. One of the most beneficial aspects of STEM is that it pulls knowledge from multiple subjects and allows students to apply it to prior and future knowledge. Through STEM, teachers can guide students to be effective and a contributor as global citizens.

Rebecca Garcia is currently a graduate research assistant in the College of Education and Professional Studies at Sul Ross State University.

One of the STEM literacy examples that Rebecca participated in is the Do You Know That Clouds Have Names activity sponsored by The Globe Program, a global Science and Education Program. To learn more about Globe activities and to become a trained Globe teacher, visit https://www.globe.gov/join/become-a-globe-teacher. 

Teaching Opportunities Abroad

As the global population increases, so does the demand for passionate and energized international teachers. In order to meet the United Nation’s goal of irradiating literacy by 2030, the need for for 69 million new teachers is now a priority. As English is an international language, native speakers have a real advantage.  Teaching abroad offers many benefits to include cultural  experiences, financial incentives, a rich professional experience to add to a resume, a strong global professional learning network,and the chance to make a real impact in the lives of others globally. To help students begin to consider positions internationally, check out the following resources.