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WHY TALK POLICY ON THE ARIZONA TRAIL?
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One year ago, in my first months as dean, I got an invitation to hike a portion of the Arizona Trail with
Representative Martha McSally. I had been talking with faculty in our college about the frequent disconnect between policymakers and education research. Many of our faculty members conduct research on education issues that relate directly to education policy on both a state and federal level, while others study policy and its effects.
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| Johnson and McSally |
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This seemed like a good opportunity to get to know a policymaker. My invitation to hike with Representative McSally had nothing to do with my position at the UA. Instead, I was invited because I know that section of the trail well. McSally is known for her love of hiking and is determined to hike the entire Arizona Trail, which snakes through an impressive 800 miles of stunning southwestern scenery. This was her first section to hike, a 13-mile portion between the Catalina and Rincon Mountains. We were accompanied by a writer and a photographer from
Backpacker magazine. Read the full story
here.
While some of the conversation focused on the Arizona Trail, hiking, and the Grand Canyon, she and I also had very interesting conversations about education issues both in Arizona and in the nation.
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| MacLean gets to know the audience before her talk. |
After sending our last month's
Message from the Dean, I received two emails taking me to task for co-sponsoring
Nancy MacLean's book talk (
Democracy in Chains). This event was for the public and was not part of any class, though students were certainly welcome. The MacLean talk was arranged by other organizations, and we were asked to join as one of the co-sponsors. We agreed because in the book she addresses efforts to privatize education. As a college of education in a public university, we are very concerned about issues affecting public education. We encourage a variety of thoughts and opinions on these important topics.
To illustrate how serious we are about this, later this month we will be hosting a discussion, for our students this time, on the pros and cons of Proposition 305, Expansion of Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Referendum. We have invited a speaker who is in favor of the proposition and one who is opposed. As a college of education at a public, land-grant, research university, I believe it is our duty to help our students and our community understand the key issues that impact education.
We have a lot more to share, so read on!
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49TH IN THE NATION. SERIOUSLY? LET'S FIX IT!
Arizona's annual school funding is a billion dollars less than it was in 2008. That's a $4.5 billion loss since 2009.
If we want a state where our children thrive, we need to invest in the schools that educate 95 percent of Arizona students. As part of our newly forming Educational Policy Center, please join us for a panel discussion on how citizen propositions, clean elections, and oversight legislation can save Arizona public education.
Join the College of Education this
Wednesday, October 10, for a panel discussion on how citizen propositions, clean elections, and oversight legislation can save Arizona public education.
OUR PANEL
Dawn Penich-Thacker is the co-founder and communications director of
Save our Schools Arizona. She will discuss how grassroots movements can support and
strengthen public schools.
Kirsten Engel is a professor at the UA College of Law and a member of the Arizona House of Representatives. Representative Engel will discuss the role of the Legislature in school funding and regulations.
Pam Powers Hannley is a member of the House of Representatives. Representative Powers Hannley will discuss the role of dark money and how we can protect clean elections.
DETAILS
Let's Fix It! Panel Discussion
Wednesday, October 10
6:30 - 8 p.m.
College of Education
Kiva Room (211)
This event is free, but an RSVP is requested here
If you need special accommodations or information about parking, contact
Fernando Parra at 520-621-9578 or
[email protected].
We're Creating a New Institute
Why create this institute? Teachers are professionals who should have more choice in advancing their careers. Schools and districts provide important professional development for their teachers, but they are limited by resource and time constraints, so they must focus on school or district priorities. They cannot also be expected to meet the individual needs of all of their teachers.
There is strength in acknowledging that no single entity can do it all. Partners for the creation of the institute include UA STEM Learning Center, Pima County Schools Superintendent, CITY Center Collaborative, Tucson Values Teachers, Southern Arizona Association for the Education of Young Children, Partners for Equitable Science Instruction, and several local school districts and charter schools.
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What's Up, College of Education?
¿Qué esta pasando?
There's always plenty to do at the College of Education. Check out what we have lined up for October:
CODE:Debugging the Gender Gap
Documentary
Wednesday, October 17
6 p.m.
Panel discussion follows the film
Hands-on coding experience prior to the film at 4:30 p.m.
The College of Education is proud to be one of the sponsors of this documentary, which exposes the dearth of American female and minority software engineers and explores the reasons for this gender gap. CODE raises the question: What would society gain from having more women and minorities code?
RECEPTION AND CONVERSATION!
Hope through Resilience: The Picturebook Art of Ronald Himler
Reception and Conversation
Sunday, October 21
1 - 3 p.m.
Free
College of Education, Room 453
Worlds of Words hosts a reception and conversation with award-winning artist and illustrator
Ronald Himler to celebrate WOW's new exhibit,
Creating Hope through Resilience: The Picturebook Art of Ronald Himler. The exhibit features Himler's original paintings from
The Roses in My Carpets, Always with You, The Caged Birds of Phnom Penh, and
The Lily Cupboard. These books and many of his other books can be perused in the collection. Hands-on activities for children of all ages include an introduction to watercolor, an exercise with elastic bands to demonstrate the concept of resilience, and an opportunity to depict oneself in a "dummy" layout page.
More
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CHILDREN'S BOOKS FROM MEXICO!
Current Trends in Literature for Children and Adolescents in Mexico
Monday, October 29
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. with reception at 6 p.m.
Free
College of Education, Room 453
Join us on Monday, October 29, at Worlds of Words to learn about the exciting developments in children's literature in Mexico. Many excellent authors and illustrators are creating high quality picturebooks and novels to engage children and adolescents, both in Spanish and in Indigenous languages. Children's books from Mexico will be on display for browsing. A specialist in children's literature from UNAM in Mexico City,
Anel Pérez Martínez, whose work focuses on the history and theory of children's literature, will talk about her observations of the most significant trends in books being created for children and adolescents by Mexican authors and illustrators.
HOMECOMING!
Homecoming: Tradition, Pride, Spirit
Thursday - Saturday, October 25 - 27
Everything you need to know is right here!
It's time for Homecoming 2018! Meet fellow alumni for the
Wine Harvest Homecoming Reception, a special evening of selected wines and hors d'oeuvres in honor of the college's
Alumnus of the Year Rufus Glasper '95 and the Class of 1968, as they celebrate their 50th class reunion. The event ends just in time for the bonfire! All College of Education alumni and friends are invited to attend at no charge.
We also hope to see you at our
Alumni Tent on the Mall
. Reconnect with fellow alumni, watch the parade, check out the coloring and tattoos for kids, and spin the prize wheel for all alumni!
Getting to Know You: Scholarship Breakfast 2018
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Andrea Miller, Theresa Brennan, and
Bruce Johnson (standing, left to right) with Janna Hasko-Dunagan, Hailey Piancino, Lauren Pierce, and Nancy Woodling (sitting, left to right)
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A record crowd of more than 200 attended our annual Scholarship Donor Appreciation Breakfast, an event that creates an opportunity for scholarship donors and their student recipients to meet and get to know each other. Our guest speaker was the college's
Professor Shirin Antia of The George Price and Shirin Antia Scholarship Endowment. Student speakers were undergraduate student
Hailey Piancino (special education and rehabilitation) and graduate student
Lauren Pierce (educational psychology).
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| Tatiana Thompson and Steve Lynn |
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Vicky Capin, Amanda Robertson,
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PEOPLE
Disability & Psychoeducational Studies
Recent studies estimate that more than 50 percent of students will experience bullying during their school career, a problem that can negatively affect children well into adulthood. For parents, and those who work with children, it is important to know how to recognize bullying and when and how to intervene on a child's behalf.
Associate Professor Michael Sulkowski will discuss the latest research about bullying prevention and intervention during a free public presentation from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 18, at the Center for Health Education in Newport, Oregon.
Educational Policy Studies & Practice
Inside Higher Education featured research by our former faculty member
Ozan Jaquette, now an assistant professor of education at the University of California, Los Angeles, and
Karina Salazar, a doctoral candidate in our Center for the Study of Higher Education, on
their shared findings about college recruitment visits to high schools. Colleges visit high schools in areas where family income is high,
they found.
Teaching, Learning & Sociocultural Studies
Aron Schmidt, a member of the college's Professional Preparation Board and the director of high school instruction and career technical education at Vail Unified School District, was named one of the
Arizona Daily Star's 40 Under 40.
Nicole Tilicki '92, elementary school teacher at Innovation Academy, received the 2018 Raytheon Leaders in Education Award, at the Tucson Values Teachers Let's Talk Ed event.
Junior
Rebekka Weismantle received the Arizona State Museum's Year at the Museum Award, a competitive work-study position from the Raymond H. and Molly K. Thompson Endowment to provide a two-semester, hands-on educational experience at the Arizona State Museum. Weismantle is pursuing a degree in leadership, literacy, and learning with a minor in family studies and human development. Arizona State Museum's Community Engagement program provides a stepping stone into her dream career of working in museum education.
Until next month,
Bruce Johnson
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From Our Development Office
Why Annual Giving is Important for our College
It never fails: Just as you sit down for dinner, the phone rings and it is a student caller asking you questions about your experience at the UA. Although these calls may come at an inopportune time, they really do help us learn more about your connection with our college.
You also may receive a letter from the dean or an email asking for your support. Funds raised through our annual giving campaign support student scholarships, faculty research, professional development opportunities for graduate students, and other emerging needs for our college.
I hope the next time you receive a call from one of our fantastic students, you will take a few minutes to get to know them and give them some insight as to why you support the UA and how we can continue to provide meaningful engagement opportunities for our supporters.
Thank you for your support -- any gift of any size truly makes a difference!
Lee O'Rourke
Director of Development
To make a gift to the college,
please follow
this link
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1430 E. Second Street, Tucson, Arizona 520.621.1462
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