College of Education News

Archives for May 2024

Dr. Tammi Davis featured in Mind’s Eye

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Congratulations to Dr. Tammi Davis for her recent feature in Mind’s Eye magazine. Davis is associate professor in the School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences at Missouri State University.

As an educator with over 20 years of experience — including 10 years as a teacher educator — Davis has prioritized her research to study the experiences of new teachers.

Congratulations Dr. Davis!

The full story is now available online.

Excerpt:

During the course of her research, Dr. Tammi Davis has found there is a lack of guidance and support for teachers in the early years of their careers.

“The first few years are a crucial time in the development of novice teachers,” said Davis, associate professor in the School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences at Missouri State University. “They need mentorship and support to help guide them so they’re not navigating it all alone.” 

Evidence shows formal mentorship provides teachers with the support they need for their professional development. But there is little research on the implementation and effectiveness of formal mentorship programs, and it is not standardized across the U.S. 

“Many states that require teachers to have mentors don’t have high quality mentorship programs,” Davis said. “Some states don’t require mentors at all.”  

Read the full story

Graduating senior returns to hometown for teaching position

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Graduating Missouri State University senior and Marshfield native Michaela Bledsoe was excited to return home this semester for her student teaching duties. 

“I built such a great connection with this community and I wanted to continue that for my adult life,” said Bledsoe, an elementary education major.  

She always considered rural education the obvious career path for her. 

“The community offers so many ways to connect to students,” she said. “Whether it’s at sporting events, church or even just from their backyard, kids really enjoy seeing the same people in their small town.” 

Ozarks Teacher Corps supports rural education 

For the past two years as a student at Missouri State, Bledsoe has been a part of the Ozarks Teacher Corps (OTC).  

OTC is a scholarship run by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks that provides financial aid to future educators and helps put them in rural classrooms. OTC connects education students through professional development events, building a network of rural education leaders. 

She first heard about OTC from her academic advisor at Missouri State. As of 2019, OTC has a teacher-placement rate of 92%.  

Bledsoe found connecting with her peers through OTC an enriching experience. 

“It’s not just about my classroom; it’s about education as a whole,” she said.  

“We all have the desire to improve and teach the next generation of students. Being with people who are excited about kids and students is just so energizing.” 

A teaching job secured 

While Bledsoe’s time as a student teacher is ending with her graduation from MSU this May, her relationship with Marshfield R-I School District is not.  

It offered her a fifth grade teaching position starting this fall. 

“I’m so thankful I get to go back home for my first year of teaching, and hopefully for many more,” she said. 

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MSU expert: Let’s celebrate teachers by paying them more

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Yesterday was the first day of National Teacher Appreciation Week, officially dedicated to say thank you to the extraordinary educators who work tirelessly with students and families throughout the year.

Dr. Jon Turner, associate professor of education and leadership at Missouri State University, spends much of his time advocating for Missouri teachers, especially in rural districts.

This year, he says there are simply less teachers to appreciate as a national shortage continues to plague the profession.

Turner talks about the reasons why and what we can do to fix it going forward.

What can be done to fix the teacher shortage issue

Read the full transcript

Dr. Jennice McCafferty-Wright selected for a Fullbright-Hays summer fellowship abroad

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Join us in congratulating Missouri State University’s Dr. Jennice McCafferty-Wright on being selected for a summer 2024 fellowship to Tanzania-Zanzibar hosted by the School of International Training.  

“Tuko Pamoja: Tanzanian Creativity and Perspectives in an Era of Climate Change,” is funded by a Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad grant from the Department of Education. Only six U.S. professors were selected for this incredible opportunity. 

“I’m so grateful my colleague Dr. Sarah Nixon forwarded the application to me,” said McCafferty-Wright, assistant professor in the School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences. “Schools, communities, coral reefs, Kilimanjaro, nature reserves, an introduction to Swahili — this promises to be an incredibly memorable journey!” 

The five-week fellowship will focus on providing ways for educators to bring African perspectives into their classrooms when discussing climate change. This connects to the work she has begun as an MSU sustainability fellow. 

“I’m most excited about the opportunity to learn from and with educators and researchers in Tanzania-Zanzibar,” McCafferty-Wright said. 

In this fellowship, she will hear from a wide variety of voices, ranging from Tanzanian policymakers to smallholder farmers in the Maasai community.  

“International relationships and experiences can help us think about our work in a more complex way,” McCafferty-Wright said. “The work I’m doing will also help me establish collaborative relationships for projects that will ultimately benefit our students.” 

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