College of Education News

Online master’s in child development ranked among the best

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Online Schools Report recognized Missouri State University’s master’s in child development program as one of the top 10 in the nation.

About the ranking

Missouri State ranked eighth on the list.

MSU was noted for its personalized degree construction. Individuals in the program have the opportunity to choose a third of their classes based on personal interest.

The program’s reputation, student satisfaction and 100% self-pacing of the program were all listed as contributing factors to the ranking.

How the ranking is determined

The Online Schools Report uses a variety of data sources to develop the rankings. The criteria for this ranking includes:

  • Acceptance rates
  • Earning potential
  • Online presence
  • Online program quality
  • Retention
  • Student satisfaction
  • Reputation

MSU was also recognized for having their program completely accessible online.

Breaking barriers on Bear Breaks

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Shelby Boschert, Joe Elbert and Kate Weiser spent their break from classes serving others. These three College of Education students have a passion for helping others. They traveled across the country with Bear Breaks to learn invaluable skills. These skills will serve them well as they enter classrooms.

To Colorado 

Boschert's and Elbert's trip to Colorado

Boschert, senior early childhood education student, and Elbert, junior special education major, co-led a trip to Colorado focused on helping children and families. Elbert and Boschert began prepping and planning for their March trip in September of 2018.  

Boschert and their group served at the Children’s Hospital in Colorado. The trip took a total of 11 hours for the crew. After arriving in Aurora, a blizzard hit, causing the team to adapt. 

“Joe and I had to be flexible and make sure that reflection and service was a priority,” Boschert said. 

At the hospital, the group worked in the child care center, crafted with patients, siblings and parents, distributed snacks to the nurses, and ran community activities. 

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The experience Boschert and Elbert had in Colorado was more than just a service trip. It’s helped them in their professional development. 

“Bear Breaks has reinforced the idea that schools are meant to be a safe haven for students,” Elbert said. “Our students may have chaos in their life after school.” 

“Bear Breaks showed me firsthand how these issues can affect my future students and gave me ideas on how I can help them.”

“There’s so much that classes alone cannot teach you,” Boschert said. “Bear Breaks helps to supplement that. Being a great teacher means you are open to change, experiences and want to continue to grow as a person and a teacher.” 

To New Orleans 

Weiser and her group in New Orleans

Weiser, sophomore middle school education major with an emphasis in history and science, led a trip to New Orleans focused on sustainability.  

Like Boschert and Elbert, Weiser and her co-leader spent nine months planning for the trip. Weiser enjoyed her two years with Bear Breaks so much that she now serves as the director of membership and education for the organization. 

Weiser’s trip to New Orleans included working on educational farms and gardens.  

“The people that welcomed us into their project homes and shared their life stories with us are something I will never forget,” Weiser said. 

Her passion for service started before college.  

“When I came to MSU, I felt like something was missing,” Weiser explained. After volunteering during MSU’s Day of Service on campus, she sought out other service opportunities and found Bear Breaks. 

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She found her place in Bear Breaks and found great friendships in the group she led this past spring break. 

“Each one of the participants was amazing and really brought great skills to the team,” Weiser said. 

“We were truly immersed in the city of New Orleans and made a connection to the city that no tourist walking up and down Bourbon Street could ever experience.”

Like Boschert and Elbert, Weiser plans to use the skills she’s developed from this service in her classroom.  

“My leadership skills were pushed to the max over the week,” Weiser said. “I have grown in every single way.” 

She plans to start her own educational garden in her future classrooms thanks to her Bear Break experience. 

Missouri Teacher of the Year visits campus

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There’s no better way to learn than from the expert herself.

Beth Davey is a kindergarten through fifth grade music teacher at Iveland Elementary in St. Louis, Missouri. She is also 2018 Missouri Teacher of the Year.

She was awarded the prestigious title early last year by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

Davey has been active on her professional Twitter and Facebook about the need to work on weaknesses and celebrate the strengths of Missouri public schools.

The mission of the Missouri Teacher of the Year Program is to honor, promote and celebrate excellence in the teaching profession, according to DESE.

The event

Davey will be speaking about her love of teaching and offering advice on April 26 from 10:30 a.m. to noon in Hill Hall, Room 001. This event will highlight all of the rewards a career in teaching can offer.

Dr. Stephen Kleinsmith, 2018 Missouri Superintendent of the Year, and Dr. David Hough, dean of the College of Education, will provide opening statements.

The event will conclude with a panel of Missouri State notable faculty and community members.

For more information about the event, browse the calendar event.

Master’s in counseling program recognized for best value

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Missouri State University’s master’s in counseling degree was recognized as one of the highest valued in the country by Human Services Edu.

“We created the list to help potential students find information about accredited and top quality programs,” said Kelly Simpson, outreach specialist for Human Services Edu.

Missouri State is one of only two schools in Missouri to be recognized.

About the ranking

Human Services Edu listed several benefits of the MSU program:

  • Missouri State provides an exceptional learning experience for the most affordable price.
  • MSU’s program is nearly $8,000 less than the state average for counseling master’s degrees.
  • The counseling program offers opportunities for service-learning practicums, cross-cultural experiences and hands-on learning.

Ranking criteria

Human Services Edu uses various criteria to determine a school’s placement on the list. The criteria for this ranking includes:

  • Must be fully accredited
  • Incorporation of scientific, evidence-based practices in the curriculum
  • High standards for supervised fieldwork experience
  • Demonstration of student comprehension and competence in legal and ethical standards
  • Opportunities for international travel
  • Online and in-class enrollment options
  • Stand-out faculty

Community educators brainstorm how to solve teacher shortage

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Teachers are role models and influencers. They serve students from all walks of life to equip them with necessary life skills and knowledge. However, the decline in interest for teaching as a career has affected the outlook for the profession.

Enrollment decline

The number of students pursuing a degree in education has decreased by 10 percent nationwide, according to Education Dive. And nearly 8 percent of teachers have left the profession over the last 10 years.

In response to this decline, leaders within Missouri State University’s College of Education (COE) are organizing efforts to combat the shortage.

More than 40 local educators and community partners will gather on Feb. 7 to discuss ways to solve the teacher shortage.

“The goal of our Think Tank event is to generate ideas that will enable my leadership team to create a proactive action plan to attract more young people into the field of education,” said Dr. David Hough, dean of the College of Education.

In 2017, more than 100,000 teaching positions were filled by inadequately-trained teachers, according to Teacher Shortage Toolkit.

“We hope to regain the high ground on public perception of teaching,” said Dr. Stephen Kleinsmith, director of school and community partnerships at Missouri State University.

Hough noted that the last study of teacher supply and demand in Missouri was completed by the MSU Institute for School Improvement in 2001.

“Missouri should commission a new study to identify areas that will be impacted most,” said Hough. “Based on available data, it appears as though Missouri and the rest of the United States will face severe teacher shortages within a year or two if something isn’t done immediately.”

Think Tank

The College of Education’s Think Tank will begin at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 7 in Kentwood Hall.

Participants of the event include:

  • Paul Katnik, assistant commissioner for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
  • Sara Lampe, long-time educator and former member of the Missouri House of Representatives
  • A consultant from Mobile, Alabama
  • Local educators
  • Care to Learn employees
  • Special education experts
  • Legislators

Speakers will focus on how to change perceptions about teaching careers and the current shortage of qualified teachers.

Group discussions and workshops will tackle ideas to actively combat it. Current College of Education students will provide further context for discussion.

“We need to bring this matter to the attention of our community and listen our way to solutions,” Kleinsmith said.