College of Education News

A learning and networking opportunity for future teachers

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Educators Rising (EdRising) gives high school students the opportunity to explore career paths into education. 

This year, Missouri State University’s College of Education hosted one of the Educators Rising Fall Conferences. 

The conference allowed 146 students from southwest Missouri high schools to learn more about the education field, explore opportunities available to them and connect with other students and teachers. 

Event details 

The conference was held on Oct. 25 at Plaster Student Union Ballroom.  

The event included:  

  • A keynote speech. 
  • Information about EdRising competitions. 
  • Skill-building opportunities.  
  • Lunch in Blair-Shannon dining hall. 
  • An MSU campus tour.  
  • Round table discussions with MSU faculty, staff and students representing various certification programs.  

About EdRising 

EdRising is a community-based movement that guides young people from high school through college and into their teaching careers. Chapters at schools feed teacher preparation programs at higher education institutions by providing clear pathways to increase teacher diversity and quality.  

In Missouri, Educators Rising is supported by the Missouri National Education Association and the regional professional development centers, such as the Agency for Teaching, Leading and Learning at MSU, that work with schools to promote grow-your-own pathways into teaching.   

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Future Educators program continues to help Springfield community

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Missouri State University began the Future Educators program in fall 2022, with seven students in the first cohort. 

Since then, two of the seven students began teaching in Springfield Public Schools (SPS). Plus, five students joined the program’s second cohort.   

Future Educators paves a path for students to become teachers and helps bring quality teachers to SPS. 

Two start their teaching journey 

This fall, Sam Johnson and Drew Irwin started teaching full time in Springfield, Missouri. 

Johnson graduated from MSU in spring 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. She teaches kindergarten at Bingham Elementary.  

Originally from Houston, Texas, Johnson chose to stay in Springfield to teach thanks to the Future Educators program.  

Irwin is a post-baccalaureate student pursuing teaching certification and a master’s degree in elementary education. He plans to complete teacher certification requirements in December 2023 and hopes to finish his master’s degree by 2027.  

To fulfill his student teaching requirement, Irwin is the teacher of record for fourth grade at Twain Elementary, where his daughter attended and his son currently attends.  

“The Future Educators program boosted my skills and confidence as an educator through real-world training and guest presenters,” Irwin said.  

“I knew going into my first year of teaching there would be bumps along the way, but I’m able to take risks and put my full self into it knowing I have so much support from Twain, MSU and SPS.” 

Five more commit to teach local 

In August 2023, five students signed into the second Future Educators cohort.  

Megan Bolen, Aleila Cage, Malina Carnelison, Susan Cha and Symphony Darville will complete education programs at Missouri State, then teach in Springfield.  

Bolen found the program has already helped her grow as a future teacher. 

“The Future Educators program has been a great way for me to gain practical knowledge about education,” Bolen said. “I’ve been surrounded by like-minded students, educators and experts who have helped me explore new teaching opportunities.” 

Cha shared the program has helped her build meaningful relationships.  

“The program has allowed me to make connections within the Springfield School District for future employment, as well as new friendships where we can learn about the best teaching practices together,” Cha said.  

To Darville, the Future Educators program is a way to help improve representation for her community.  

“I only had one teacher of color in my 13 years of schooling in the SPS school system. The opportunity to be able to go back into my own community and be that representation for students as a Black woman is very special to me,” Darville said.  

About Future Educators 

The Future Educators program helps students from underrepresented and under-resourced backgrounds become educators. 

Future Educators participants complete a program in education at Missouri State. Upon graduation, they will begin their teaching career in SPS.  

They receive financial aid, mentor support and additional teacher training.  

Apply to be a Future Educator 

Reimagining the education system

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Educator Dr. Amber Howard has used elements of competency-based learning (CBL) since she taught elementary school in 2015. 

CBL ensures every child can master and apply their learning and is prepared for high school, college and the workplace. 

“CBL is an education system that places the learner at the center,” Howard, assistant professor of education at Missouri State University, said. “It engages students in more authentic learning and focuses on student growth rather than grades.” 

In spring 2023, Howard won an Excellence in Teaching Award from MSU’s Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning. 

She is currently working with the Success Ready Student Network (SRSN) and Fremont Elementary to help strengthen CBL practices in the Springfield community and beyond. 

Learn more about CBL 

Exploring CBL with the SRSN 

The SRSN is a collaborative initiative that provides support for Missouri public schools using CBL.  

College of Education (COE) Dean Dr. Barri Tinkler has been involved with SRSN since its inception in 2022. She introduced Howard to the initiative in spring 2023 when Howard became the Dean’s Fellow for Competency-Based Learning. 

Howard attends monthly, statewide SRSN meetings via Zoom. The meetings allow her to network with people across the state of Missouri exploring CBL practices within their districts.  

“It’s exciting to hear about how different districts are approaching re-envisioning K-12 education through changing how we assess students,” she said.  

The meetings start with updates from SRSN leadership about CBL initiatives, followed by professional learning around CBL.  

“In the recent meeting, we pondered how we’re equipping students for a future we can’t fully understand right now,” Howard said.  

“We talked about the Future of Work series on Public Broadcasting Service and how we must innovate and do things differently in K-12 settings to prepare students for working in environments that don’t currently exist.” 

Local elementary uses CBL 

Fremont Elementary Principal Dr. Janelle Ballard and Learning Coach Miranda Cupit are working with the Fremont staff to incorporate CBL in their classrooms.  

The duo is currently working on refining Fremont Elementary’s CBL assessment practices. 

“Miranda and Janelle are working with the teachers at Fremont to develop their own proficiency scales to ensure their assessment is meaningful and timely, and students receive the support they need as a result of assessments,” Howard said.  

“I get to attend their grade level team meetings and academic team meetings this semester to support them in transforming the way they approach assessment.” 

Cupit and Ballard are developing their CBL practice through Marzano Resources, a company dedicated to supporting teachers in their professional development. 

Partnership to help future educators at MSU 

Howard is building a partnership between Fremont Elementary staff and five MSU education faculty members who use CBL.  

The partnership will allow education students at MSU to learn from the staff at Fremont, practice teaching and more. 

During the fall, five MSU educators plan to attend weekly meetings with Fremont staff to begin collaborations. In the spring, education students may begin observing classes at Fremont Elementary, and MSU educators will continue collaboration efforts to further develop the partnership. 

“Next semester we hope to bring some of our elementary education (ELE) students to Fremont to learn from their teachers and see some CBL practices in action,” Howard said. 

“Eventually we’d love to have some of the classes within the ELE program taught at Fremont in collaboration with teachers there.”  

Howard hopes the partnership will expand in the future to possibly include these opportunities: 

  • Add Fremont as an eligible school for the Internship Academy, which would provide opportunities for year-long student teaching, more support to a lower income school and education students with a more diverse placement.  
  • Create a Professional Development School, where MSU provides educational resources to Fremont staff and MSU education students observe Fremont staff teaching elementary students.  
  • Allow COE professors to teach MSU education students at Fremont so they can connect their learnings with real-world applications.  
  • Add Fremont as an option for the practicum requirement in ELE 500: Current Issues and Applications in Elementary Education, beginning spring 2024. 

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Placing the learner at the center

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Educator Dr. Amber Howard is dedicated to using fair and effective learning methods for students.    

“The traditional time-based education system requires measuring students using standardized assessments,” said Howard, assistant professor of education at Missouri State University. “But there is no classroom that has all standardized students.”  

When Howard taught elementary school in 2015, she began using elements of an alternative education system called competency-based learning (CBL).  

With the support of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the Success Ready Student Network (SRSN) is advancing the development of CBL. The SRSN is a collaborative initiative that provides support for Missouri public schools using CBL. 

MSU’s College of Education (COE) was the first university to participate in the SRSN’s Collaborative Network Zone, an initiative that helps educators statewide implement CBL.  

What is CBL? 

Competency-based learning is a system that personalizes education for all students.  

“CBL places students at the center of learning,” Howard said. “It humanizes education in ways traditional systems fail to do.” 

Students make decisions about their learning experiences, including how they create and present their knowledge. They move at their own pace, progressing to new material only after they’ve demonstrated mastery of previous material.  

Teachers provide clear and measurable expectations and give timely, specific feedback to each student.  

“CBL focuses on student growth rather than grades and points,” Howard said. “Teachers can focus more on connecting with and helping students rather than measuring them with a standardized assessment.

“Students are more reflective and report that they care more about their learning as a result of CBL and ungrading.”  

The Success-Ready Students Work Group – which COE Dean Dr. Barri Tinkler participated in – developed a framework of eight elements to describe CBL. One element is Real World Learning, which helps prepare students for high school, college and the workplace.  

Learn about the eight elements of CBL 

The future of education 

Howard believes CBL can be used in all grade levels, including higher education. 

“I’ve seen it used in The Bear Cave program in communication, the Springfield Way Internship program in Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities and more,” she said.  

DESE has supported an assessment waiver to bypass the annual Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test for districts with high quality CBL systems.  

“This waiver would replace standardized assessments at the end of the year with alternative reporting measures that center students rather than centering a test,” Howard said.  

“By providing more equitable and just assessment processes, I believe CBL has the potential to transform education.” 

Howard is working with the SRSN and Fremont Elementary to help strengthen CBL practices in the Springfield community and beyond.  

Learn about Howard’s involvement with CBL 

One step closer to her dream

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Emma Hartman has dreamt of becoming a teacher since elementary school.  

“I would always imagine myself in my teacher’s place. I love working with kids and I want to make an impact on the lives of all the students in my classroom in the future,” she said. 

Hartman is a second-year education student at Missouri State University. She plans to graduate in spring 2026 with a bachelor’s in elementary education and a minor in psychology.  

Getting involved in the community 

During her first semester, Hartman joined MSU’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity.  

“I love the mission of the organization: bringing people together to help others achieve their goals,” she said.  

The organization focuses on building homes for those in need. MSU’s chapter is student-led, and Hartman serves as the secretary on the executive board.  

“We get to learn house-building skills we may not have otherwise come across, all while helping people in our own community,” she said. 

Hartman is the vice president of Bears Teach Elementary, a student organization for elementary education majors. She is also a peer reviewer of LOGOS: A Journal of Undergraduate Research.  

A well-rounded education  

As a Springfield native, Hartman chose MSU for its education program and its proximity to her friends and family.  

“My favorite part of MSU is all of the wonderful people I get to meet and spend time with every day,” she said. “In the College of Education, I have classes with a lot of the same people, and it feels like we’ve built our own community.”  

Hartman shared she has learned a lot of useful information in her program and has been able to practice her teaching.  

“I look forward to the practicums and student teaching I’ll do further into the program,” she said. “I did one practicum in high school and I’m excited to see how that experience differs from practicums at a college level.”  

After she graduates, she hopes to teach second or third grade in the Springfield area or surrounding areas. In the future, she wants to obtain a master’s degree in school counseling or another education-related field.  

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