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Missouri State University will connect young people across regions with support from the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative

April 25, 2023 by Strategic Communication

Jennice McCafferty-Wright meeting virtual exchange participants at the CRMEF (teacher training center) in Casablanca, 2022.

The Stevens Initiative announced Missouri State University is one of 15 schools, higher education institutions and nonprofit organizations to receive funding to run virtual exchange programs that connect young people in the United States and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.  

Missouri State’s Global Teacher Education Exchange brings new and future K-12 educators from Libya, Morocco and the United States into a vibrant professional learning community where they engage in cross-cultural collaboration and prepare to teach for global understanding. 

About MSU’s teacher exchange program 

Global Teacher Education Exchange is implemented by Missouri State and is supported by the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI). JCSVEI is a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute. 

Missouri State’s Global Teacher Education Exchange integrates virtual exchange into teacher preparation programs in Libya, Morocco and the United States. Through the exchange, new and future educators from a variety of backgrounds engage with each other on local and global issues in K-12 education.  

With their cohorts from other countries, they learn to teach for global understanding, and they create and share educational resources about their countries and cultures. As a result, participants enter their careers with experiences in cross-cultural collaboration and with stronger pedagogical skills. 

“It’s thrilling to watch future educators from different cultures learn with and from each other. It’s clear that they want to teach for global understanding, and we’re honored to be a part of their journey,” said Dr. Jennice McCafferty-Wright, Global Teacher Education Exchange coordinator and education professor at MSU. 

McCafferty-Wright and Dr. Minor Baker, the exchange’s project director and education professor at MSU, will soon travel to North Africa to begin working with Moroccan teacher trainers.  

About Stevens Initiative 

The Stevens Initiative is an international leader in virtual exchange, which brings young people from diverse places together to collaborate and connect through everyday technology. Created in 2015 as a lasting tribute to Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, the Initiative invests in virtual exchange programs, shares research, resources and promising practices to improve impact and advocates for broader adoption.   U.S. flag, U.S. logo, Stevens Initiative logo, Aspen Institute logo, MSU logo.

Learn more about the grant 

Filed Under: COE Faculty, COE Students, Uncategorized Tagged With: Global Teacher Education Exchange, Jennice McCafferty-Wright, Minor Baker, Stevens Initiative

Congratulations, Dr. Lewis

April 17, 2023 by Savannah A. Keller

Dr. Kayla Lewis with books.

The research of Dr. Kayla Lewis has been selected for the 2023 issue of Mind’s Eye, a Missouri State University research publication. Lewis is an associate professor of literacy. 

Her research delves into how children’s books can help combat misinformation and educate the youth about Native American heritage.   

The following is an excerpt from the story:   

The lack of proper education about native heritage contributes to racism and reinforces stereotypes.   

“Children’s books can help combat these issues by providing an outlet for teachers to honor, support and teach native heritage,” Lewis said.   

“They can also help preserve endangered indigenous languages.”   

She partnered with her former professor and longtime friend, Dr. Sarah Nixon, another MSU literacy professor. Together, they curated a collection of books for teachers to use in their curriculum.   

The duo evaluated 95 children’s books from their personal and local libraries. The books were fiction or non-fiction written by or about Native Americans.   

Read the full article online 

Filed Under: COE Faculty Tagged With: Dr. Kayla Lewis, Mind's Eye, reading foundations and technology department, research, Sarah Nixon

Recognizing Native and Indigenous Heritage Month

November 7, 2022 by Savannah A. Keller

Flag of the Chickasaw Nation. "The Great seal of the Chickasaw Nation."

Native Americans are often misrepresented in the classroom, which reinforces stereotypes and contributes to racism.   

Dr. Kayla Lewis is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and professor of literacy at Missouri State University. 

In July 2022, Lewis spoke about the need for newer, more accurate literature to improve the representation of Native Americans in the classroom. 

  1. Newer literature more representative and accurate


Upcoming keynote speech 

Learn more about Lewis’ work by attending her speech at 5 p.m. Nov. 14 at the PSU, Room MCR PSU 101.  

She will talk about culturally authentic representations of Native Americans in children’s literature and K-12 curriculum. 

Plan to attend the keynote speech

Filed Under: COE Faculty Tagged With: Dr. Kayla Lewis, reading foundations and technology department

Developing teaching skills through community engagement

August 5, 2022 by Savannah A. Keller

Classroom with stuffed animals and a rug.

Community awareness is an essential component of teaching.  

“Teachers are community workers. Effective teaching requires ethical leadership and cultural literacies,” Dr. Jennice McCafferty-Wright said.  

“This is especially true when we engage with the newest members of our community and those who have fled exploited and war-torn homelands.” 

Wright is an assistant professor in the department of childhood education and family studies at Missouri State University. She teaches courses that help students become educators. 

To help her students develop teaching skills and community awareness, Wright incorporated a service-learning practicum into her course, Methods of Teaching Social Studies in Elementary Schools. 

Making a lifelong difference 

The English Language Institute at Missouri State provides free English classes for adult refugees from Afghanistan. While the parents are in class, Wright’s students engage with the parents’ children.  

A few evenings a week, the students provide a safe learning environment for the children to learn through play.  

The students follow the children’s lead. They engage with the children in English to help them learn the language, and express interest in the children’s cultures and home languages, Dari or Pashto.  

The students’ efforts have a profound impact on the children and their families.  

“Some of the mothers of these young children are preliterate. The Taliban did not permit them to learn to read or write in their home languages when they were younger,” Wright said.  

“Now, they live in a country where literacy is an essential requirement for providing for their families. The skills learned in their English classes are essential to their families’ survival in the United States.” 

Molding to the community’s needs 

Through service-learning, the students develop a deeper understanding of their course material.  

Students can connect course topics, such as teaching for global understanding and civic engagement, to their practicum experience.  

By working with children who are refugees, the students learn valuable skills that will help them teach students from all backgrounds.  

“The students practice strategies for working with children who are English Language Learners,” Wright said.  

“They also support the development of vocabulary that will help the children engage with social studies and other school subjects.” 

It is crucial that teacher candidates learn how to adapt their teaching approach to meet their students’ needs, especially those from vulnerable communities.  

“In a perfect world, there would be no need for teachers to know how to support victims of manmade crises,” Wright said.  

“But we must teach both for the world in which we live and the more perfect world our students have the potential to create.”   

Wright plans to incorporate the practicum in future courses to continue serving the community and helping her students become well-rounded educators.  

Learn more about education programs

Filed Under: COE Faculty, Elementary Education Tagged With: childhood education and family studies, college of education, Jennice McCafferty-Wright, service-learning

Greenwood Laboratory School appoints new director

May 12, 2022 by Strategic Communication

A familiar face to Springfield Public Schools (SPS) students and families is the new leader of Greenwood Laboratory School.

Dr. Ronald Snodgrass, an educator with more than 30 years of experience, will assume the role of director June 1. Snodgrass has served as interim director since July 2021.

“I’m humbled and honored to be named the new director of Greenwood,” Snodgrass said. “Greenwood has a family atmosphere and is a special and unique place.

“Greenwood’s reputation of academic excellence will be of the utmost importance to maintain in the future. I look forward to working with the outstanding faculty currently in place to move the school to new heights and provide the best learning opportunities for our students.”

Educator brings teaching and administrative experience to the role

Dr. Ronald Snodgrass

Snodgrass first came to work at Greenwood as the assistant director in August 2015. Prior to that, he was a teacher and administrator with SPS for 29 years, a tenure that included stops as an assistant principal at Jarrett Middle School and Hillcrest High School.

He also served as a principal for 14 years at Central High School, and Pleasant View Elementary and Middle Schools.

Under his leadership at Pleasant View, the school earned several awards, including:

  • Accomplished School Award.
  • Gold Star nominee.
  • Top 10 Highest Performing School.
  • Top 10 Most Improved in Communications Arts.

During his tenure at Central High School, the school earned silver and gold medals from U.S. News & World Report, and Snodgrass was named an Outstanding Administrator-Counselor Advocate.

Dr. Barri Tinkler, dean of the Missouri State University College of Education, said she’s glad Snodgrass is continuing the work he started a year ago.

“Ron brings a wealth of school leadership experience to this role,” Tinkler said. “He’s been an excellent interim director this past year and we’re lucky to have him continuing as the director.”

Snodgrass completed his bachelor’s, master’s and educational specialist degrees at Missouri State. He completed his doctoral degree in educational leadership and policy analysis at the University of Missouri.

Filed Under: COE Faculty Tagged With: Barri Tinkler, Greenwood, Ronald Snodgrass

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