Accolades
We want to hear about you! This section provides news and notes from our faculty, staff, alumni and students. We want to hear from you! Please send in any family or career news and we’ll share with the College of Education family in an upcoming edition. Send your News and Notes to education@tcu.edu or mail to: TCU College of Education, TCU BOX 297900, Fort Worth, TX 76129.
Teachers of the Year - Have you been honored as a “Teacher of the Year” at your school? We want to share that wonderful news with our College of Education family. Please forward the information, including name, school, award and date to: Shawn Kornegay at s.kornegay@tcu.edu.
Faculty, staff, students and alumni – News and Notes
Teaching middle school: scary for some, a calling for one
Ryan Hambley knew he wanted to be a teacher when he was a freshman in high school. Everything had been pointing him - or calling him - to be a middle school math teacher. He realizes teaching middle school scares many people, but not this determined educator.
Career Selection
When Ryan tells others his career plans, he gets one of two reactions, “Bless your soul, child,” and “Nope, you couldn’t see me doing that!” He always gets those two reactions, but his career choice doesn’t scare him. Ryan feels that if he ran away from everything that he was afraid of, he wouldn’t grow. His heart is in it.
He doesn’t know the current status of science and math in the middle schools. From what he’s heard, it’s not looking so good, but he looks forward to finding out first-hand. “Math and science bring the logic and reasoning into ones education,” said Ryan. “It’s fundamental and in middle school, it’s even more vital for the students to receive an enriched education in math and science.
He noted that the students are learning how fundamentals work. “Math is somewhat chronological,” Ryan continued. “If mastery is not achieved in middle school, how are spatial reasoning or complex math skills going to be developed in high school?”
His advice for middle school students is to think of numbers like toys. He thinks math is learning how to play with ones toys and there are a lot of things that can be done with toys. Ryan also encourages creativity.
TCU experience
Ryan didn’t choose TCU because of its credentials, but rather its opportunities. At the time in his life, it was the only worthwhile opportunity. He believes TCU to be a complete blessing to him and was introduced to TCU through a family church friend at University Christian Church. “I knew I was going to be taken care of,” noted Ryan.
When asked about what he liked most about TCU, he responded, “I have enjoyed the close-knit community. I can walk from one side of campus to another, and I will have seen at least three people I know.”
“TCU’s mission really has pushed my core values and purpose into my profession/career,” Hambley continued. “TCU is a well-balanced community.”
Ryan also is very fond of the College of Education and loves the professors. “The thing about the College of Education professors is they know how to teach and not just one style of teaching, but also multiple,” said Ryan. “They facilitate your passion and nurture it. It's more of a dialogue with the professor rather than a direct instruction. This develops autonomy. One thing I did appreciate is that amount of in-school experience we got. It makes an amazing transition for the real job.”
Recalling his favorite professor or class, Ryan reflected upon specific activities, “Dr. Kelly's semester unit project showed me that my curriculum could be effective. Dr. Sacken helped me bridge the gap between who I am as a holistic individual and who I have to be in the classroom. Dr. Debois demonstrated her passion for special education. Watching someone be passionate about their passion automatically liberates those of us who what to be effective individuals in this world.”
In addition to being busy with school, Ryan has been active on campus including hall council, Soul Steppers and Brothers Under Christ, and he served as resident assistant for three years. Due to Ryan’s dedication and hard work, the Texas State Association of Personnel Administrators recently awarded him a $2000 scholarship at the state conference. Hambley said he was honored.
“This is the first time in my academic career where I flat out won a scholarship. I am proud of what I am doing,” he said. “I don't need a scholarship to confirm it, but the scholarship is helping me continue my journey to being an effective teacher.”
After TCU
After graduation, Ryan hopes to teach middle school math through Teach for America in Houston. Their mission is to provide a quality education to all students, specifically targeting lower socioeconomic school districts. He is currently waiting to hear where his campus assignment will be.
For incoming education students, Ryan offers the following advice, “Be critical in everything you do. You learn not only how to assess yourself which will be needed when you become a teacher, but it also challenges the professor and in return you learn the why of your teaching.”
He also recommends visiting the professors in their office. “Allow them to be part of your life, he continued. “They are where they are because they have passion for education. If you want it, then the professors have great ideas on where to find it. Watch your professor and analyze how they teach. You can learn a lot.”
Ryan looks forward to teaching and giving back what he learned. Teaching is truly his calling.
Additional Accolades
Students from the Counseling Program at TCU donated over $400 in gifts and cash to one middle school student and his family for Christmas.
Jeannie Bosillo – staff - has joined the College of Education as the new assistant to the dean. She came to the College of Education from the College of Communication at TCU.
Cathy Block – faculty - was recognized by the International Reading Association LEADER Executive Board as a recipient of the Literacy Award for 2008 at the Annual Convention in Atlanta.
La Monique Flournoy and Nicola Thomas -students - attended the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators Conference in Galveston.
Madee Hodges – student, KinderFrogs School - was selected to be part of the Texas Art Education’s Young Art Month Capitol Celebration. This exhibit showcases PreK-12 works of art from across the state of Texas. Forty-five school districts were represented in the Ground Floor Rotunda of the State Capitol for the exhibit, which concluded with a special awards program.
M. Francyne Huckaby – faculty - was awarded the first annual "Friend of ISA" by the TCU international student association last week at their annual international banquet.
Theresa Prosser – faculty – was one of nine recipients for TCU’s of Service-Learning Grants for her work within the community. The funds came from the Center for Community Involvement and Service-Learning, to support individual faculty and academic units seeking to initiate or build upon existing service-learning and community-based research efforts. Her project is on “Partnering with Early Head Start: Graduate Students Building Community Relationships"
Cecilia Silva – faculty – was a nominee for the TCU 2007 Deans’ Award for Teaching.
Becky Taylor – faculty - was a finalist for the TCU’s Wassenich Award for Mentoring. The Wassenich Award for Mentoring in the TCU Community will be presented to a member of the faculty or staff in recognition and celebration of this person's mentoring of students.
Quinn Tedder, ’03, ‘05 – has accepted the head women’s coaching position at Western New Mexico University. Formally the head assistant women’s at East Texas Baptist University, Quinn also previously served as head coach at Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth Independent School District and was the assistant coach at Colleyville Heritage High School and North Crowley High School. Quinn graduated with a bachelor’s degree in special education and a master’s degree in elementary education.
Chris Urquhart M.Ed – as a counselor at Watauga Middle School in BISD, Chris was recognized for being one of a group of only 15 schools from across the state to win the CREST Award (Counselors Reinforcing Excellence for Students in Texas) for Counseling Excellence for 2007. Chris earned her M.Ed. in Counseling from TCU and was the recipient of the Viktor Frankl Award. Schools receiving CREST awards have demonstrated a commitment using the school guidance and counseling program to improve the lives and achievement of students in academic, career, and personal social domains.
Molly H. Weinburgh – faculty – was a nominee for the TCU 2007 Deans’ Award for research and creative activity.
Dale Young – faculty, alumni - was recently awarded the Priscilla A. Scotlan Award for Distinguished Service at an AAEE Awards Luncheon. AAEE is the American Association for Employment in Education and the Priscilla A. Scotlan Award for Distinguished Service honors an AAEE member who has made significant contributions to their national association over a period of years. Dale has served on the board of directors for AAEE for several years, chaired a conference committee, and is a past president of the organization.
