10-13-2024 Education - Flipbook - Page 2
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The Baltimore Sun | Sunday, October 13, 2024
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Combining teaching and leadership
Opportunities in childhood education abound
By E. Rose Scarff, Contributing Writer
T
he University of Maryland, Baltimore
County (UMBC) saw the need for a
new generation of leadership in early
childhood education in Maryland.
Initially, they partnered with the University
of Massachusetts, which already had a program in place. This helped UMBC develop
curriculum for the yearlong fellowship in the
Maryland Early Childhood Leadership Program
(MECLP) based in the Shriver Center/Division
of Professional Studies.
The fellows look at some of the barriers that
currently exist in creating an early childcare and
education system that educates all children and
reaches all families. Throughout the fellowship,
they are working toward a capstone project in
their area of childhood education.
They learn theories of action and systemic
change, and organizational change, as well as
about the leadership needed to create those
changes. “They will be looking at adaptive leadership, collective leadership, and really developing skills in researching and digging into that
problem of practice to develop solutions based
on their lived experience,” says Christina Lopez,
M.Ed., director of the program.
Each cohort of fellows work in some sector
of the field of early childhood education, and
they have a multitude of different perspectives. With diversity within the group, there
is dialogue between those they may not have
had access to previously. This is true whether
they work in family childcare or center-based
programs or private or public schools, or as
teachers or supervisors. “Being able to share
space with people and see the problem from
different angles instead of blaming,” says Lopez,
"we move away from the conversation about the
problem, and we move toward solutions.”
A recent fellow, Candise Hill, a literacy
coach with the Baltimore City Public Schools,
shares that two things she gained from the
program were working with others who are
passionate about early childhood education and
how vast this field is.
Because the program is for working adults,
it is a hybrid offering. The cohort meets in
person a few times during the year, but the
coursework is online. As the program gains
momentum, there are plans for more courses
and opportunities.
At Goucher College, its Master of Arts in
teaching program offers specialized training for
current teachers, as well as provisional teachers and career changers seeking their teaching
certification. The program offers nine areas
of specialization, including at risk and diverse
learners, reading instruction, school improvement leadership, and athletic program leadership and administration.
The program has been growing for years,
adding areas of expertise and is now fully online
to meet the needs of students who are working
full-time. Students seeking to gain licensure
must do a practicum or seminar course in
which they complete a special project in their
field. “For example, in the school leadership
program,” says Kristina Maxwell, director of the
Master of Arts in teaching program, “they must
apply for a project that allows them to get genuine experience working with a current school
leader or administrator.” This ensures that they
have real world experience for the license they
are seeking.
Although some of the specialties seem to
cover the same ground, there is often a different focus. Special education programming
centers around individuals with specific needs
for either individualized education programs or
other supports provided by a special educator.
At risk and diverse learners focuses on individuals of diverse populations who may or may
not need special education services now, but
they are at risk for reaching that point.
Another popular specialty is athletic pro-
Students in the University of Maryland’s sports management program apply their skills to real-world challenges, gaining valuable industry knowledge.
Tailored for success
Colleges offer student-centric initiatives designed to help
students launch successful careers
By Kate Lawless, Contributing Writer
s industries rapidly evolve, higher education is adapting to meet the growing demand for career specialization
and real-world skills. In Maryland,
postsecondary institutions are rising to this
challenge, offering programs designed to equip
students with the knowledge, experience and
professional connections they need to succeed
in today’s competitive workforce.
Colleges like Carroll Community College,
Towson University and the University of
Maryland are launching innovative initiatives
that emphasize career readiness and tailored
support. These programs demonstrate that
student success now demands more than
academic achievement, requiring practical
training, personalized guidance and realworld applications to help students transition
smoothly from classroom to workplace.
A
Supporting bilingual professionals
in health care
Carroll Community College equips English
language learners for in-demand careers as registered behavior technicians (RBTs) through a
program that combines technical training with
free customized language support.
As autism diagnoses rise, more RBTs are
needed to support individuals with behavioral
challenges. These professionals implement
interventions designed to improve communication, social skills and problem-solving abilities. Bilingual RBTs are especially in demand,
as families who speak a language other than
English often face longer wait times for these
essential services.
Carroll’s 40-hour RBT training certificate
program, paired with its new supplemental
English language course, directly addresses
this need, bridging the gap for students who
may have language barriers but are eager to
enter a rewarding field. Because the program
is funded through grant programs, it is entirely
free to participants.
The core RBT training is taught through
live, online evening class sessions by board
certified behavior analysts. The English for
RBT Training course, designed for English
language learners, focuses on RBT-specific
terminology and workplace skills. It meets on
alternating days with the RBT training course
and follows the curriculum closely to reinforce
material and introduce new vocabulary and
concepts before the next class. With expertise
in both language instruction and autism education, the course instructor also participates
in the RBT training sessions to stay informed
and provide support based on the specific
needs of English language learners.
Doxael Yidika, a native French speaker,
went through the program this past spring,
when the language class was offered for the
first time. “Starting a new career was challenging, especially with the language barrier,” Yidika explains. “Fortunately, Carroll
Community College’s ESL supplement provided a much-needed opportunity to review and
better understand the RBT material.” Yidika is
now certified and employed as an RBT.
Susan Leibman, director of adult education
and literacy services at Carroll, says bilingual
course completers have excellent job prospects. “The eight students who enrolled in the
supplemental language course this spring all
passed the final certification exam, and at least
five of them have found jobs,” she adds.
By offering specialized language support
along with the core RBT training, Carroll has
adapted its programming to meet not only the
demands of the job market but also the unique
needs of students in order to prepare them for
successful careers.
gram leadership and administration. It helps
prepare individuals who are interested in
becoming athletic leaders or coaches. Students
learn about the impact they can have within
the school system and outside it. They learn to
address issues like diversity, self-esteem, and
the psychological factors for youth and the
support they need at different ages and stages
in their development. Students do internships
with coaches in the school system for hands on
experience.
The focus of the program is to support
individuals in many different roles within education, from ESOL teaching to school improvement leadership and leadership in technology.
Goucher gives its students close attention with
good support and backup during and after their
time at Goucher.
Stevenson University has a new Masters of
Arts in teaching early childhood education to
meet the growing needs for teachers in this area
in Maryland. The program was developed to be
fully online to accommodate working adults,
including conditionally certified teachers,
recent graduates and career changers. Those
who successfully complete the program will be
eligible to teach preschool, pre-kindergarten,
kindergarten and elementary school through
grade three.
The program is offered in a series of eightweek courses starting in the fall. Students can
finish the program in as little as 21 months,
which includes their internship, or they can
take longer, if that works best for them. Each
cohort is given the opportunity to gather in
person on campus at the beginning of the program. Students meet each other, learn about the
course content and how it will work.
At Stevenson, an emphasis on personal
attention is particularly important. Each student starts with an admissions counselor and
then they move on to a success coach who
stays with them the whole time they are there.
“The success coaches are right there to support them, help them navigate bumps in the
road, those kinds of things, and or celebrate
wonderful things that are happening,” says Beth
Kobett, Ed.D., dean of the school of education.
Sometimes that might be getting a job teaching
while still in the program.
The faculty in the program all have experience in their field and many are still practitioners. “One of the instructors this fall is a kindergarten teacher, and she has a master’s degree,”
says Kobett. “She just did a wonderful program
for social justice and equity and mathematics.”
Students respond well to the coursework and
the support they get from their instructors.
The Stevenson population has always been a
diverse one, and that is one of its strengths. The
students and faculty there have so much rich
experience and that contributes to the online
community as well. With the huge need for
early childhood teachers, especially those who
understand multiple viewpoints and diversity,
this program will be key.
Helping students reintegrate to
campus life after a long absence
Towson University is piloting an initiative
that supports students who are returning to
campus after experiencing significant disruptions to their studies. The reintegration program helps students readjust to campus life
and continue their academic and professional
goals.
“Students often feel overwhelmed when
returning to campus after a long absence, and
we don’t want that to be the reason students
discontinue their studies,” explains Danielle
Woody, Towson’s assistant dean and director
of student accountability and restorative practices. She says creating personalized support
networks can help students find a sense of
belonging, which is especially important in the
first week upon their return.
Reentry circles, one of the program’s signature components, brings together staff from
various offices – including academic support, mental health services and other student
affairs offices – to develop individualized support plans with returning students.
“We tailor support to meet each student’s
needs, whether they require academic assistance, mental health resources or community
building,” adds Jimmy Thren, assistant dean
and director of student outreach and support.
By providing customized support to help
students readjust to campus life, Towson is
preparing its returning students for long-term
success – both in school and in their future
careers.
Building pathways to the sports
management industry
While Carroll and Towson focus on helping students navigate academic and personal
challenges, the University of Maryland’s sports
management program equips students with
the practical experience and professional connections needed to succeed in the competitive
sports industry.
Launched in 2023, this 12-credit program
provides a well-rounded education, emphasizing experiential learning through athletic facility site visits, guest lectures and networking
with top industry professionals. Leaders from
organizations like the NBA, NFL, ESPN and
Major League Baseball serve on the program’s
advisory board and often sponsor capstone
projects or offer internships for students.
Through these opportunities, students apply their skills to real-world challenges, gaining valuable industry knowledge
while building their professional networks.
“Collaborating directly with industry professionals helps students develop a deeper understanding of what it’s like to work in sports and
prepares them for immediate employment
after graduation,” explains Tori Shay, associate
director of the program.
Tailored for success,
continued on page 7
