04-17-2022 Education - Flipbook - Page 8
8 The Baltimore Sun | Sunday, April 17, 2022
Lessons well learned
Teaching the teachers skills for the current education market
By Lisa Baldino, Contributing Writer
grams is to help create more opportunities for
the education community – both students and
teachers.
H
ow does that English teacher engage
learners with the language? What
makes that science teacher so effective in the school’s STEM program?
What skills are necessary for effective online instruction?
Local universities are answering the need
for prepared educators in the workforce with
valuable programs where today’s schools need
them.
UMBC TESOL Program Ranks High
UMBC has created a graduate program that
corners the market for teachers in a burgeoning field: English as a second language (ESL)
and English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The
school’s TESOL program (Teaching English to
Speakers of Other Languages) prepares students
for teaching these subjects and gives them a
strong foundation to be marketable for jobs
in the school system or private or government
organizations. The program is ranked third
nationwide by Best College magazine, and it
is among the top 10 in Intelligence magazine’s
ranking of English language master’s programs.
The TESOL program is flexible and individualized, according to Francis M. Hult, professor
and program director. “Students can complete
a master's degree online, in person or a mixture of the two,” Hult says. The program offers
courses in linguistics, language acquisition,
TESOL methodology, assessment, intercultural
communications and curriculum development.
While open to anyone who wants to teach
English, TESOL has a collaborative cohort program with Maryland public schools, including
Montgomery County, Baltimore County and
Baltimore City, offering a discounted rate to
staff who pursue the TESOL degree. UMBC
offers both a master’s degree and a certificate.
Hult indicates that there is a shortage of English
language teachers, but no shortage of learners –
approximately 100,000 in the Maryland public
school system alone. UMBC is encouraging
current teachers, as well as students majoring
in education, to explore the TESOL program.
“A TESOL degree is one degree that opens
many doors,” says Mary Tabaa, clinical instructor and P-12/online curriculum at UMBC. “We
help students to be successful while still being
dedicated to jobs, family and other commitments.” Tabaa and Hult work along with other
professionals in the education department to
prepare students for careers in a wide variety
of settings, including public schools, adult education, colleges and internationally teaching
English as a second language.
Hult’s team hopes to continue to grow the
TESOL program in Maryland by getting more
Adobe stock
distribution within the school systems. The
group will continue to recruit student teachers
through in-service teachers, career changers
and people over age 60, who, Hult says, “can
study tuition-free through the UMBC Golden
ID program.”
“We’re proud of our ability to make a positive difference to the education population,”
Hult continues. “It’s gratifying when a teacher
comes back and tells you they applied a skill
they learned in TESOL.”
Loyola University Focuses on Diversity in STEM
Educators
Diversity among teachers in all areas of
education, but particularly in STEM education, is a goal for Loyola University’s school
of education. According to interim Dean Afra
Hursi, Ph.D., 80% of elementary and secondary
teachers are white. “There are benefits of color
in the classroom,” says Hursi. “Having teachers of color benefits everyone. It represents the
opportunity to have contact with an entirely
new population … it’s great for education to
close the equity gap.”
Through a federal grant, the university is
collaborating with Baltimore County to give
teachers of color early exposure to classrooms.
“The program gives teachers a chance to get in
front of the class. What attracts teachers to their
career in STEM education?” Hursi asks. “They
had a teacher who helped them. That is the
reason they joined and why they’ll be retained,”
he explains.
He notes that the pandemic made the
school’s pursuit of classroom time much more
challenging. “Students were unable to get in the
pipeline, and we saw that students were divided
between the haves and have nots. We need to
close that equity gap. We must recognize the
assets the students bring to the classroom and
dismantle the procedures in the classroom that
limit their ability to thrive.”
He describes how leaders are developed:
good teachers, rich curriculum and access to
the body of knowledge of STEM. He says all of
this needs to be considered within a system that
harbors racism and offers only limited access
to resources. These students end up carrying a
financial and debt load. “We must continue the
disruption of racism in the classroom. We want
them to finish their degrees with a minimum
of debt.”
To that end, Loyola is partnering with the
government for $1.9 million in scholarships.
Hursi says Loyola’s goal in this and other pro-
Towson University Advances Skills for Online
Teaching
Towson University launched a new graduate program in online instruction as part of its
curriculum in the Department of Educational
Technology and Literacy. Educators can complete the program as part of a master’s degree
in instructional technology or as a stand-alone
certificate. University officials developed the
program in response to a growing demand for
quality remote and hybrid learning programs,
according to Liyan Song, department director.
The program development began long
before the Covid-19 pandemic, but it was forced
into action by the isolation requirements during the pandemic and the necessity to quickly
change to online platforms, Song says. “It’s not a
simple conversion from face-to-face classrooms
to the online platform.”
Master’s program student Aubrey Zugibe
has a love of technology, and this program
embraces that passion. “I have always been
really good at figuring out technology and feel
passionately about integrating technological literacy into my own classrooms – both in person
and in my e-school class.” Zugibe appreciates
that the program allows the experience of viewing technology education from the perspective
of both the educator and the student. “I learn
strategies on how to deliver authentic learning
experiences from a distance or blended format
while being a student in this type of scenario,”
Zugibe says.
Song sees a bright future for online educational programs. “The need for and the arising
trend of online instruction will stay with K-12
education and corporate training. Taking it a
step further into innovative approaches with
online activity design could help develop more
engaging and effective learning experiences.
This is where our online learning and teaching
certificate program can help the teachers in
schools and training development specialists
in business and industry. The students in this
certificate program learn both the cutting-edge
technologies and the state-of-the-art online
learning design techniques to develop personalized and interactive online activities for the
target learners.”
The program was designed to allow students
to earn the certificate in as little as one year. It
models the Quality Matters rubric, which is
considered the gold standard of online instruction. All of the courses prepare students to use
high-quality curriculum, and experience faculty
mentors who are specialized scholars.
Claim Your FUTURE
Anytime, Anywhere with UMBC.
Whether you’re building academic skills in middle or high school,
earning your undergraduate degree, looking to advance in your
career, or simply striving to become a better version of yourself,
UMBC’s Division of Professional Studies provides the programs, tools,
and resources you need.
And with programs offered in convenient locations and flexible
formats, you can be confident that your development plan will fit
seamlessly into your schedule.
Learn more today at:
dps.umbc.edu