Yesterday afternoon our Education Department, in cooperation with our Career Services Office, held a Meet & Greet in an effort to give graduating seniors in the Education Programs the opportunity to network with local school systems.

A question from a student in our Fall of 2024 Upward Bound Math & Science (UBMS) program served as a  catalyst to partnering with Technology, Office of Student Development, and Housing and Residential Services departments to provide a sound engineering workshop at WXPL 91.3 FM for the UBMS students. 

This morning, President Donna Hodge and Dean of Education, Mojdeh Bayat welcomed local School Superintendents and Legislators to a panel discussion, and Q & A session in the Hammond Hall Main Lounge. The panel consisted of; State Representative Natalie M. Higgins, representing the 4th Worcester District, State Senator James B. Eldridge, representing the Middlesex and Worcester District,  State Senator John J. Cronin, representing the Worcester and Middlesex District, from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, welcome Senior Associate Commissioner Darcy Fernandes & Associate Commissioner Elizabeth Bennett, and from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, Deputy Commissioner for Academic Affairs and Student Success Richard Riccardi. The panel answered questions on a wide range of topics facing education in Massachusetts.

Associate Professor of Education Dr. Danette Day welcomed Fitchburg State University alumnus Mrs. Samira Ait Zbair '23 and her 5th grade class from McKay Elementary School to work with the students in her Culturally Proficient Educator course to implement a program called‬ Making Friends, Building Community, and Increasing Cultural Awareness Across Campus‬. This is made possible by a grant from the Dean’s Anti Racism Fund. Our Dean of Education, Mojdeh Bayat stopped by to observe and interact with the students, also sharing her experience of being a non-English speaking student.

Local High School Seniors enrolled in our Fitchburg State University Upward Bound Math & Science Program (UBMS) met on campus for a College Search/Scholarship Workshop. Our UBMS staff enlightened the students on various scholarship attainment strategies to aid in their college search and acceptance.

Today, the Fitchburg High School Extended Program at Fitchburg State University celebrated Kaylee and Dayana who graduated from the program. The Fitchburg High School Extended Program at Fitchburg State University supports eligible public high school students with intellectual disabilities, ages 18-22, to increase their academic and career success.  Lourdes Ramirez, coordinator of field placements, partnerships and recruitment for Fitchburg State’s School of Education represented the university and presented diplomas along with Fitchburg High School Extended Program and Fitchburg High School staff. 

Biology and Chemistry Professor Dr. Erin Rehrig took students in her Life Science for Educators class around campus to identify each of the four major plant classifications; Nonvascular plants (mosses), Seedless vascular plants (ferns) Gymnosperms (pine), and Angiosperms (flowering plants). 

Students in Dr. Christopher Cratsley's Life Science for Educators course work on an experiment in the Antonucci Science Complex. This course covers a broad array of life science topics including cellular, organismal, and human biology. It is designed to provide a foundation in the life sciences for education majors (K-8). The course includes a laboratory component designed to develop the students' understanding of the scientific method and provide some biology methodologies that will aid students in the development of lesson plans and classroom activities. An integrative approach is taken for some aspects of this course to establish connections to other sciences (earth science, chemistry, engineering).

School of Education Professor Dustin Halterman, ably assisted by a voluntary Vanna White, lead his class in a Making Words Lessons exercise in his Literacy in the Pre K-8 Classroom course. This course provides candidates with the knowledge and skills to teach students how to read and to assess student reading. The five components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency) will be addressed as well as how to differentiate instruction to accommodate diverse learning styles, needs, interests, and levels of readiness. Research-based instructional practices for developing proficient readers will be examined. Candidates will design effective, rigorous, well- structured reading lessons with measurable outcomes.