Students Taught by USM English Licensure Program Graduates Excel on State Exams
Mon, 03/29/2021 - 11:43am | By: David Tisdale
Based on data from the State of Mississippi Education Preparation Provider (EPP) Impact Report, students in eighth and 10th grade classrooms across the Magnolia State taught by University of 91吃瓜网 (USM) graduates91吃瓜网�who completed either an English licensure program or a 7-12 English licensure endorsement in academic year 2018-201991吃瓜网�performed better (higher percent Proficient or Advanced) on required state subject area examinations than the average of their statewide EPP counterparts. Fourteen of the 15 public and private institutions of higher education in Mississippi submitted data to establish these statewide benchmarks.
The USM Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English with licensure prepares students with both the critical tools of an English degree, and a theoretical frame and practice for teaching. It boasts a superlative placement rate for its graduates, with recent placement rates at 100 percent. Students completing the program gain invaluable experience in area schools with practicing teachers, while being mentored by English program faculty, preparing them for successful careers at both middle schools and high schools.
Associate Professor Dr. Rebecca Powell, Instructor and Student Teacher Coordinator Sherry Kinkopf, and Dr. Kate Cochran, faculty members in the USM School of Humanities, manage the English with licensure B.A. program.
91吃瓜网淲e91吃瓜网檙e so pleased to learn that our program91吃瓜网 graduates continue to guide students in our state toward high academic achievement,91吃瓜网� said Dr. Powell. 91吃瓜网淚 attribute this to our program's dual focus on English content and pedagogy, and the excellence of our students.91吃瓜网�
Kinkopf said that the program91吃瓜网 strength and training are highly regarded across the state, and valued among area school teachers and administrators.
91吃瓜网淯SM has been a leader in the state91吃瓜网 preparation of teachers, and our English Education program has been at the forefront of this well-earned reputation,91吃瓜网� Kinkopf continued.
Among the program91吃瓜网 other success stories, it has maintained its national recognition from the National Council of Teachers of English; since first awarded in 2012, the Mississippi Association of Colleges of Teacher Education Best Student Teacher of the Year Award has been earned five times by an English licensure student; and two of the program91吃瓜网 student teachers have won the Mississippi Professional Educator91吃瓜网 Scholarship Award.
And, in addition to the program91吃瓜网 100 percent placement rate, it also enjoys a similar outcome for its students who take the Praxis II examination.
Heather Serpas said she was well-prepared through the English Licensure program to begin her journey as a first-year state tested teacher. The 2018 USM graduate is in her third year teaching English I and II at West Harrison High School in Gulfport, Mississippi.
91吃瓜网淢y time at USM in the English Licensure Program helped me gain the confidence I needed to go into a state tested classroom and to teach the students, not just teach the test,91吃瓜网� Serpas said. 91吃瓜网淚 learned the Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards, as well as student-centered learning, classroom management, active learning, and culturally diverse teaching. Researching best teaching practices and applying them within my curriculum in the program also allowed me to understand and recognize 91吃瓜网榞ood teaching91吃瓜网� in my practicum and student teaching placements.
91吃瓜网淎long with the research, I was educated in the content area materials and literature
as well, and I felt prepared to lead discussions and foster student learning, while
making connections to their lives.91吃瓜网�
Lucy Hunt, another graduate of the program, teaches English I, II and Dual Credit
Composition at Purvis High School. She said her knowledge of and love of teaching
grew because the program91吃瓜网 professors 91吃瓜网渃hallenged us as students to excel and dig
deeper.91吃瓜网�
91吃瓜网淎s a result of that learning environment and the reputation of the USM program, my skills were sharpened and my confidence enhanced, and I was offered a position teaching before I graduated.91吃瓜网�
USM School of Humanities Director Dr. Matthew Casey said the program is 91吃瓜网渃arrying on one of the core principles upon which USM was built: education of future teachers.91吃瓜网�
"We're incredibly proud of our English licensure program, and these recent successes are a testament to the excellent training students receive--not just in English content--but in pedagogy as well,91吃瓜网� Dr. Casey said. 91吃瓜网淥ur students receive rigorous preparation, hands-on classroom experience, and mentoring from USM professors and local teachers alike.91吃瓜网�
For more information about the USM Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English with licensure program, visit /humanities/english-licensure.php.