The University of Minnesota's College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) has been awarded the highest standard of accreditation and was recognized for exemplary performance in its partnership with local schools by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

"NCATE's accreditation renewal for the university, which extends through 2019, recognizes CEHD's high quality preparation of teacher candidates and other school professionals," said CEHD Dean Jean Quam.

"This recognition means a great deal to us and to our teacher candidates," she said. "We voluntarily pursue national accreditation, as it is not a state or national requirement, because we value the assessment of the quality of our programs against a set of very rigorous national standards and by our peers and P-12 school practitioners."

The university recommends Minnesota teaching licensure for about 300 teachers each year, most of whom remain in the state. CEHD works with several school partners in Minnesota to develop highly qualified teachers through its Teacher Education Redesign Initiative (TERI), which is supported by the Bush Foundation's Network for Excellence in Teaching (NExT). One of TERI's hallmarks is collaboration with local districts to prepare teachers focused on reducing disparities in student achievement.

"We have strong clinical programs, and our school district partners rely on us to provide prepared and innovative student teachers," said TERI director Misty Sato. "When we started TERI, we had closing the achievement gap as number one on our list of long-term goals. That includes diversifying our teaching profession and preparing teachers who are more culturally responsive. We are beginning to see results -- the diversity of the candidate pool has increased over the past 3 years and employers of CEHD-prepared teachers report on surveys that these teachers effectively teach students from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds."

Quam agrees that data collected by the college indicates a positive trend. "We are attracting a very talented pool of teacher candidates," she said. "They are academically strong, many have had international experiences, and they express a long-term commitment to teaching that is focused on equity and student achievement."

NCATE, which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a specialized accrediting body, identified the U of M's field experiences and clinical practice for distinction. All U of M teacher candidates have clinical experiences that include numerous opportunities to design instruction that supports student learning in diverse classrooms, analyze student assessment data, and engage with other school professionals.

For his pioneering work in science education, Larry Yore will receive one of the highest awards bestowed on alumni of the University of Minnesota at a ceremony on campus May 22. The U's Outstanding Achievement Award recognizes graduates who have attained unusual distinction in their chosen fields -- appropriate for Yore, an internationally known expert on the role of language in science and science education and on how language affects scientific inquiry.

"Larry has international teaching and research accomplishments that go beyond what most teachers and educators could even dream of," said Jean Quam, dean of the U of M's College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), which nominated Yore for the award. "But his generosity of spirit and tireless commitment to students, colleagues, and learning is even more impressive."

Yore is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, but his roots run deep in Minnesota. A native of Delavan, in the south-central part of the state, Yore earned his bachelor's degree ('64), master's degree ('68), and Ph.D. ('73) in education at the University of Minnesota. Teaching science and studying its connection to reading and literacy became his specialty early on, including positions where he excelled as both a teacher and administrator in the Eden Prairie Public Schools and University High School ('64 to '70) before joining the faculty at the University of Victoria. Over 41 years of service at Victoria, he taught science, technology, and science literacy and research courses, and he chaired the Departments of Social and Natural Sciences and of Curriculum and Instruction. He also served as president of the university's faculty association and a member of the Board of Governors.

His accomplishments in higher education include 76 research articles in national and international journals, service on the board of directors of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, participation on review panels for 20 education research journals, and founding membership on the International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education. At Victoria and other universities, he has mentored and advised more than 175 graduate students, worked with numerous researchers whose second language is English, and led studies on scientific literacy in many countries around the world.

Yore has been honored as "Science Teacher Educator of the Year," by the Association for Science Teacher Education; awarded with highest honors for contributions to science education through research, by the National Association for Research in Science Education; recognized with the Distinguished Contributions Award, by both the reading and science education communities; and named the University's first Distinguished Professor at the University of Victoria.

Yore, who recently joined the CEHD Dean's Advisory Council, will receive the Outstanding Achievement Award at a ceremony on May 22, 5-7 p.m., at McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis, on the U of M's Twin Cities campus.

Photo credit: University of Victoria Photo Services.

The mission of North of Sixty° is to create a global tapestry of climate stories, weaving together the history and culture of Arctic communities worldwide and preserving the voices and ecological knowledge of generations. Recently, the North of Sixty° explorers visited the communities Qikiqtarjuaq and Pangnirtung in Nunavut, Canada to interview teachers, students, elders and others.

Below is a video of Expedition Leader, Aaron Doering sharing personal reflections and brief interview excepts with Elders from their recent trip.

North of Sixty: Arctic Voices from North of Sixty on Vimeo.

Tomorrow, Doering will meet with famous weatherman, Al Roker from the Today Show to discuss the project.

Doctoral candidate Shannon McManimon (Culture and Teaching) is the recipient of this year's C&I Outstanding Graduate Student Research Paper Award for her paper, The Practice of Teaching as Blurred Translating. The award was established by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in order to recognize excellence in research and research writing among graduate students.

Shannon is also the recipient of the Seashore Fellowship awarded by the College of Education and Human Development to a doctoral student whose interests focus on issues of broad social inquiry problems, social and cultural change, or social justice.

Shannon's research and teaching interests include critical pedagogy, critical whiteness studies and school-community partnerships. She works with the Neighborhood Bridges Critical Literacy and Creative Drama Program.

The Department of Curriculum and Instruction has announced three recipients of the Judy King Potts Endowed Fellowship in Literacy Education for 2013. The endowment was provided by Mrs. Potts, a former elementary reading teacher. Her fund supports fellowships for students who are doing graduate work in literacy and have taken leadership roles in working within the reading program.

Kristi Bergeson, from Edina, MN
Kristi's interest in education began as a teenage volunteer providing support to students with special needs in Minneapolis. After graduating from college with a major in Elementary Education and Music, she began her career as a first, second and third grade classroom teacher working in Minneapolis, Edina and the greater Chicago area. She also worked for the Center for Reading Research at the University of Minnesota where she provided leadership for schools as they engaged in school-wide improvements in reading. During this time, she completed an MA degree in Curriculum and Instruction and received her Reading Specialty License.

Most recently she's worked with first through fifth grade students as both a Gifted Education Specialist and Learning Specialist in Edina. Kristi says, "I am excited to pursue my PhD and continue learning about literacy development in children. My doctoral interests are in the area of reading to engage all learners. With a PhD, I hope to either work as a college professor, work in reading research, or work in a literacy leadership position in a school district. I am grateful to have received this award."

Kay Rosheim, currently living in Eden Prairie, MN; originally from Iowa City, IA
Kay Rosheim holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Iowa and a Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She started her career working as a clinical researcher for 15 years before deciding to go back to school to get her initial teaching license and an MA in teaching. She first taught middle school science and math; then after earning an MA in Reading and K-12 reading license, she worked as an elementary reading specialist for the past 8 years. She's enjoys working specifically with struggling students and English learners who come from diverse backgrounds. Kay says, "The reason I'm at the U of MN for my PhD is because of my students."

Her immediate educational and career goal is to continue learning ways to best teach students how to read and motivate them to want to read. It is that goal that prompted her to apply to the Reading to Engage All Learners (REAL) doctoral program here at the U of MN. She is interested in effective instructional practices that support struggling readers and assessment of English learners. She looks forward to investigating what motivates students, and she wants to learn ways to help children remain engaged with reading and learning as they move through the K-12 educational system and beyond.

Megan Van Deventer, from Salt Lake City, UT
Megan earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Portland in English and Secondary Education. After graduating in 2008, she returned to her alma mater, Judge Memorial Catholic High School in downtown Salt Lake City to begin her teaching career. For the past two years, Megan has earned a Masters of Education from the University of Utah while still enjoying teaching English to ninth and tenth graders. Megan is excited to join the Curriculum and Instruction Department at the University of Minnesota in the Literacy Education Program Area. Dr. David O'Brien is her adviser and she plans to pursue her interest in Reading Education and Adolescent and Children's Literature. Megan's passions include advocating for literacy across the curriculum, teaching comprehension strategies and motivating adolescents to read and enjoy literature.

Ezra Hyland, teaching specialist in the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, is pleased to work with Best Academy serving as chair of the school's Board of Directors. Best Academy is a K-8 Minneapolis based school and one of five schools to be awarded the 2013 Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color (COSEBOC) School Award. COSEBOC is a national organization of schools and respected educators, researchers, policy makers, and advocates who focus on promoting and sharing innovative approaches that improve education at schools with significant populations of young men of color. The annual COSEBOC School Awards are awarded to schools with proven success for closing the achievement gap among boys of color. In the award announcement, it was noted that "Best Academy has succeeded in creating an environment that promotes academic success, self-respect, and self-determination for its male students of color". Using a "gap-closing" educational framework, 82% of Best Academy's male students scored proficient in reading and 83% scored proficient in math. Best Academy was also recognized because it considers student learning a high priority and a school-wide matter. Everyone takes responsibility and initiative to ensure the well-being of the entire school community. In addition to the award, Best Academy will receive a $10,000 grant. Congratulations to Ezra, the students, and the many stakeholders who have made Best Academy the successful school it is.

Since 2010, Nate Whittaker, an academic adviser in CEHD's TRiO student support services, has taught a global seminar in South Africa over winter break. Students learn about social justice firsthand by participating in service learning at South African youth organizations. Each year Whittaker publishes a book of photographs and narratives documenting the students' experiences. The 2012-13 book is now available, and Whittaker has created a website for the students' digital stories.

Along with service learning and excursions in and around Cape Town, the course incorporates significant time for reflection through evening talking-circles, journals, and a class blog. Feedback from students has been consistently positive, with many expressing that the trip is a life-changing experience.

Details on the 2013-14 seminar are posted on the Learning Abroad Center website.

Congratulations to the North of 60 Expedition team on completing the N60 Arctic expedition in Nunavut, Canada!

From the entire North of Sixty° Expedition team - Aaron, Jeni, Chris, Brad, and Matthew, thank you for following along with our journey. We hope you'll continue to follow along as students begin posting their own video stories from around the circumpolar Arctic at n60.co.

The North of Sixty project, with it's mission to collect a tapestry of Arctic Voices have been in the news lately sharing their Arctic expedition and the success of the project. To get an inside glimpse, below are just a few of the interviews and media features.

• MN Public Radio
• Star Tribune
• KSTP News
• MN Daily
• Canada Goose

The North of 60 team includes members of the LT Media Lab and faculty in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Find out more at n60.co.

Murray Jensen, associate professor in the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, recently hosted the spring 2013 Golden Femur competition. The competition is a culminating event for students participating in the PsTL 1135: Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology College in the Schools program. The UCare grant supported program is a year-long curriculum designed to raise awareness about how dietary and life style choices impact health and disease. Nearly 600 juniors and seniors from 20 high schools across Minnesota gathered at the University to compete for the coveted Golden Femur Award. Teams of students presented to judges via table-top displays on the relationships between food choices, obesity, and public health issues such as type II diabetes and atherosclerosis. After evaluating each team's work, the judges announced the winners. Congratulations to Dover-Eyota High School, the 2013 Golden Femur recipient. Eastview High School was awarded the Silver Scapula and Minnehaha Academy was awarded the Bronze Ulna.

For the past 12 months, the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) has partnered with the Austin, MN, school district (APS) to prepare a new STEAM-focused school for all local fifth and sixth graders. CEHD has provided customized professional development -- drawing from multiple departments and centers -- to support teachers in developing an integrated, trans-disciplinary approach to instruction, with engineering being the thread that ties teaching and learning together.

"While more districts are moving to incorporate STEM-focused instruction [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math], few are integrating the arts in a meaningful way," says Kara Coffino, coordinator of CEHD's field-based professional development partnerships. "APS, along with the U of M as its university partner, are building this school from the ground up -- literally -- with the district supporting physical construction of the school building and the University of Minnesota supporting teacher development and curricular discernment."

The goals of this innovative partnership include:

• Creating an integrated, trans-disciplinary curriculum.
• Supporting teacher development and preparation to teach in a specialized, high-tech environment by U of M staff and faculty.
• Engaging with community partners to support teaching and learning in and out of the classroom.

"It's almost unheard of for a Research 1 institution to engage with partners in a truly collaborative manner like this, and it's something we hope to do much more of in support of our land-grant mission and outreach across the state," says Coffino.

The final "All Teacher Professional Development" meeting for the 2013-14 academic year, will take place on May 8 in Austin, where teachers who will teach at IJ Holton Intermediate School, school and district leadership, and U of M partners will roll up their sleeves, link theory to practice, and begin the work on aligning instruction across the disciplines to develop rigorous integrated thematic units that focus on a single engineering design problem.

This is phase two of the partnership. Last May, approximately 70 Austin teachers earned master's degrees in education from the U, taking all classes on-site in Austin.

The Hormel Foundation is providing funding for this project and hopes to use it as an example for other foundations to improve education.

The school opens for classes Sept. 3, with a ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for Sept. 28.

See recent coverage in the Austin Daily Herald.