Professor recognized for exemplary teaching practices.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bob Bruggeman
Manager of Communications & Alumni Relations
Tel: (903) 223-3153
Email: bob.bruggeman@tamut.edu
TEXAS A&M UNIVERISTY-TEXARKANA PROFESSOR RECOGNIZED FOR EXEMPLARY TEACHING PRACTICES
TEXARKANA, TX., JANUARY 28, 2013 - Dr. Callie Fortenberry, Associate Professor of Education at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, has been recognized for her exemplary teaching practices by the prestigious Center for Research, Evaluation & Advancement of Teacher Education (CREATE). Dr. Fortenberry received this honor for her innovative practices in preparing teachers for today’s schools.
Dr. Fortenberry has developed Lab School partnerships with Chapel Hill Elementary School near Mt. Pleasant, TX. in which students are taught content from education courses, usually taught in the university classroom, in the actual classrooms with elementary students modeled by professional educators. Missy Walley, principal at Chapel Hill Elementary School states, “Students, as well as teachers, have benefited from the involvement of the Texas A&M Education students. As the students are gaining experience in Reading methods, our students are gaining small group intervention which can only enhance their education. The teachers are taking advantage of their self-reflection and discussion with the Texas A&M Education students and using it to grow professionally. This Lab school, under the direction of Dr. Fortenberry, has proven to be a win-win situation for all stakeholders. We will definitely be opening our doors for all future partnerships with the Education students.”
The experiences provide valuable authentic and experiential learning for the pre-service teacher. Alyssa Givney, a former student, describes her experience by way of the following. “The one thing I learned from this experience is that children may not remember what you taught them, but they remember the way you made them feel, says Givney. “We may not have changed those children’s lives, but they definitely changed ours.”
In addition, Dr. Fortenberry has arranged and directed multiple trips for education students to national conferences and, in recent years, to Chicago to provide pre-service teachers deep experiences with inner city kids and communities.
Dr. Fortenberry directs the education programming at A&M-Texarkana’s satellite campus located on the campus of Northeast Texas Community College. “Dr. Fortenberry’s work represents exemplary preparation teachers need to be successful in today’s classrooms,” states Dr. Sara Lawrence, Chair of Education at A&M-Texarkana, who nominated Dr. Fortenberry for recognition.
For further information, please contact Dr. Lawrence at sara.lawrence@tamut.edu or call (903) 223-3095. Anyone interested in seeking teaching certification may contact the Education Office at (903) 223-3044 or email Debbie.hopkins@tamut.edu.
Texas A&M University-Texarkana is a proud member of The Texas A&M University System.
