The Wachovia Reading Program
The Wachovia Reading Program supports the School of Education principles that the learner is the most important person in the teaching-learning equation. Responding to the Citadel Foundation’s public call to action, The Wachovia Foundation donated $250,000 to the School of Education to support this program for five years.The Wachovia Reading Program was designed for children who are reading two or more years below grade level and is offered two weeks during the summer. It is conducted within a graduate level reading course (Education 590, Literacy Assessment and Instruction) with graduate candidates pursuing a master’s degree in literacy or school psychology providing the instruction.
The program is a one-on-one tutoring program, based on diagnostic-prescriptive case studies. Each child receives the services of a skilled and caring graduate candidate who understands the importance of the program and how it can change the future and academic achievement of children.
Please contact Dr. Dan Ouzts in the School of Education for more information.
The Citadel’s GEAR UP Program at R.D Schroder Middle School
The Citadel’s GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) initiative has, since 1999, focused on preparing low-income youths to qualify for and succeed in higher education. The Program provides opportunities for candidates to enhance their academic skills and involves parents in the educational process of their children.Receiving funding from the U.S. Department of Education ($178,000 a year for six years), this GEAR UP initiative offers services to candidates, teachers and parents. Designed to prepare the children of Schroder Middle School in Hollywood, SC for higher education, the program offers on-site training in reading and mathematics for teachers to assist them in providing high quality instruction to the candidates. To ensure that these initiatives have the desired impact, the Program is establishing a “Parent University” to help parents understand the academic and financial elements of higher education.
Specific GEAR UP objectives include:
- Improve school attendance;
- Improve test scores on standardized test;
- Improve promotion rates;
- Provide opportunities for more students to successfully complete academically challenging, college preparatory courses;
- Reduce the number of disciplinary suspensions;
- Increase parent involvement in their child’s high school attendance and graduation plan;
- Increase the number of highly qualified middle level teachers at Schroder Middle School;
- Increase the variety and quality of innovative instructional strategies employed; and
- Increase the academic rigor of college preparation courses offered.
School of Education Takes Lead in Darkness to Light Initiative
During the month of August, the Darkness to Light organization held a preventathon to make the general public aware of sexual abuse of children.The Darkness to Light training is intended to instruct people on recognizing, preventing, and responding responsibly to sexual abuse. Dr. Stephenie Hewett, represented the School of Education at one of the sessions and realized that the information should be shared with as many teacher education candidates as possible. As a result of her efforts, the School of Education is supporting the training of a representative from each of the School divisions (Literacy, Teacher Education, Educational Leadership, and Counseling) to be a facilitator for embedding the Darkness to Light curriculum into their programs.
Following Dr. Hewett’s lead, Provost Carter suggested that the training be embedded into an RPED course required of all cadets. The proposal to embed this Darkenss to Light training into the RPED classes has been presented to members of the Values and Respect Program Committee on September 27, 2006.
