Sunday, February 27, 2011, 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. - Sapphire Ballroom

Roundtable discussions offer an interactive venue for the exploration of key issues facing teacher education. They allow for small group discussions and informal conversations that are often not possible in large group settings. Connect with other attendees at this event to discuss and share your views, experiences, and ideas. Multiple roundtables are scheduled simultaneously in the same room; each roundtable will have a different focus.

Table 1 – Pathways and Partnerships

Share experiences and ideas about how your college has articulated coursework and degrees, and developed pathways and partnerships with four-year colleges and universities.

Moderators: Art Montiel, South Texas College; Andrea Buehman, Maricopa Community Colleges

Table 2 – Dispositions of a Future Teacher

Discuss what qualities a great teacher must possess and how you incorporate them into your teacher education program.

Moderators: Marjorie Schiller, Central Arizona College; Jill Urban-Bollis, Illinois Valley Community College

Table 3 – Early Childhood Education and the Role of Community Colleges

Head Start reauthorization and recent trends in state requirements are affecting early childhood education across the nation. Discuss these and other early care and education issues, and how your early childhood programs are addressing the needs of students.

Moderators: Janet Johnson, Rio Salado College; Susan Butler, Gulf Coast Community College

Table 4 – Recruiting Diverse Students into Teacher Education

Share ideas about how your college is recruiting diverse students into the teaching profession. Bring marketing materials to share.

Moderators: Cindy Kelley, West Virginia University at Parkersburg

Table 5 – The Media and Teacher Education

Discuss how the media, including news outlets and recent movies, affect the public's perception of education and what colleges are doing to dispel myths about teacher education.

Moderators: Irene Denbleyker, University of New Mexico, Gallup Campus; Tawn Hauptli, Mesa Community College.

Table 6 – Math, Science, and Literacy Skills for the 21st Century

How do we emphasize the need for math, science, and literacy skills to preservice teachers so that they personally invest in their own knowledge and skill in these content areas? Share solutions your college has developed to create quality future STEM teachers and highly qualified math and science elementary educators.

Moderators: Laurie Fathe, Owens State Community College; Judy Kasabian, El Camino College

Table 7 – The Completion Agenda and Teacher Education

National organizations, representing approximately 1,200 community colleges, have affirmed and accepted the challenge to "increase the number of 25-34 year olds who hold an associate degree or higher to 55 percent by the year 2025". As teacher educators, what can we do to insure student success?
Moderators: Jerry Pinsel, Louisiana Community & Technical College System; Carole Berotte Joseph, MassBay Community College