Duncan, Haslam address education writers
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan addressed more than 500 reporters and community members at the Education Writers Association’s 67th National Seminar, held at Vanderbilt in May. Duncan called for greater accountability among education stockholders, and decried those who would “dumb down” educational expectations for disadvantaged students. Duncan met with Dean Camilla Benbow and other faculty to learn more about their nationally recognized research. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam also spoke at the conference, lauding Tennessee’s “most improved state” status since Common Core was implemented two years ago. Read more.
Benbow reappointed as dean
Camilla Benbow has been reappointed as dean of Peabody College. The reappointment is for a five-year term, beginning July 1, 2015. “Camilla Benbow has been an exceptional leader of the college during challenging times,” said Richard McCarty, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. Benbow, Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development, was appointed dean of Peabody in 1998. Read more.
Thesis documenting Stroop effect donated
A small group gathered in the lobby of Jesup Hall in March to witness the presentation of John Ridley Stroop’s papers to Peabody.
As part of his doctoral thesis in psychology at Peabody in 1933, J.R. Stroop found that when a person looks at the word “red” written in green letters, it is significantly easier to say “red” than it is to say “green.” The Stroop effect has been taught in introductory psychology courses in universities around the world. It has new applications, including diagnosing schizophrenia, learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder. Read more.
Education leaders confab with Michael Gove
The United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove met in March with members of the Tennessee Consortium on Research, Evaluation and Development, housed at Peabody. Gove requested the meeting to learn more about Tennessee’s education reform initiatives, including Race to the Top. In attendance were Jason Grissom, assistant professor of public policy and education; Susan Burns, deputy director of the consortium; Matt Springer, assistant professor of public policy and education and director of the consortium; and Ron Zimmer, associate professor of public policy and education. Read more.
Students learn through ‘Global Games’
Eakin Elementary School in Nashville played host to Peabody’s 2014 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows, a diverse cohort of 11 fellows from China, Guinea, Kosovo, Lebanon, Mauritania, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia and Swaziland. They spent a year at Peabody as part of a Fulbright Exchange program. During several visits to Eakin, students learned about games, songs and folktales from the fellows’ home countries. The fellows wrapped up their time at Peabody in May.
Novelist inspires middle-schoolers to fall in love with reading
Best-selling author James Patterson, MA’70, spoke to about 100 middle-school students from a Nashville public magnet school on the power of reading. The students are participants in two programs founded by Patterson: Reading Academy at Vanderbilt, and Patterson Read and Play Saturdays. RAV partners young students with Vanderbilt faculty through Programs for Talented Youth to develop a greater interest in reading and nurture the ability to analyze text critically. The Patterson RAPS program provides 25 Nashville-area fifth-, sixth- and seventh-graders support and reading materials in the effort to make reading more fun. Patterson founded the Patterson Scholars program in 2009, which supports 19 Vanderbilt undergraduates studying to be teachers.
Abu Dhabi vice principals visit campus
Eleven female vice principals from Abu Dhabi and Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates completed a 10-day professional development institute at Peabody in early April. The visit was sponsored by the professional development department of the Abu Dhabi Education Council.
Two new master’s programs launched
Peabody College has launched a new master’s of education in independent school leadership. The program will be directed by Patrick Schuermann, research assistant professor of public policy and education. A new master’s in clinical psychological assessment also has been approved.