Education and human development at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College written by graduate students
I love this article that I found about the new VP pick for McCain. The article highlights how a college sophomore with technological know-how and tenacity may have influenced the choice for the republican #2 spot. What a great example for our college students around the country who may feel marginalized! In this country, all of our voices matter.
-Ted Murcray
Last week, my wife sent me the link to the story on the NY Times website about iPhones and iPods being given out to incoming students at some colleges and universities across the country. She knew I would enjoy the story, both because I am counting the days until my phone contract runs out and I can get an iPhone and because one of the schools mentioned is my alma mater.
It seems that most of the institutions in cahoots with Apple are small- to mid-size schools, which makes sense for trying to increase admission rates and for a variety of logistical reasons. Larger schools might not be able to provide the devices to mass numbers of students. It also seems that most institutions are hoping that providing the same technology to all students will increase student learning in and out of the classroom through various course downloads, which is theoretically a good idea, but only time will tell how many students will actually use the devices for that purpose.
Regardless of how well the educational intentions of the institutions play out, I think the students will enjoy getting iPhones and iPods as part of their tuition package. It’s definitely better than the dial-up connection I had to purchase for my residence hall room back in the day.
-Landon Clark
We are moving from good to great to world class. Such is the challenge the school board has placed before the educators. This is a goal I am whole-heartedly behind. The problem is, I am not sure what a world class school or classroom looks like.
Currently the only form of “ranking” of high schools in the United States is based on the number of students who take Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests. Since many schools around the world do not have access to these tests, I am not sure how we can adequately compare one school to another.
Your input is welcome. Is it the focus on essential skills? The development of a foreign language? The acquisition of technological understanding? Other ideas?
-Ted Murcray
So, in the middle of teaching my class today, an email comes in from the principal. He lets the teachers know that a storm is on its way that could potentially become worse. My first thought – tornado. Now, as a native Californian born to a native Californian, the thought of a tornado strikes fear in my heart. After all, Dorothy Gale from Kansas and that twister movie with Helen Hunt are the only two frames of reference I have, and I am not comfortable with either one of those situations becoming reality. My principal reminded us to stay calm for the sake of the children. That forced me to cross off “Run screaming to the lowest corner of the building” from my list of possible reactions.
At the end of the day it was just some rain and thunder. Whew! I just survived my first tornado warning. Good thing the stormy season is coming to an end, right? . . .Right?!?
-Ted Murcray
I am glad I don’t have to take the GMAT at any point in the future, because now test-takers of the business school exam must verify their identities with a palm scan. Call me apocalyptic, but that just sounds a bit like a line out of Revelation. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the importance of academic integrity, and I appreciate new technology, but palm scans? Is that really necessary? I guess I just would not think of hiring someone to take a standardized exam in my place, and for those who may have, were the finger prints not reliable enough? I guess not. While palm scanning could grow in popularity beyond the GMAT (and its current uses at hospitals and ATMs), it just bothers me a bit. Maybe I am just old-fashioned for not wanting the vein in my hand read before I can take an exam. It will be interesting to see how the GMAT test-taking population responds to the new anti-cheating measure.
-Teresa Bagamery Clark
Today was officially my first day of grad classes. I was probably over-prepared for the class, having about 20 pages of typed notes for the readings. I was a bit nervous all day. My anxiety quickly faded as our professor came in the room and began an informal task with us: self- introductions. As the class progressed, I think most of came to the realization that we will be together for the next two years. I know I started looking around and became aware that these people, in a very short time, will know more about me than many of my friends. Comparing today to the first day, otherwise known as “syllabus day” in undergrad, would be difficult. None of us were forced to be in class to fulfill a graduation requirement. We had a productive lesson, and many of us have already started becoming friends. I look forward to the rest of the week and have an optimistic view of the entire process.
-Kristina DePue
The start of a new academic year may bring excitement and eager anticipation for many college students, but it (along with other life experiences) could become too much for students to handle. According to a study, more than 50% of college students surveyed reported having suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives. The causes of such despair include emotional and physical pain as well as trouble with significant others and school pressures. The article points out that it is unclear if the number of college students with mental illnesses has increased, but colleges have become better at “tracking” students with emotional disturbances.
Having worked in higher education for five years, I have seen students with depression, manic episodes, panic attacks, attempted suicide, and various other concerning incidents. While we may not always know our students’ past, their diagnoses, or their medications, it is important to be sensitive to the normal pressures of life they are facing and refer them to counseling, health services, or campus ministries when appropriate.
-Teresa Bagamery Clark
So, I am working on the classroom management plan for my class using a program that I was trained on five years ago, when I decide that I need to find a little bit more information (because being in a doctoral program at Peabody makes you dependent on research). I dig a little bit and discover. . .the program that I am using was developed right here at Peabody College!! What a nice surprise! It’s good to know that the school that is educating me to be an expert in education actually does the work that inspires positive change for students across the country.
-Ted Murcray
Hello to everyone. This is my first blog at Peabloggy, this being my first year as a graduate student here. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at the admissions process with Peabody. Having graduated from Vandy undergrad, things are a little different on that side of admissions. The Arts and Science school itself is much bigger than a graduate program and everything was less personal. I didn’t quite know what to expect from Peabody, but I have been nothing but impressed so far. Before I ever sent in my application, I had multiple conversations with the faculty and staff. They were very welcoming, encouraging, and a delight to talk with. I can honestly say I hadn’t ever visited the Peabody campus until I applied for graduate school. It really is a beautiful, peaceful setting. It doesn’t quite have all the undergrad riff raff that you get on the main campus, and being 28 years old, the riff raff isn’t so appealing any longer. I’m sure many of you can relate.
Classes officially begin on Monday, and with any new beginning, I am excited, nervous, and filled with anticipation. I have already received syllabi for most of my classes, and to be quite frank, they look really interesting, and one especially was a tad intimidating. I’ve already begun reading for the “intimidation” class, and as I read further, it isn’t so scary. I cannot stress enough how wonderful it is reading about a topic you are highly invested in, as counseling is for me. This being my first experience with graduate readings, I was pleasantly surprised, even with the difficulty in language, that I could easily get through the readings because they were intriguing. I wasn’t reading about sedimentary rocks, studying the latin language, or learning the history of the Mayans (although all of those topics are fascinating, they just don’t spark my interests). So, it has been a joy getting into the first few readings. I look forward to orientation on Friday, where I can meet my peers and start settling into grad school. Hopefully, I will be meeting many of you very soon!
-Kristina DePue
My cohort returns to classes in a few weeks, and I started reading for the first weekend of Qualitative Research Methodology this past Saturday. So far, so good. I enjoyed not having any homework assignments or deadlines hanging over me during summer break. However, in an effort to prepare for the new semester, I knew I needed to start reading. We have not received our other fall course syllabus yet, which I am thankful for in order to digest one at a time. I waited a day between receiving the other one and actually looking at it. Once you read the due dates, there is no going back. That homework is mapped into your mind until Christmas. So, for now the reading is even-paced and without any written assignments due for at least a little while, even a bit relaxed. I know this is short-lived, but until things ramp up, I can still enjoy my summer.
-Teresa Bagamery Clark
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