School of Education, UAlbany New York

Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program
Celebrates 35th Anniversary

( November 16, 2005 ) -- UAlbany's nationally recognized Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program celebrated its 35th Anniversary with the presentation of a $15,000 donation from the Dominion Foundation. Since 1970, Middle Earth has trained 1,500 student volunteers, provided hotline assistance to more than 77,000 students in crisis, and presented outreach education programs to more than 100,000 individuals in need.

"As Middle Earth reaches another important milestone we're reminded anew of the sustaining power generated from students coming together for a common cause," said President Kermit L. Hall. "It's about students helping students, demonstrating compassion and providing education and assistance to combat the crucial alcohol and drug problems facing college campuses today."

The donation ceremony was followed by a reception attended by students, alumni, staff and individuals who founded, participated in and supported the University's award winning alcohol and drug education and prevention programs over the past 35 years.

The program received nearly $2 million in federal grants and private support during the past year to implement and study peer facilitated interventions for alcohol and substance abuse. Matthew Martens, Asst. Professor of Counseling Psychology in the School of Education and M. Dolores Cimini are collaborating on three projects: The Effects of Peer-Facilitated Alcohol Interventions, and the two new initiatives Expanding Treatment Capacity Using the BASICS Model funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Project First STEPS, funded by the US Department of Education, designed to meet the unique and complex needs of high risk drinkers.

Middle Earth is staffed by licensed psychologist Director M. Dolores Cimini, a psychology intern, three graduate assistants and 140 peer counselors and educators who undergo a rigorous selection process and comprehensive training program including alcohol and drug prevention initiatives, sexual assault, and HIV/AIDS education. In addition, they learn listening and communication skills, crisis intervention approaches and even workshop and peer theater techniques. The latter component is essential for participation in the Middle Earth Players, an improvisational theater group which has become the program's strongest and most visible peer educational initiative since it's inception in 1997.

"I am honored to be serving as the director of the Middle Earth program at a time when the organization is so active and vibrant," said Cimini. "It's a delight to have the opportunity to work with such dedicated and motivated undergraduate students who are truly exceptional in their efforts to help and support their peers, and to communicate prevention messages both at UAlbany and beyond."

Student leaders from the center just returned from the Boost Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students (BACCHUS) Peer Education Network National Conference in Orlando , where for the second year in a row they claimed three awards — more than any of the other 75 competing colleges and universities. They won $100 for Outstanding Program, $300 in the Award for Excellence in Peer Education for a College/University of 12,000 or more students, and UAlbany undergraduate Sheng Wu won the Outstanding Student prize. The student leaders are donating their monetary prizes to the Kimberly E. Esterman Memorial Scholarship Fund which provides financial assistance to graduate students working in Middle Earth and pursuing a degree in the School of Education ’s Counseling Psychology program.

"The Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program is a sterling example of the ideals of good citizenship that has reached the top ranks among peer programs with the inspired supervision of Dr. Cimini," said Estela M. Rivero, the director of the University Counseling Center . "We are most appreciative of the Student Association for its partnership in this endeavor, as well as to the Dominion Foundation for its generous funding in recognition of the excellent contributions of Middle Earth."

Middle Earth began as CRISIS 5300 back in 1970 when a small group of student volunteers were concerned about the impact of drugs and 1960s culture and issues on their peers. Today, their model drug and alcohol prevention and education programs and committed volunteer staff set the standard nationally and are routinely recognized and honored with awards from BACCHUS and Greeks Advocating Mature Management of Alcohol (GAMMA).

"The volunteer students of Middle Earth provide outstanding peer assistance to other students and members of the community," Rivero continued, "while providing leadership for peer assistance organizations nationwide through active participation in a model service learning program."

More than 1,500 UAlbany alumni have been involved with Middle Earth and remain in touch with the program providing volunteer service and guest lectures including program founder, psychologist Louis Ringe '71.

U.S. Department of Education and SAMHSA Fund
Alcohol Intervention Programs

Alcohol is a persistent and costly problem that affects colleges, campus communities and students nationwide. The University at Albany has received a $295,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to prevent high-risk drinking and violent behavior among college students and a $1.4 million grant from the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to fund interventions with college students at high risk for alcohol and substance abuse.

The USDE program is titled Project First STEPS. It will identify high-risk drinkers among first-year students through an online screening process conducted within the students’ first month at UAlbany, then follows a five-stage process to prevent high-risk behaviors. Matthew Martens, Asst. Professor of Counseling Psychology in the School of Education and M. Dolores Cimini , psychologist and director of UAlbany’s award-winning Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program are collaborating on this initiative with Christine A. Bouchard, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Estela M. Rivero, director of the University Counseling Center.

“We’re grateful to have funding from the U.S. Department of Education to help make these interventions possible,” said President Kermit L. Hall. “The psychologists of the University Counseling Center offer exemplary resources and model intervention programs that provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to facilitate change and succeed on campus and in life. This grant comes at a particularly critical time for the University as it addresses one of the most persistent issues in higher education, alcohol abuse. We are fortunate to have a team that could not only win the grant but now deliver in a way that will benefit the University, both its students and its reputation.”

The objectives of Project First STEPS are consistent with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) 2002 Task Force on College Drinking recommendations which are to reduce student alcohol use and reduce “harms” or negative consequences that result from excessive [high-risk] use. The study will measure the effects of the interventions on the individual student and across time upon campus crime rates, student referrals to the judicial system for alcohol policy violations and alcohol-related health concerns, emergencies and accidents.

Project First STEPS will also bolster the University’s “social norms” campaign—to correct the nationwide misperception of underage and high-risk drinking on campus. The NIAAA Task Force Report on College Drinking gave credence to the value of implementing social norms programs on campus with the Panel on Prevention and Treatment noting that “several institutions that persistently communicated accurate norms have experienced reductions of up to 20 percent in high-risk drinking over a relatively short period of time.”

In September, 2004, NIAAA awarded UAlbany $890,000 to research interventions that prevent or reduce alcohol-related problems among college students. The NIAAA peer-facilitated project initiative is being coordinated through the School of Education and the University Counseling Center’s Middle Earth program, a winner of a U. S. Department of Education Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Model Program Grant in 2000 and the recipient of a 2001 Exemplary Substance Abuse Prevention Program Award by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. Project First STEPS services to students will be conducted by University Counseling Center psychologists who have specialized training in brief alcohol screening and intervention.

M. Dolores Cimini and Matthew Martens are also collaborating on the SAMHSA project, Expanding Treatment Capacity Using the BASICS Model, with Estela M. Rivero and Peter A. Vellis, D.O., Medical Director of the University Health Center . Effects of the Screening and Brief Interventions (SBI) will be measured both on individuals and on other factors such as campus crime rates, student referrals to the judicial system, alcohol-related health concerns and incidents involving the treatment of alcohol-related emergencies, including alcohol poisoning.

"The SAMHSA grant, will allow us to develop a collaborative program between medical and mental health service providers to identify and offer specialized and responsive services to high risk drinkers," said Rivero. "By addressing another population of high risk drinkers, this project in concert with the other two grant-driven projects, adds a significant pillar to our comprehensive alcohol prevention and intervention program."

"A person's life is shaped in late adolescence and early adulthood," SAMHSA administrator Charles Curie said. "Drug and alcohol abuse can seriously derail an individual's emotional and social growth. College and university health service centers provide an ideal setting to identify and intervene early to help keep students on track towards healthy and productive lives."

Alumni Association Scholoarships Available

The University at Albany Alumni Association is a strong partner in the growth and advancement of the University at Albany and its constituents. The Association’s Scholarships Program is one key area where the Association provides valuable support for undergraduate and graduate student at the University.

We are pleased to announce funding for the following student scholarships for 2006-2007. You will note that we have added a new scholarship this year for legacy students. We would appreciate your publicizing these awards to ensure a diverse group of qualified applications.

The Albert N, Husted Fellowship ($1,000): Awarded to a senior planning for full-time graduate study in any area of study at the University or any other accredited university.

The Class of 1972 Scholarship ($750): Awarded to a graduating UAlbany senior planning to enter full-time graduate study at the University during the next academic year.

Award applications are available at the following offices: Alumni Association, Financial Aid and Undergraduate Studies. Applications are due March 1.

For more information, students may visit http://www.albany.edu/alumni/Awards.htm or call Melissa Samuels at 442-3083.

Just for the Kids - New York
High Performing Elementary Schools

The School of Education has published a sample of case studies that highlight the best practices in high performing elementary schools in New York State. The cases, which are part of the Just for the Kids-New York project, are the first in a series that will include middle and high schools in the coming years.

The schools were selected from a larger sample of high performing schools – schools that outperform their demographically similar peers over time (at least 3 years). New York State Grade Four ELA and Mathematics Assessments were used to identify the schools. Researchers visited the sample of schools last winter and spring to learn about each – its curriculum, instruction, and staff, as well as how it assesses results and rewards achievement.

A Professor’s Year Back in Elementary School

During the 2004-2005 school year, Kevin P. Quinn, Associate Professor of Special Education in the Dept. of Educational and Counseling Psychology, spent his sabbatical in an elementary classroom for School 27 in Albany. He was managing a program he designed for students with emotional behavioral disorders (EBD).

The City School District of Albany sends dozens of students with EBD to a variety of highly restrictive and expensive out-of-district placements each year. However, there is little evidence that students substantially benefit from those placements. In an effort to create a state-of-the art program for students with EBD and their families, the School of Education collaborated with the City School District of Albany to implement Quinn’s program. “The goal is to have a positive impact on how children perceive, think, feel and behave,” said Quinn. Dr. Quinn managed a class of approximately ten students in grades 4 through 6. When working with these students, Quinn said, “You get a great appreciation for the demands that troubled students — and troubling students — place on teachers and a humbling appreciation for the complexity involved in changing these students’ behavior.”

The class was affiliated with School 27, not far from UAlbany’s uptown campus. Due to construction at the school’s permanent location, Quinn and his team worked in the Philip Schuyler Elementary School building, located right next to UAlbany’s downtown campus, the former New State College for Teachers

Sarah Snyder, a graduate of the School’s M.S. program in special education, was the classroom teacher on the project. In addition to Snyder and Quinn, two interns from our special education program and a part-time intern from the School of Social Welfare participated in the program each semester. “One of my main interests was to bridge the gap between what we teach at the University and what students experience in the field,” said Quinn. Special education interns Tara Kim Carpenter, Lorna Wood, Lisa Cowdrey and Laura Ficcara all worked on Quinn’s program. Intern Tara Kim Carpenter said, “Dr. Quinn provided his four interns, one alumnus [Snyder] and ten children with a growing educational experience, while working in this classroom with hard to reach students.”

All four interns commented that this experience changed their view of appropriate programs for students with emotional and behavior needs. Quinn is currently evaluating the program’s academic and behavioral outcomes for students, as well as the impact the program had on the students’ families. Evaluation data will be used to inform ongoing practice and serve as pilot data for pursuit of external funds to support the program’s growth.

On behalf of the four interns, Carpenter said, “The four of us see Dr. Quinn as a role model, a fellow professional teacher and a friend. After an eight hour day in our program, Dr. Quinn would continue to lead nightly lectures and discussions in our graduate courses. Often feeling the pain of our overwhelming and draining days, he continued to show us how to reflect and learn from each triumph and crisis.”

Prior to joining the School of Education in 1994, Kevin Quinn was a research associate at Educational Research and Services Center at the University of Northern Illinois. He previously served as a special education teacher for students with behavioral and academic problems, and as Principal of the Rose School, a model demonstration school for students with emotional and behavioral disorders, in Washington, DC.

Joint Program receives DOE Grant to
Train and Support Nontraditional
Students for Careers in Special Education

The Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology's Division of Special Education, in a joint effort with the Department of Reading, has received a $757, 000 grant from the US Department of Education which will enhance the support needed to retain highly qualified and diverse candidates as they change their fields of employment to special education. Many schools in New York State and the country face severe shortages of well qualified teachers in many areas, including special education. In the School of Education’s master’s program in Special Education and Literacy, graduate students learn to effectively implement research-based instructional practices in special education with an emphasis on literacy. This program enables those who have completed liberal arts majors in their undergraduate studies, rather than education majors, to enter the special education teaching profession. This DOE funding will provide both peer support and student financial support to retain well qualified graduate students from nontraditional backgrounds during the course of their two year academic program.

School of Education Partners with
Albany City Schools in NYGEAR UP Program

With a $154,300 grant from NYGEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) the City School District of Albany will expand the services offered by the School of Education via the Community Service in Education class (EDU 390) and the university work-study program. Participating EDU 390 students will work as after-school tutors for middle school students, offering support with homework, book discussions, writing activities, and other group projects needed to mentor at-risk students get ready for college. Additionally, the School of Education’s Center for Innovation in Career Development (CICD), will work with the school district in developing a series of parent workshops focusing on skills and resources to help students explore career options. The new CICD website, http://www.techvalleycareers.org/, will provide the platform for information and local community resources. Each session will combine media resources with presentations and group discussions.

NYGEAR UP is part of a national initiative to create innovative programs to help at-risk youngsters, beginning in the seventh grade, to get ready for college. The GEAR UP grants are awarded to programs designed by middle school and postsecondary partnerships that work with community groups and businesses to mentor at-risk students towards achieving the dream of going to college.

Prof. Terry Crooks, University of Otago, New Zealand speaking on
Large and Small Scale Assessment

Wednesday, October 26, 3:30 – 6 p.m. ,
at the Alumni House.
Gather at 3:30 for refreshments; speech begins at 4.

Sponsored by the School of Education and
the Department of Reading.

Terry Crooks is the Director and primary developer of New Zealand ’s National Education Monitoring Project (NEMP). Terry has published widely on assessment and testing at all levels (large scale to moment-to-moment classroom assessment, and elementary to tertiary). He has a special interest in the validity of educational assessments, their impact on students, and how assessment activity can promote student learning. He will outline and illustrate how literacy is assessed in NEMP and talk about key requirements for effective (valid) formative assessment. For more on Professor Crooks and his recent publications go to: http://education.otago.ac.nz/faculty/staff/crooks.html.

NEMP is New Zealand ’s equivalent of the U.S. ’s National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) - but very different. The NEMP is a remarkable performance based assessment system that monitors educational achievement across time at the national level. Its scope addresses the spectrum of educational outcomes: Science, Visual Art, Information Skills (graphs, tables, maps, charts and diagrams, library and research), Language (reading and speaking, writing, listening and viewing), Technology, Music, Mathematics, Social Studies, Health and Physical Education. Across these domains, NEMP assesses communication skills, problem-solving skills, self-management and co-operative skills, work and study skills, and attitudes. The principles on which the NEMP is based are in a number of ways quite different from those underlying American approaches to assessment. For more on the National Education Monitoring Project go to: http://nemp.otago.ac.nz/.

Click here to get Directions to the University at Albany Uptown Campus and the Alumni House.

School of Education Professors Study
State of Writing Instruction in Nation’s Schools

Two professors of educational theory and practice received a $100,000 start-up grant to study the evolution and accessibility of writing instruction at the middle and high school level in the United States over the past quarter century. Judith A. Langer, distinguished professor, founder and director of the Albany Institute for Research in Education (AIRE), and director of the Center on English Learning & Achievement (CELA) and Arthur N. Applebee, leading professor in the Department of Educational Theory and Practice will head the National Study of Writing Instruction, a jointly funded project of the College Board and the National Writing Project.

Judith Langer

“I’m thrilled to receive this grant to study the state of writing instruction in American schools,” said Langer. “Writing is a cornerstone of a literate society, not just for the college-bound, but for everyone. But study after study shows that, in general, students aren’t writing well, and too often writing instruction is not doing the job it should. The goal of this national study is to update our knowledge and go beyond—to help us identify what’s being done, what’s most effective for whom, and to chart next steps for improvement.”

Arthur Applebee

“It has been 25 years since the last systematic look at writing instruction in American schools,” said Applebee. “This study will give us an opportunity to examine the effects of the many changes over that period—the influence of the extensive inservice activities of the National Writing Project, the recent inclusion of a writing sample on the SAT, and the rise of high stakes testing, among others.”

To determine the state of writing instruction, Langer and Applebee will begin with re-analyses of existing databases to develop an overall portrait of writing instruction. Then, they’ll examine regional differences, and differential distribution of writing activities and writing instruction across demographic subgroups. This will provide an initial portrait of equality or lack of equality in opportunities to learn to write.

Successive phases of the study will examine in depth how writing is incorporated into each of the major academic subject areas, the cumulative experiences of individual students learning to write, and the contextual factors that support or inhibit effective curriculum and instruction.

Literacy Lab: Responsive Teachers
and Community Engagement

Graduate student Nancy Werner works with Jah-Quan Brown.

For the past five years, the Reading Department in the School of Education has run its Literacy Lab at Arbor Hill Elementary School in Albany . The Lab is the capstone course of the Literacy Specialist (Birth- Grade 6) master’s degree program where graduate students in the Lab participate in a unique tutoring experience. Each graduate student is paired with one elementary school student requiring help with literacy learning. The goals of the Lab are to accelerate the children’s development into strategic and critical readers and writers and to advance the graduate students’ development into responsive teachers.

The Literacy Lab runs year round. The three-hour class is held twice a week during the school year or 5 times each week during the summer. In any given semester, 15 to 30 graduate students are each paired with an elementary student. The pair works together throughout the semester. During the tutorial, which is the first hour of class, the children work with their graduate student tutor on reading and writing in a variety of genres such as poetry, journals, recipes, letters, rap, mysteries, non-fiction, book reviews – even Power-Point presentations. “Graduate students work hard to find topics of interest for the children,” said Cheryl Dozier, Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Reading and instructor and co-coordinator of the Literacy Lab, “The tutors have detailed but flexible plans for each session, and focus on the needs of the child.” After the tutoring session, the graduate students use the remainder of the class to analyze videotapes and audiotapes of themselves and each other’s instruction in the context of reading current research. Along with their instructors, the students offer each other feedback on strategies and techniques for more effective teaching. This group effort provides graduate students with a positive and productive learning environment.

The positive learning experience for the elementary students tutored at the Lab is also enhanced by the participation of their families. Parents are encouraged to attend tutorial sessions to observe their child’s development. On the last day of the semester family members are invited to attend a celebration where all of the students share something they worked on during the semester. Attendance at this event is excellent. The families have been most welcoming and the program is more successful because of their involvement and engagement.

Cheryl Dozier, graduate students Deb Fitzgerald, Megan Fabio, Laura Flynn, Kendi Woodbeck, and Peter Johnston

According to Peter Johnston, Professor in the Dept. of Reading and instructor and co-coordinator of the Literacy Lab, the program provides a community service and at the same time helps graduate students become more comfortable teaching a diverse range of students. “The Lab challenges stereotypes,” said Johnston . “Teaching in Arbor Hill helps the graduate students to think about teaching, literacy and culture in ways they otherwise wouldn’t.”

Graduate student Darcy Thomas participated in the Literacy Lab last summer. “I definitely feel that this was the best learning experience I’ve ever had,” said Thomas. “It helped me to prepare for my own classroom. I learned how to adapt my instruction to incorporate the student’s interests and needs.”

Dozier and Johnston both agree that the Literacy Lab could not operate without the help and cooperation provided by the Arbor Hill Elementary School faculty and Bob White, the principal, and the YMCA after school program staff. The Arbor Hill reading teachers, commonly graduates of the Reading Department’s Literacy program, are particularly helpful in working with instructors to select children to be tutored.

To meet course demand this past summer, another Literacy Lab was successfully established at Abram Lansing Elementary School in Cohoes .

Counseling Psychology Program Celebrates
25th Anniversary, October 14-15

The Division of Counseling Psychology in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology is celebrating 25 years of being an APA-accredited PhD program, with 191 graduates. Faculty, students, and alumni of the program will begin their reunion celebration Friday evening, Oct. 14 with a reception at the Alumni House, on the Uptown Campus and continue the festivities with a full day of events on Saturday, Oct. 15.

On Saturday, the Counseling Psychology Alumni will host panel vonversations for current doctoral students. Topics include Getting that Post-Doc, Working in Nontraditional Settings, Jobs in College Counseling Centers, Counseling Children and Adolescents, to name just a few. Following lunch, there will be group "hike” along the Indian Ladder Trail at Thatcher Park . Saturday’s festivities conclude with a banquet at the Marriott.

The Counseling Psychology Alumni have generously donated funds so that the majority of the students can attend these events at no cost. The students are running a silent auction with donated handicrafts and gift certificates, with all proceeds going to fund student travel.

For more information about Counseling Psychology’s 25th Anniversary Reunion, contact Prof. Micki Friedlander, at (518)442-5049 or mfriedlander@uamail.albany.edu.

Reunion RSVP Form

U.S. Department of Education Funds
UAlbany Alcohol Intervention Program

The University at Albany has received a $295,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to prevent high-risk drinking and violent behavior among college students. Titled Project First STEPS, the initiative will identify high-risk drinkers among first-year students through an online screening process conducted within the students’ first month at UAlbany then follows a five-stage process to prevent high-risk behaviors. The project director and principal investigator is M. Dolores Cimini, psychologist and director of UAlbany’s award-winning Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program. Co-principal investigators include: Matthew Martens, assistant professor, in the School of Educations ’s Division of Counseling Psychology in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology; Christine A. Bouchard, associate vice president for student affairs and Estela M. Rivero, director, University Counseling Center, University at Albany .

“We’re grateful to have funding from the U.S. Department of Education to help make these interventions possible,” said UAlbany President Kermit L. Hall. “The psychologists of the University Counseling Center offer exemplary resources and model intervention programs that provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to facilitate change and succeed on campus and in life. This grant comes at a particularly critical time for the University as it addresses one of the most persistent issues in higher education, alcohol abuse. We are fortunate to have a team that could not only win the grant but now deliver in a way that will benefit the University, both its students and its reputation.”

The objectives of Project First STEPS are consistent with the NIAAA Task Force on College Drinking (2002) recommendations which are to reduce student alcohol use and reduce “harms” or negative consequences that result from excessive [high-risk] use. The study will measure the effects of the interventions on the individual student and across time upon campus crime rates, student referrals to the judicial system for alcohol policy violations and alcohol-related health concerns, emergencies and accidents.

“We are thrilled to have this prestigious grant,” said Rivero, who has a critical leadership role in the University’s alcohol and other drug prevention initiatives. “This provides us the opportunity to intervene early to prevent alcohol use and related negative consequences in our first-year students. Our state-of-the-art grant project interventions will offer our new students a ‘head start’ to succeed, both academically and personally at UAlbany.”

Project First STEPS will also bolster the University’s “social norms” campaign—to correct the nationwide misperception of underage and high-risk drinking on campus. NIAAA Task Force Report on College Drinking (April, 2002) gave credence to the value of implementing social norms programs on campus with the Panel on Prevention and Treatment noting that “several institutions that persistently communicated accurate norms have experienced reductions of up to 20 percent in high-risk drinking over a relatively short period of time.”

In September, 2004, NIAAA awarded UAlbany $890,000 to research interventions that prevent or reduce alcohol-related problems among college students. The NIAAA peer-facilitated project initiative is being coordinated through the University Counseling Center ’s Middle Earth program, a winner of a U. S. Department of Education Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Model Program Grant in 2000 and the recipient of a 2001 Exemplary Substance Abuse Prevention Program Award by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. Project First STEPS services to students will be conducted by University Counseling Center psychologists who have specialized training in brief alcohol screening and intervention.

The University at Albany is a leader in campus alcohol and drug abuse prevention initiatives with a 15-year history of commitment to fostering campus-community coalitions, providing educational programs and enforcing University alcohol and drug policies. The University Counseling Center and the Committee on University and Community Relations work together to advance “reality over perception”—the core of social norms intervention—and succeeded in an agreement with tavern owners to eliminate drink specials which may have promoted high-risk drinking.

School of Education Joins
National Just for the Kids Project

The University at Albany ’s School of Education formed a partnership with the New York State Business Council and the State of New York to create Just for the Kids- New York , part of the national Just for the Kids (JFTK) project. The national study includes 36 other states and is sponsored by the National Center for Educational Accountability at the University at Texas at Austin in partnership with the Education Commission of the States. The New York project is also being supported, in part, by IBM and State Farm Insurance.

Just for the Kids helps schools get more from their state assessment results by identifying opportunities for improvement and learning from higher performing schools. “Just for the Kids takes existing state assessment data and makes it more useful,” said Research Director of the New York project Arthur Applebee, Leading Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Theory and Practice and Research Director of JFTK-NY. “Not only does it enable schools to see how they are doing compared with other similar schools, but, more important, it offers ways for schools to assess and compare themselves to more successful schools in specific areas. It gives schools tools they can use to improve student achievement.”

Enrollment and state test data are collected from state education departments and statistically analyzed to identify levels of school performance. Schools must score well for three or more years in core academic subjects and meet several additional criteria in order to be considered high performing.

For the New York project, fourth-grade English language arts and mathematics scores were used to identify schools that have performed consistently well over time. Then, with the advice of a statewide advisory board including directors of state education associations and interests, a sample of high and average performing schools were selected for further study.

Researchers visited these schools last winter and spring to learn more about each – its curriculum, instruction and staff, as well as, how it assesses results and rewards achievement. A cross-site analysis currently underway will identify the specific features that make the difference for the higher performing schools. This information, along with a set of case studies of individual schools, is now available.

It was in June of 1997 when British children were first introduced to a young wizard by the name of Harry. Eight years and six books later, he has become one of the most beloved characters in literary history, with millions of fans reading his adventures around the world. In the United States , the Harry Potter series has often been credited with getting children off the computer or video game console and back to reading again. School of Education Distinguished Professor and Center on English Learning & Achievement director Judith Langer 's studies of language, literacy, and learning have had a major impact on English and literacy theory, teaching, and assessment. Her research on comprehension has changed th e w ay national and state tests assess students' literacy achievement, and her studies of reading and writing have helped develop more thought-provoking instruction. She can help explain Harry Potter's impact on the classroom. Langer has identified important ways in which effective literature instruction aids the development of student reading, writing, and thinking skills. And she has identified the professional and classroom features of English programs where students are "beating the odds" in literacy achievement.

“Harry Potter has done for America ’s youth what Oprah Winfrey has done for their parents – turned them into a society of readers,” explains Langer, “Peopl e w ho not only read, but look forward to it and love it.” For years, research in reading development has told us that school-age children do better in reading when they read on their own and come from homes where reading is part of normal activity. They also do better when they get into books, think about them, and discuss them with each other - when they think reading is fun, exciting, and something to share. Harry Potter has filled this bill for so many youngsters, from the elementary grades through their college years and beyond.

And it doesn’t stop there. “Many parents love reading the Harry Potter books as much as their children do. I do, too.” Reading becomes a must-do social affair among family and friends when they discuss Harry’s plights, analyze characters, imagine causes and solutions, search for connections, mastermind plot lines, and compare one book with another and the movi e w ith the book. And that’s where a lot of literacy learning comes in. To participate in this society of readers, kids need to engage in some kinds of high level thinking (exploration, analysis, interpretation, for example) that they might not have done before. But they learn to do this in their community of readers who love the books as much as they do, in a thoughtful environment where they can agree, disagree, critique and build on each others ideas. Six books down and one to go. There’s time yet to catch some reluctant readers in Harry’s web of wizardry.

Counseling Psychology Program
Maintains Record of Top National Ranking

(July 19, 2005) – School of Education's Counseling Psychology program has been ranked the fourth best in the nation for faculty publication productivity, according to the May 2005 issue of The Counseling Psychologist. The article “Current Institutional Trends in Research Productivity on Counseling Psychology Journals,” ranked the program based on faculty contributions to the premier scholarly publications in counseling for the decade ending in 2002. This new ranking complements the program’s thirteenth place standing the 2006 U.S.News & World Report reviews of national programs in counseling and personnel services.

The Counseling Psychology faculty have sustained a record of excellence for two decades. In 1984, the program was ranked fifth in the nation by the Journal of Counseling Psychology, based on publications and professional leadership positions among counseling psychology programs. A decade later the ranking improved, with a 1994 report in the same journal ranking the program fourth in the nation in terms of overall productivity, and a 1995 article in The Counseling Psychologist listing the counseling psychology program as second in the nation in terms of scholarly contributions.

In addition, over the two decades, focused rankings also have been reported in analyses presented at the American Psychological Association in terms of contributions to specific journals: the counseling psychology faculty were ranked the number one contributors to the Journal of Vocational Behavior, and as the second most frequent contributors to the Journal of Counseling Psychology.

"This strong tradition of excellence is a hallmark of the faculty in counseling psychology, and, indeed, the entire School of Education," said Dean Susan D. Phillips. "I am deeply honored to see it recognized across the nation."

Contributions of individual faculty have received national recognition. Monroe Bruch, David Blustein, Myrna Friedlander, Richard Haase, and Dean Phillips were ranked in the top eight percent by The Counseling Psychologist of the members of the American Psychological Association’s Society of Counseling Psychology in scholarly productivity. Myrna Friedlander was ranked among the 50 most frequently cited authors in all of counseling psychology and one of the top three researchers in all of psychotherapy process-outcome research in separate reports in the Journal of Counseling Psychology and The Counseling Psychologist.

The following M.S. programs are still accepting
applications for the Fall 2005 semester

M.S. in Educational Administration
The master's degree program provides a solid background for students seeking to become administrators and leaders within all fields of education, including higher education and educational policy study. For additional information, please contact the Dept. of Educational Administration & Policy Studies
(518) 442-5080.

M.S. in Educational Psychology and Methodology
This degree program is designed for students seeking a broad foundation in educational psychology. It is valuable to students with specific interests across the areas of human development, learning, individual differences and special education, measurement and evaluation, and research methods. This degree can also be used for professional and permanent certification for students with initial or provisional teaching certification. For additional information, please contact the Division of Educational Psychology and (518) 442-5055.

M.S. in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology (CDIT)
This program is designed for those who wish to extend their expertise in curriculum and instruction, and for those with an interest in instructional design and technology. The program is appropriate for people with a general interest in education and may also be appropriate for elementary and secondary teachers seeking permanent certification. This program can be completed either through classroom-based or online coursework. For additional information, please contact the Dept. of Educational Theory & Practice (518) 442-5024/5020.

M.S. in General Educational Studies
This 30-credit master's degree program offers a very flexible program of study and is designed to complement a variety of undergraduate preparation. This program offers the student a generally well-rounded educational background and allows room to explore specific topics in more depth. The degree is especially appropriate for secondary teachers seeking professional certification and for permanently certified teachers who want to advance their careers. For additional information, please contact the Dept. of Educational Theory & Practice (518) 442-5024/5020.

For more information on our Fall 05 classes and admission & registration information: http://www.albany.edu/education/fallclasses.html

Keep checking this site for important updates on courses and registration.

or call the School of Education: (518) 442-4985

Deborah May Named Leader for
the Universal Design for Learning

Deborah May, Chair of the School’s Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, has been named to the Leadership Group for the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the New York Higher Education Support Center for Systems Change. The purpose of this group is to address issues of design, development, and implementation of UDL in institutions of higher education and in high needs schools in New York State , and is charged with providing leadership on UDL to the Task Force on Quality Inclusive Schooling through the New York Higher Education Support Center for Systems Change. This group will identify, use, critique, and finally recommend teacher education strategies, program components, or program structures that will prepare teachers to support the full range of student abilities and needs in the early childhood, childhood, middle childhood, and adolescent levels.

Dean Appointed by Regents to
Professional Standards and Practices Board

The New York State Board of Regents appointed Susan D. Phillips, School of Education Dean, to the Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching. The board serves the Regents and the Commissioner of Education on teaching issues and related professions. Phillips serves from March 15, 2005 through June 30, 2007.

The board focuses on preparation and practice for classroom teachers, school and district administrators, and student service providers, including issues such as recruitment, mentoring and retention, certification requirements, ethics, accreditation, and professional development. The Board has 28 members, including K-12 teachers and administrators, higher education representatives, public representatives, and one teacher education student.

Phillips has served as the School of Education Dean for three years. She began her professional career at the University in 1979. She has held a variety of positions at the school, including Director of Doctoral Training in the Department of Counseling Psychology and Chair of the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology. She also served as Chair of Accreditation of the American Psychological Association in Washington, D.C. in 2000 and 2001.

Phillips also serves on the policy board of the Greater Capital Region Teacher Center, the executive committee of the Regional School Support Center, and the executive committee of the Capital Area School Development Association (CASDA). She has received a number of professional honors, including the National School Development Council Cooperative Leadership Award in 2004, the Psychological Association of Northeastern New York Distinguished Psychologist Award in 1998, the State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1994-95 and the University at Albany Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1995.

Phillips has a bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford University and doctorate in counseling psychology from Columbia University's Teacher's College.

School Psychology Partners with Northeast
Parent and Child Society

Jennifer Brooks, Amanda Nickerson, Frank Salamone and Sarah Colby

The Division of School Psychology in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology is pleased to report on the success of their collaborative relationship with Northeast Parent and Child Society, a non-profit agency dedicated to protecting children, preserving families, and strengthening communities through a variety of therapeutic and educational programs in the Greater Capital Region. School of Education Dean Susan Phillips and Northeast’s Executive Director, James Johans, have been instrumental in creating the vision and providing the support for having the School of Education and Northeast work together to better meet the needs of children and families in the Capital Region.

Given that hundreds of thousands of children each year suffer from problems severe enough to warrant residential treatment, it is imperative that those concerned with the education and development of children learn more about ways to improve services to this population. The partnership between the Division of School Psychology and Northeast Parent and Child Society is a promising way to combine the expertise of university faculty and students with those providing direct services to reach the common goal of fostering enhanced learning and development so that all children can reach their potential.

Research and program development is one aspect of the partnership. Dr. Amanda Nickerson, Assistant Professor of School Psychology, and Dr. Frank Salamone, Consulting Psychologist at Northeast and School Psychcology lecturer, have begun a research collaboration with the Children’s Home, Northeast’s residential treatment program in Schenectady. They are studying ways to build the strengths of children and families, encourage family involvement, and improve children’s transition from residential treatment to their homes and communities. As part of their study with the Children’s Home, Nickerson, Salamone, and School Psychology doctoral students Jennifer Brooks and Sarah Colby, evaluated and selected the most promising approaches to the improvement of the post-discharge transition. Their findings were published last November in Residential Treatment for Children and Youth (Haworth Press).

The research team has also conducted extensive individual interviews with Northeast staff, children, and parents about strengths, family involvement, and transition planning. The goal of this research is to further develop and evaluate programs to improve the transition from residential treatment to the communities through building strengths and encouraging meaningful family involvement. Preliminary findings from these interviews will be presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists this spring.

The other aspect of the School Psychology/Northeast partnership includes direct service. Doctoral student Sarah Colby began her advanced field work at the Children’s Home last fall. Colby participates in the assessment, counseling, consultation, and program development activities of the residential treatment facility.

Submit résumé, letter of application, as well as the urls of sites you have designed and maintained to:

Susan Palmer
Director for Outreach and Extended Learning
School of Education ED 238
spalmer@uamail.albany.edu

Professors Amanda Nickerson, in the Division of School Psychology and Matthew Martens, in the Division of Counseling Psychology just received a grant from the American Educational Research Association for their project Authoritarian vs. Educational/ Therapeutic Approaches: Effects on Crime in U.S. Schools . This project seeks to identify prevention and intervention strategies that reduce school disruption and crime. They will study data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ School Survey on Crime and Safety in three ways: assess the extent to which schools use crime prevention strategies considered to be “best practices;” explore whether school crisis prevention and intervention strategies can be reliably differentiated according to the constructs of authoritarian and educational/therapeutic approaches; and assess the extent to which these school approaches influence school crime

Formed by collaboration among the School of Education , College of Arts and Sciences, School of Public Health , School of Social Welfare and community groups from Amsterdam and Albany , the Export Center on Health Disparities in Smaller Cities is funded by a $1,235,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health. Based on the premise that people that live in minority and disadvantaged communities in smaller cities and towns face different challenges than those living in large urban areas, researchers will focus on these differences and how to mitigate them. Principal Investigators include Susan Phillips , School of Education; Lawrence Schell, Dept. of Anthropology; Nancy Denton, Dept. of Sociology; Blanca Ramos, School of Social Welfare; Richard Alba, Dept. of Sociology; and David Strogatz, from the School of Public Health’s Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.