Ready for the World: Saint Mary’s Students Present at International Conference
Eleven Saint Mary’s students recently had the chance to show off their teaching skills as presenters at the International Reading Association Annual Convention in Chicago this past April. “This was a wonderful opportunity for our students—presenting at an international conference, attending other sessions, and collecting materials from the exhibit hall for their future classrooms,” says Department of Education professor Mary Ann Traxler. Seniors Emily Beier, Annie Boyce, Becky Eckstein, Molly Gaffney, Teresa Healey, Colleen Hogan, Laura Kaminsky, Christine Martens, Maggie McNicholas, Beth Murphy, and Caitlin Smith attended and presented along with professors Traxler, Nancy Turner, and Loretta Li.
Front row l-to-r: Maggie McNicholas, Beth Murphy, Emily Beier; back row l-to-r
Annie Boyce, Colleen Hogan, Teresa Healey, Christine Martens, Molly Gaffney,
Caitlin Smith, Laura Kaminsky, and Becky Eckstein
The symposium was two hours and forty-five minutes, and all eleven students presented on the topic, Preparing Outstanding Literacy Teachers. Their session included a presentation of “specific strategies and learning experiences implemented in undergraduate literacy methods courses that promote the development of effective teachers,” according to their conference proposal.
Maggie McNicholas ’10 noted that her classes at Saint Mary’s were “crucial” in preparing her for the conference. “The goal of the presentation was to connect the course work completed as an undergraduate elementary education major to our field experiences, the time spent in an elementary classroom, and reflect on the importance of connecting the course work to the field in order to become, in particular, better reading teachers,” describes Maggie.
Colleen Hogan ’10 says presenting at the conference was a chance of a lifetime. “I had the chance to research a topic that I was very passionate about as well as share my findings on reading in the classroom today with others,” says Colleen.
The students took full advantage of the conference by attending sessions of interest, gathering materials, and networking. “I truly enjoyed collaborating with my peers and professors. I was able to finally put all of the teaching theories, techniques, styles, and more that I learned throughout the years in the Department of Education into practice,” says Colleen.
The students presented to an audience, largely made up of professors from other colleges and universities, who asked questions and gave feedback after the students’ presentation. “They were in large part impressed with the course work that we have completed as undergraduates, which reinforces the great education that we have gained at Saint Mary’s,” says Maggie.