CARE

Creative, Active, and Reflective Educators (CARE)

Our program is one of the oldest partnerships in The Patton College and was founded on the principles of Democratic Education as proposed by John Dewey.

• CARE proudly partners with Federal Hocking Secondary School.
• CARE is a partnership for Middle Childhood, Adolescent-to-Young Adult, and Multi-Age majors, and begins in the fall of sophomore year. Students travel together as a cohort through the CARE course of study, working immediately and continuously in Partnership Schools.
• CARE provides opportunities to learn how theory and practice are intertwined. In CARE, you learn how to apply theoretical concepts in real-time practice. You explore the nature of the child as a learner and how social, emotional, and economic factors impact teaching and learning in classrooms.

The Clinical Model Through the Lens of the CARE Program

5 Principles of CARE

Social/Cultural

In a democratic society, the primary role of the school is to develop in students the habits of the heart and mind that make active and full democratic citizenship possible. As teachers in democratic classrooms, your responsibilities go beyond preparing students with subject content or for future careers. Education is not a neutral endeavor. It is both a social activity and an institution that is embedded in an always-changing sociocultural context. Because we are not born knowing how to be democratic, schools become an important site for developing the traits and characteristics that are part of being a democratic citizen. The promises of democracy are extended to all citizens. How schools can foster democratic ideals such as equity, social justice, freedom, responsibility, community, and tolerance will be examined.

Nature of the Learner

Students will explore the nature of the child as a learner and how psychological, emotional, cognitive, and physical development impact learning and teaching in the classroom. The child comes to school as a naturally curious learner and meaning-maker. CARE students will explore how to keep this natural wonder and curiosity alive through all grade levels by opening a window to the world. Students will explore an array of childhood and adolescent development theories, as well as learn about how social, cultural, and economic factors impact the learner within the school experience. We will seriously consider how all children can be educated well, paying attention to issues of difference such as socioeconomic class, race, gender, and family configuration.

Curriculum

Curriculum may be defined as the sum of the experiences a child has in school. How teachers and others choose to structure the formal curriculum is often overlooked. Even less examined is the "hidden curriculum" and its impact on students. The choices that teachers make should be predicated upon enhancing the intellectual, moral, and social development of each child within the context of a democratic society. Students will gain an understanding of how knowledge is organized and the curriculum is created. Textbooks will be examined with a constructivist and critical eye as only one among many resources available for gathering information. Other resources, including the community, will be explored.

Democratic Pedagogy

The role of the teacher in the democratic classroom goes beyond providing students with information to enhance their social, emotional, and intellectual development through experience. Understanding that children have different learning styles, teachers will explore how to utilize creative and active strategies that allow children to experience various educative processes, as well as multiple ways to construct knowledge. In addition, we will explore various methods that promise to provide a more authentic and holistic assessment of children's learning. Also, students will explore various means of creating a sense of classroom community that doesn't revolve around punishment or marginalization. Rather, teachers will explore how their pedagogy can create an inclusive and meaningful environment for every child.

Praxis and Partnership

The Creative, Active, and Reflective Educators program adheres to three basic commitments in teacher education. These are: (1) praxis: that the best teacher preparation includes a blending of theory and practice, and that these two domains inform each other to create a stronger sense of teaching, (2) partnership: the preparation of teachers should involve practicing educators, students, and university researchers as an educational team, and (3) a commitment to explore the democratic notion of the "common good amidst diversity" as it applies to one's local, national and global citizenship. In addition, education should connect with the community in a variety of settings for learning and service. These approaches will prepare our teachers to be active and valuable educational leaders in the classroom, school, and community.

CARE Courses

Course Sequence

*CARE students register for methods courses on their own. 

**The reading sequence is required ONLY for the MC licensure.

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." --Mahatma Gandhi

• All CARE students must meet the qualifications for Professional Education and Advanced Standing in The Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education. Please make sure to attend the appropriate meetings and turn in your application when appropriate. You will also need to apply for student teaching when appropriate. Please make sure to mark clearly on any of your applications that you are a CARE student.
• Candidates no longer need to register for CARE classes through CARE faculty.
• Leave the times open for the applicable CARE courses, but then fill in the rest of your schedule with courses from our teaching field concentrations, and other university requirements as needed.

Prospective Students

Typically, at the end of the freshman year, education students may apply to enter the CARE Program that begins in the fall semester of their sophomore year. At the same time, students should qualify and apply for Teacher Candidacy in The Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education. Once CARE applications are received, the CARE faculty will review all applications and then schedule interviews with those selected applicants.

CARE Candidate Manual

Table of Contents

Applications

The application is currently under revision. Please check back for updates.

For more information, contact:

Brett Noel
Coordinator of CARE
309 Patton Hall

CARE Faculty

Ann Cell
In addition to teaching with the CARE Program, Ann Cell teaches language arts at Federal Hocking High School and Middle School. At FH, she runs the FH Drama Club, supervises student teachers, mentors new teachers, and heads The Teacher Center, which organizes professional development for the FH staff. In addition to her teaching degree, she holds a B.A. in theater from The University of Akron. She is also the proud parent of two Lancers.  Ann teaches EDCR 2100 and EDCR 3100. Both are general methods classes with an emphasis on progressive practice.

Jadey Gilmore
Jadey Gilmore has a wealth of experience teaching children at many levels in private and public school settings. Since coming to Federal Hocking, she has taught at Amesville and the Secondary School. Specifically, she has taught first, second, and third grade (she "looped" with these students, staying with them all three years), sixth-grade language arts and social studies, and 7th and 8th grade English/language arts. In addition to teaching for the CARE partnership, she also teaches in The Patton College of Education's Early Childhood Program. Jadey and her family live in Athens. Jadey teaches EDCR 2010, "Childhood in America: Elementary School"  and EDCR 2015, "Childhood in America: High School."

Molly Mason-Hurst
Molly is an Early Childhood Specialist at Amesville Elementary School (K-2 reading and intervention) and the CARE Teacher Liaison at Amesville Elementary School. Previously, she worked at the Athens-Meigs ESC as the Itinerant Teacher and Early Childhood Assistant Coordinator. She has lived the majority of her life in Athens County (with a brief stint in Germany!) and with her husband is raising three lovely children.

Robin Hawk
During her pre-adolescence, Robin Hawk became aware of her passion for athletics and teaching. Her innate ability to lead and her compassion for humanity ignited an early desire to create change through leading and educating others. Her life experiences have paved the way for teaching practices that amplify strong foundations in social and emotional learning. Her role as a teacher in Appalachia extends beyond the delivery of standard content; it places a strong emphasis on the development of self-efficacy and resilience in local youth. Robin Hawk is in her ninth year of teaching English Language Arts at Federal Hocking High School in Stewart, Ohio. She currently serves many leadership roles, such as:  Department Chair, Building Leadership Team, District Leadership Team, Class Advisor, and District Newsletter Editor. Robin graduated from Ohio University with a bachelor’s degree in Middle Childhood Education Language Arts and Social Studies and a master’s degree in Reading Education. As an adolescent aware of her adversity, both degrees were commitments to fostering change within her community. Robin resides in Athens, Ohio where she spends her most valuable time with her 12-year-old son, Treyson Hawk.

Robin teaches EDCR 1010, " Introduction to Democracy and Education" an introduction to progressive teaching methods and practice. 

*Molly teaches EDSP 2710, "Introduction to Exceptionalities."