2001 INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES

WCCI Chapter Holds Board Meeting at Southeast

The North American Chapter of WCCI (the World Council for Curriculum and Instruction) held its annual board meeting at Southeast on October 6-8 at the Johnson Faculty Centre. They were hosted by the College of Education at the invitation of Jean Benton, Associate Professor in the Department of Elementary, Early, and Special Education, who is vice president of the organization, and Zaidy Mohd. Zain, Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Administration and Counseling, who is a board member of the organization. During the meeting, the board members, in addition to their regular business agenda, also heard from officers of the student chapter of WCCI International, which was formed in 1999 as the first student chapter in the world. Saturday evening, the student chapter also hosted an international dinner for the board members.WCCI North America has membership throughout Canada, Mexico, and the United States and is a constituent of WCCI International, a world organization of more than 5,000 members. Jean Benton also serves as a board member for WCCI International and will be chairing the program for the 10th Triennial World Conference to be held in Madrid, Spain in September, 2001.

Front row: Clay Starlin, Past President; Art Stellar, President; Larry Hufford, Advisory Board.
Back row: Penelope Flores, Newsletter Editor-WCCI; Araceli Resus, Board Member; Zaidy Mohd.Zain, Board Member; Jean Benton, Vice President; Max Dass, Secretary-Treasurer.

Scholars Visit from Northern Ireland

Les Caul, Director of Academic Affairs and Head of Education and Sandra Mc Williams, Head of Teaching Studies and Partnerships at Stranmillis University College, Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK visited the College of Education on February 4-9, 2001 to begin to work on plans to exchange groups of third and fourth year practicum students. While on campus, the visitors met with faculty in the College, lectured in college classes, and visited several schools which are used as practicum sites.

Welsh Students Arrive 
                                                      for the Swansea Teaching Exchange Program

Since 1986, the College of Education has been receiving a group of third year students from the Swansea Institute, University of Wales, Swansea, UK each spring for 6 weeks in March and April, who come to participate in practicum experiences in the local schools, visit cultural sites in the area, and spend a short time traveling to another part of the United States on their own. The major purposes of the program are to provide students with opportunities for personal and professional growth.  This year, the group of 6 students spent two weeks in Franklin Elementary School in Cape Girardeau learning about educational practices in American schools. They also had the opportunity to visit a Professional Development School in operation in Sikeston, a bilingual program in Cobden, Illinois, and another site where second and fourth year SEMO students were doing their practicum assignments.  In addition to these professional activities, the Welsh students visited Memphis, St. Louis, and Cahokia Mounds, the archeological site of early Mississippian Indians. During their independent travel they spent time in Chicago, New Orleans, Cleveland, Las Vegas, and other parts of Southeastern US. Pictured below is the group after they received their certificates.

2nd Reunion of Wales Program Participants Held

During 2001 Homecoming Weekend, Dr. Benton hosted the 2nd Wales Reunion for alumni who had participated in the Student Teaching Exchange Program with Swansea Institute, University of Wales. Over 120 students have participated in this program.

Over cups of tea and Welsh cakes, alums and faculty supervisors reminisced about their experiences in Wales and in Europe. Photo albums recalled these days of cultural discovery and wonder!