Middle grades candidates present at national conference

October 25, 2016

Pictured (l-r): Middle Grade Teacher Candidates Quentin Ladson, Jerri Hines, and Cassi Villers

Three undergraduate students from Georgia Southern University’s College of Education (COE) attended the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) annual conference held in Austin, TX on October 9-12.

Middle grades teacher candidates Jerri Hines, Quentin Ladson, and Cassi Villers co-presented with COE faculty Amanda Wall, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning. Hines and Ladson co-presented on a session entitled “Focus on Language: Teacher Candidates Support Middle Grades Students’ Academic Language.”

Villers co-presented on “On Site—And Out of Sight! Teaching a Middle Grades Foundation Course in a Partner School.” Villers and Wall planned this session along with Christine Draper, Ph.D., associate professor in the COE’s Department of Teaching and Learning.

The students also took part in a pre-conference event, Collegiate Middle Level Association (CMLA) Summit, which included pre-service teachers from around the country.

“Participating in the AMLE conference is an excellent opportunity for our teacher candidates to expand their understanding of middle level education and to network with other teacher candidates and middle level professionals from across the country,” said Wall.

While at the conference, Hines, Ladson, and Villers also attended and facilitated other sessions on a range of topics relevant for middle level educators. The AMLE annual conference is held each fall with over 4,000 attendees. It provides practical, innovative ideas for the classroom and connects middle level educators to enhance professional learning.

For more information about the B.S.Ed. Middle Grades Education degree program, visit https://coe.georgiasouthern.edu/mged/bsed/