ORGANIZATIONS

 

The Diverse Pathways in Teacher Preparation Program is supportive of two organizations to further enhance the success of its grant participants.  These two organizations are Professional Learning Community (PLC) and  Future Educators Association (FEA).

 

· Professional Learning Community at The College of Charleston

 

The Diverse Pathways Grant to Teacher Preparation saw the need to support students attending the two-year institutions who intended to transfer to the four-year institution to enable the students to experience a smooth transition from one institution to the other.

Trident Technical College and the College of Charleston began forming their Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) during the 2005-2006 school year.

 

Since the initial establishment of the PLCs, CofC representatives have attended several annual informational meetings at the two Trident Technical College’s campuses to provide information about course matches and transfer requirements, and to let the students have an opportunity to meet CofC faculty and ask questions.  After these meetings on the TTC campuses, CofC invited those same students to come to the downtown college campus where they would listen to different presenters, such as admissions and financial aid advisors, tour the campus and have dinner. College of Charleston now has a cohort of approximately fifteen transfer students who are active members of the PLC and the Future Teachers Association.

 

· Future Educators Association

 

The first Future Educators Association was established at the College of Charleston in April 2007.  Advisors Anna Johnson, Site Coordinator for the Diverse Pathways in Teacher Preparation Grant, and Laura Moody, Teacher-in-Residence, met with twelve students at the initial meeting.  Following this meeting, a committee of students met twice with Johnson and Moody to draft the by-laws of the club to present to the Student Government Association so that the club could be recognized as an official campus organization.

 

On Thursday, September 13, 2007, the first FEA meeting of the semester was held to elect officers.  Seventeen students attended this meeting and the following officers were elected:  Emile Stafford – President; Leia Budreau – Vice President; Hillary Beasley –

Secretary; and Robyn Worhsam – Treasurer.

 

President Emile Stafford will attend the Student Leadership Summit on Saturday, September15, 2007, with other student leaders on campus.