University of South Carolina College of Education

Kathryn Pedings-Behling's encouragement from her high school mentor, Nancy Long, is still making ripples in math education today. Pedings-Behling has created an innovative textbook for business calculus that is encouraging many students to view the subject more positively. Most of her students will complete their math education in her class. She is considering her responsibility as their last math professor and wants to leave them with a better attitude toward the subject. “My dissertation hopes to change the narratives around math and leave students with an appreciation of what math can bring to their lives,” says Pedings-Behling. More: https://bit.ly/4fp9UVW

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. We're sharing the story of a recent alum and his passion for how the brain works from early learning through advanced aging. Ayan Mitra, Ph.D. is an atypical student of education and neuroscience. His passion is neuroscience, and he came to the University of South Carolina with an interesting research goal. He sought to understand how the nursery rhymes of childhood stick so well in our minds throughout our lives. By integrating neuroscience, neuroimaging and education, Mitra was able to work between the College of Education and Department of Psychology to create a doctorate that achieved his goals. He is currently a clinical research manager and scientist at Harvard Medical School. Mitra works in a dual role that bridges neurology research between the Harvard Medical School and their affiliated hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “I needed a faculty member who was daring enough to reach beyond their area of expertise,” Mitra says. “My supervisor, professor Lucy Spence, was not scared of a challenge. Even though she had no background in neuroscience, she was always interested in the brain. She was willing to support a student who wanted to understand the minds of children and how that could inform instructional and literacy development. That was a big leap of faith for her.” More about Mitra's work: https://bit.ly/4e47SJI

Congratulations to Sean Yee, Ph.D. for receiving a prestigious NSF grant for his project, “Supporting the Faculty who Provide Teaching-Focused Professional Development to the Next Generation of College Mathematics Instructors.” This award recognizes Yee’s dedication to improving math education and helping new college math teachers get better training. The grant will allow Yee and his team to create new programs that help graduate students and other new instructors become better teachers, which will benefit college students across the country. More: https://bit.ly/3XNRcQR

Last week, SC TEACHER had the opportunity to host a group of district administrators from across #SC interested and invested in utilizing SC TEACHER data to inform their work. The goal of the event was for districts to provide insights into how our team can bolster and refine resources to best serve #SouthCarolina educators. Thank you to those leaders who shared their valuable time and insights! #lovescschools #educationresearch #education

Congratulations to Catherine Compton-Lilly on being named an 2024 inductee to the Reading Hall of Fame. The Reading Hall of Fame is an independent, international organization that recognizes lifetime achievement in the field of literacy. Lilly will be inducted in early December at the Literacy Research Association's Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Ga. The Reading Hall of Fame recognizes the collective contributions of its members to advance research, theory and practice in reading and related literacy fields. There are currently 148 living Hall of Fame members; five new members are elected annually by the existing membership. The college is proud of Professor Compton-Lilly's contributions to the field of literacy and applauds this well-deserved professional honor.

We're #1. Literally! 🎉 #1 first-year student experience among public institutions for the 6th consecutive year 💼 #1 Darla Moore School of Business' international business program for the 26th consecutive year More from U.S. News and World Report rankings ➡️ go.sc.edu/USNewsSept24

The College of Education extends its heartfelt thanks to Mrs. Cathy Knox for her impactful gift toward the Wardlaw Renovation Project and the Carolina Teacher Induction Program. Her generous contribution will play a pivotal role in supporting current and future educators, empowering them to shape and enhance the lives of future generations for years to come.

We couldn't say it better than Dean Thomas Hodges: "Wardlaw College, primary home of the University of South Carolina College of Education, is full of amazing people, projects, services and solutions to education’s grand challenges. Now it’s time for the Wardlaw space to reflect that same brilliance. Join us in taking a leap of faith to advance education all across South Carolina and beyond." His "leap of faith" represents our first step in making Wardlaw once again the learning lab for education in South Carolina. Take a look below and jump with us! 📺 Watch: https://lnkd.in/eucsi22e

A group of educators moved in to the Fairfield County Teacher Village this weekend. This village gives educators in the district an affordable housing option with a short commute to rural schools. Juan Alvarado is the inaugural Educator in Residence in the USC College of Education house in the village. He is beginning his first year in the classroom. “You do take a moment and think, ‘Is this too good to be true?’” Alvarado said, “I’m thankful for the position and (that) I took advantage of the opportunity.” See the full story on WIS-TV: bit.ly/46EFL1T

Brad Washington was able to achieve career goals when CarolinaCAP gave him the tools to become a certified educator. “It’s an honor to represent the University of South Carolina and this amazing program,” says Washington. “I believe if you become an educator for the right reasons, opportunities are going to find you. CarolinaCAP provides an opportunity for those who realize education is their passion after they’ve already begun a career or earned a degree in a different area. If someone is passionate about making an impact, this gives them an opportunity to be part of students’ lives.” More: bit.ly/3WS9zod