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Five Clarion students present at conference on urban education

Left to right: Dr. Sylvia Stalker, Keirstin Clancy, Brittany McMaster, Dan Nickerson, Emily Taccone, and Caitlin Hill.

Five Clarion University education majors recently attended and presented at a statewide conference on urban education, sponsored by the PA State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and the Pennsylvania Academy for the Profession of Teaching and Learning. The conference, “A Kaleidoscope of Urban Education: Development, Collaboration and Reflection,” was held in Harrisburg on March 18-19.

Attending from Clarion were: Keirstin Clancy, Caitlin Hill, Brittany McMaster, Dan Nickerson, and Emily Taccone.

The conference was attended by university students and faculty form each of the fourteen PASSHE campuses, as well as from Cabrini College, Juniata College, Penn State University, Philadelphia Biblical University, Robert Morris College, and West Liberty College. All the students had participated in the Philadelphia Urban Seminar, a two-week program each May that places the students in K-12 classrooms, libraries, and with speech therapists in the public schools of Philadelphia.

Also attending and speaking at the conference were Dr. Stephen Pavlak, PASSHE Associate Vice Chancellor for School and University Programs; personnel from the Public Schools of Philadelphia including teachers, building principals, and district-level administrators; and community organizers representing the Norris Square Neighborhood Center.

The Clarion students gave a panel presentation, “Bringing the Urban Experiences Back to Campus.” In addition, they prepared and displayed a poster showing photos of their experiences in the Public Schools of Philadelphia, in Norris Square, and at various city sites.

The Philadelphia Urban Seminar currently enables approximately 400 education majors to experience urban classrooms each May.

In spring 1992, Dr. Sylvia Stalker, professor of education at Clarion University, initiated a one-week urban experience for 20 Clarion students over winter break; their week began in the Public Schools of Philadelphia. The experimental course has since evolved into ED 409/509: Field-based Multicultural Education: Observation and Analysis of the Urban Classroom.

In 1996, Clarion students and Stalker joined with IUP, Slippery Rock, Lock Haven, California and Edinboro for a two-week experience that includes a community service project during the weekend.

Limited funding for the program has been made available from both the PASSHE and the Public Schools of Philadelphia. At present, the school districts provides funding to support former program participants who seek to do their student teaching semester in Philadelphia.

Clancy, a junior secondary education social studies major, is a daughter of Laura Clancy of Clarks Summit and is a graduate of Lakeland High School.

Hill, a junior elementary education/special education major, is from Erie and is a graduate of Harbor Creek High School.

McMaster, a junior elementary education major, is a daughter of Linda McMaster of Leeper and is a graduate of North Clarion High School.

Nickerson, a junior library science major, is a son of Esther Nickerson of Clymer, N.Y., and is a graduate of Clymer Central School.

Taccone, a junior early childhood education major, is a daughter of David and Susan Taccone of Erie and is a graduate of Harbor Creek High School.

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