Professional development day for Purdue Education student teachers Mar. 14

March 4, 2024

The College of Education will hold a Student Teacher Professional Development Day to help Purdue full-time student teachers prepare for the next steps in their teaching careers. This free event will take place on March 14, 2024, from 8:30 a.m.–3:15 p.m. on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus in Beering Hall.

Indiana Teachers of the Year Tara Cocanower (2023) and Eric Jenkins (2024)

Keynote speakers will be Tara Cocanower, 2023 Indiana Teacher of the Year and a world/U.S. history teacher at Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District; and Eric Jenkins, 2024 Indiana Teacher of the Year and an English teacher at Franklin Community High School.

“In addition to all the content and value imbedded in the day, this event serves as a kick-off to the Educator Success support that the College of Education offers to all Teacher Education graduates during their first two years of employment,” said Jennifer Barce, assistant dean for teacher education in the College.

The speakers will provide guidance, inspiration, and practical tips for job-seeking and their first teaching job. Recent graduates will discuss their first year in the classroom, and school administrators will give insights on school administration.

A first-year teacher panel will include a discussion by Cassidy Etter, second grade teacher at Prairie Crossing Elementary; and Quentin Smith, social studies teacher at Rossville Junio/Senior High School.

Dr. Jenn Barce, assistant dean for teacher education, will explain the Educator Success program available to our alumni.

Two alumni from Lafayette schools, Braden Vorhees, guidance counselor at Central Catholic Junior/Senior High School, and Amber Ma, kindergarten teacher from Glen Acres Elementary School, will discuss “Student Teaching: Finish the Semester Strong!”

The last event of the day will be a panel discussion by administrators Jodi Day, principal of Battle Ground Middle School; Corey Robb, principal at Benton Central Junio/Senior High School; Cindy Preston, principal at Vinton Elementary School; and Brandon Hawkins, director of Human Resources in the Lafayette School Corporation.

Source: Dr. Jennifer Barce, barcej@purdue.edu