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WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION?
GROW YOUR OWN

New Program to Help Prepare Future Educators

he College of Education at because in most
Sam Houston State University cases, they’re
Tis developing a program, Grow not getting that
Your Own, which will help prepare until they’re in
future educators during their junior college,” said
and senior years of high school. Katie Lowe,
The program will connect those communication
students to the college sooner and and recruitment
give them professional development, coordinator. “It’s
enrollment into summer camps and creating a sense
opportunities for job security in their of job security
own districts. for them so if
“It’s an opportunity for us to work they don’t get scholarships and have to summer 2018.
within a district and capture students incur student loans, they know they The idea behind creating the Grow
that already know they want to be almost immediately will have a job Your Own program is that it’s best for
teachers in the future,” said Sandra after certification.” the students and candidates, according
Stewart, associate dean of Teacher While there are other programs to Stewart.
Education. “In the past, we didn’t similar to SHSU’s Grow Your Own, “The goal is to always improve
necessarily have the opportunity to the others don’t include the camps or what we do, the connections with our
have the relationship with our future internships aspect, which would be district partners and to make sure our
teachers. within the last summer session prior to students are as ready for their first year
“Part of our goals are to make sure student teaching. as they can be,” she said. “It’s a huge
we have opportunities to not only “The students actually follow their recruitment tool for them.
inform, but work with students prior mentor through the whole beginning “The Grow Your Own program in
to them coming to us so we have lots process of the year, so they’ll be both of these districts is essential for
of opportunities to prepare them,” she helping plan curriculums and working them as an imminent teacher shortage is
said. “We have many activities and with the teacher on setting their coming in the next three-five years,” she
we’re going to continue to develop those classroom up,” Stewart said. “The said. “They need to plan for that now.”
to meet the needs of the individual districts will know they’re providing The program also helps the
districts we’re working with.” professional development and enrollment numbers within the
The college is currently experiences that are aligned with their university.
collaborating with Huntsville and district, so they’re ready to walk in the “When the high schools are
Houston ISDs. classroom the first day.” preparing students to go to college,
“We will have professional The program is still currently being they can prepare them to go to Sam
development with those students, set up. The outline is complete and an Houston,” Lowe said. “By creating
abbreviated those relationships, the schools are
version will helping employment for those school
begin this districts, as well.
summer. “They know what they’re going
The college to get out of these students when
is working they graduate from Sam,” she said.
with the two “By creating these summer camps,
districts in we’re keeping these students engaged
kicking off the from the beginning of their junior
full program, year all the way through graduation
which will and straight into college, so they
be ready in never lose that momentum.”

12 Sam Houston State University | College of Education Annual Report 2017