Tag: Fischler College of Education & School of Criminal Justice

Collaborate to Educate: Fischler Professor Gives BSO Investigators Special Needs Training

Maribel Del Rio-Roberts

Maribel Del Rio-Roberts, Psy.D., associate professor, Department of Human Services at NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice provided training for Broward Sheriff’s Office Child Protective Investigators (CPI) on Best Practices in Supporting Parents with Special Needs.

The training will provide the CPI’s with information on the rights of parents with disabilities, specifically as it relates to the laws, services, and resources that pertain to them when a dependency case is opened. There were four different training sessions held on two days that introduced participants to a variety of relevant topics including the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), the challenges faced by parents with disabilities, the importance of personal assistance services, the intersection of parental disability and the child welfare system, interventions to support parents with special needs, and national and community resources.

Del Rio-Roberts is the lead faculty for the M.S. in Developmental Disabilities program.

Education Graduate Authors Book on Overcoming Cancer

Alvin Haywood, Ed.D.

Alvin Haywood, Ed.D., graduate of NSU’s Abraham, S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, recently authored his third book, “Take Up Your Bed and Walk: This is My Story!” a tale of how he overcame cancer.

Haywood was born in Vallejo, California, and attended public schools there from kindergarten through the community college level. Upon transferring to San Jose State University (CA), he later received undergraduate degrees in social work and psychology, a master’s degree in education, and teaching and administrative credentials.

After retirement from 34 years of elementary and middle school teaching and overcoming a bout with cancer in 2007, Haywood enrolled in Fischler’s doctorate program. His book focuses on personal stories of diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and Haywood’s optimistic outlook and faith.

Haywood is also the author of “Cultivating Early Reading Development: Reaping the Benefits of School Success” and “Students Loving Math: What’s Reading Got to do With It?”

He earned his Doctor of Education from NSU in 2015. For more information on his book, “Take Up Your Bed and Walk: This is My Story.”

Fischler College Spotlights Alumnus Ford Craig

Ford Craig

In 1991, Ford Craig received is Doctor of Education from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Craig currently lives in Seward, Nebraska, with his wife Doris. They have two grown daughters, Jody and Jill. Doris and Ford help with raising their three wonderful granddaughters.

Craig been busy during his 50 years of full and part time work experience. He serves as an adjunct faculty member with Concordia University and served as a consultant evaluator for the North Central Accrediting Association. Additionally, he served as a manuscript evaluator for the Teaching English in the Two-Year College and was a member of the Midwest Regional Conference on English in the Two-Year College. In the 1970s, he began his career in education as an English and speech teacher for Palmer Public Schools and Saint Paul Public Schools. Over the years, Craig found success through varying academic positions with North Platte City Schools, McCook Community College, Mid-Plains Community College Area, and the University of Phoenix.

Craig earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English education from Wayne State College, a Master of Science in English education from Kearney State College, and a Specialist in Education in educational administration from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. During his spare time, Craig contributes to his community through numerous churches in his area, including the Presbyterian Church of York, Nebraska, and Friedens United Church of Christ in Seward, where currently is pastor.  You can also find him working on cars and writing. Currently, Craig is working on a narrative for genealogy on his side of the family. He also served as an editor of a two-part book series on the history of the Mid-Plains Community College area.

Although his career has been filled with many accomplishments, he is very proud of being presented with the Who’s Who Among American Teachers Award while at McCook Community College. Looking toward the future, Craig intends to experience the continued success of his career. Fins up to you Ford Craig!

Professor Mentors and Publishes Paper with Former Students

Hui Fang Huang “Angie” Su, Ed.D., Professor, Department of Education, at NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, published a paper titled “Fun with Measurement,” with her two former master students in MAT Education, Dylan Mandolini, and Bhagi Phuel in the Dimensions in Mathematics Journal, a publication of the Florida Council of Teachers of Mathematics, a state chapter of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (Vol. 41 No. 1, pp. 13-26 Spring 2021).

Professor Hui Fang Huang “Angie” Su

The article shared some exciting ways to investigate the volumes and surface areas of various geometric figures. It demonstrates how to utilize measurements to determine the dimensions of such solids and how to find area and volume, assuming that one does not know the formula for such relationships. The activities shared are designed to provide students a conceptual understanding without having to memorize the formula.

Many mathematics games can be applied in the classroom, adapted into follow-up activities, or even used as projects. The article’s synopsis suggests that the teacher has a vital role as a participant when using an innovative approach in teaching measurements. Not only do the activities provide excellent means for a teacher to participate, but they allow the teacher to analyze their students. Additionally, the article introduces some creative mathematics teaching strategies as tools for informal assessment for the teachers. The publication also suggests that it builds strength to the learning outcome when incorporating technology while teaching mathematics.

For additional classroom activities and a copy of the paper, please contact Professor Su at shuifang@nova.edu.

NSU Faculty Members Named Top Black Educators of 2021

Désir

Duhart

Nova Southeastern University’s Charlene Desir and Olympia Duhart were recently named among Legacy South Florida magazine’s Top Black Educators of 2021.

Duhart, J.D., serves at the director of legal research and writing and professor of law at NSU’s Shepard Broad College of Law. Duhart, who earned her Juris Doctorate as a magna cum laude at NSU in 2003, was founding member of the Critical Skills Program at NSU before joining the faculty at the university.

Her scholarship focuses on government accountability for historically marginalized groups of people. She has published extensively on Hurricane Katrina survivors, and has most recently written about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among veterans and members of the military.

Charlene Désir, Ed.D., a full professor at NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, received her doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2006. Désir’s academic interest is in the social, psychological, and spiritual adjustment of immigrant students, schools’ social curriculum, and psycho-social trauma occurring in schools.

She was the 2012 president of the Haitian Studies Association. She has developed cultural literacy projects in Haiti, and for immigrant children in the United States.

Legacy South Florida magazine is a publication serving South Florida’s Black community with insightful articles and information on business, careers, politics, education, culture and social commentary. It is published by M•I•A Media Group LLC, one of the nation’s largest Black publishers of its kind, with more than one million readers bi-monthly.

Established in 2004, M•I•A’s publications are distributed through the Miami Herald and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspapers.

Fischler College’s Education Professor Publishes Book Chapter

David B. Ross, Ed.D., a professor in the Department of Education at NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, published a chapter in the book, “Becoming: Transformative Storytelling for Education’s Future” by editors Laura Colket, Tracy Penny Light, and Fischler College alumnus Adam Carswell. Ross’ chapter, “The Many Layers of My Life: How My Relationships Shaped Me,” showcases his family, his high school education, his college education, his professorial years, as well as his philosophical views of education and leadership, with a closing reflection.

David B. Ross, Ed.D.

“Becoming: Transformative Storytelling for Education’s Future” is a collection of powerful stories about teaching and learning.  The book illuminates an inquiry process for educators to reflect on and tell their own stories of teaching and learning in order to fuel personal, professional, and organizational transformation.  The inquiry and storytelling process is modeled throughout the book by the author chapters.  Through their educational autobiographies, the authors uncover opportunities for making changes in their own educational practices as well as those of the organizations in which they work and teach.

The stories also reflect challenges in the broader education system, and the authors consider the ways to create more equitable, culturally sustaining, and transformative educational experiences for all students.  Readers can engage with the stories in the volume to inspire their own personal and professional growth, and perhaps even more powerfully, readers can dive into the process themselves.  This book provides readers with the structure and motivation to surface, share, and engage with their own stories of teaching and learning, and to invite their colleagues into the process, to collectively consider the possibilities for transformation within their own educational contexts.

For more information

 

Fischler College Spotlight Shines on Zelphine Smith-Dixon

Zelphine Smith-Dixon

Zelphine Smith-Dixon received her Doctor of Educational Leadership degree from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice in 2005. She was elected as the president of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education. She is the first person of color to serve in this capacity and assist the country nationally in an effort of meeting the needs of students with disabilities.

Smith-Dixon is also the state director for the Division for Special Education at the Georgia Department of Education. She works to ensure that each student has an opportunity to be successful. She is committed to not only representing her students but the critical partnership for student success to include families, teachers, leaders, and communities.

She received the following accolades: Tri-County Special Educator of the Year, Vance-Providence Elementary Teacher of the Year and Orangeburg Consolidated School District Three Alternate District Teacher of the Year.  In April 2018, Columbia College of S.C. presented her with the Wil Lou Gray Outstanding Educator Award. Later, she served as the Columbia College Commencement Speaker in May 2019.

Smith-Dixon serves as a thought leader and cadre advisor for the National IDEA Data Center, National Consortium on Special Education Finance, National Technical Assistance Center on Transition, and National Center for Systemic Improvement to address the intersection of race and disability.

Smith-Dixon published an article in the March 2021 Case in Point edition in the Journal of Special Education Leadership (JSEL)titled “The State of Special Education: The Shift from Available to Appropriate!”

Smith-Dixon says she believes that receiving her Doctor of Educational Leadership degree at NSU fostered many of the leading skills within her that have served well and helped make her successful in her professional career. She is described as one of the most sought-after voices in education having shared her expertise with national and international audiences.

Smith-Dixon lives in Conyers, Ga., with her husband, Marki Dixon, and children Myles, Megan, and Mason. She serves in ministry at the dReam Center Church of Atlanta in Decatur, Ga., and is a member of the Covington Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

 

FCE&SCJ Professor Moderates Roundtable Discussion for the Special Olympics Florida Youth Summit

Maribel Del Río-Roberts, Psy.D.

Maribel Del Río-Roberts, Psy.D., Associate Professor, Department Human Services at NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice (FCE&SCJ) recently moderated a roundtable discussion on Coping with Stress. The roundtable was part of the Special Olympics Florida Youth Summit and included two athletes and a unified partner.

Del Rio-Roberts is the lead faculty member for the M.S. in Developmental Disabilities and Access Plus Program.  She also serves as the Clinical Director for the Strong Minds discipline of the Special Olympics Healthy Communities program. Her research interests include, autism and developmental disabilities, lifespan development, early childhood Intervention, disability services administration and adult/transition Issues.

To view the roundtable, please click here.

Fischler Shows Some Love with Alumni ‘Shark Attack’

Katie Peacock, assistant director of alumni engagement at NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week with a “Shark Attack.”

Peacock visited, six schools, Margate Elementary, Quiet Waters Elementary, Seminole Middle School, Coconut Creek High School, Nova Blanche Forman Elementary, and Park Lakes Elementary and surprised 60 alumni with caramel apples and a NSU swag bag.

Do you have a teacher or colleague you want to surprise? Send an e-card or special educator keychain to them while supporting NSU’s Fischler Academy, clicking here.

The Fischler Academy is an experiential, project-driven, mastery-based program combining cutting-edge teaching pedagogies in a highly personalized learning environment.

Class Of 2021 Alumna Spotlight: Raquel Muniz

Raquel Muniz will graduate with a Doctorate of Education from NSU this May. As a deaf student, she has overcome many obstacles and continues to lead by example.

Raquel Muniz began pursuing her Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Leadership from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice (FCE&SCJ) in 2012.

As a deaf student, who also cared for her aging maternal aunt, and is a mother of four wonderful children, Raquel has faced unique challenges. However, through faith and perseverance, Raquel managed to earn her degree and will graduate Summer 2021 from Nova Southeastern University (NSU).

Being a learner with a severe hearing disability, while also balancing a busy home life, Raquel’s successful graduation is the culmination of nine years of blood, sweat, and tears.

She continues to prove that her obstacles do not define her, but rather show how strong and determined she really is. Raquel’s experiences taught her to focus on helping others overcome their own challenges and barriers.

As she continues her career path, she is keen on leadership and empathy, and shares that it’s her way of honoring those who have helped her along the way.

Raquel is very grateful to all the professors at NSU, her Chair, Dr. Packer-Muti, Professor Dr. Reeves, her Academic Advisor, Dr. Stevens, and the committee members who were instrumental in ensuring that students, like Raquel, receive the necessary help and support required to reach their academic potential.

Raquel appreciated the support that students receive through facilities such as the CART captioning system, note taking, and ASL interpreters.

Congratulations to Raquel and all NSU 2021 graduates on accomplishing this amazing milestone! You have been given the power to unlock the potential not only for yourselves, but for the people you are going to serve.

Fins Up to each of you!

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