VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY • SUMMER 2002 BACK Disabilities Research Center increase our contribution to the important Charles Kinzer, feed discussion of how special education is han- associate professor of Established at Peabody dled in this country.” education, serves as PEABODY PRIDE high places.” As a director in the ently, Eastern Kentucky University. I have DAVID CRENSHAW A national center devoted to learning dis- The most common method for determining co-principal investi- I just received the Win- professional issues department at been fortunate to have had excellent men- abilities research is being established at Peabody whether a student has a learning disability gator of the grant ter 2001 issue of THE the American Association of Col- tors—beginning at Peabody—and then excel- College, thanks to a five-year, $3.5 million is the discovery of significant discrepancies titled “Best Practices, PEABODY REFLECTOR. leges for Teacher Education, I have lent team members at each of the grant from the U.S. Department of Educa- between the student’s measured intelligence, Teacher Preparation, I am so grateful to the privilege of working with them. institutions I served. tion’s Office of Special Education Programs. or IQ, and his or her learning achievement. and Technology: Con- have received it be- And besides that connection, I, —EUGENE M. HUGHES, PHD’68 The center, a joint project with the Uni- Federal special education guidelines are based nections That Enhance cause I feel there are many things I am thank- too, have Peabody College in common. Richmond, Ky. versity of Kansas, will explore alternative on this model of identification. Children’s Literacy ful for, including the many advantages given —JOYCE HUTH MUNRO, PHD’85 AND BABY MAKES THREE methods for identifying students with learn- A portion of the center’s research will Acquisition and Read- me when I studied at Peabody for my B.A. Washington, D.C Charles Kinzer ing disabilities. The U.S. Department of Edu- include study of the variations in state poli- ing Achievement.” and M.A. Happy, excited, and elated—that’s how I felt cation estimates that 2.9 million students in cies and practices for identifying and assess- Working with investigators at the univer- I am particularly interested to learn Thank you for the Winter 2001 issue of the when the latest PEABODY REFLECTOR arrived. America are identified as having some sort ing students with learning disabilities that sities of Georgia, Connecticut, and Illinois that Peabody has risen to the top five [among REFLECTOR, including the story on college I am so pleased that you felt the Wolfe-John- son story [“A Debt of Gratitude,” Winter of learning disability. may be related to differing incidence levels at Chicago, the project known as CTELL colleges of education] in the nation. I have presidents with Peabody degrees. Julia Hel- 2001, p. 54] was worthy of being printed. Peabody’s Department of Special Edu- and outcomes. (Case Technologies to Enhance Literacy always treasured Peabody’s education pro- gason really did a fine job of pulling together a cross-section of former students to profile. The article is well written, and you did a cation will lead the project, conduct research, “There has been a lot of discussion about Learning) uses knowledge about best prac- gram, which helped to make me what I am Of equal interest to me is the present good job picking out the main facts. The and provide technical assistance to states the high numbers of students being deemed tices in early literacy education to target now. That is why I will always maintain con- tact with Peabody. development in the higher education pro- only thing I would change is the fact that and local school districts. The University of as having special education needs,” says improvements in teacher education and What an issue! There are so many excel- gram under the leadership of [Department now we have three grandchildren—but that’s Kansas will offer professional development Reschly. “Our concern is less about the num- young children’s literacy achievement. lent features for me to read. May I take this of Leadership and Organizations Chair] Jim my fault; I didn’t mention it in our last for general and special educators coordi- bers, but about the appropriateness of stu- “We want to improve reading achieve- opportunity to congratulate you and your Guthrie. He came from a campus that has correspondence. nated with the center’s research. The grant dent classification.” ment nationally through improving teach- staff for the excellent work in producing this one of the better programs in higher edu- Thank you so much for the story and the was made to Vanderbilt, which has a sub- In addition to trying to develop more ing education nationally,” says Kinzer. To issue of the REFLECTOR. cation and understands the differences in time spent putting it all together! contract with the University of Kansas. accurate means of classification, center do that, the grant is developing a case-based —SIEW TUNG WONG, BA’70, MA’71 the administration of public schools and —VIRGINIA PERRY JOHNSON, BS’49 Dan Reschly, professor and chair of researchers will explore the impact of sys- form of anchored instruction that embod- Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia colleges and universities. San Jose, Calif. Peabody’s Department of Special Education, tematic educational instruction, such as early ies these “best practices.” During the time I was there, every per- and Doug Fuchs, professor of special edu- intervention reading programs, on the inci- Case studies, delivered through the Inter- PRESIDENTIAL SWEETS son who headed the educational leadership A MATTER OF RECORD cation, are co-directors of the new center. dences of student classification. “Our goal net with CD backup, allow pre-service teach- My wife, Marjorie Gay Tuck, MA’57, and area had been a school superintendent with The article about the history of the REFLEC- “We have a top-ranked special educa- is to provide research that will help shape ers to call up clips of K–3 classroom interactions I enjoy THE PEABODY REFLECTOR. We are no concept of what we were trying to do. In TOR [“Cover to Cover: 110 Years of THE tion department that is recognized for its more valid and useful federal guidelines for for extended study. Cases contain videos of proud of our institution and try to keep up fact, when I finished my [doctoral] degree PEABODY REFLECTOR,” Winter 2001, p. 34] research and advocacy for people with dis- the states and local districts to implement,” classroom lessons and related materials that with life on the campus. We especially enjoyed at the University of Michigan, the depart- was very interesting. One small correction: abilities,” says Peabody Dean Camilla Ben- says Fuchs. form the basis of anchored instruction and the article on alumni who are or were col- ment head told me there was no place for [Original REFLECTOR publisher] Jacques Back bow. “I am extremely excited that we can serve as springboards for discussion. lege and university presidents [“Movers, me at Peabody, and the sooner I left the bet- was founder and first publisher of the Observer, which is a publication of the Nashville Jew- $5.5 Million Effort Seeks As a result, students analyze the anchor Shakers, & Policymakers,” Winter 2001, p. ter. He himself left within a couple of years, videos and related case materials; review 22]. I served as president of California Bap- and somehow I think there was, indeed, a ish community. It is not a statewide publi- Improved Reading Education cation. Founded in 1935, the Observer now interviews with teachers, principals, parents, tist College from 1984 to 1994 and am now place for me and for a program in higher president, emeritus. education. I am delighted to see the program is published bimonthly by the Jewish Fed- DAVID CRENSHAW You are a new teacher assigned to a second- students, and experts around the country; eration of Nashville. grade classroom. Throughout your under- and connect their analysis of classroom issues —RUSSELL R. TUCK, MA’57, PHD’71 in good hands. I receive Vanderbilt Magazine regularly graduate years, you’ve labored through to their own practicum experiences and to Gainesville, Va. Many thanks for an excellent issue. —IDA LONG ROGERS, MA’51 and enjoy reading it. But, although I received lesson plans, observed in practica, and stu- class readings in ways that provide an in- Thank you for your recent feature article Professor of higher education my M.L.S. from Peabody, this was the first dent-taught in two different classrooms. depth exploration of teacher decision-mak- on Peabody alumni serving in the role of administration, emerita time I’d seen the REFLECTOR, which is Now you’re planning your first unit in read- ing and classroom interventions. chief executive officer of colleges and uni- Peabody College, Nashville the same high quality as the Vanderbilt ing, but do you really know what to expect? Years one and two of the grant have versities. Julia Helgason assembled the sto- alumni publication. How can a new teacher best teach reading been devoted to gathering data for the mul- ries of an impressive group of education Thank you for sending copies of the latest —ANNETTE RATKIN, MLS’75 in classrooms characterized by diversity in timedia cases and to pilot studies at the four leaders from around the nation. The num- PEABODY REFLECTOR. I also appreciate your Archivist, Jewish Federation of Nashville student background, learning ability, and universities. In addition to the classroom ber of alumni serving in leadership positions congratulations on my accomplishments as and Middle Tennessee, Nashville social interaction? segments and interviews, assessments of is a clear indication of Peabody’s president of Northern Arizona Uni- THE TRIBUTES CONTINUE At Peabody a five-year, $5.55 million grant, the elementary students’ reading abilities, enduring dedication to excel- versity, Wichita State funded by the National Science Foundation examples of their written work, and demo- lence in both private and pub- University and, Your article on favorite Peabody profes- through the Interagency Education Research graphic information on each classroom lic education.