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| CMLA supports middle education |
Jennifer
Brannock
Staff Writer
Faculty Senate Beat |
Jacque Lenz | The AppalachianASU CMLA president and national
vice prepresident, Cynthia R. Barnett, a senior middle education
major and Dr. Tracy W. Smith, an associate professor in the
Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
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Middle school is a time of growth
and development. It is when children phase into the category of
“young adult” and truly begin to distinguish themselves
as individuals.
In such a crucial stage of evolution, it is the
middle grade teachers who are there to guide them in their endeavors.
The Appalachian State University Collegiate Middle
Level Association (CMLA) works to support and empower future middle
school teachers and make a difference in the High Country for the
benefit of their future pupils.
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“Part of what
we do is just try to provide support, and just a place for middle
school teachers to come,” said senior Cynthia R. Barnett, president
of CMLA. “It’s just a good way for [future teachers] to
get involved in a professional organization.”
CMLA is an affiliate of the National Middle School
Association (NMSA), which is an organization for middle school teachers,
principals, office personnel, college students and many others dedicated
to the growth and prosperity of young adolescents.
“I think it’s important for our middle grades prospective
teachers to have an organization where they have support even before
they enter into the [classrooms],” said Dr. Tracy W. Smith,
the faculty advisor for CMLA. “They can ask questions, and
they can have a forum where they can have support for each other,”
CMLA recently completed work on a campaign to
declare October the “Month of the Young Adolescent” in
Watauga County. Members of CMLA attended Monday’s County Commissioners
meeting, where officials voted unanimously in favor of the event.
CMLA worked this past summer and managed to have
the event declared for October in the Town of Boone, but decided
it would also be important to branch out and attempt to have their
support for young adolescents catch on in the entire county.
NMSA began a nationwide campaign for “Month
of the Young Adolescent” six years ago in collaboration with
many organizations across the United States.
“October was declared ‘Month of the
Young Adolescent’ so we could bring more knowledge to the community,
parents and awareness on the needs of young adolescents, which is
10-15 year olds,” said Barnett.
Activities planned by CMLA for “Month of
the Young Adolescent” include book displays for and about young
adolescents in local libraries and bookstores and the distribution
of hundreds of posters and bookmarks promoting middle level education.
In addition to providing support for future teachers
in Boone, CMLA also coordinates and visits with Appalachian’s
satellite campus students in Hickory.
“CMLA has provided a way that we can have
community and support for bringing our students on-campus and our
students off-campus together,” said Smith. “Off-campus
folks don’t actually attend classes here, but we want them
to feel they are just as much a part of the university as our on-campus
students.”
The club recently hosted a silent auction, which
raised more than $1,100 for their trip to the NMSA conference in
Portland, Ore., where Appalachian’s CMLA will host and run
the national business meeting.
The officers of Appalachian’s chapter of
CMLA currently serve at the national level. At the conference, they
will have the opportunity to present artifacts from their courses
to other participants and make presentations on topics concerning
middle level teaching.
“They’re actually going to be presenting
in a national conference, and we think that’s a great opportunity
for them to do that,” said Smith. “And always at the national
conference, the presentations from Appalachian are heavily attended.”
CMLA is constantly seeking members interested
in middle-level education, and hopes to extend their organization’s
benefits to prospective teachers needing support and assistance.
“[We] just want to encourage middle school
majors to come and start getting to know the programs and the professors,”
said Barnett. “It’s a great way to get involved and gain
leadership skills.” |
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