Reich College of Education (RCOE) faculty and staff were honored with 2018 Awards:
- Rachel Wilson: Outstanding Teaching Award
- Lucy Brock Child Development Lab School: Community of Practice Award
- Greg McClure: Outstanding Mentoring Award
- Lisa Gross: Outstanding Service Award
- Melissa Isaacs: Outstanding Staff Award
- Chrystal Dean: Outstanding Administrator Award
- Hannah Reeder: Outstanding Adjunct or Instructor/Clinical Faculty Award
College faculty, staff and students were invited to make nominations in the above categories. Nominated individuals or groups were then asked to provide supporting portfolios.
Committee chair, Dr. Kim Becnel, Associate Professor of Library Science, expressed her thanks to all who nominated a colleague or submitted a portfolio and said of this year's submissions, "The submissions were amazing, as usual, and we always find ourselves truly inspired by the creativity and dedication of the RCOE faculty. We're honored to be part of this process, which is—at its heart—an effort to foster a supportive community in which we find joy in celebrating each other's success."
About the Recipients
Rachel Wilson
2018 Outstanding Teaching Award
“I am very humbled and appreciative to be awarded the Outstanding Teaching Award for 2018. I am amongst such a strong community of teachers and feel grateful to be working alongside and learning from them.”
Dr. Rachel Wilson is an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Appalachian State University's RCOE. She earned her Ph.D. in Science Education and an Interdisciplinary Qualitative Studies Graduate Certificate from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Bryn Mawr College. She joined Appalachian’s faculty in 2011 as an assistant professor and was promoted in 2016.
Wilson teaches courses related to environmental and science education in the elementary education program, courses that she works to keep relevant and engaging through innovative and creative approaches to teaching. She recognizes that her job requires her to be a teacher-scholar and to engage in dialogue about best practices of teaching and teacher education.
Wilson is an avid participant in professional development activities. Most recently, these have focused on environmental education, elementary science education, service-learning and use of media for teaching.
About receiving the Outstanding Teaching Award, Wilson said, “I am very humbled and appreciative to be awarded the Outstanding Teaching Award for 2018. I am amongst such a strong community of teachers and feel grateful to be working alongside and learning from them.”
Lucy Brock Child Development Lab School
Community of Practice Award
Lucy Brock CDLS has been providing access to high-quality care for young children and serving diverse high country families for 75+ years. Their teachers currently serve 78 children in an early care and education setting, and the facility hosts 500+ RCOE students who are completing lab work annually.
Lucy Brock CDLS’ teachers, over half of whom are completing advanced degrees, are committed educators who realize that pedagogy is dynamic and always a work in progress. They work together to create classroom learning experiences and mentor student interns. In addition, they actively seek out collaboration at Lucy Brock CDLS and in the community so they can meet the goals and mission of the school.
Every decision they make is based on discussion and what they think is best to facilitate children’s development. Lucy Brock CDLS serves as a model program that reflects current recommended best practices and is a site for developing new and innovative practices.
Greg McClure
Outstanding Mentoring Award
“I am thrilled to be recognized as the RCOE Outstanding Faculty Mentor. I believe that the most important work we do as educators happens outside the classroom. I love working with students to make things happen in the real world.”
Dr. Greg McClure is an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Appalachian State University's RCOE. He earned his Ph.D. in Language and Literacy Education from the University of Georgia, M.S.Ed. from Shenandoah University and B.A. from Appalachian. He joined RCOE’s faculty in 2010 as an assistant professor and was promoted in 2015.
McClure believes that a teacher’s role extends beyond the classroom. As a mentor, he works with students in three distinct areas: advocacy and engagement, underrepresented students, and student research. He has helped to organize events focused on critical issues to public education, serves as faculty advisor for Appalachian’s Hmong Society Club, and has collaborated with students on research and national conference presentations.
His teaching and research focuses on understanding the ways language, culture, and power intersect and play out in educational practices. He values creativity, compassion, and collaborative problem-solving and tries to incorporate these elements into his work with future teachers.
About receiving the Outstanding Mentoring Award, McClure said, “I am thrilled to be recognized as the RCOE Outstanding Faculty Mentor. I believe that the most important work we do as educators happens outside the classroom. I love working with students to make things happen in the real world.”
Lisa Gross
Outstanding Service Award
“I believe service to be an important expectation for faculty, especially as it relates to our school partnerships. This award is not possible individually, as it includes a number of people working together toward a common goal or outcome. As the recipient, I represent classroom teachers, colleagues, students, and staff who work hard every day to make a difference in the lives of others.”
Dr. Lisa Gross is a professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Appalachian State University's RCOE. She earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Missouri-Columbia, M.S. from Northern Illinois University and B.S. from Southeast Missouri State University. She joined RCOE’s faculty in 2007 as an assistant professor. Gross was promoted to associate professor in 2013 and to professor in 2017. She also serves as the director of the undergraduate elementary education program.
Gross is the author or co-author of numerous peer-reviewed publications and a sought-after presenter at regional, national and international conferences. She actively engages in service to area public schools, the university and professional organizations to which she belongs. She is currently serving on the hiring committee for the Appalachian State University Academy at Middle Fork, opening fall 2018, and has been appointed by the Chancellor to serve a four-year term on the Academy’s Advisory Board.
About receiving the Outstanding Service Award, Gross said, “I believe service to be an important expectation for faculty, especially as it relates to our school partnerships. This award is not possible individually, as it includes a number of people working together toward a common goal or outcome. As the recipient, I represent classroom teachers, colleagues, students, and staff who work hard every day to make a difference in the lives of others.”
Melissa Isaacs
Outstanding Staff Award
“I am honored to be recognized and to serve alongside so many deserving staff members as we all strive to support future educators locally and globally. What I do comes naturally – I have love in my heart and I want others to see and experience that love through my actions.”
Melissa Isaacs is an Administrative Specialist with the RCOE’s James Center for Student Success and Advising and the inaugural recipient of the RCOE Outstanding Staff Award. She manages budgets and logistics and supports the James Center’s other staff members. Isaacs said, “I do my best to make sure everything is done behind the scenes so that my colleagues can focus on their work of supporting students.”
Isaacs joined the RCOE in the same role for the reading education and special education department in 2013, before moving to the James Center in 2017. Prior to coming to Appalachian State University, she worked at Hardin Park Elementary School for 13 years, work that, according to Isaacs, helped prepare her to understand what RCOE students will face in their roles as teachers.
Isaacs enjoys working and talking with students, but also, helping them give back. She coordinates a monthly service learning experience for students at the Hospitality House, where she and the student volunteers cook and serve a meal to 80-90 people.
About receiving the Outstanding Staff Award, Isaacs said, “I am honored to be recognized and to serve alongside so many deserving staff members as we all strive to support future educators locally and globally. What I do comes naturally – I have love in my heart and I want others to see and experience that love through my actions.”
Chrystal Dean
Outstanding Administrator Award
"I am pleased to receive this award and honored by the recognition of my time and effort given to the Graduate Elementary Education Program."
Dr. Chrystal Dean is a professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Appalachian State University's RCOE. She earned her Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning from Vanderbilt University and her M.A. and B.S. from Appalachian. She joined RCOE’s faculty in 2008 as an assistant professor. Dean was promoted to associate professor in 2013 and to professor in 2016. In addition, she served as director of the undergraduate elementary education program from 2015-16 and currently serves as director of the graduate elementary education program. She is the inaugural recipient of the RCOE Outstanding Administrator Award.
Dean notes that her biggest challenge as a program director is enrollment; therefore, she has worked to develop initiatives to keep the program viable. These include Accelerated Admission enrollment for students interested in earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree while at Appalachian, a partnership with Wenzhou University (WZU) in China where WZU students can earn a master’s degree from each institution, and developing a fully online Master’s of Elementary Education program in an effort to recruit a more diverse student population. In addition, Dean is currently researching the possibility of developing an elementary education graduate certificate.
About receiving the Outstanding Administrator Award, Dean said, "I am pleased to receive this award and honored by the recognition of my time and effort given to the Graduate Elementary Education Program."
Hannah Reeder
Outstanding Adjunct or Instructor/Clinical Faculty Award
“The opportunity to work with teacher education candidates allows me to pursue my passion on a daily basis and I am continuously encouraged by the young educators that I have the privilege of working with each semester. Their enthusiasm for teaching is contagious and constantly reminds me why I entered the profession.”
Dr. Hannah Reeder is an instructor in Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Appalachian State University's RCOE. She teaches elementary education methods courses and an educational assessment course.
Reeder earned her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis from East Tennessee State University and her M.A. and B.S. from Appalachian. She joined the RCOE faculty in 2013 and also currently serves as edTPA coordinator in the Office of the Dean.
Prior to serving in higher education, Reeder was an elementary classroom teacher, math specialist, and assistant principal. She holds an NC Teaching License in elementary education, curriculum instructional specialist, and K-12 school administration.
Her research interests include new teacher induction and instructional coaching. In addition, Reeder believes that learning should be collaborative and social so she strives to use innovative and creative approaches in her teaching. These include a variety of instructional tools and strategies such as Today’s Meet, Listly, discussion boards, Google Drive, EdPuzzle, FlipGrid, Twitter, and Zoom.
About receiving the Outstanding Adjunct or Instructor/Clinical Faculty Award, Reeder said, “The opportunity to work with teacher education candidates allows me to pursue my passion on a daily basis and I am continuously encouraged by the young educators that I have the privilege of working with each semester. Their enthusiasm for teaching is contagious and constantly reminds me why I entered the profession.”
Reich College of Education (RCOE) faculty and staff were honored with 2018 Awards.
