School of Education Striving for Enthusiasm and Effectiveness Believing that the examp le of stimulating, effective teac hing was perhaps even more important than abstract theoretical educational philosophy in the preparation of outstanding teachers, faculty members in the School of Education stri ved hard to serve as good role models for the students who were working toward teacher certification. Five members of the schoo l - Lois Brown, Dr. Bobby L. Coker, Dr. Wyatt lones, Dr. Edward G. Sewell, and Betty Watson - have received a Distinguished Teacher Award. At the 1982 spring commencement, Betty Watson was the third member of the school to receive the award for a second time . Since 45 percent of the determination Distinguished Teacher depends upon in-class student evaluations, this indi cated that the students believed their education teachers were doing an effect ive job of teaching. Harding's education teachers also filled important leadership rotes at the state a nd reg ional leve ls. Dr. Bobby L. Coker, dean of the School of Education, served as president-elect of the Arkansas Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. He also served as assistant chairman of the NCATE evaluation team for Delta State University. Dr. Mary Ann Harris served as a member of the Arkansas Elementary Council. Jim Nichols se rved as secreta ry-t reasurer of the eightstate southwestern region of College and University Personnel "Just Part of Me" "My home a nd my school (Harding) are my li fe," said Betty Watson, associate professor of e lementary education, as lac , her 4-year-old son, climbed into her lap. The truth of her statement rings obviously clear in the view of the way she spends her 198/SC hool of Education time. Betty attended Michigan Christian College, transferred to Har- - John J. Radcliffe ding, and earned fl B.A. in e lementary education. She returned to her home state and attended Michigan State University where she received her Masters degree Association and as a member of the Arkansas Board of the Amer ican Cancer Society. Dr. Jerome M. Barnes served as a member of the NCATE accreditation team for Indiana State University's New Albany campus . Dr. Richard Duke served as a delegate to the Phi Delta Kappa biennial conference in Chicago. Student Mike Lyle was appointed to a two-year term on the national Budget Committee of Kappa Delta Pi. In May, Dr. Duke received the Ph.D. degree in higher education from Florida State University after comp leting the doctoral dissertation ea rlier in the semester. Members of the department were active in scho larl y associain elementary education with an emphasis in reading. After graduation she taught in Michigan and then returned to Harding as an instructor. It was here that she met lea rl Watson, who then owned a flying service, on a blind date. After they were married lear! so ld hi s company, returned to school, and now works in Harding's Financial Aid Office. Betty and learl have two little boys, David, 8, and lac,4. "We all four go to Hard ing; lac is in nurse ry school, David is in second grade, learl goes to the Financial Aid Office, and I come here," Betty gestured to her new office. Although cluttered by boxes and books and all the things that accompany moving in, the room itse lf told something of Betty. Chi ldren 's books were in severa l neat stacks waiting to be shelved, visua l aids and co lorfu l classroom decorations were visible on almost every cabinet, a framed pictured of Zea r! sat on her desk, and lac was creat ing a new picture for the wall. Interest in children is characteristic of Berty Watson's life. Even reading to her own children is an activity she enjoys ... tions. Dr. Harri s and Mrs. Watson attended the meeting of the International Reading Asso icat ion in Ch icago. Dr. Sewell attended the Kappa Delta Pi nationa l meeting in San Antonio, Texas, and the meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education in Houston. Dr. Coker attended the annual meeting of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education in Detroit. Dr. Duke attended the Christian School Administrators Conference in Atlanta, Ga . Dr. Wade Bedwell and Loi s Brown attended the Assessment and Evaluation of Hand icapped Conference in Hot Spri ngs. Dr. Jones attended the meeting of Southern Graduate Deans . Nicho ls attended the na- "lac loves to draw; I'm very proud of his drawing abi li ty and David's socce r and readi ng. David reads beautifully, which is really a blessing because you know what they say, 'the cobb ler's children's shoes always need mending!' " Family is first in Betty's life, and her hobbi es reflect this . She loves to cook, rearrange the house, read and play the piano with her children, a nd take weekend t rips. "My husband is just really neat. Last semester he took us to Memphis just to spend the night... we go to Si lver Doll ar City quite a bit, " she smiled. Her fam il y life is first even in her personal goals: " If they (David and lac) can grow up to be wonderful people - well, I guess that's my goaL" As surely as her family comes before herself, Harding does also. Betty teaches Children's Literature, Survey of Teaching Reading and Kindergarten Practicum. "I love being here, I love my students. It's not really a job, it's part of my life, just part of me . It's the kind of thing where you think, '[ shouldn't be getting paid for this.' "'< - Karen Roseberry
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