Category Archives: News & Celebrations

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EDU 302 Students at Kingfield Elementary School

Students from Dr. Swallow’s EDU 302: Technology in K-8 Education class facilitated four stations (Osmos, Wonder Robot, Scratch Jr, Ozobots) at the first ever Math and Computer Science night at Kingfield Elementary School in November. In addition to Dr. Swallow and EDU 302 students, Dr. Good and Eliza Hopkins came with 3d printers and laptops for doing tinkercad design work, and Dr. Lee came to join the conversation.

EDU 302 students felt the students, teachers and parents were extremely receptive of the new technology tools and the UMF pre-service teachers.  The pre-service teachers also felt they were able to engage deeply with a new technology tool that they might not have otherwise.

A pre-service teacher shared her thoughts about the experience, “I fully believe that this experience enhanced my learning. I was able to use a hands-on approach to learn about something incredible and then determine a way to teach it to others in a fun, interactive way. I also feel that being a part of an event that included not only teachers and students, but parents as well was very beneficial. I feel that experiences like these are important and beneficial for every pre-service teacher.”

The evening was designed to engage elementary students and families in computer science activities and hosted during the Hour of Code week. The evening was very successful and the teachers loved seeing new ideas for integration into their classrooms!

See more photos from the evening at https://www.facebook.com/UMFEd360/ 
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Alumni Spotlight: Katie King

Katie King
Elementary Education
Class of 2014
Augusta Schools: 5th Grade Teacher

UMF’s College of Education, Health, and Rehabilitation Services (CEHR) had the chance to connect with Katie King over email to discuss her experiences as a new teacher.

UMF Elementary Education graduate Katie King in her classroom.

UMF CEHR: What was the best experience that you encountered in your UMF education program?

Katie:  The best experience I had at UMF in the education program was by far my professors. I loved the connections and relationships that were formed. Even after your class was over you could still go to any of your professors to get advice or just catch up. They truly cared about me as an individual and about me as an educator. This still rings true today as I still keep in contact with many of my professors. It’s nice to have someone who has been in your shoes as a teacher to go to and troubleshoot or gain ideas from. They don’t stop caring about you just because the class is over or you have graduated.

UMF CEHR: What tips can you give our current students who are going to be entering student teaching?

Katie: For students about to enter student teaching they need to embrace the experience. This will probably be the one and only time you can go in and observe multiple professionals in their classrooms without having to get a substitute. Go visit different grades and special education rooms. If ever you have the opportunity to do a book study or participate in something that your mentor is doing, do it too! That’s a great way to get your name out there and show you are a team player. Finally, have fun! Mistakes will happen, lessons will flop, a kid may throw up but these are all real experiences; learn from them and fully take in everything your placement has to offer.

UMF CEHR: The professors are awesome here! What did you find appealing about the school district that you are currently working in?

Katie:  Currently, I work for the Augusta School Department. I moved 40 minutes north of my hometown to teach here because I felt like the district’s goals aligned with my own. They want what is best for their students and that’s my end goal. Augusta also has a handful of teachers who graduated from UMF and those with whom I spoke with said they felt prepared to take on the day-to-day role of a teacher within the district because they offered so much support for first year teachers. They offer a mentor with whom you have weekly meetings, they held sessions for new teachers on how to complete the district assessments, they have a literacy and math mentor who came into my room to help me create and execute lessons for my students.

UMF CEHR: Can you explain a time where something did/did not go well, and how did that help you advance as a newer teacher?

Katie: I will never forget during my first year teaching, I had a student who was having such a hard time with a math concept, multiplying double digit numbers.  I remembered from my Math methods classes with Dr. Shannon Larsen a strategy we used and when I introduced it to this student the lightbulb moment happened. Due to the fact I had just taken a class two years prior and was fresh out of school, I was able to use what I learned about different ways to teach students. I then was able to share this strategy with my colleagues and I began to feel more confident with myself as an educator. Being a new teacher doesn’t mean you don’t have anything to offer. I found I had a lot to offer my colleagues, just as much as they had to offer me. UMF prepares us well to be educators, being new may mean you have less experience but it doesn’t mean you’re less valuable to a learning community, in fact you do have a lot to offer.

UMF CEHR: Can you talk about the grade you teach and why?

Katie: I chose to be a teacher because I was inspired by my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Blanchard. She was a first year teacher teaching a 4/5 combination classroom. Her passion and enthusiasm really inspired me to become an educator. When it was time to student teach, I was unsure of which grades I wanted to teach but was given the opportunity to work in a 1/2 combination classroom. I adored those kiddos, but I was able to see the difference between grade levels and realized I enjoyed the second graders because of their free thinking and independence. When hired for my job there was a 1st, 4th or 6th grade opening. While I was familiar with 1st and did my practicum with 6th I wanted to try 4th. I knew there would be the perfect blend of independence and need. I currently teach 5th grade in the same school I started teaching in 2014. I taught 4th for 4 years until a colleague of mine retired and I had such a great class that I chose to go up to 5th grade so I could keep half of my class. I absolutely love my job and the school in which I work. It’s a small school with only two classes per grade level and I love knowing every students’ name and being able to interact with them, even if they are not in my classroom. What I’ve learned about the upper grades is that while the content is harder they are still kids. They still love to have dance parties, love speaking into our classroom microphone and even enjoy the occasional coloring sheet (a multiplication color by number). The best part about teaching older elementary students is their humor. They are slowly becoming their own person and I get to encourage and guide them through that. I also love being a part of their self discovery while they are finding out the best parts of themselves.

UMF CEHR: What great tips! What did you learn from each grade level that you encountered? For our current students in practicum and student teaching, what advice do you have when exploring different ages?

Katie: I have experienced grades 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 and each one taught me different things. For example, in first and second grade I realized how important play and imagination were. While they are no longer in Kindergarten these students are still young and need time to explore. Students of this age are extremely busy, and these two years are critical in their development, I’m not lying when I say a lot happens academically for them. One of my favorite sayings to our K-2 teachers is that they taught my students how to read so it’s my turn to teach them to love to read. The upper grades of 4, 5 and 6 are definitely my comfort zone. Their independence level is there and while we are working on advanced academics we also are fostering a social/emotional piece that is different than in the lower grades. These years are critical for students and through social-emotional learning we are helping them realize who they truly are and how to interact with others in a kind way.

My advice for those going into the field is to be open to all grades. Go out of your comfort zone, you learn the most when you are uncomfortable because you are forced to explore more. When I decided I wanted to be a teacher I thought I only wanted the littles but my practicum placement was in 6th grade…at a middle school nonetheless! But I’ll tell you what, I loved every minute of it. While I didn’t get adorable hugs from five year old’s and I didn’t have any funny “kidisms” to share at seminar, what I did get was just as amazing. I got to appreciate the independence of these kiddos mixed with their wisdom, opinions and various interests. I loved the upper grades, I was hooked. But when it came to student teaching I wanted the different end of the spectrum. I wanted to make sure the upper grades were for me. So when I got my placement for a 1/2 combination class I was up for the challenge…or so I thought. After my meet and greet with the students I went home and cried, they were going to eat me alive. But after 16 weeks those kiddos proved to be a dream…I learned so much about how students grow academically and socially from that class. It’s due to the fact I was out of my comfort zone that pushed me so hard to be the best littles teacher I could. If you think you know what grade level you want to teach, do the opposite. Make sure you have as much experience in various levels as you can. Not only does the experience look good on a resume, but it also helps your confidence when you’re in your own classroom. I have 18 students in my fifth grade class but they are not all stereotypical fifth graders. Many act well below or beyond their years so having a wide range of experiences allowed me  to better serve them where they are at both behaviorally and academically.

UMF CEHR: What have you learned from your first few years of teaching and how did that help you as an educator?

Katie: Finally, I could write a book about all that I’ve learned through my first few years of teaching. Honestly, there are so many things that I learned that have helped me continuously along the way. But there are 3 very important things I have learned. The first is that we are human; we make mistakes, we care too much and that’s okay because at the end of the day as long as you tried your best and gave it your all, your students learned. The second is to find someone who’s like-minded as you within your building or district. This person will be your sounding board for you, they will push you to be a better educator and you can lean on each other in times of need. As a first year teacher I got myself on a couple of committees and started my grad program for curriculum, instruction and assessment. Did I overextend myself? At times, it felt like it but I had people who were in a similar boat and we pushed each other and helped each other every step of the way. The third thing I learned is that being confident in yourself as a professional is key. Some people may try to think they know more than you or have a better way of doing things but it’s your classroom. Having consistent expectations for students will help make your classroom almost run itself. If someone questions you about why you do something a certain way be honest and confident with your answer. You have gone to school to do this job, you are prepared and you can do this. Never doubt yourself, or worse…never let someone make you doubt yourself. You’ve got this!

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Top Tips for Student Teachers

It can be nerve wracking or even intimidating to go into your Student Teaching placement. There are a lot of expectations that you need to follow, assignments to complete, and a lot to learn. When you begin your Student Teaching, it’s important to prepare what you can early on and to think about what else is expected of you. Below are some tips to help you transition into your Student Teaching placement:

Prepare for each week in advance- Don’t wait until Monday to prepare everything you need for the week. Plan your outfits, the time you’ll leave your house by, what you’ll bring for lunch and snack every day (which you will definitely need!). If you plan all of these in advance, you will be less frantic come Monday morning.

Research the school & area- Know what grades and what regions your school serves. Learn about the extracurricular activities offered at school and in the community. Find out what resources are available, and become more familiar with what your students do when they are not at school. Knowing where your students come from and what they have available to them will better help you plan your instructions and interactions.

Prepare for your lessons to fail- You cannot always predict how a lesson will go or how the students will react to the lesson. Sometimes, the lesson just does not work, and that is okay. But it is important to have a backup lesson or activity to supplement the lesson and to keep students on task and engaged during valuable classroom time.

Know the expectations- Find out what is expected of you as a student teacher from both your mentor, your students, your placement school, and from your UMF Field Supervisor. Also, relay your expectations. Let your mentor know what you will need from them to be successful, outline your expectations about behavior and respect to your students, and express any concerns you have to either your mentor or your field supervisor.

Make connections and learn from others- There are TONS of websites, Instagram pages, Twitter accounts, blogs, etc. that are for teachers, by teachers. You can find a variety of lesson plan ideas, classroom management tips, accommodations, tools, activities, and resources for teaching all ages. UMF alumna Chelsey Oliver took advantage of sites like these during her student teaching experience, and took it upon herself to create her own education inspired Twitter and Instagram pages- feel free to check them out!

Stay organized and on top of your assignments- Start planning lessons ahead of time so that you can go back and make changes as the lesson approaches. Relay any deadlines that you need to meet to your mentor so that they can ensure you are getting what you need when you need it. Once you start to fall behind, it can be much harder to catch back up.

Take notes and ask questions- Your mentor teacher is there to model for you and to provide feedback. Take notes on the techniques and language they use, the way they manage their classroom, what you think works and does not work. Also take notes on student behavior, as you may notice patterns that can be valuable in addressing classroom management skills.

Enjoy the experience- While Student Teaching is a lot of work, it should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Form relationships with students and have fun with them, take advantage of all of the opportunities presented, and make it unique to you! Take it all in and relish the experience, it goes by fast, and it will be over before you know it!

It won’t be easy, but it will definitely be worth it! You have spent the past few years preparing for this, learning from professors, and dipping your toe in the water in practicum placements. Now it’s time to dive in and immerse yourself into the classroom as an active Student Teacher. We know you will all shine and do great. From all of us here at UMF, good luck and have fun!

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Christina Dionne: Striving to Make a Difference

Recently, one of UMF’s alumna was featured on the Mt. Blue Regional School District website for her exemplary work in building relationships with students and individualizing instruction. Christina Dionne, a graduate from UMF’s Secondary Education program, is currently teaching math at Mt. Blue Middle School and taking strides everyday to better herself as an educator and her students as learners.

Christina has always liked math, and she was in the advanced math classes in high school. When she first came to UMF she was an art major, but after her freshman year she changed her major so that she could pursue a career in math. The UMF methods courses that Christina took brought about a passion for teaching in her.

After graduating, Christina took a job as a camp counselor. Two years later, she became the arts and crafts specialist at camp. On her fourth year, Christina was promoted to being a unit leader and was responsible for managing the four groups within her unit, communicating with parents, and organizing activities and field trips. Eventually, Christina took on a job in early childhood, where she was able to understand child development more clearly and gain an understanding of how to better implement a curriculum with a holistic approach. Christina then took on her position at Mt. Blue Middle School.

Christina has expressed her commitment to proficiency-based education, which helped her to earn the respect of administration. Christina puts in very long hours at school, staying late to volunteer with After School Study and immerses herself in her work and her students.

One of Christina’s goals is to develop a proficiency-based program in math and show her students how to track their own progress in comparison with the standards. Christina would like to incorporate a more hands on approach that requires students to solve real-life math problems, and to implement the skills they learn both inside and outside of the classroom. She loves to challenge her students’ critical thinking.

Along with increasing student proficiency, Christina also makes it a point to create a student community in her classroom. Students often work together to learn from one another, build peer relationships, and increase their self esteem. This approach allows Christina to individualize instruction for those who need it while others are working together.

When asked about the challenges that she faces, Christina said that student frustration and behavior can be difficult. Christina tries to understand the cause of the behavior and work with the student to help them solve whatever problem they are facing. She aims to build healthy, valuable relationships with students. Christina also works at getting students interested in math. She uses various techniques, approaches, games, and activities to make learning math more fun and applicable.

Christina is one of many amazing teachers to have come from a UMF Teacher Education Program, and Mt. Blue Middle School and her students are lucky to have her! For more information about the amazing schools and opportunities in the Mt. Blue Regional School District, check out their website!

 

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World Language Education: Preparing Language Educators for a Diverse World

The University of Maine at Farmington is excited to announce that it has created a new Bachelor of Science in World Language Education program to prepare educators for a career teaching Spanish or French in schools. There is an increasing shortage in the state of Maine and across the country of qualified World Language educators in the K-12 classrooms. This new major is designed to address the need for fully-certified World Language educators in the state of Maine and beyond.

A Maine Department of Education World Language specialist reports that all Maine high schools are now required to offer foreign language classes as a proficiency-based graduation requirement, and many Maine middle schools are expanding their language programs as well. Schools need language educators for a variety of reasons, including preparing students for a continuously evolving diverse world, collaborating with families from diverse backgrounds, and meeting college admission requirements.

This major will be offered beginning in the Fall of 2018. This program will provide an opportunity for students at UMF to become certified to teach in the classroom, with a deeper understanding of language and culture. UMF also teaches courses in Chinese and Japanese languages. For more information about the World Language Education major, visit the UMF media release or the  UMF website.

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Sweatt-Winter Awarded New NAEYC Accreditation

“The Sweatt-Winter Child Care and Education Center on the UMF campus is proud to announce it has been awarded a new, five-year term of national accreditation by the National Association for Education of Young Children.

NAEYC Accreditation is a rigorous and transformative quality-improvement system that uses a set of 10 research-based standards to collaborate with early education programs to recognize and drive quality-improvement in high-quality early learning environments.

The Sweatt-Winter Center met 100 percent of the criteria in each of 10 program standards and was commended by the NAEYC for its outstanding efforts in maintaining and renewing its accreditation and for its dedication and commitment to continuous quality improvement.  The center fully-met the required elements within the standard criteria and scored highly on the random elements. Less than 10% of early childhood centers nationally attain NAEYC accreditation.

“We are so proud of this national accreditation and what it says about the quality of our programs,” said Julie Farmer, director of the Sweatt-Winter Center. “High-quality early education and childcare have huge benefits for children, their families and the entire community.”

The Sweatt-Winter program has provided full-time care and education to children in Franklin County and the surrounding areas for more than 30 years. The curriculum is based on the interests of the children, and is carried out through the use of age appropriate activities. It offers a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment for children ages 3-8. A preschool program for ages 3-5 and a before-and-after school program for ages 5-8 are available.

The Sweatt-Winter program is located in University of Maine at Farmington’s Ricker Addition. In addition to its value as a top quality child care program, Sweatt-Winter also serves as lab school for UMF education majors where best teaching practices are taught and demonstrated by onsite UMF faculty instructors.

Hours of operation are from 7 a.m.–5:15 p.m. The program currently has openings in its before and after-school child care program. For more information please contact  Julie Farmer, director of UMF’s children’s programs at 207-778-7480.”

Click here to view the complete article.

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Makerspace: Creating Spaces to Innovate

Makerspace is an upcoming movement in the field of education. The goal of makerspace is to design a place for kids and students to create, play, and innovate. Johanna Prince, Director of Graduate Programs at UMF, has been involved in helping to educate the public about makerspace and potentially design a makerspace on campus. Johanna oversees the Masters in Technology program at UMF and has an interest in educational technology.

Makerspaces can be implemented and used in various ways. “I have seen makerspaces in kindergarten classes, art classrooms, high schools using high end, high-tech equipment,” said Johanna, “there’s a wide range in who can make use of them.” Makerspaces can consist of a fixed location to work in, mobile spaces in which items are transported to different locations on a cart, or even just a few shelves in a classroom with tools and resources designated for student innovation and creativity. Common tools and materials used are craft supplies, glue guns, small power tools, laser cutters, circuitry equipment, and much more!

3D printers are becoming increasingly popular as well, as people from various fields of study make use of them to design and create various tools. 3D printers can be used to create small or large items, math manipulatives, three-dimensional maps to study geography and landforms, and some assistive technology tools as well, such as a device to help turn a door handle or turn on a light switch. There is a 3D printer on campus at UMF, but it is not easily accessible to the public. If you are interested in making use of the 3D printer for educational and professional purposes, please contact Johanna Prince at johanna.prince@mane.edu

While there is not yet a dedicated Makerspace location on campus, there are various resources in the area that students and faculty can make use of. Everyone’s Resource Depot (located in the Education Center basement) has an abundance of craft materials and miscellaneous supplies at a very affordable price. The Spenciner Curriculum Materials Center (located on the first floor of the Education Center) has a variety of materials as well, including new Sphero Robots (pictured left), which can be controlled by tilting, tapping, or swiping your smartphone. Interested in learning more about Sphero Robots? Come to an interactive session using Sphero robotics and block based coding to play and learn, no prior knowledge or experience needed! This workshop will take place on Saturday, October 21st from 9:00-12:00 in Education Center 012. Spaces are limited to 20 participants, so fill out the registration form soon to ensure your spot!

Are you interested in makerspace, and want to learn more about it what you can do with it? There will be two more makerspace workshops and discussions after the Sphero robotics coding one workshop:

Low Tech and High Tech Making: Saturday October 28th 9:00-12:00 in Education Center 012

Join us for a hands on session to explore high tech and low tech making. You’ll get a chance to play with 3D modeling software,  use a 3D printer,  and create using low-tech repurposed materials. Limited to 20 participants, so fill out the registration form before it’s too late! 

What space is needed for a makerspace?: Wednesday December 6th 11:45-1:00 in Education Center 012

In this conversation we will continue to explore the ideal of making, creating and innovating.  We’ll discuss the ways we already have these spaces in our community and places, as well as how we can leverage them to develop spaces and opportunities for more making.  

At the last workshop, What is a makerspace?, there was an open conversation about makerspaces, what the goal of a makerspace is, and creativity! There was also a discussion about high school students who use high-tech materials in school coming to UMF, which has less tech integration and innovative technology faculty than their high school experience. It was an interesting and interactive discussion, and some small materials were provided to build and manipulate with. Check out these creations!

 

 

 

 

If you have any additional questions about makerspace, contact Johanna Prince (johanna.prince@maine.edu), Kathryn Will-Dubyak (kathryn.willdubyak@maine.edu), or Bryce Cundick (bryce.cundick@maine.edu). Stay up to date with the Ed360 blog to learn more about makerspace opportunities!

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National Bullying Prevention Month

Did you know that October is National Bullying Prevention Month? National Bullying Prevention Month is a nationwide campaign founded in 2006 by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. Educators and communities across the nation raise awareness about bullying and promote bullying prevention.

The Maine Education for Association reported these facts and finding about bullying in their newsletter:

  • Bullying occurs once every seven minutes in schools across America. In fact, one in every three students reports being bullied weekly, in person, via email, or through social media.
  • When NEA surveyed members a few years ago, nearly 100 percent of respondents said it was their job to intervene when they saw bullying occur.
  • Research by GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) shows that vulnerable students, who often are targeted for bullying because of their race, ethnicity, or LGBTQ status, can generally name at least one supportive adult in their schools, but it takes six or more supportive adults to make a difference when it comes to bullying.
  • GLSEN’s Ally Week, September 25-29, is a student-driven program in which students and educators who are LGBTQ lead conversations about what kind of support, understanding, and encouragement they need from their allies.

So, what can you do to stop bullying and promote acceptance in your classroom? PACER’s NBPC provides these and other various ways to get involved in promoting bullying prevention:

  1. Join the cause- Historically, bullying has been viewed as “a rite of passage,” but National Bullying Prevention Month is now a nationwide call to action — providing schools, parents and students with the educational resources and support to better respond to bullying behavior.
  2. Provide resources and reminders to students- PACER offers various resources for students and teachers, including FREE “Kids Against Bullying” bookmarks that can be printed or ordered (plus shipping and handling). A daily reminder of the cause will help children remember the importance of preventing bullying.
  3. Make it a known campaign- Tell everyone that your school and community are participating in National Bullying Prevention Month by alerting news media, sharing on social media, campaigning around town, etc. Get the word out there!
  4. Let victims know that they are not alone-  Make it a priority to promote empathy and compassion for those being bullied. Encourage them to talk about it, address it, and let children know that there are people who are there for them no matter what. Children always need a hero.
  5. Create a communal art project- Allow students to be artistic and work together on a banner, poster, sculpture, video, or anything else that relays the anti-bullying message. Allowing kids to work together on one project will form a sense of community and belonging within all children, as well as allow them to have their ideas and voices be put into the initiative.
  6. Wear orange- NBPC has dedicated orange as the color of National Bullying Prevention Month, and PACER will soon be coming out with a line of t-shirts and other orange items promoting the cause.

 

By working together as a community and nation, we can end bullying among children and teens and promote a more accepting and welcoming environment for all. While teaching and/or interacting with students and children, especially during the month of October, remember the importance of promoting a bully-free environment and incorporate these tools and lessons with everyday experiences. For more resources and to learn more about PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, visit their website.

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Meet the New Faculty of Special Education

The Special Education department at UMF is proud to welcome some new, bright, exciting members to the professional team. Kate MacLeod, Dominique Tetzlaff, and Kevin Good are the newest professors in special education at UMF.

Kate MacLeod is joining the the special education faculty in the Secondary and Special Education Division here at UMF. She is completing her doctorate in Special Education at Syracuse University and holds a Certificate of Advanced Study in Disability Studies from Syracuse and a Masters of Science in Special Education from Long Island University. Kate was a high school special education teacher and inclusion facilitator in New York City, and has expertise working with urban adolescents with disabilities. Her research and writing has been published in academic journals such as Educational Leadership, Disability & Society, Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, and International Journal of Whole Schooling, educational magazines such as Rethinking Schools and TASH Connections, and book anthologies focused on inclusive and special education. Her current research agenda is focused on best practices for the inclusion of students with complex support needs; understanding the culture of inclusive schools; and the development of teacher networks to support inclusive education. Kate is also an educational consultant who works with administrators, teachers, and families in the northeast and across the country to support their work to create and improve inclusive practice and culture for all students. She is a new resident of Unity, Maine and when she is not teaching, researching, or working with schools and families, she loves to play music with her husband and friends, and spend time outside with her dog Amelia. Kate is absolutely thrilled to join the UMF community!

 

 

Dominique Tetzlaff has been in the field of education for almost ten years. She started her career as a special education teacher in a middle school serving at-risk students in a high poverty community. Dominique recently completed her doctorate in Special Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and she specializes in high incidence disabilities, using technology for students with disabilities, and methods for teaching English Language Learners. Her dissertation study Using Mobile Technology to Increase the Math Achievement and Engagement of Students with Disabilities focused on the critical design features and implementation of mobile devices to support teacher-directed instruction. Dominique hopes to further expand this research line to develop guidelines for using digital lessons in the core content areas for students with disabilities. Dominique is very excited to be part of the UMF faculty and is looking forward to enjoying the community with her family!

 

 

Kevin Good is an instructor in Special Education.  He holds two master’s degrees and is preparing to finish his Ph.D. His focus in special education has resulted in various experiences including teaching, research, advocacy, and assistive technology consulting.  Kevin is interested in all areas of special education, but his primary teaching and research is on assistive technology, inclusive education, teacher education, literacy, academic and behavioral instructional approaches, and best practices in instruction and technology use.  His primary goal is to develop and mentor future teachers as they prepare to meet the needs of all learners.  He is also excited to work with community members with their assistive technology needs be it related to pk-12 education, higher education, or life.  As the Maine CITE coordinator at UMF, Kevin seeks to help all individuals at UMF learn more about the roles of assistive technology in the classroom and in life. Kevin is excited to be joining the UMF community because of its longstanding reputation in teacher education and its location in one of the most beautiful places in the country!

UMF is very excited to welcome Kate, Dominique, and Kevin to our faculty. If you see them around campus be sure to say hello and welcome them to Farmington. From all of here at UMF, we want to give a warm welcome to our new professors in Special Education!

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Live and Work in Maine

Maine is facing a demographic dilemma- the population is growing older, and workers are retiring at rates higher than new employees are entering the field. Maine needs to develop a strong workforce to help ensure that employers can continue to thrive. Live and Work in Maine is an initiative to recruit hard working individuals from across the country and the world to live in the beautiful state of Maine.

With Live and Work in Maine, you can search for places to live or places to work, and the other will follow. If you care more about living in the mountains than anything else, they can help you find the perfect location and then a job to follow. If you are willing to live on the beach, in the woods, or in the city- wherever it takes to get you your dream job- then Live and Work in Maine can help you find that job and then a place to live from there. “Our mission is to show the world that in Maine, you can have it all when it comes to quality of life AND quality of career.”

So, how do you go about finding the perfect place to live? You can search for a location based on three different categories:

Region– the various regions of Maine that are listed include: Aroostook County, Downeast & Acadia, Maine Lakes & Mountains, Kennebec Valley, Maine Highlands, Midcoast, Greater Portland & Casco Bay, and Maine Beaches

Lifestyle– if there are certain hobbies, sceneries, structures, or population density that you prefer, you can filter for them! Various lifestyle choices listed include (but are not limited to): lakes & ponds, bricks and cobblestone, “trees, trees, & more trees”, camping, fishing, golf, hunting, ski/snow sports, historic, live music, shopping, theatre/arts, always active, peace & quiet, etc. It is easy to find something for everyone!

Career– You can also search for regions/areas that have available jobs that meet specific filters, such as job industry, region, employer size, internships, seasonal jobs, and entry level jobs.

 

 

How do you go about finding your dream job in Maine? Jobs and internships can also be searched for and explored in a couple of ways:

Job Board–  on the Job Board page you can search for jobs by keyword, job title or specific location. Jobs can be filtered by type, geographic region, and industry. The Job Board also lists job postings with job title, employer name and location, description of job, and links to apply, view the employer profile, and save the job posting. See a job that your friend would be perfect for? There is also an option to share the job info with a friend! What better way to find your dream job and move to Vacationland than to do it with a friend?

Explore Employers– The Explore Employers page allows for you to search for employers based on employer name, career, and lifestyle. Each employer profile includes brief description, location information, and contact info to get in touch with the employer.

 

Live and Work in Maine strives to help individuals relocate to an area they will love, and work in a position that will allow them to thrive. The Live and Work in Maine Instagram page (@liveworkmaine) includes an abundance of pictures exhibiting the various lifestyles and hobbies that can be lived in Maine.

Foodies, hikers, adventurers, writers, artists, entrepreneurs, and everyone else is sure to find somewhere and something they love in Maine. Find what you love, and find it in Maine.