Education

I was hired as an instructor at Hillsdale College and a head teacher at Mary Randall Preschool in 1995. I continued in this position until 2005, when I became the Director of Early Childhood Education and the Program Director for Mary Randall Preschool. The opportunity to teach college courses and preschool children simultaneously has been remarkable.

Assessment in Education is a foundation on which curriculum and instructional practice build. This passion for assessment has lead me to study the field of Speech and Language Pathology as well. It is my contention that Early Childhood Educators are in the best position to provide early interventions focused on speech and language. This research will also serve the college students at Hillsdale who are interested in this field.

Education 476, Assessement and Screening of Young Children, is an inspiring course to teach. Students in this course are able to complement traditional coursework with laboratory observations at the campus preschool.

At Hillsdale College, there is a current college student who is my advisee and a former preschool student of mine. It is this close connection, to know the family and see the child succeed from the beginning stages to adulthood, which resonates with me.

Educating young children for the liberal arts has been a tradition at Hillsdale College for more than 80 years. This design offers a unique opportunity to gain the benefits of the immediate application of coursework in a preschool lab. The outcomes are two-fold in that children enrolled in the program receive instruction from an unusually, highly trained staff, and the college students gain unparalleled experience while applying the pedagogical framework of their college courses.

Many students are aware of the distinctive reputation of Hillsdale College; it is often the catalyst that brings them to campus. I invite all college students to go beyond the reputation and immerse themselves in college life. It is important to give serious consideration to all of the incredible opportunities here on campus. The aim of coursework, campus organizations, service and social opportunities is to enable students to examine life completely and find purpose.

Consistently, I see students at Hillsdale College rise to occasions to look beyond themselves. This level of maturity and dedication is rare in our society. Students at Hillsdale College acknowledge this time in their lives as an important stage in their formation, and they recognize service to others is always a priority.

svondra@hillsdale.edu