JBU hosts teacher signing
Seven graduating seniors from John Brown University signed letters of intent to become Arkansas teachers during a ceremony on Tuesday.
The signing event is typically hosted by the Arkansas Department of Education in the state capitol, according to Curtis Cunningham, chair of JBU’s department of teacher education and graduate education. Because of the covid-19 pandemic, it was impossible to bring all the graduates together so universities from across the state hosted their own signing events throughout the week, he said.
“It turned out to be a good evening to celebrate our teacher candidates but also just teaching in general,” Cunningham said.
The celebration is modeled after an athletic signing and designed to encourage teachers educated at Arkansas colleges to stay in the state after they graduate, according to Richard Ellis, dean of JBU’s college of education and social and behavioral sciences.
“It’s kind of a way of valuing them and saying ‘This is important, we want you to please stay, Arkansas needs you,’” he said.
Joel Lookadoo, 2020 Arkansas Teacher of the Year, addressed graduates on behalf of the ADE. He shared some experiences as a ninth-grade Algebra teacher in the Springdale School District and thanked seniors for committing to a career in education.
“Thank you for choosing to be a difference maker, thank you for choosing to be an educator,” Lookado said.
Ed Ericson, JBU vice president
for academic affairs, and Jody Wiggins, Siloam Springs School District superintendent, both highlighted the importance of the partnership between the university and the district. The school district provides a place for future teachers to get experience in the classroom, while the university provides quality educators for the district, Wiggins said.
“I am very appreciative to what this school provides its graduates,” Wiggins said. “I want to congratulate the future educators on making a fantastic decision as far as your life course and your work ahead of you. I can’t think of a better profession. It does not have all of the rewards monetarily as others, but the rewards come from knowing you’ve helped students who needed help to overcome obstacles in their lives so they can go on and do great things.”
Senior Brooke Pigeon, a graduate of Siloam Springs High School, will earn her degree in elementary education with a certification in teaching English as a second language in a few weeks. The ceremony highlighted the relationship between JBU and the Siloam Springs School District, where Pigeon is currently doing some student teaching as part of her classes, she said. After graduation, Pigeon said plans to stay close to home and teach at one of the districts in Northwest Arkansas.
“Districts all over Northwest Arkansas are awesome, there is not one of them I don’t think is great,” she said.