Sarah Kay

Spectra Staff Writer

“Throughout life, the more I learn the more questions I have; then I realize how much there really is to learn. You never stop learning.” The words of Eleanor Wollett,the new program coordinator for the Language Arts department of the Teacher Education program at Siena Heights University (SHU).

Wollett took over as program coordination fall semester 2012 as the former coordinator, Kerry Graves, moved on to focus on the theatre and speech communications program. Previously, Wollett was an adjunct professor for SHU but became an assistant professor role last year before becoming a program director this year.

Before returning to full-time college teaching, she was an elementary teacher in both Addison Schools and Hudson Schools, and also held numerous adjunct professor positions at SHU as well as Michigan State University.

Wollett teaches a wide range of courses, from “Teaching Reading K-5” to “Middle School Reading, and Content Literacy.” While teaching adjunct classes, Wollett was also working at the Lenawee ISD. Coming to work at SHU full time was a welcome relief. “It felt like coming home, I have been here so long,” Wollett stated in response to accepting a full-time position at Siena.

A graduate of SHU, Wollett spent nine years on a bachelor’s degree and six more on a master’s degree, many of those credit hours at SHU. While attending college, she taught for three years without a degree. Teachers were in high demand so she had the opportunity to teach while she was attending classes. “This was a great experience because I learned the most from actually being in the classroom,” Wollett said. Given an opportunity such as this, she got to apply what she was learning in classes directly to her actual classroom and vice versa. “It was the best learning experience I ever received,” This experience prepared Wollett well for her future in teaching elementary school as well as her current positions in the SHU Teacher Education Program.

SHU is known for its teacher education program. With over 35 education majors and minors and eight additional endorsements, students have a wide variety of learning and teaching opportunities.

“It isn’t just about content here, it is about how you treat people; it is all about respect for one another,” Wollett said. “You can give students more individual attention with smaller class sizes and in the Teacher Education Program it is a combination of theory and practice, it is the art and the science of teaching. Students get a well-rounded learning experience that is comprehensive.”

“Language Arts is the center of learning. Every subject includes Language Arts in some way it is a complete integration throughout the curriculum,” Wollett explained. Her hope is that she can learn the history of the Language Arts program at SHU, what was done is the past, in order to move forward in the future.