NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Education is partnering with local schools to transform literacy in the classroom.

On Wednesday, June 24, professor Katie Schrodt in MTSU’s Department of Elementary and Special Education appeared on the “MTSU on 2” segment, part of the station’s “Local on 2” programming, from WKRN-TV’s Nashville studios. She talked with program host Stephanie Langston about how the partnership has helped shape curriculum and prepare future teachers.

“Improving our curriculum is just part of our culture. The last five years, we have been working on improving our literacy curriculum,” she said. “There are so many people in the state who are invested in kids’ literacy.”

Watch the full segment below.

Schrodt said MTSU has had the chance to work with other institutions and professors to see how they’re teaching and preparing their future teachers.

“We don’t have to do it alone and we shouldn’t do it alone.”

One thing MTSU’s College of Education has implemented is partnering with nearby school districts, something Schrodt considers most important.

“Murfreesboro City Schools has been such a great partner for us; they’ve opened the doors of their classrooms; they have teachers who are mentoring our students, and they let us in early so our students get more experience than they have before,” she said.

Since partnering with Murfreesboro City Schools, Schrodt said student feedback has been phenomenal, especially since they have the opportunity to get into classrooms earlier with teachers, co-teach sooner and observe veteran teachers in action.

It’s also proven a positive way to help combat the literacy crisis in the state, as well as better prepare teachers for their own classrooms and students on day one. About 58% of Tennessee students are still not reading proficiently according to the latest TCAP scores. But those who are proficient went up from last year. 

“I have kids in public schools and I have thought, ‘Would I want my own children to be in the classrooms of these young teachers?’ And I can wholeheartedly say yes, I would want my own children to be taught by them. They’re knowledgeable, they’re kind and they’re so excited to teach your kids. We’re really proud of the students who graduate from the College of Education,” Schrodt said.

MTSU’s undergraduate and graduate education programs recently received an A+ rating from the National Council of Teacher Quality for a second time.

“It is the highest-level rankings we can get,” explained Schrodt.  “We’re proud and it essentially means our curriculum was evaluated, and we are teaching our students what they need to know about the science of reading so they’re ready to go into the classroom on day one and teach your kiddos how to read.” 

For children who may be struggling with literacy skills, the best thing parents can do at home is read.

“It sounds so obvious but read with your kids. It can even be audiobooks,” Schrodt said. “My kids are really into audiobooks right now, and they’ll walk around with their headphones and listen to books. We love to read books together as a family, and I’m doing the heavy lifting of the reading, but they’re getting to practice their comprehension skills, their vocabulary, and we fall in love with characters together.”

For more information on MTSU’s College of Education, visit https://education.mtsu.edu/.

— DeAnn Hays ([email protected])