Focus on Learning

University of Houston-Clear Lake School of Education graduate, Brittnie Coveney, was named Texas Directors of Field Experiences’ Student Teacher of the Year for Texas Elementary Schools. She completed her pre-service internship at Whitcomb Elementary School in Clear Lake and will teach at Falcon Pass Elementary in the fall.

UH-Clear Lake alumna honored

The Texas Directors of Field Experience selected the Elementary Student Teacher of the Year

From the Office of Communications at University of Houston-Clear Lake

July 26, 2007

University of Houston-Clear Lake School of Education alumna Brittnie Coveney was named the Texas Elementary School Student Teacher of the Year by the Texas Directors of Field Experience, an organization of professionals who coordinate and supervise the placement of student-teacher interns in school classrooms in final preparation for the teaching profession.

“ I encourage the kids to figure things out for themselves,” Coveney said of her teaching style. “My goal is to make it a game or make it fun – where they don’t realize they are accomplishing something I want them to accomplish.”

Coveney, who holds a Bachelor of Arts from Lamar University, earned a Master of Science in Early Childhood Education from UH-Clear Lake in 2006. She performed her pre-service internship at Whitcomb Elementary School in the Clear Creek Independent School District during the 2006-07 school year, ending in May. She has recently been hired by Falcon Pass Elementary in the Clear Creek Independent School District to teach kindergarten in the fall.

The TDFE honor was awarded based on demonstrated skill in planning and presenting a lesson from start to finish. Student teachers from across the state were considered, and an award was given in both the elementary and middle school category. Judges viewed a video-taped classroom lesson to assess the candidate’s skill in engaging the students in the learning process, rousing both enthusiasm and excitement. Coveney’s session featured a second-grade science lesson identifying and understanding the parts of an egg.

“We saw smiles, laughter and learning going on at the same time,” said Harriet Sturgeon, director of the UH-Clear Lake Center for Professional Development, who was also a member of the TDFE award panel.

The award comes as no surprise to Clear Creek Independent School District Supervisor, Deani Quick, Coveney’s district supervisor at Whitcomb.
“ Her lessons always incorporate lots of hands-on, interactive activities that keep her students engaged and excited about learning,” says Quick.

Coveney will be recognized at the Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education’s Fall Teacher Education Conference in El Paso, Texas in October. The award also includes an honorarium.

For more information about UH-Clear Lake’s School of Education, visit http://soe.uhcl.edu or call 281-283-3612.