Thompson Symposium for Master's Degree Students:
Research in Practice
The 2009 Keynote Speaker - James Nolan
Dr. Nolan, a graduate of Penn State, is currently the Hermanowicz Professor of Education and the Co-Coordinator of the Elementary Professional Development School Partnership between Penn State University and the State College Area School District. He is the author of numerous articles in professional journals. Most of these articles focus on the topics of reflective supervision, professional development and classroom management. He is the co-author of three books: Teacher Supervision and Evaluation: Theory into Practice (Wiley/Jossey-Bass); Classroom Management: A Professional Decision-Making Model (Allyn & Bacon); and Teachers and Educational Change: The Lived Experience of Secondary School Restructuring (SUNY Press).
Dr. Nolan currently serves as Editor of The Pennsylvania Teacher Educator. From 1987 to 1993, He served as the Associate Editor of the Journal of Curriculum and Supervision. He is a past-president of the Pennsylvania Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Among the awards that Dr. Nolan has received are the 2000 Teacher Educator of the Year Award from The Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators, and the Penn State College of Education Career Achievement Award. In addition, the professional development school collaborative that he co-directs was named the Distinguished Program in Teacher Education for 2002 by the Association of Teacher Educators and the Outstanding School University Partnership in 2004 by the Holmes Partnership Organization. In 2005 Dr. Nolan received the Excellence in Education Award from the Penn State College of Education Alumni Society. In 2008, he received the Friend of Education Award from the State College Area Education Association.
Guest Speaker - Patti Begg
Patti Begg hails from a very large, very musical family. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. Ms. Begg has been teaching music to elementary and middle school aged children for the last 23 years. She received a Master’s degree in Music Education from the Pennsylvania State University. Patti teaches elementary music in the State College Area School District, directing choirs, an Orff Ensemble, musicals and operettas.
An active member of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA), Patti has been asked to serve on several planning committees for the state conference, and she has participated at the conference as a clinician demonstrating choral techniques and elementary music class methods. For 6 years she served on the Alumni Board in the College of Arts and Architecture at Penn State. Ms. Begg maintains professional memberships in the Music Educators National Conference, the American Orff-Schulwerk Association and the American Choral Directors Association. She has been the guest conductor for PMEA’s Elementary Songfest as well as Centre County Choir.
Patti performs at church as an organist and vocalist. Patti is married with 2 children: Victoria, a senior in high school and Patrick, a seventh grader.
Guest Speaker - Lisa Bevan
Lisa M. Bevan is originally from Pittsburgh, Pa where she received her a Bachelor of Science in Music Education degree from Duquesne University. After relocating to State College, Lisa attended graduate school at the Pennsylvania State University. Her responsibilities as a graduate assistant was working with the horn studio and teaching the undergraduate course Music for Elementary Education Majors. She received her Masters degree in Music Education. Upon graduation, Lisa was hired as a general music teacher for the State College Area School District. Along with Joanne Rutkowski, Lisa has offered PSU music education majors a variety of practicum experiences within her schools since 1990. Currently, Lisa teaches music at Panorama and Boalsburg Elementary to students in kindergarten through fifth grade as well as teaching beginning instrumental band, concert band and elementary chorus.
Lisa is an active member of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association and MENC, The National Association for Music Education. As a PMEA member, she has held offices in curriculum/instruction for District 4 and was a state board representative. She served on many planning committees for PMEA and assisted in the organization’s long range planning. She was named the PMEA District 4 Citation of Excellence Award and was one of State College Magazine’s teachers of the year for 2005. Lisa is married with two daughters.