GSW College of Education

06/23/2026

Summer Spotlight: Ms. Jessica Woodard, Elementary Education Instructor

This summer is busy! I am finishing my specialist degree from GSW, helping grade for classes, and engaging with parents in the Pre-K summer program. In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, walking on the beach, shopping, reading, and listening to worship music. I am a cheerleading choreographer and play the piano for my church.

06/19/2026

Summer Spotlight: Mrs. Rebecca Miller, Elementary Education Instructor

My summer (so far) has been spent prepping courses, grading, learning, teaching, and making memories with my family. My girls are very active, so a lot of my time is spent chauffeuring them to activities, which provides a lot of car singing time with my youngest, Alina. I am excited to share a small glimpse of my summer through this video!

06/16/2026

Our FIRST summer highlight is about Mrs. Waller, Elementary Education Instructor who teaches many of our reading courses! Don't forget to ask her some questions if you are curious to know more!

My summer plans are ambitious. I will convince my garden to produce more vegetables than weeds, then spend countless hours canning them while pretending I totally meant to make that much jelly. When I’m not in the kitchen, I’ll be bouncing around on the Polaris, getting caught in the rain with my kids. My husband may hitch up the camper another time or two, and head to the beach, where the sand follows us home like an unwanted souvenir. Then somewhere between all that, I fully plan to read every book on my TBR list.

06/16/2026

This summer, we're highlighting the amazing faculty and staff who make the College of Education such a special place! Join us as we take a look at how our COE team spends their summers - from professional development and teaching to family time, travel, hobbies, and more.

We'll be sharing a couple of spotlights each week, so stay tuned! We encourage you to interact with our posts, ask questions, and get to know the people behind the programs, courses, and experiences that support our students.

06/11/2026

We are proud of the work we do to prepare our teacher candidates to teach reading.

Americus, Ga. (June 9, 2026)—The undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program at Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) has earned an A+ from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) for how well they prepare future teachers to teach reading to elementary students.

06/11/2026

The College of Education at Georgia Southwestern State University invites applications for a 12-month Student Success Coordinator position.

The Student Success Coordinator serves as a key member of the College of Education (COE) team, supporting undergraduate students with a focus on online students from admission through graduation. This position focuses on academic advising support, retention initiatives, student engagement, and data tracking, The coordinator works collaboratively with faculty, staff, the administrative unit, and campus partners to ensure students receive the guidance and resources they need to be successful at Georgia Southwestern State University.

Start your career at GSW - voted the #1 Best Place to Work in Sumter County for two consecutive years. Our campus is located on 250 scenic acres in historic Americus, Georgia, and is teeming with culture, passion, and prestige.

05/28/2026

Thank you to Mrs. Ashley Waller, the instructor and creative force behind this summer’s COE Reading Camp! She guided our teacher candidates through the planning and development of an engaging and meaningful experience for students.

Literacy, arts, science, movement, and fun all play an important role in whole child development, and this camp beautifully brought those elements together. Through Mrs. Waller’s leadership, our Elementary Education and Special Education teacher candidates gained hands-on experiences that will help them create similar learning opportunities in their own future classrooms.

05/28/2026

(Day 3, Part 2) To close out an unforgettable camp experience, campers were treated to a special performance by Caylee Hammack, who shared an original song inspired by the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly and her love of gardening. Her heartfelt performance beautifully tied together the themes of growth, imagination, and discovery that filled our week.

Thank you to all of our campers, families, community partners, and special guests for making Summer Reading Adventure Camp such a meaningful and memorable experience! 📚🌱🦋☀️

05/28/2026

(Day 3, Part 1) - Day 3 wrapped up our Summer Reading Adventure Camp with a celebration of the simple joys and learning opportunities found right at home! Campers explored the theme of summer adventures at home through hands-on activities centered around gardening, picnicking, nature walks, animal tracking, electricity safety, and caring for pets. Throughout the day, rich read alouds and literacy skill-building activities were woven into every experience, encouraging curiosity, creativity, and a love for reading.

Students enjoyed creating edible bird feeder ornaments using grapes, Cheerios, and cranberries while learning about ways to care for wildlife in their own backyards. Campers also planted seeds generously donated by the Schley County Farm Bureau and discussed the importance of gardening, responsibility, and growing healthy plants. One favorite treat of the day was our delicious “dirt dessert” snack complete with gummy worms — a perfect fit for our garden-inspired adventures!

05/27/2026

🌲⛺ Day 2 of Summer Reading Adventure Camp was packed with outdoor fun, exploration, and unforgettable learning experiences! Today’s “Great Outdoors” theme brought books to life as campers explored stories centered around camping adventures, hiking trails, forest animals, and nature discoveries.

Campers stretched and laughed during an exciting session of goat yoga, made music together using rhythm band instruments, and created glowing lantern crafts inspired by nights around the campfire. They also mixed up their own delicious trail mix snacks while learning about outdoor adventures. One of the biggest highlights of the day was the hands-on reptile exhibit where students had the opportunity to safely interact with fascinating reptiles and learn more about wildlife and habitats.

Throughout the day, literacy remained at the heart of every activity as students connected stories, movement, music, STEM, and creativity to the wonders of the great outdoors. The smiles, laughter, curiosity, and teamwork made Day 2 another incredible adventure at Summer Reading Adventure Camp! 🍃📚🐐🦎✨