Posted on Feb 1, 2006

Dr. Randall (Randy) Sprick, an internationally known author and teacher consultant based in Eugene, Ore., met with students and faculty of the college of education at Murray State University on Thursday, Jan. 19 to provide additional insights into the implementation of his CHAMPs program approach. CHAMPs is a proactive and positive approach to classroom management that is widely utilized by public and private schools across the nation. Sprick is the author of the CHAMPs program as well as numerous books and articles dealing with discipline and classroom management. He came to Murray State at the invitation of faculty in the college of education who are involved in the initiative at Murray State aimed at equipping all education majors with the skills required for effective classroom management. Dr. Russ Wall, dean of the college of education, who was instrumental in launching this initiative, stated, “We know that students cannot learn effectively in the absence of a conducive academic environment. Since the inception of this approach, I have received many positive comments from area school officials praising the efforts of the college of education in providing this embedded training.” The college of education began planning for the initiative to incorporate the CHAMPs model into an array of courses offered to all education majors in the fall of 2005. The program of instruction was instituted at the beginning of the current semester. The philosophy that guides the model, and the MSU initiative, is the belief that appropriate student behavior must be taught and the vast majority of students want to behave appropriately and will respond in a positive manner to overt instruction. Wall believes, and Sprick agrees, that imbedding the CHAMPs training in education courses is a positive and innovative approach to training future teachers. Dr. Yancey Watkins, long-time chair of early childhood and secondary education at Murray State University, stated, “This approach is a perfect fit for our college and students because so many of the schools and school districts in our region have implemented the CHAMPS program. Professors have the opportunity to observe student teachers utilizing the skills we taught in their initial experience as teachers.” Dr. Pam Matlock, coordinator of Murray State University’s Paducah campus, expanded on this theme with her observations regarding the comments of students exposed to Sprick’s model. “My students are hungry for training in classroom management,” she said. “This is the aspect of teaching that frightens student teachers the most.” Sprick believes that Murray State University is the only university in the nation integrating the CHAMPs model into the teacher preparation program. Offering final words of encouragement to the faculty and administration of the college of education he stated, “Murray State is in the forefront of training for teachers in a way that no other university in America is doing. I am so excited about what Murray State is doing … I think it may become a model for teacher training in other universities in our nation and I want to be supportive of your efforts.” For additional information contact Dr. Russ Wall at (270) 762 3829.