New College of Education Building Ground-Breaking Ceremony

Friday, October 30, 2009 the College of Education celebrated the ground-breaking of our new education building. The building is slated to open in 2011. It is beautiful. Check out the plan at the following website: http://mtsu32.mtsu.edu:11008/ed_bldg_2011.htm

Dr. Terri Tharp!!

Congratulations to Terri Tharp on successfully defending her dissertation this week. Now we all get to call her Dr. Terri! Hee Hee.... I'm next!

Congratulations!

Whoopie!!! Our department won the Homecoming contest for best decorations. Congratulations to Linda and all the students workers for doing such a great job!

MTSU Homecoming!!!!

It's Homecoming at MTSU! As part of a campus competition, our department decorated the hallways with a rock-n-roll theme. Notice the records on the floor and huge guitar on the ceiling. Since we will be playing the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, we planned to "knock the toppers off their hill!" The students did a great job decorating and getting into the spirit of it all!!

What a Treat!

So, I found out yesterday that I was nominated for a neat little award. I received a nice certificate stating that I was a 2009 OWLs Professor Award Nominee. How fun!!!! The OWLs are a group on campus for "Older Wiser Learners". Thank you OWLs for the recognition!

Fall 2009 Office Hours

You can find me in my office in Jones Hall (220) during these hours:

Monday: 8:15-1:45
Tuesday: 9:30-11:15 and 12:45-2:30
Wednesday: 12:15-1:45
Thursday: 9:30-11:15 and 12:45-2:30
Friday: 12:15-1:45

The best way to reach me is by email: orellana@mtsu.edu

Educational Background

1993-1997 Bachelor of Science, Auburn University, Mental Retardation Education

2001-2003 Masters of Education, Middle Tennessee State University, Severe and Profound Disabilities

2006-2010 Doctorate of Education, Tennessee State University, Curriculum and Instruction with a Concentration in Special Education (In Progress)

Courses I Teach

Below is a list of courses I teach at MTSU:

SPED 3010 Teaching Diverse Learners

SPED 3440 Characteristics and Needs of Students with Severe/Profound Disabilities

SPED 4120 Curriculum, Methods, and Materials for Special Ed (Comprehensive)

SPED 4140 Techniques and Strategies for Instruction in Special Ed (Comprehensive)

SPED 4320 Directed Teaching in Special Ed (Self-Contained)

SPED 4350 Directed Teaching in Special Ed (Resource Room)

SPED 5320 Directed Teaching in Special Ed (Self-Contained)

Future Courses:

SPED 6400 Characteristics and Needs of Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities

SPED 6430 Theories of Instruction for Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities

SPED 6860 Characteristics and Needs of the Gifted Child

SPED 6880 Educational Procedures in the Education of the Gifted

Welcome to My Professional Blog-Site!!!!

Welcome to my professional blog-site! In lieu of creating a formal web site, I will be posting information about myself using this site. It is my hope that my students will be able to learn more about me by visiting this blog. I hope to include updates about my journey as a university instructor at Middle Tennessee State University. Go Blue Raiders!!!! The following information may be included: a list of courses, presentations, research, publications, basic background information, and general goings-on. Stay tuned for more information and thanks for visiting my blog-site!!!!