Becky Adams, M.Ed.

Instructor

Becky Adams and her husband, Emerson, both grew up in Commerce. They lived most of their lives there because they believe the friendly and supportive community make it a great place to be. She enjoys being active in the community in order to give back to the hometown that's given her so much. While her husband is an avid hunter and outdoorsman, Adams loves flowers, gardening and walking around her neighborhood and at the A&M-Commerce campus with her rescue dog, Peaches. As avid travelers, she and her husband have been to many amazing places. Some of her favorite destinations are the mountains of Colorado, Wyoming and Canada.

A Conversation with Mrs. Adams

What would you tell a student who is thinking about attending A&M-Commerce?

I can speak from personal experience when I encourage students to attend A&M-Commerce. I attended East Texas State University as both an undergraduate and a graduate student. I was actively involved in many campus activities and college life. This brought me out of my shell of being a very reserved freshman student, to an involved student leader during my sophomore, junior and senior years, in a variety of organizations, including Chi Omega, a Little Sister to Sigma Chi Fraternity, Sweetheart of Sigma Chi, Golden Leos, etc. I'm beyond proud to be a faculty member of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. One of our greatest characteristics is the rapport we have with our students. We want them to have the best possible teacher education experience, which means we individualized their program and catered to their particular strengths and areas for growth. During their senior year, they're in our year-long, field-based internship and clinical teaching program, where they’re closely mentored by master teachers and university field supervisors. I feel A&M-Commerce is the perfect size for students to take part in student life activities, but small enough to have a great amount of one-on-one professor-to-student interactions and guidance. A&M-Commerce feels like home. It’s comfortable, inviting and engaging. Students are encouraged to maintain academic excellence while having an enjoyable and memorable college experience!

What draws you to your discipline?

Teaching is one of the most rewarding careers possible! I loved my education courses at East Texas State. I was a graduate assistant for a few semesters while working on my master’s. I loved my years of teaching public school grades 1 through 6. I topped that off by being offered and accepting my current job as clinical instructor, where I get to advise students and teach them how to teach. How great is that?! The rewards of teaching are limitless with kudos abounding over an entire lifetime, by running into past students who are very grateful for what you've done for them. I tend to keep in close contact with many of my students. I enjoy watching them excel in education and their personal lives. Being at A&M-Commerce for over 20 years has allowed me to have many student teachers who are now mentoring teachers for our current students or are administrators in our partnership schools. I've seen their careers run full circle, which makes my heart very happy! One of my greatest joys is having past students contact me to share their successes or just to say hello or thank you.”

What has been your favorite course to teach?

My favorite course to teach has been the ELED 300, Introduction to Teaching. This is one of the first education courses our students take. It’s the foundation of our teacher education program, where students must complete 30 hours of observation in a public school, which we debrief in class. They start to learn how to teach through role-playing, collaboration, scenarios and teaching their peers through a wide variety of interactive activities. They’re very excited as well as anxious to glean in all the teaching skills and strategies. Our courses aren’t lectured courses, which means our students are actively learning by doing. We teach the way we want them to teach. We model the pedagogy, student-teacher rapport, teacher advocacy and passion for teaching that we want them to have with their students for years to come! A close second was being middle-level coordinator, which lead to day-long seminars for our students pursuing certification in grades 4-8. I taught seminars and visited my students in their school setting by watching them teach, using the skills they've learned in class, meeting with their mentor teachers and hearing about all their success in the classroom. There is nothing better than to participate in student success by watching them gain their first job, which often is offered in the district where they did their clinical teaching.

Tell us about a project you are currently working on or recently completed

I’m currently the lead advisor for our interdisciplinary studies students. Since I've been in our department for over 20 years, I've taught almost every course they are taking. I’ve guided many students through internship and clinical teaching, so I can effectively guide them toward the best path to excel in our teacher education program. There are lots of hoops to jump through with our program. Many students need guidance and advice throughout our program. I love helping and watching them succeed in our program. We're here to help them succeed through individualized support and guidance. We want them to be master teachers and eventually mentor teachers for our future interns.

Educational Background

• M.Ed., Elementary Education, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 1988
• B.B.A., Accounting, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 1983

Academic Positions

• Clinical Instructor, Curriculum and Instruction, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 1998–Present
• Sixth Grade Social Studies Teacher, Commerce Independent School District, 1992-1998
• Third Grade Elementary Teacher, Commerce Independent School District, 1989-1992
• First Grade Elementary Teacher, Wolfe City Independent School District, 1989-1989
• Graduate Assistant, Elementary Education, TAMUC, 1989, 1990

Professional Licenses

• Elementary Self-Contained (life), Grades 1-8
• Elementary Reading (life), Grades 1-8

Awards and Honors

• Chancellor's Academy of Teacher Educators, Texas A&M System, 2017

• Teaching Excellence Award, TAMUC, 2010 & 2011
• 1^st Annual Rheba Martin Icenhower Education Award, Hunt County African American Leadership Conference, 2008

• TAMUC Nominee, CASE, 2007
• Nominee, Neil Humfeld Faculty Award for Service, TAMUC, 2007
• Academy Member: The Regents' Initiative Academy for Excellence in Education (Cohort 3), 2001-Present

University Committees and Chair

• Lead Advisor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
• Chair, Mane Event Preview Day Committee for Curriculum and Instruction
• Member, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Departmental Appeals Committee
• Member, Teacher Education Admissions and Retention Appeals Committee

Community and Civic Activities

• Vice-President, Thalian Culture Club, 2018-2019
• President-Elect, Board, Commerce Lil' Angels 2018
• Vice-President, Thalian Culture Club, 2016-2017
• President-Elect, Board, North East Texas Children's Museum, 2016
• Board, City of Commerce Building Standards Committee 2016-Present
• Order of Omega, TAMUC Greek honors organization, 1992-Present
• Member, Lion Champions Fund, TAMUC
• Member, TAMUC Alumnae Association
• Member, First United Methodist Church, Commerce, Texas
• Volunteer, Food 4 Kids, Commerce ISD
• Volunteer, Commerce Food Pantry
• Vice President, Commerce ISD Reunion Committee
• Aspire Community Teacher Faculty Mentor, early immersion program, Joint project between Commerce ISD and TAMUC