Dr. Robert Isherwood

Tell me about yourself. What is your educational background and where have you worked previously?

I graduated from SRU in 1990 in special education and elementary education on Saturday, December 12 and was employed two days after on December 14. My first job included working for the Allegheny Intermediate Unit where I was responsible for second grade emotional and behavioral support in the Elizabeth Forward SD. I then taught special education at Highlands School District. I immediately began working on a Master’s Degree at the University of Pittsburgh from 1992-1994 in Special Education and Principal’s Certification from 1994-1996. 1996-2003 was spent working on my Doctorate in Administration and Policy Studies. Between Slippery Rock University and the University of Pittsburgh I spent 17 years in school.  

What attracted you to Slippery Rock University, and in particular, the education department?

I was a first-generation college graduate; nobody else in my family had a college degree. SRU opened many doors for me. I didn’t grow up around people with college degrees, and I did not understand the significance of a college education until I had one. Furthermore, SRU is my home, and I am extremely fond of the campus. I remember my first days on this campus like it was yesterday.  The first person I met was Eliott Baker who is now the Director of Academic Records.  Eliott made such a great impression on my family and I.   He was a big reason I chose SRU for my undergraduate education.

When I came back to SRU in 2004, I started as a one-year temporary faculty member and got to teach with many people who were my mentors when I was a college student. This was an amazing experience and made me want to stay here.  

What type of research are you interested in and what research projects are you currently working on?

I do a lot of work with school administration: consultation of special education law, strategic planning, and inclusion. I work as much in the field as much as I do at the college, and I do workshops everywhere. It is my obligation to be well-versed in the field so that I can give my students the most accurate information in the classroom.

My research passion is child psychiatric disorders. My hope is to write a book on emotional and behavioral issues that impact children and adolescents before I retire.   

What classes are you teaching this semester?

High Incidence Disabilities, Instructional Education for Supervisors (Online), and Advanced Studies for Learning Disabilities (Online).

What is your favorite course to teach? Why?

Psychiatric Disorders of Childhood and Adolescents, a doctoral class which is taught online. The content is so fascinating. These disorders are impacting children at an alarming rate today and educators need to be more aware of these chronic mental illnesses.

What has been your most rewarding experience as a teacher/professor? If you cannot narrow it to one, describe one rewarding experience.

Earlier in my career, my most rewarding experiences were receiving accolades for my research and presentations. It is a part of getting promoted and is something expected as a professor.  But as I have gotten older, what is considered “rewarding” has changed. For me, the most important thing is knowing that one of my students has successfully landed a job, or is doing well professionally. Seeing my students do well and develop professionally and personally has gotten more important as time has gone on. I would rather see my students become successful more than anything else. I want to produce the most confident, knowledgeable people because they are working with kids, and there is nothing more precious than our children.

I had the opportunity to coach high school football for 13 years as part of my career.  As a high school head coach, I was always obsessed with winning. It was such a part of my competitive nature. If I could go back and change my philosophy to what it is now, I could have been a better leader of young men. Less worried about winning and more worried about the impact I was having as a mentor on my players.  Nobody will remember the awards and wins years later. They remember how you acted toward them and treated them.  Coaching is nothing more than teaching on a different type of classroom.   It was one of the most important things I have done as an educator.   I only wish I could go back sometimes and really spend time enjoying the players and students.  

What were you like as a college student?

I was a solid student, but by no means a scholar. I was here to accumulate credits, get my degree and leave. On a different level, I formed some of my best friendships here and I still talk to some of those people. The comradery that I had with others gave me some of the fondest memories of my life. I never had to worry about anything except for academics; the experience was easy and challenging in different respects for me.

What do you know now that you wish you would have known as a college student?

This experience (college/becoming educated) is a marathon not a sprint. Take time to enjoy the process of learning and take time to celebrate the accomplishments. I didn’t attend the ceremonies for my high school, undergraduate, or graduate degrees. The first graduation I attended in my life was for my doctoral degree at the University of Pittsburgh. I was always in this race to get the next degree, job, or opportunity and didn’t realize that the process was the most important thing during the entire experience. Celebrate the accomplishments. Enjoy the process, the campus, and the day. There is no place better to be than on this campus on a beautiful day. Slow it down. This is a great life.

I get up in the morning and don’t even feel like I am going to work. When you have that experience and feeling, it never gets old. There has not been a day when I have not wanted to come to campus. Enjoy the experience in front of you. Slippery Rock University is a great place!

What advice would you give to students who are entering or are currently in the teacher preparation program?

The job field is very competitive. Teaching is also a profession that is taken very seriously by the public, so you better be knowledgeable and prepared. Regardless of whatever field you’re in, if you are good at what you do, you will find a job; “you can’t keep a good man down.” You cannot be a mediocre student or half-heartedly embrace this service. Teaching is a profession and requires competency, and it is serious business. People rightfully expect a lot out of public servants. Future teachers need to take that seriously.

What is one way that Slippery Rock University has positively influenced your life and/or professional career?

As a first-generation college student, SRU instilled in me a passion for learning. I walked out of here looking for my next opportunity. My experience at SRU as an undergraduate was the first stepping stone  to a successful career. It opened my eyes to the possibilities -- what my life could be. The people here instilled a sense of what you could be if you became educated. Becky Badgett taught me that, and she was one of the five most influential people in my life. I almost quit college 2 times, and she would not let me. She gave me so many pep talks. Without Becky, I wouldn’t be where I am. People like Becky and Dr. Dennis Fair and Mr. Fred Livingston, all my professors, were great influences on my life.  I owe them and SRU so much!

Dr. Vaughn Bicehouse

Tell me about yourself. What is your educational background and where have you worked previously?

In the 1980s, I went to Grove City College and received a degree in social studies education. I didn’t get a job immediately, so I substitute taught and was called in a lot to work with children in special education and fell in love with the field. I then came back to Slippery Rock to get another Bachelor’s degree in special education, started in the field, and spent 20 years teaching. I did emotional, learning, and autistic support before coming back to Slippery Rock for a Master’s Degree and certificate in special education. I then received my doctorate at Duquesne. This is my 9th year of teaching college.

What attracted you to Slippery Rock University, and in particular, the education department? 

Slippery Rock was one of the first colleges in the 1960’s to have a special education program. They were state-of-the-art in that regard. We received a lot of federal grant money to sponsor trips and that was very beneficial to the students. I also had wonderful professors (Badgett, Dinger, and Berner), and I appreciated the “lab school” where students would get exposure to individuals with diverse disabilities and learn about IEPs.

What research projects are you currently working on?

I am very interested in the best teaching practices and studying people on the autistic spectrum. One story that I wrote was about the parents of special education children, which is a perspective that many people do not think about. I contacted a woman who was featured in a story on “60 Minutes” and was the mother of a very low-functioning child. I wrote a story about her. We learn so much about complicated disabilities and the students that it can be easy to forget about the other people who are affected by these disorders.

What classes do you teach?
Low Incidence Disabilities, a class about the Autism Spectrum, Practicum, and Special Education Laws.

What is your favorite course to teach? Why?

I like anything that helps prepare somebody to teach. This includes specific learning strategies to benefit children with disabilities, how students learn, and the best teaching practices.

What has been your most rewarding experience as a teacher/professor? If you cannot narrow it to one, describe one rewarding experience.

I moved to Florida for a year and taught in one of the most socioeconomically-challenged school districts. I learned more that year than I did in all of my other 19 years of education. I was the learning support teacher. The school had 20 year-old textbooks, out-of-date technology, poor environmental factors, housing, and home situations. But the students and I had a genuine connection because they viewed me as a parental figure, and that was very important for them to have because of the home lives that many of them were coming from. Consequently, I learned never to take education for granted and try and instill that passion in every student that crosses my path.

This is one story that stuck out to me:

I was working as emotional support for students, and on the first day, one of my students ripped up my rules the moment that he received it and made it clear that he would not follow any of them! This was very typical of the behavior that I had seen at that school with this population of learners. Several years after however, he ended up being the best man at my wedding. He even told me later, “I would never have gotten my diploma were it not for you.”

Another meaningful experience that I had did not deal directly with teaching. The whole field of special education came to life the first time that I had sat in the parent side of the IEP meeting table and realized how precious my daughter’s future was. Before, I was always the person who created the IEP’s. This new perspective was tremendously powerful and eye-opening for me.


What were you like as a college student?
When I was at Grove City, I did not take it very seriously. My attitude was geared toward being more social and joining every club that I could. Teaching was never on my radar. I majored in political science and intended to go to law school. However, one of my advisers told me during my junior year that I should teach instead of pursue a political science degree! So, he changed my major immediately and scheduled me to begin student teaching just weeks later!


What do you know now that you wish you would have known as a college student?
I would not have taken myself so seriously. Life is really about helping other people. The most I would want others to say about is that “he was a good guy because he helped others.” I always ask my children, “what have you done for somebody else today?”

Also, we should not pity. Rather, we should give people opportunities. With special education, many of our IEP students never have the opportunity to give back and have that unmistakably warm feeling of giving to others, for example. I have dealt with this as a teacher before. In an economics class that I taught, a few of my special education students had won some money from a business simulation, and instead of spending that money on ourselves, we used it to buy Christmas gifts for economically-disadvantaged people in our area. The students loved it because they did something that they rarely had the opportunity to do.


What advice would you give to students who are entering or are currently in the teacher preparation program?
Teaching is about lovingly treating each child as a person of worth who can reach their full potential. The stereotypes that are often imposed on children are very bad, and we need to understand students in a more positive way.

When I taught in Florida, I had 5-10 students who would come to my room to each lunch and talk with me. These experiences were so important because the students had the opportunity to be honest and feel secure outside of the general education classroom environment. I was also able to learn more about the students’ personal lives and give them advice.

It is also important to mention that teachers plant seeds. Teachers often won’t see direct effects immediately, but those seeds eventually blossom. I was messaged one day on LinkedIn by a former student who asked me to meet with him. Whenever we met, he told me how conflicted his life was around the time that I was his teacher, but how important my presence was to him as he grew up. He thanked me for the influence that I had on his life. Teachers might not see their effect on students for years, but it is greater than you might imagine.

As many teachers know, the profession is not about the money; it is about feeling good about what you’re doing and making an impact on other people.

What is one way that Slippery Rock University has positively influenced your life and/or professional career?
Slippery Rock has positively influenced me on both a professional and personal level. My daughter with epilepsy attended multiple programs through the Equestrian center which were so beneficial to her confidence. Slippery Rock also offered adaptive swimming programs which gave her 1-on-1 experience doing activities that she enjoyed.

Slippery Rock has taught me professional skills by helping me see the value of other people. The school has offered me many opportunities that I would not have had otherwise.

Dr. Toni Mild

What courses are you currently teaching?

SPED 121 - High Incidence Disabilities

SPED 230 - Developmental Disabilities

SPED 809 - Transition from School to Adult Life

What are you most proud of concerning those courses?

I am most proud of my students and the thoughtful questions they ask. This shows me that I have them engaged in the content and interested in knowing more about it. This will make them better educators in the near future!

What scholarly/projects are you working on in your classes?

One of my classes just finished presentations on physical and eating competencies for students with severe physical disabilities. Another class is  creating a handbook as a resource for themselves, parents, and/or students on specific Assistive Technology devices that would be helpful for students with hearing impairments, visual impairments, autism and physical impairments. Another class is completing a competency log that requires them to create a Re-evaluation Report, an Individualized Education Program, a Behavior Intervention Plan, Progress Monitoring Data, and twolesson plans that they are required to teach.

What student stories can you share?

My favorite student stories are the ones that end with success. There is nothing better as a college professor than to watch a student push through all of the hardships and obstacles that they are enduring and to ultimately become a success story. One of my students lost both of their parents at a young age and took on the role of "caretaker" to their younger sibling. They continued this "role" even through college. Although they had many reasons to make excuses, miss class, not get assignments turned in or just to simply drop out, they didn't. They pushed through, overcame the many odds against them and now own a successful daycare facility.  I am truly blessed to have been able to be a part of that student's story.

What do you do for fun during your free time or school break?

When I have free-time, I spend it with my husband and three children. That usually means being at one of our children's sporting events. When I am not in a gym, on a ball field, etc. our family likes to spend time at the beach with friends and family.

What most do you appreciate about SRU?

As a new employee, I most appreciate the friendliness, kindness and respect that I have experienced across the campus. It is also very refreshing to see an institution be so "student-centered" in all of its decision-making!

What made you want to be a faculty member at the college level?

My passion is advocating for all students and how they are treated in schools. Being at the college level allows me to shape future teachers and ultimately be a larger "change agent" than I was within the K-12 school system. I can reach more future teachers and help our youth get the best teachers possible - which is what each and every child deserves.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Why?

If I could have one superpower, it would be to make all students, no matter their age, "abilities" shine brighter/stand out more than their disabilities. A student with a disability is made up of many things. That disability is just one of those things. It is not solely who they are and it shouldn't define them.

Dr. Richard Busi

Tell me about yourself. What is your educational background and where have you worked previously? 

I started my college education at Slippery Rock University and graduated in 2006 with a B.S. in mathematics with a minor in biology. During my undergraduate time, I began working for the tutoring center in Bailey Library. I enjoyed helping others learn mathematics and knew almost immediately I wanted to enter SRU’s M.Ed. program. I did and graduated in 2007. The next 3 years were spent teaching high school math. One year was in Las Vegas at Valley High School and two were in Pennsylvania at Cranberry Area School District. After gaining that experience, I attended the University of Florida and completed my Ph.D. in 2014. I was hired at James Madison University in Virginia where I taught for two years. Now I am back to Slippery Rock and couldn’t be happier.

What attracted you to Slippery Rock University, and in particular, the education department?

It comes a lot from being here previously and being in contact with faculty who worked here when I was a student. There are some good things going on at SRU, and I am excited to be a part of it.

What are your research interests?

My research interests include teachers’ mathematical knowledge and beliefs, which means a focus on helping teachers and prospective teachers develop ways of knowing mathematics helpful for student learning. What you know and believe makes a difference in how you are willing and able to teach. Research has shown us that teaching mathematics by today’s standards requires much different ways of knowing than traditional instruction did.

What research projects are you currently working on?

I am working on two research projects with colleagues from PA, VA, and FL. One is centered on the mindset beliefs of prospective mathematics teachers and the other on uses of formative assessment in the K-12 classroom.

What classes do you teach?

It varies, but right now I am teaching the graduate field experience course, the middle level math methods course, the secondary methods course, the middle level learning theories course, and the adolescent development course.

What is your favorite course to teach? Why?

I enjoy all of my classes; however, if I could pick out one element, I would say field experience because students get to pair theory with practice. Often, field is the first time in the building for education students, and those moments provide very important learning experiences.

What is the most rewarding experience as a teacher/professor?

Working with folks who want to be teachers, and folks who specifically would like to teach math. The best part is helping them work through any difficulties or apprehension related to the field of teaching. For example, helping teachers make gains in their practice or helping prospective teachers get their feet on the ground with field and student teaching experiences.

What were you like as a college student?

I was pretty typical, I guess. I originally considered being an engineer, a biologist, then a veterinarian. It didn’t work out that way, and I changed majors a few times as many students do. The math major kept me busy, that’s for sure. I was involved in the SRU chapter of the National Mathematics Honor Society. With my extra time I played intramural football, soccer, and basketball.

What do you know now that you wish you would have known as a college student?

I can’t believe how fast it went. There are times when it was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. If I could talk to myself back then, I would have said “enjoy the experience as much as you can because the light will come quickly.”

What advice would you give to students who are entering or are currently in the teacher preparation program?

The one thing to keep in front of you: teaching is the best profession in the world. Make sure that you keep that in the front of your mind. When you have that apprehension, just remember that you will get better. As you get better, you will be able to take on more responsibilities. People leave the all of the time, and they lose sight of how great the teaching profession is. There will always be a process to get better at any profession and teaching is no exception.

Dr. Rose Heilman-Houser

What courses are you currently teaching?
ELEC 281 Family and Community Diversity and Partnerships
ELEC 470 Social Studies and Citizenship
ELEC 420 FIELD COORDINATOR

What are you most proud of concerning those courses?
I am working to assure that students are truly learning. In ELEC 281 we have done some reviews to reinforce information. In 470, I am working very hard to make social studies life applicable. As the field coordinator, I have tried to place students where they will be happy and learn.

What scholarly/projects are you working on in your classes?
Students in 470 have made some amazing Social Studies games and learning centers. One semester, we gave them to teachers who were greatly appreciative and are using them in their classrooms.

What student stories can you share?
This is hard. There are so many stories from the hilarious to great sadness and everything in between. I think the greatest story is those that stay in touch after they graduate. It is wonderful to be able to count former students as peers and friends and to watch their lives being enriched as they get jobs, marry, have children, and grow as individuals.

What do you do for fun during your free time or school break?
I do a lot of reading and course revising. I love spending time with my family. I am an animal lover and I enjoy spending time with all my pets that include: 11 goats, 6 alpacas, a miniature donkey, a pony, a potbelly pig, and cats and dogs.

What most do you appreciate about SRU?
The students! I love getting to know the students and working with them. It is the best part of the job. SRU students are awesome! I also appreciate that the faculty gets along and supports one another.

What made you want to be a faculty member at the college level?
The opportunity to work with so many students and hopefully help them to become teachers that will go out and have a positive impact on their students and the world.

Dr. Jane Hale

What courses are you currently teaching? 
Fall, 2015
Social and Cultural Diversity
Counseling in the Schools
School Counseling Practicum
School Counseling Internship
Spring, 2016
Helping Relationships
Career Counseling
Practicum in Counseling Supervision
School Counseling Internship

What are you most proud of concerning those courses?
Social and Cultural Diversity: I get to be an active part of helping students recognize their own socio-cultural development, which includes questioning ideas and concepts that may be uncomfortable to process. I am honored to be a part of what I believe to be “a life changing experience” related to how our students engage in a multicultural world. In this class, they learn how to be an ally to marginalized groups while recognizing their own developmental journey.

What scholarly/projects are you working on in your classes?
In Counseling in the Schools, my students have had the opportunity to engage in two experiential projects. A few years ago, after I taught a lesson about anti-bullying programs and specifically focused on a program called “Challenge Day,” my students quickly got on their phones and searched for opportunities to volunteer at a Challenge Day program. They found one that was within driving distance, wrote a small grant, and received some additional funding from our department to pursue this experience. I am proud to say that word got around about the impact their volunteer work had on their personal development as emerging school counselors and now each year I teach this class, students are asking to attend “Challenge Day.” I am equally proud that my department is so supportive of this professional development endeavor.
Secondly, a few years ago I had some practicum site supervisors comment that my school counseling students are well prepared to counsel students, but seem underprepared to teach guidance lessons. Because of the changing face of school counseling, more and more school counselors are spending a lot of time in the classroom where they can meet the needs of a higher number of students. Responding to this need, I added a component of teaching guidance lessons to this class. For the past two years, my students taught lessons at New Horizon School, a public special needs school in Beaver, PA. This year, we expanded the program even more though our collaboration with the Slippery Rock Area School District. They partnered with us and worked through all of the stages of developing effective programming in a school. My students taught Career Counseling Lessons to students in grades 3, 4, and 6 in Area Elementary School and Slippery Rock Middle School. This was in response to a need identified by the school counselors and assistant superintendent to meet the PA Career Education and Work Standards.

What do you do for fun during your free time or school break?
Read books, work-out, hike, camp, watch my daughter play softball, and build blocks with my son

What most do you appreciate about SRU?
The emphasis on student development.

What made you want to be a faculty member at the college level?
I remember the excitement I felt when I finally figured out that I wanted to be a counselor. I treasured my time working on my master’s degree in counseling and also a graduate assistant. I knew that I always wanted to help other students reach their goals during this developmental time in their lives. I loved everything about graduate school and always knew that I wanted to be a part of this process with others.

If you could have one super power what would it be? Why?
I wish I had the super power to get my husband off his recliner to do work around the house.

Dr. Eric Bieniek

What courses are you currently teaching?
Dr. Bieniek is currently teaching two sections of “Behavior Disorders and Autism” Course which is a Special Education undergraduate course and two sections “Advanced Study of Autism Spectrum Disorders” which is a graduate level course. 
What are you most proud of concerning those courses?
He is proud about his student’s work ethic and dedication that they have towards education. He shared that he is proud to be a new faculty member at the University and emphasized how the students in his classes go above and beyond.
What scholarly/projects are you working on in your classes?
Dr. Bieniek is working on a survey with university colleagues that are related to autism awareness and instructional methods on how to support children with autism. The results and survey are currently being reviewed and the data collected will be presented nationally this coming spring. He is also working with university colleagues to update and rejuvenate the sensory lab that is located on campus in the field house. Lastly, he is working with another professor to develop an “Applied Behavioral Analysis” master’s degree program and will focus on scientific and evidence based instruction in special education.
What do you do for fun during your free time or school break?
Dr. Bieniek shares that he has three children eight, five, and three so he spends a lot of time with them and they like to watch movies and take vacations when available. He enjoys working on planning, developing, helping students, providing helpful feedback and completing coursework as well. Dr. Bieniek also used to scuba dive a lot so he wants to get back into doing that again.
What most do you appreciate about SRU?
Dr. Bieniek appreciates Slippery Rock University because of the family atmosphere, and the collaboration with the faculty in his department. He shares how he likes that the focus is on the students and how to best prepare them to be successful.
What made you want to be a faculty member at the college level?
He wanted to be faculty member at the college level because he has worked in schools for fifteen years and has always been driven to complete research and publications. He also wants to be an ambassador to the community to inform people of what are the best and most effective practices for a given scenario in education.
If you could have one super power what would it be? 
If he could have one superpower it would be to fly!