On April 13, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College hosted its virtual Doctoral Research Conference. The DRC allowed students in the Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation degree program to present their action research projects to their peers in 29 online sessions moderated by MLFTC faculty members. More than 140 EdD students shared their ongoing research, and more than 20 faculty members participated as moderators or attendees.

While many U.S. communities suffer a general shortage of teachers, the crisis in special education is particularly acute. According to an analysis of federal data by the Education Week Research Center published in December 2018, the number of special education teachers nationally has declined by 17% in the past 10 years.

The work of special education requires specialized preparation. And it’s hard.

“If not for teachers, especially my physical education teachers, I wouldn’t be here. They made me feel like a superstar. They helped me to believe in myself,” says Roman Rozell (BAE ’20), a student at ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College working toward his teaching degree in physical education.

When Rhodes Junior High in Mesa, Arizona, started the Rhodes to Success pilot program, it sought to improve the education experience for all students — and teachers, too. The approach delivers personalized learning through teams of teachers that include over 20 student teachers from ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, judicious application of Summit Learning technology, increased student autonomy and project-based learning.

Cinthia Garcia (BAE '19) found her calling as a teacher in high school, but she didn’t discover her niche until she was in college.

Garcia, who is graduating from Arizona State University's Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education (bilingual education and English as a second language), is ready to start her career and transform lives.

On May 9, the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College convocation ceremony graduated 745 graduates into the world’s most important profession. MLFTC is proud of the many accomplishments our graduates achieved during their time with us.

Here’s a look — by the numbers — at the MLFTC spring 2019 convocation:

 

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