By: Linda K. Mayger, The College of New Jersey and Kathleen Provinzano, Drexel University
Published in: Education Policy Analysis Archives, Jan. 18, 2022
At Karen Harris’ first teaching job, in a fourth grade class in West Virginia, the students asked her why she cared so much about them because they were “bad kids” who were unlikely to finish high school.
Fifty years later, Harris is still moved to tears when she recalls those students, the children of coal miners.
America does not have a shortage of licensed teachers. It does, however, have a shortage of people who want to teach.
High pressure. Low pay. Little encouragement. More responsibilities heaped on each year. These are a few of the reasons the profession is bleeding personnel.
But that could change if educational institutions consider systemic and structural approaches that spark imagination, encourage collaboration and improve outcomes for both teachers and students.
How are the values of individual educators reflected in their decision making? How might teachers use feedback from a community to ensure its needs are met? How can educators encourage questioning and risk-taking? And how will they know their innovations are effective and lead to positive change for students and communities?
These questions are a part of a new series of courses ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College launched in its graduate teacher preparation programs in the fall 2021 semester.
Exciting and innovative approaches to training educators have been born out of the decline in enrollment in teacher preparation programs nationwide.
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Carrie Sampson, assistant professor (lead author) David Garcia, associate professor (co-author) |
Maria Hesse, professor of practice at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, was a featured guest on the podcast, Transfer Nation Talks. The episode, Sharing Student Stories, centered around transfer advocates and things to consider when sharing a transfer student’s story.
Mentoring is key in the professional development of graduate students. Every year, ASU’s Graduate College recognizes outstanding faculty members for commitment to the graduate student and postdoctoral scholar communities through mentoring excellence, devotion to professional development and career advancement, and fostering inclusive and collaborative academic environments.
Like many states in the U.S., Arizona has experienced difficulty in filling teaching positions. Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College is working to address the issue, among others in education, with Next Education Workforce models.
The TV series “Abbott Elementary” features dedicated teachers committed to the success of their students despite the challenges of their underfunded school. The mockumentary showcases all that is broken in public education and the alarming need for change.