Time is Running Out for the Early Bird Discount

By Jerrica Thurman

Tuesday, January 19, is the Early Bird registration deadline for th AACTE 2021 Annual Meeting, February 24-26. Get the lowest registration rate when you register by 12 midnight. Secure your spot for the conference in just a few seconds!
 
Engage with colleagues around imperative issues in education during AACTE’s Deeper Dives. This year’s sessions will explore:

• Leading in the Time of Crisis: Responding to COVID-19 and Social Justice Movements
• Effective Online Pedagogy and Learning: Applying Technology-Enhanced Teaching Strategies to the New Normal in 2021 and Beyond
• The 1619 Project
• Critical-Race Theory and Countering Political Culture
• Advancing Equity through Social Emotional Learning
• Teacher Performance Assessments as a Tool For Teacher Learning, Program Improvement, and Accountability 

Take A Deeper Dive into Education at #AACTE21

By Jerrica Thurman

As AACTE heads into the final weeks of planning for the 73rd Annual Meeting, we can’t wait to welcome you to the virtual conference! Be sure to visit the Online Event Planner to create a personal schedule that makes the most of your time. In addition to adding the speaker spotlight and opening and closing keynote sessions, you’ll want to select the Learning Labs and “Deeper Dive” sessions that are of greatest interest to you.

The Deeper Dives provide a large-format, expert-facilitated exploration of a key topic during one dedicated time slot each day. Six sessions will be offered this year in three time slots:

Still Time to Register at Discounted Rates

By Jerrica Thurman

AACTE has extended registration deadlines for its virtual 2021 Annual Meeting, February 24-26. Enjoy the gift of time this holiday season to secure discounted rates for the premier educator preparation conference in the nation. The early bird registration deadline is now January 11.

Reduced Registration Rates

Explore Continuous Improvement at AACTE’s 2021 Annual Meeting

By Jerrica Thurman

• Navigating Student Supports in a Financial Crisis
• Identifying, Understanding, and Replacing Racist Curricula
• Future-casting: What does the Future of Education Look Like? How Can AACTE and it’s Partners Help to Advance the Field?
• What are the Latest Developments with the Biden Administration and the New Congress?
• Publishing in JTE
• Preparing Educators for Equitable Family, School, and Community Engagement
• Disrupting Inequities: Local and Global initiatives for Shared Responsibility in Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice
• Advocacy Talks and Town Hall—Your Voice in Advocating for the Profession

AACTE Announces 2021 Annual Meeting Keynote Speakers

By Jerrica Thurman

Bettina L. Love
Speaker Spotlight Session Presenter
Thursday, February 25, 2021 | 5:00-6:00 p.m. ET

 

Michael Beschloss
Closing Keynote Speaker
Friday, February 26, 2021 | 1:30-2:30 p.m. ET

Michael Beschloss is an award-winning presidential historian, scholar of leadership and bestselling author of ten books, most recently the acclaimed New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Presidents of War. The New York Times Book Review calls Presidents of War “a superb and important book, superbly rendered.”  The Financial Times says that the book “looks at leadership from every angle” and calls it “epic” and “magisterial.” The historian Ron Chernow calls the book “monumental and profoundly important.” Tom Hanks says, “Once again, Beschloss captures our Presidents in terms both historic and human.”

 

Read more about Bettina Love and Michael Beschloss, and learn how you can join in the work around “Resisting Hate, Restoring Hope: Engaging in Courageous Action” during the Annual Meeting!

Education Leaders Address EPPs’ Role in Advancing Critical Race Theory

By Jerrica Thurman

On November 19, AACTE held its inaugural virtual Town Hall featuring an interactive discussion on Critical Race Theory (CRT) in education with six leading educators: Marvin Lynn, Ph.D., dean and professor, College of Education, Portland State University; Kimberly White-Smith, Ed.D., dean, La Fetra College of Education and Professor, University of La Verne; Lisa Norton, Ed.D., dean, College of Education and Health Sciences, Touro University, California; Jesse Perez Mendez, Ph.D., dean, College of Education, Texas Tech University; John Henning, Ph.D., dean, School of Education, Monmouth University; and Jacob Easley II, Ph.D., dean, Graduate School of Education, Touro College. During the session, the panelists addressed the integral role educator preparation programs play in advancing scholarly work on CRT as well as questions posed by the audience.

As the moderator, Mendez guided the conversation beginning with an explanation of CRT. “Please define Critical Race Theory and explain its tenets and brief history in education,” he said. Lynn responded, “Critical Race Theory is defined as a historical analysis and critique of racism and white supremacy. It’s an analysis of racism and white supremacy in the law and society that really uses relevant examples of case law, public policy, popular culture and critical historical events that are designed to draw attention to the way in which the law is racially constituted.” Lynn said, “And then we can think about critical race theory as an interdisciplinary critical theoretical method that’s taken up again chiefly by legal scholars. It draws on fields of sociology, anthropology, ethnic studies, and women’s studies to put forward a critique, a broad, systemic critique of race and racism as a key axis of power in the United States and around the world.”

Take Clinical Practice to the Next Level at AACTE’s 2021 Annual Meeting

By Jerrica Thurman

Take your clinical practice program to the next level with proven tips and best practices revealed during AACTE’s virtual 2021 Annual Meeting, February 24-26. Discover ways to explore, expand, and inspire new ideas about effective, clinically-rich partnerships in educator preparation through concurrent sessions focused on conference Strand IV: Clinical Practice and Community Engagement. Register now for access to the latest content on how to produce educators who are confident, learner-ready, and contextually aware in sessions such as:

• Eliminating the Drive-By Field Experience: Co-Constructing a Model Based in Community Engagement
• Exploring the Inequities of Student Teaching During the COVID Crises
• Preparing University Faculty for Clinically-oriented, Practice-based Teacher Education
• The Other Pandemic: Engaging Black Families During COVID-19
• Incorporation of Virtual Simulations to Prepare Special Education Teacher Candidates to Collaborate with Racially, Culturally, and Linguistically Diverse Families
• Pivoting into a Paradigm Shift: Clinical Experiences in Online Classrooms
• Entrepreneurial School-Based Leadership and University Partnerships

Learn about these sessions and more in the AACTE Online Event Planner, available with 160 plus concurrent sessions!

 

Time is running out to get discounted rates for the AACTE 2021 Annual Meeting! Register by December 18 to receive the early bird registration rate! Visit www.aacte.org for conference details, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and join the conversation using #AACTE21.

AACTE’s Video Wall Showcases the Impact of Educator Preparation

By Jerrica Thurman

Have you visited the AACTE Video Wall lately? It offers a wide range of video content for teacher educators, pre-service and in-service teachers to showcase the impact that educator preparation is making in teaching and learning today. The videos are designed to help you understand critical issues in education and the resources available to you to get involved and support the teaching profession. AACTE videos can be viewed as part of classroom curricula, as well as shared with education leaders, policy makers, and local communities to learn more about the positive work educator preparation professionals do every day.

From event highlights, lectures, and short documentaries to webinars and podcasts, the videos featured on the AACTE Video Wall offer you tools and resources to stay updated on the latest in educator preparation within just a few minutes of viewing time. The video platform can be used to promote the innovative work of educators by utilizing its embedded capability to easily share a video on your social media or to send an e-mail.

Bring Your Voice to AACTE’s Town Hall on Critical Race Theory

By Jerrica Thurman

Register today for the AACTE Town Hall on Critical Race Theory on November 19 at 3:00 p.m. -4:00 p.m. EST. Critical Race Theory provides a lens to understand race, racism, oppression, and power in America. Join the AACTE Town Hall on the integral role educator preparation programs play in advancing scholarly work on Critical Race Theory and discuss ways to resist recent federal attacks on institutions’ efforts centered on this work. Bring your voice to the AACTE open forum and share challenges and success stories about your efforts to address race, equity, and social justice during these challenging times.

AACTE and Edthena to Offer $500,000 in Grants for Teacher Preparation Video Observations

By Jerrica Thurman

AACTE is collaborating with Edthena to provide $500,000 in grant funding to teacher education programs for Spring 2021.

AACTE member institutions may apply by December 7, 2020, to receive up to $25,000 for implementing video observation technology to support their teacher candidates during COVID-19 and beyond. Through this partnership, up to twenty AACTE members will receive grants for the upcoming Spring 2021 academic term.

A leader in video observation and collaboration technology, Edthena is widely used by schools, districts, and teacher education programs across the country. The technology platform enables teacher candidates to upload videos of their practice and faculty to provide feedback at specific moments in time. An approved edTPA platform provider, Edthena’s video technology can be utilized in methods courses, field observations, edTPA skill building, and group learning, making it possible to capture data for candidate growth and program improvement.

Advocate for the Future of Education at AACTE’s 2021 Annual Meeting

By Jerrica Thurman

Join colleagues in tackling the current challenges impacting educator preparation and advocate for the future of education at AACTE’s virtual 2021 Annual Meeting, February 24-26. Education leaders from across the country will convene to address the national teacher shortage and how to effectively recruit and retain educators of color through topics featured in the conference Strand III: Establishing a Sustainable and Diverse Profession. Content from this strand includes these concurrent sessions:

• Enhancing Partnerships with University Departments to Increase Teacher Numbers
• Planting Seeds of Hope through a University-High School Pre-Educator Partnership Program
• Strategies for Prioritizing the Social and Emotional Health of New Teachers: Tools for Administrators and Preparation Programs
• Recruiting, Retaining, and Supporting Teachers of Color through Alternative Pathways to Licensure
• Creating a Collaborative and Sustainable Teacher Induction Program: A University and Multi-District Partnership
• A Pipeline of Promise: Leveraging Culture, Assessment and Data to Bridge the Teacher of Color Pipeline
• Cultivating Culturally Responsive Teaching Contexts

Engage in Advancing Democracy at AACTE’s 2021 Annual Meeting

By Jerrica Thurman

As the November 3 election nears, AACTE is committed to uplifting and advancing America’s democratic values. During the virtual 2021 Annual Meeting, February 24-26, educators from across the nation will unite in advocating for the future of education through topics featured in the conference strand Activism for Renewing Democracy. Content from this strand includes these concurrent sessions:

• Teaching Culturally Responsive Dispositions, Informed Advocacy, and Activism through a Framework of Children’s Rights and Professional Ethics
• Teacher Education as a Factor in Failed Citizenship
• Pre-service Teachers Acts of Courage and Resistance: Wading Gently into Dissent
• University and State Agency Partnerships for Equity: From Regulation to Collaboration
• Networking Voices for Public School Advocacy: A Focus on Equity and Innovation
• Courageous Actions in Vulnerable Spaces: First-Year Teachers Meeting Students’ Needs in Challenging Contexts
• Preparing Doctoral Students to be Research to Policy Advocates

AACTE Members Stand Up for Critical Race Theory

By Jerrica Thurman

AACTE members took action when the Trump administration issued an attack on critical race theory two months ago. In its blistering critique of anti-racist initiatives, the Administration essentially banned work on critical race theory in use of professional development funded by federal dollars. In partnership with Education Deans for Justice and Equity, AACTE members united in a written response signed by over 400 scholars of race in education, led by Marvin Lynn, dean and professor of the college of education at Portland State University. The memo is as follows:

Critical Race Theory in Education Scholars Respond to Executive Memo M-20-34

On September 4, 2020, Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget for the Executive Office of the President issued M-20-34, a “memorandum for the heads of executive offices and agencies.” The document states, “Executive Branch agencies have spent millions of taxpayer dollars, to date, on ‘training’ government workers to believe divisive, anti-American propaganda.”  As critical race scholars working in universities and communities across the globe, the following statement is our response to Mr. Vought’s memorandum.

Learn to Thrive During Challenging Times at AACTE’s 2021 Annual Meeting

By Jerrica Thurman

AACTE’s virtual 2021 Annual Meeting, February 24-26, will offer over 180 concurrent sessions, providing you a full menu of options for enhancing your professional development during these challenging times. Covering four different strands, sessions will feature such tools as case studies, scenario planning, and roundtable discussions to impact educator preparation.

Registration is Open for AACTE’s Virtual 2021 Annual Meeting

By Jerrica Thurman

Registration is now open for AACTE’s virtual 2021 Annual Meeting, February 24-26. Themed “Resisting Hate, Restoring Hope: Engaging in Courageous Action,” the conference will feature hundreds of education presentations, keynote sessions, a virtual exhibit hall, and networking opportunities. Join the digital forum from work or home and engage in meaningful discussion, share research and best practices, and become better equipped to drive change in educator preparation.

AACTE’s discounted registration rates are designed especially for you, your colleagues and students to attend the virtual conference this year. Take advantage of these special rates:

Register now for the AACTE 2021 Annual Meeting! Secure your spot and save when you register by the December 4 early bird deadline. Visit www.aacte.org for conference details, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and join the conversation using #AACTE21.

Come experience the reimagined AACTE Annual Meeting – One community. One purpose. One voice.