23 Apr2021
By Allie Dupont
Over the past year, educators across America put everything they have into keeping students educated and engaged. Now, as we look to the future—and begin our return to the classroom—where can we find the support and inspiration needed to tackle the road ahead?
Through the Teachers Community Hub, a new resource from education nonprofit Roadtrip Nation, educators and aspiring educators everywhere can find that support—and reconnect to their power and purpose as teachers. The Teachers Community Hub brings together video interviews between educators around the campaign “Why We Teach,” as well as support for navigating obstacles inside and outside of the classroom.
23 Apr2021
By Ward Cummings
AACTE is the leading voice on educator preparation and is dedicated to providing member resources to support the profession. As such, AACTE has developed materials to help members respond to the reports produced by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ). The NCTQ reports reflect flawed methodologies and practices to rate educator preparation programs, and AACTE members should make their voices heard to address the misrepresentation of their programs.
Members of the AACTE Government Relations Committee and Advisory Council of State Representatives collaborated to produce recommendations to assist members’ efforts in taking control of the narrative about their educator preparation programs. The NCTQ Checklist is designed to help AACTE members develop strategic and tactical solutions to reframe the misinformation that NCTQ has published.
23 Apr2021
By Meghan Grenda
Did you know there are many ways to save with AACTE? Your AACTE membership gives you special discounts to on office supplies at Office Depot, the AACTE Career Center, and much more.
Your Remote Office Needs
Because you are a member of AACTE you have access to the exclusive, members-only Office Depot Savings Program. This program offers thousands of products discounted below retail pricing both online and in any store location. With your AACTE membership, you can save up to 75% off regular prices (as listed on officedepot.com) on our Best Value List of preferred products. Order online and receive free next business-day delivery on qualifying orders of $50 or more. Create an account and browse through our discounts, or shop in-store by printing your FREE Store Purchasing Card. Visit officediscounts.org/aacte/ for details and more!
23 Apr2021
By Linda Minor
AACTE wants to recognize individuals and institutions for significant contributions to the field of educator preparation. Applications for the 2022 AACTE awards are now open. For most of the awards, programs and individuals can be either self-nominated or nominated by a third party. To submit your nomination, visit AACTE’s online submission site.
In identifying notable programs, practices, activities, writing, and research, these awards encourage all member institutions to strengthen the profession of teacher preparation through innovation, high standards, and leadership.
Entries for the Outstanding Book Award are due May 14 and entries for the Outstanding Dissertation Award are due August 20. The due date for all other award submissions is October 8.
23 Apr2021
By Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D.
Have you considered volunteering for a leadership position in AACTE? Whether you volunteer to lend your talent and expertise to one of AACTE’s programmatic advisory committees or seek a position on the Board of Directors, now is a great time to step forward. Educator preparation is an essential element of our nation’s recovery from the pandemic, and AACTE is at the center of national efforts to ensure that all students receive the expert instruction and support they need and deserve.
Nominations are due by May 14 to serve on the AACTE Board of Directors or on of the following programmatic advisory committees:
23 Apr2021
By Nicole Dunn
Asian American educator Elizath Kleinrock described her mindset after the reading about the anti-Asian hate crimes in Atlanta last March as, “[un]able to express my sadness, frustration and rage … how could I face my students in class when my body and voice are noticeably shaking?” With anti-Asian hate crimes up 149% in major cities due to increased negative stereotyping amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the educator preparation community must increase its awareness and efforts by teaching true allyship in U.S. schools and communities.
In AACTE’s next Combating Racism in Educator Prep series webinar, a distinguished panel will guide a conversation that addresses the often-omitted civil rights history of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) here in the United States and resources for teaching that history and why it’s essential in our collective fight to combat systemic racial oppression in our education system. AACTE is ready to seize this present moment to respond to Anti-AAPI racism as an association and hopes you join in these efforts.
Register today to attend the webinar on April 29, 3:30 p.m. EST.
20 Apr2021
By Ann Marie Wernick
AACTE is excited to announce the call for applications for the Conference to Design Simulations that Enhance the Clinical Preparation of Secondary Science Teachers. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Discovery Research PreK-12 convening grant, the purpose of this conference is to convene experts across the country to (1) identify significant gaps in the clinical preparation of science educators (2) ideate on virtual environments that help address those gaps, and (3) develop scenarios through design thinking for EPPs to implement within their programs.
The conference attendees will be comprised of current high school science teachers, current science teacher candidates, experts in science education, experts in the use of simulation in educator preparation, experts in culturally responsive teaching practices in the sciences, experts in the Next Generation Science Standards, simulation specialists and representatives from partner organizations. Participants must commit to attending three days of the virtual conference (June 8, 9, and 10) along with three monthly (July, August and September) virtual meetings following the conference.
20 Apr2021
By Lynn M. Gangone
AACTE is mobilizing our professional community to advocate for funding authorized by the recent American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to aid schools and colleges of education in recovery from the pandemic. AACTE has distributed materials to begin the advocacy work in this area and will continue to provide members with resources and tools. Please take a few minutes to
watch this video and learn more about how you can get involved.
Stay tuned to the AACTE Advocacy Center for updates at
aacte.org. Be sure to renew your AACTE
membership by the extended May 31 deadline.
20 Apr2021
By Matthew Wales
Although entirely virtual, participants were amazed at the volume of opportunities to engage with scholars, network with fellow colleagues, and collaborate on topics important to education and educator preparation during AACTE’s 2021 Annual Meeting. With over 150 presentations addressing the theme of “Resisting Hate, Restoring Hope: Engaging in Courageous Actions,” attendees united in efforts to disrupt inequities while educating for inclusion and change. And as AACTE eagerly begin preparations to meet in-person at the 2022 Annual Meeting in New Orleans, participants will play a vital role as we “Rethink, Reshape, Reimagine, Revolutionize: Growing the Profession Post Pandemic.”
Ready to be a part of the change during AACTE’s 2022 Annual Meeting in New Orleans? Year after year, demand to present at the Annual Meeting continues to remain high, and only the “best of the best” content is ultimately selected for presentation during the conference. Want your proposal to be a cut above the rest? Then be sure to follow these tips for submitting a competitive proposal:
19 Apr2021
By David Fuentes and Amy Ginsberg
In the following article, David A. Fuentes and Amy Ginsberg of the College of Education at William Paterson, a member of AACTE’s Network Improvement Community (NIC) Black and Hispanic/Latino Male Teacher Initiative, take a deep dive into their efforts to increase dual enrollment opportunities as a preemptive recruitment strategy. They provide insight into how network improvement science can be used to identify levers within education preparation program systems that can improve recruitment and retention of diverse teacher candidates.
To learn more about NIC members’ initiatives to recruit and retain Black and Latina males, watch the Building Recruitment Pathways, a segment of AACTE’s new NIC video case studies series.
Building and Sustaining Recruitment Pathways for Black and Latino Male Teachers
In 2014, our College of Education at William Paterson University, a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Minority Serving Institution (MSI), located in the greater New York City area, was selected as one of ten universities to participate in the AACTE Network Improvement Community (NIC), aimed at increasing the number of Black and Latino/Hispanic male teachers (BLMs). Since that time, we have been engaged in iterative cycles of plan-do-study-act (PDSA). This systematic research first led to our becoming NIC mindful and then to several structural changes in our College of Education that make our efforts aimed at teacher diversification more possible today in both theory and practice. We have uncovered, implemented, and tested the efficacy of several structural changes at our institution targeting key drivers, recruitment and retention, while implementing new structures based on network improvement science and our desire and commitment to diversify our teacher candidate pool.
19 Apr2021
By Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D.
These are extraordinary times, and educator preparation is essential to our national recovery. Now more than ever, your association needs committed, talented, and thoughtful leaders!
Are you ready to assume a leadership role in the national educator preparation community, or do you know someone who is? Nominate yourself or a colleague by May 14 to serve on the AACTE Board of Directors or a programmatic advisory committee.
AACTE is currently seeking applications from volunteers to stand for election as an at-large representative to the Board of Directors and to serve on the following programmatic advisory committees:
19 Apr2021
By Karen DeMoss and Gretchen Mills
Photo by Allison Shelley for EDUimages
AACTE members have been working to strengthen clinical practice for years, with examples from all across the country—many highlighted in EdPrepMatters each month—of how partnerships between universities and P-12 districts can build great foundations for those aspiring to enter teaching. A dilemma exists for many programs, though, when they increase clinical practice requirements: Candidates—particularly those from under-represented backgrounds[1]—can face financial barriers if clinical placements don’t offer funding to help them fully engage their learning. As Prepared To Teach shared last month through the release of a survey on teacher candidates’ financial burdens, many individuals must either work excessive hours outside of their placements and coursework, or they resort to taking out huge burdens of debt. [2]
With over five years of work with universities, districts, and schools across the country, Prepared To Teach has developed a framework for thinking about how the field might make strong teacher preparation more affordable. Our “3 Rs” of Sustainably Funded Teacher Preparation—Reduction, Reallocation, and (Re)Investment—can help local partnerships bring high quality preparation programs within reach for more aspiring teachers.
19 Apr2021
By Michael Rose
Since the Supreme Court overturned the Voting Rights Act in 2013, we have seen several states pass legislation that makes it more difficult for certain populations to register to vote and/or cast their ballot. Many of these bills disproportionately impact communities of color and/or low-income voters. This effort has intensified in 2021.
According to one count, as of March 24, legislators have introduced 361 bills with restrictive provisions in 47 states. The various pieces of legislation relate to making voter registration more onerous, allowing local elections officials purge voter rolls, limiting early, in-person voting, and/or tightening voter identification requirements, among other things (there are a handful of states that are trying to make it easier for those of voting age to legally register and cast their ballots).
19 Apr2021
By Meghan Grenda
AACTE’s Member Spotlight features an individual from a member institution, highlighting how their work makes a difference in classrooms across the country. Nominate yourself or another member by providing a response to the following questions and sending to mgrenda@aacte.org.
Get to know Shauna Alishea Torrington …
Position/Institution: Graduate Assistant-International Student and Faculty Services- Ohio University
Number of years in your position: Two years
Alma Mater(s): University of Guyana (2005); Twice alum of Ohio University (2015, 2017)
Hometown: Georgetown, Guyana, South America
- How long have you been a member of AACTE? I have been a member of AACTE?
I have been a member for three years.
- Why did you join AACTE?
I joined AACTE when I became a member of the Holmes Scholar Community at Ohio University.
- Why did you decide to enter the field of educator preparation?
I love to teach, and I know that good teachers make a difference I believe that the teachers have a very important role in the classroom and their preparation for that role is instrumental. My experience in teacher preparation was garnered as a graduate assistant working in the Teacher Education Department of Ohio University.
- What’s been your favorite or most memorable moment of your career so far?
My favorite and most memorable moment in my career is working with mentors in the field that valued my international experiences and area of expertise. Many of whom invited me to their class to talk with their teacher candidates about my experience in and out of the U.S. as a student and as a parent.
16 Apr2021
By Kari Vogelgesang
The Baker Teacher Leader Center in the College of Education at the University of Iowa is hosting an Anti-Racism Professional Educator Webinar Series. The goal of this series is to reveal the racism (psychological, social, physical, emotional) in U.S. schools and how it defines the current practices in schooling. We will explore the kinds of changes school personnel must make in their interactions, engagement, and environment to work towards anti-racism. In this series, we will decenter Whiteness and interrogate your positionality within society, but specifically within schools.
Educators who register for and attend all nine sessions in the series will earn one free teacher license renewal credit! Register here for the credit. This credit has been pre-approved for state of Iowa teachers. If you live outside the state of Iowa, please contact your administration or board of educational examiners for approval. If you have missed the first few sessions, and are still interested in earning licensure renewal credit, please contact the Baker Teacher Leader Center at tlc@uiowa.edu.
Kari Vogelgesang is clinical associate professor; edTPA coordinator, El Ed & SpEd; and director, professional development at Baker Teacher Leader Center, College of Education, University of Iowa.
