Successful Teaching Careers: Empowering Non-Traditional Candidates

We speak with Dr. Kathryn Spence, Director of the School of Education at Fairleigh Dickinson University, about actualizing a focus on social justice and equity. She discusses strategies for broadening the pipeline of teachers, especially teachers of color, including career ladders and “Grow Your Own” programs. Dr. Spence describes how FDU makes teacher ed financially feasible for students as well as what makes teachers stay in or leave schools.  

Overview

00:00-00:40 Intros

00:40-04:08 How Dr. Spence’s experience shapes her approach to teacher ed

04:08-06:25 How research has shaped her leadership

06:25-07:36 Why teachers stay or leave schools or the field

07:36-09:25 Recruiting pre-service teachers, especially teachers of color

09:25-10:44 Career ladders in NJ

10:44-12:35 Making teacher ed financially feasible for students

12:35-14:20 Providing moral support to teacher ed students

14:20-15:28 Impact on schools of residential segregation in NJ

15:28-18:40 Serving Latine students

18:40-20:48 Pushback to the focus on social justice?

20:48-22:20 Change process at FDU’s program

22:20-25:03 Looking forward to having bilingual courses

25:03- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

FDU’s Peter Sammartino School of Education website

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Photo fdu.edu