Future teachers at UNCP exchange ideas with veteran educators

Building a Legacy: Leaving a Lasting Impact through Teaching

More than 40 future teachers in the School of Education at UNC Pembroke got to network and learn from experienced educators who led professional development workshops and roundtable discussions addressing challenges and issues facing education today.

Loren Lamb, an incoming freshman, was among the students who attended the summer symposium on Thursday billed as ‘Building a Legacy: Leaving a Lasting Impact through Teaching.’

“I have learned so much from educators from all different backgrounds,” Lamb said. “I enjoyed learning about the culture of the classroom and how we, as teachers, must be prepared for our students’ needs.

“It’s been a very informative experience, and it has made me excited for the upcoming academic year and for becoming a special education teacher,” she said.

Empowering Scholarship Recipients

The symposium––explicitly held for North Carolina Teaching Fellows and Brave Scholars––focused on empowering scholarship recipients with essential skills, insights, and resources necessary for their journey toward becoming impactful and transformative teachers.

Keynote Speaker and Interactive Sessions

During the day-long event, students received encouraging words from retired educator and keynote speaker Yolanda Epps before engaging in interactive sessions covering diverse topics:

1. Culturally responsive teaching
2. Climate and culture
3. 21st-century teaching
4. Teacher wellness
5. Integrating digital technology
6. Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Promoting Inclusion and Diversity

“Cultural diversity, equity, and inclusion were the big takeaways for me,” said Sharon Platt, a first-year student in the Master of Art in Teaching (MAT) program. She will begin her first year as an exceptional children’s teacher at Lumberton High School this fall.

“I believe inclusion and diversity are number one because you don’t know what a child is going through before they get to the classroom,” Platt said. “It is our job to make our classroom comfortable and offer a safe environment for all students.”

Networking and Collaboration

Education was a natural career choice for sophomore Donnie Jackson, whose parents are both educators, in addition to his years of teaching experience with the youth ministry at his church.

“I learned a lot of new teaching strategies and met some good people,” Jackson said. “I think this is what educators need–to connect with experts in their field.”

Dr. Diana Dubisky, director of the NC Teaching Fellows program at UNCP, said that networking and having collaborative conversations with veteran educators will allow for a smooth transition to the classroom.

“It begins with networking––an essential collaborative, reflective practice that all teachers must have,” Dubisky said. “This symposium is a great way to bring this wealth of knowledge and wisdom together to continue to empower them to stay as educators because, as we know, educators are leaving the profession.

“I want our students to leave feeling inspired, so they are having conversations with others who are inspired and empowered to continue this degree and to remain in the classroom.”

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDGs Addressed:

• SDG 4: Quality Education

The article primarily focuses on the challenges and issues facing education today, highlighting the importance of quality education and the role of teachers in creating a lasting impact.

2. Specific Targets:

• Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
• Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and tertiary education, including university.
• Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship.

The article highlights the importance of preparing future teachers to meet the needs of students and create a safe and inclusive classroom environment. This aligns with the targets of ensuring equitable access to quality education and developing relevant teaching skills.

3. Indicators:

• Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex.
• Indicator 4.3.1: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex.
• Indicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill.

The article doesn’t explicitly mention these indicators, but it implies the importance of measuring students’ learning outcomes, participation rates in education and training, and the acquisition of relevant skills for employment and entrepreneurship.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: uncp.edu

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