Envisioning the Future of Educator Preparation:

Fostering Belonging, Equity, and Excellence
 

The many changes in the education system implemented during and after the pandemic have demonstrated that educators are extraordinarily resilient and creative. In a matter of days, with everything shut down and a pervasive atmosphere of fear, educators across the state were able to pivot to remote instructional modalities that went far beyond content delivery. Educators and schools found new resources for teaching, new ways to connect with students, new ways to work with families, and new ways to collaborate with each other. Through all of this, educators acted with compassion and grace. We all have stories to tell of the students and families whose lives we touched in important ways as the country was reeling from the effects of the pandemic and its aftermath.
 

The field of education is now at a point of inflection, where we are looking at the changes in the profession that are here to stay and considering how best to prepare for the future. In 2021, UNESCO published a paper, Futures of Education: A New Social Contract, that places teachers at the center of the new vision for education: “Teachers are key figures on whom possibilities for transformation rest. They, in turn, must recognize the agency of their students…… Supporting teachers’ autonomy, development, and collaboration is an important expression of public solidarity for the futures of education” (p. 80).

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In order to meet the responsibilities of the present and those that are to come in the future, it is essential that all aspects of society collaborate to support educators, students, and their families. The theme of this year’s NYSATE/NYACTE Annual Fall Conference reflects the need to support educators with a focus on belonging, equity, and excellence.

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• Technologies for remote and simulated learning bring many advantages, but, as we have seen, they can also result in feelings of separation and isolation. As a community of educators, it is vital that we leverage a combination of in-person and remote approaches to build a sense of belonging, create a welcoming school climate, support professional growth, and remain responsive to the changing needs of educators and students (e.g., Jones et al. 2021 Wallace Foundation).

• Many recent studies (e.g., Matheny et al., 2022, Center for Education Policy Analysis) have exposed inequity in various aspects of the educational system and challenged the structural frames that perpetuate it.  All over the country there are educational practitioners and researchers who are looking at policy and advocacy changes, restructuring of racist and classist systems, and promoting model programs that break down barriers for the advancement of all students.

•  Teacher quality has a tremendous impact on student outcomes (e.g., Chetty, Friedman, & Rockoff, 2011, National Bureau of Economic Research) and we strive to prepare excellent teachers. In this work, we are supported by research on evidence-based practices in content area instruction, ways to incorporate context-based and culturally embedded pedagogies, building teacher and student agency, and addressing the social and emotional needs of today’s students.
   

Schools continue to be center stage in heated local and national debates, as educators at all levels face challenges to curricula, materials, and pedagogies. From classrooms to school board meetings, stakeholders are grappling with how decisions are made, whose voices are included, and what counts as research or knowledge. These conflicts highlight fundamental questions about the purposes of education and the roles of educators, as well as what it means to engage in civic participation and discourse.
 

For our 2023 conference, we solicited proposals that ask critical questions and provide hopeful solutions to the challenges of the future. How can we strengthen our existing communities and build new ones that support and enrich the work that we do? How can we stay current in our knowledge and thinking as we prepare the citizens of the future? How can we draw people into the profession so that they can share their gifts with future generations? How can we engage with individuals outside of the field of education in partnerships that place education at the center of the community? 

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Notifications regarding proposal acceptances will be sent out in early July with conference registration opening in August.

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Updates about scheduled keynotes and conference sessions will be posted to this webpage.

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Direct inquiries to:

Dr. Gina Riley                                                           Dr. Rene S. Parmar

E-mail: griley@hunter.cuny.edu                              E-mail: rene.parmar@lehman.cuny.edu  

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