Wesleyan Hosts Symposium with State Education Leaders, Students
Schools across the country are facing a teacher shortage. To address this crisis, current and aspiring teachers in Connecticut converged on Wesleyan’s campus for a gathering on Nov. 20, the CT Educator’s Rising Leadership Symposium. Some 200 high school students arrived on buses from across the state to spend the morning hearing from education leaders, participating in breakout session workshops, and learning about the college experience from Wesleyan students. The full-day event showcased the leadership of high school students, who emceed and organized the panels and activities in support of teachers and the profession.
In opening remarks in Beckham Hall, Executive Director of the Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life and the Rob Rosenthal Distinguished Professor of Civic Engagement Khalilah Brown-Dean recounted how teachers and mentors were the ones who saw promise in her before she could imagine it for herself. “One of the greatest rewards of my life now is to be an educator, not just teaching students, but learning from students,” she said, “and I want you to also remember that the work you do is about more than just preparing for a career. It is about preparing you for a lifetime of impact and service.”
Haylie Johnson, vice president of engagement for Educators Rising, a national nonprofit that aims to eliminate the teacher shortage, explained the value of bringing both adult educators and high school students to the symposium. “I think it's so important that we have our students come here to be able to learn the opportunities of what they can do with their education, how they can find their voice, and everything that Wesleyan can offer supporting us with that,” said Johnson, a student at Central Connecticut State University who graduated high school just last June, “I think it's very important, not just for our students, but also for our educators to have opportunities and possibilities to expand and grow.”
During a panel called “Finding Your Voice, Leading with Passion,” state leaders in education—including State Representatives Kevin Brown and Chris Poulos, and State Board of Education Vice Chairperson Erin Benham—talked about opportunities for youth to get exposure to the field of education and teaching through volunteering, tutoring, internships, and capstone projects focused on education. They also discussed strategies for addressing the teacher shortage with the help of organizations like Educators Rising, as well as policies to recruit and retain teachers and develop a more diverse education workforce.
Later in the morning, attendees took part in breakout sessions geared either for high school students or teachers. Topics included speed lesson planning, mock interviewing, clinical experiences for students, and other opportunities through Educators Rising.
A highlight was the discussions between Wesleyan student volunteers and high school students about the college application process, transitioning to life on campus, and managing time as a college student. Jenna Guglielmi ’27, who is majoring in education studies and psychology, decided to volunteer because she has enjoyed connecting to other Wesleyan students and faculty in the department. “I also remember being a very confused high schooler and was excited to possibly help some get a better understanding of what they might want to do,” she said. “[The students] asked questions about what Wesleyan was like more broadly, to what the education studies department is like to how we felt about the transition to college with being away from families.”
As a student program assistant in the College of Education Studies, Ella Fogelman ’27 volunteered to engage with the broader community. “This event was such a meaningful experience for me, as it really reminded me of the joy and connection that education brings me and so many other students across the state, country, and world,” said Fogelman, who works as a religious student teacher for elementary-age students at a local congregation in Middletown. “Community engagement has been so meaningful to me throughout my time at Wesleyan thus far, and the Educators Rising event was an amazing opportunity to further immerse myself within the local education community.”
The event may be just the first of its kind for the College of Education Studies, said Chair Louise Neary. “Part of our broader mission is to support educators (present and future) who understand and value the power of learning, here at Wesleyan and also beyond our campus,” she said.
The symposium was sponsored by Allbritton and the College of Education Studies in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Education, Educators Rising, and PDK International, a nonprofit that supports teachers and school leaders throughout their careers.
