Perspective | A partnership to address teacher shortages and strengthen educator training

Amid a teacher shortage and a decline in enrollment in educator preparation programs, four Kenan Fellows are helping train the next generation of educators. Supported by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, these educators from three different school districts have joined forces with North Carolina Teaching Fellows programs at N.C. State University and N.C. A&T State University.

The Kenan Fellows — Yorel Lofters, Shavonne Speight, Christine Mitchell, Ed.D., and Kumar Sathy — are creating resources and workshops for pre-service STEM and Special Education teachers. The K-12 educators belong to a cohort of 37 statewide teachers participating in the 2024-25 fellowship through the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at NC State. Their work focuses on effective teaching strategies, fostering a positive classroom culture, and promoting inclusion and belonging.

To broaden their expertise in teacher education and workforce development, the four Kenan Fellows engaged in hands-on experiences with mentors at NC A&T, NC State, Wolfspeed, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Mercalis, and the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity & Opportunity.

These immersive experiences deepened their understanding of workforce skills and North Carolina’s public education system. The Fellows are now applying their new knowledge by developing resources and programming that Teaching Fellows will use to advance their growth as educators.

Tosha Rooks, Ph.D. associate professor and interim chair with Educator Preparation at N.C. A&T said Harris and Lofters contributed to the success of the Freedom School summer program by mentoring pre-service teachers:

They conducted daily walkthroughs in all of our 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade classrooms, ensuring that our pre-service teachers received consistent guidance and feedback… Each afternoon, they took the time to speak with our Servant Leader Interns, offering them sage advice, best practices, and innovative strategies to enhance their teaching. Their ‘Points to Ponder’ segment became a highlight, providing practical classroom insights from their extensive experience as veteran educators. Additionally, they developed essential resources that empowered our elementary students to actively participate in a protest against banning books, further enriching their learning experience.

Lofters, a curriculum facilitator at Guilford Elementary School, highlighted how her experience aligned with her goals of advocating to recruit and retain diverse teachers and foster an equitable, inclusive learning environment. During her immersion at NC A&T, Lofters, who has been teaching for 18 years, observed pre-service teachers instructing 3rd-5th grade students. While these future educators receive high-quality instruction, Lofters noticed that they could benefit from more in-depth mentorship to grasp the “unwritten” rules of teaching.

“The biggest takeaway from my time at NC A&T is that pre-service teachers are well-equipped with content knowledge. As they enter the school setting, they will need the most support with student engagement,” Lofters said.

To address this need, Lofters and Speight are designing professional learning workshops for pre-service teachers in the NC A&T Teaching Fellows program, focusing on tools and strategies for differentiation and sustaining a successful teaching career. They also plan to present the workshop to teachers in their district, Guilford County Schools. 

Speight, a curriculum facilitator at Triangle Lake Montessori Elementary with 28 years of teaching experience, reflected on her industry immersion experiences and how they reaffirmed her belief in the importance of culturally relevant, equitable, and inclusive instruction. Meeting with employees at companies like Wolfspeed gave her valuable insights into the importance of helping students develop people skills like collaboration, communication and teamwork. Speight shared:

We often tell our students they need certain skills, but we should also explain why these skills are important. Information alone does not guarantee success. Rapport-building, adaptability, communication, and conflict resolution, along with other soft skills, are true markers of success, regardless of the profession one chooses… I will continue to champion the importance of fostering great human qualities by creating safe, inclusive environments where children can thrive and become the best version of themselves. In doing so, I support career readiness.

Sathy, an educator with 14 years of experience who works at the Orange County Schools Central Services office, found his meetings with representatives from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and the Dudley Flood Center inspirational. These interactions revealed nonprofit and philanthropic organizations’ significant support for public education. Sathy noted that this realization reassured him that educators and educational leaders are not alone in reaching all students, thanks to the grants, services, and thought partnerships offered by organizations like the Dudley Flood Center and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.

He intends to collaborate with his school district’s public information officer to ensure that information about grants from partner organizations is accessible to educators within the district. Sathy shared:

I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to zoom out and see that educators are not alone in advocating for what is best for students… With all the news about teacher shortages and challenging circumstances, hearing from highly motivated and well-prepared pre-service teachers helped me see the bright future of our profession. I am grateful for all that our schools of education and their partners are doing to help cultivate tomorrow’s teacher leaders.

Mitchell, a Wilson County Schools educator with 15 years of experience, said learning from experts at NC State, Burroughs Wellcome, Mercalis, and the Dudley Flood Center emphasized the need to embrace diverse perspectives for growth. Like Sathy, she discovered initiatives that support educators through grants, professional development, and networking. A highlight was a panel discussion with pre-service teachers at NC State. 

“It was inspiring to learn about their goals and accomplishments and to gain insight into their perspectives during their student teaching experiences,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell is also working on training materials focused on diversity and equity. The Fellows plan to visit Teaching Fellows throughout the year to continue to build community and deliver professional development. 

“I plan to bring these insights back to my district to share with beginning teacher coordinators and new teachers,” Mitchell said. “I look forward to staying connected with the NC State Teaching Fellows.”