Teacher Education program launches workshop series for Claremont Colleges students who aspire to teach

Claremont Graduate University’s Teacher Education Program, Pitzer College’s Community Engagement Center, and Pomona Colleges’ Draper Center have teamed to offer mentorship and support to Claremont Colleges undergrads who are committed to fostering social justice and positive change through teaching.

At the center of the Teaching for Social Change program is a series of workshops led by award-winning teachers that will address practical issues impacting educators who work with diverse learners. Topics include cultural competency, student engagement, instructional planning, writing as empowerment, literacy, special education, and working with English language learners.

There will be four workshops per semester. This semester’s lineup is:

• February 24. Peter McLaren, distinguished professor in critical studies and co-director of the Paulo Freire Democratic Project at Chapman University’s College of Educational Studies. “Teaching to Change the World.” Pitzer College’ Broad Performance Center, 7-9 pm.

• March 10. Screening of the documentary “TEACH,” which chronicles the struggles and triumphs of America’s education system through the eyes of teachers. Joel Laguna, one of the teachers featured in the film, will attend. CGU’s Albrecht Auditorium 7-9 pm.

• March 31. CGU Teacher Education Program alumna Crystal White will talk about working with students with special needs in light of social justice. CGU’s Albrecht Auditorium, 7-9 pm.

• April 14. Takako Mino, an alumna of Claremont McKenna College and CGU’s Teacher Education Program, will share the work she is doing to introduce middle school speech and debate to Africa. CGU’s Albrecht Auditorium, 7-9 pm.

Claremont Colleges student participants will receive a certificate at the end of the program and for students at some colleges completion will be reflected on co-curricular transcripts.

Guests who aren’t official members of Teaching for Social Change are welcome to attend all events. Admission is free.

Partial funding for Teaching for Social Change has been generously provided through a grant from the BLAIS Foundation.