'Greylock Teach Fellows' Program Aims to Boost Local Teaching Pool
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts , in partnership with Greylock Federal Credit Union, has announced a new program called "Greylock Teach Fellows."
The program aims to build a community of high school students wishing to pursue careers as public school teachers in Berkshire County. Greylock is supporting the program with a $100,000 pledge to “Sowing Seeds for Success: The MCLA Campaign for the Future.”
Administered through MCLA, “Greylock Teach Fellows” will offer as many as 20 to 30 high school students interested in teaching career at the K-12 level a variety of educational experiences over a three-year period. The program will support and promote the commitment of the “Greylock Fellows” to public school education as a course of study and a career path.
Particular emphasis will be placed on high-demand fields such as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Equally important are the program’s aims to increase the diversity of teachers throughout county’s K-12 schools.
Greylock’s funding will support student exploration of the teaching profession through a range of experiences including: a college course, “Education and Society”; mentoring; college advising; Future Educators of America club membership; and workshops and field trips.
“Berkshire County’s future is only as bright as our public education system is strong," Greylock President Marilyn Sperling said. "As part of Greylock’s ongoing efforts to support the community, we are excited to make this gift to MCLA and partner with them in the ‘Greylock Teach Fellows’ program. We look forward to watching the program build a strong core of future educators dedicated to teaching in and for Berkshire County.”
According to Howard “Jake” Eberwein III, MCLA’s dean of graduate and continuing education, Greylock Teach Fellows will build upon a rich tradition of teacher preparation at MCLA.
“Greylock Federal Credit Union and MCLA recognize the need – both regionally and nationally – to inspire the our best and brightest, diverse candidates, as we interest them in teaching in the high-demand fields such STEM,” he said. “We are hopeful that many of the Greylock Fellows will continue their study as education majors at MCLA and other schools of education, and then choose to teach in the Berkshires as they advance their professional careers.”
Jason “Jake” McCandless, superintendent of Pittsfield Public Schools, said the need for teachers is real.
“Fewer college students are selecting education as a career. Berkshire County must find ways to identify, cultivate, and grow our own high-quality educators, who will serve as the foundation of our future educational infrastructure,” he said.
In the high schools, MCLA will join local teachers to facilitate and coordinate the program. Initiatives include a plan to reinstate the Future Educators of America (FEA) club in both Pittsfield high schools. MCLA also will offer a foundational “Education and Society” college course to high school students, – to be taught by a MCLA faculty member at the high schools for dual-enrollment credit at no cost to the students.
In addition, program plans include workshops, a speaker series and visits to the MCLA campus to focus on public school teaching, initiatives, opportunities and leadership. Students will be matched with faculty/teaching mentors to provide perspective, guidance and resources, and to create opportunities for high school students to work in a middle or elementary school setting as mentors to their younger peers.
Interim MCLA President Cynthia Brown said the college is delighted to embark on this new partnership with Greylock Federal Credit Union.
“Together, we are making this very important investment for the future to prepare our local students to become teachers,” Brown said. “MCLA has a long, rich history of preparing the region’s teachers, and we look forward to encouraging and supporting a new generation of educators through ‘Greylock Teach Fellows.’ ”
Tags: Greylock Federal, MCLA,
