Education – Institute for Recruitment of Teachers

NCORE: May 28 – June 1, 2024

IRT Associate Director and Manager of Programs Catherine Wong attended the 36th Annual National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in Higher Education (NCORE®) held on the island of O’ahu, Hawai’i. The IRT has attended NCORE® over the last few years, engaging in the five-day conference focusing on community engagement, exchanging knowledge and ideas as it relates to race and ethnicity on campus, and meeting up with IRT alumni and colleagues.

Do you have a conference whereby you feel that you can show up as your full scholar activist self without being second guessed, silenced or stereotyped? Do you have an annual conference or national forum that allows you to embrace your growing edges with other fellow changemakers?

NCORE® has been that conference for me since my entry into higher education more than 2 decades ago. I feel fortunate to have found a conference where critical dialogues are the norm, not the exception, where friendships grow from collegial relationships, and where creativity is a collective effort. Therefore having NCORE® select my home state of Hawai’i for its conference site for the first time in its 36 year history and during API month was wonderfully affirming and exciting.

Professional Development and a Learning Opportunity for Teachers

From time to time, I find myself reflecting on my career in the field of Education which spans some 30 years and includes teaching high school Spanish in inner city Nashville, a stint as the Coordinator of Minority Teacher Recruitment Center at Western Kentucky University, where I recruited BIPOC students into the College of Education, administrated and awarded the state’s teacher education scholarship, provided support services such as advising and Praxis I test preparation, and designed a residential week-long program for middle schoolers and a two week residential program for freshman education majors.

During my tenure at IRT over the last two decades, recruiting at universities across the country, and serving as a SOP and IRT Advisor, writing curriculum, and co-developing our robust advising program, among other duties, I have staunchly advocated for my own and colleagues’ professional development and personal growth. I welcome the challenge that learning something new can bring, the opportunity to interact with others, and the time to think about old problems in news ways. Moreover, as a perpetual teacher and learner, I find myself regularly contemplating the ways that I can become a more effective advisor by deepening my knowledge of the students IRT serves and, while simultaneously, developing my understanding of content knowledge across various fields, technology, the digital humanities, and place as it pertains to the geographic home countries of IRT Scholars’ families and the diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds that they and our scholars possess. For me, all that I learn informs the way that I show up to mentor and counsel students.

The IRT Furthering Connections and Conversation

In partnership with educational thought leaders across the country, the IRT engages in conversations on the current landscape, implementing change, and sharing knowledge.

October 2023

In October Catherine Wong, IRT Associate Director and Manager of Programs, co-presented with Gerry Ebalaroza-Tunnell, PhD at the 13th International Conference on Education and Justice led by Kevin Kumashiro, PhD, currently the Interim Dean of the School of Education at Hofstra University, and hosted by the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, College of Education, University Laboratory School (HI) and Hawai‘i Scholars for Education and Social Justice (HSESJ). The theme of the conference was “Collective Scholarship for Public Pedagogy and Against Empire,” and the title of their workshop was “Whose Talk Story? Our Talk Story; Battling the Empire Through Pōkā Laenui’s Process of Decolonization.”

(L-R) Jennifer Dazo Bishop, Ke Kula Kaiapuni ‘O Pū‘ōhala, Gerry Ebalaroza-Tunnell, Co3 Consulting, Jose Paolo Magcalas, California State University at Los Angeles

The 2023 UNCF/Mellon Programs Conference

IRT Education Programs Specialist Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91 collaborated with colleagues and presented in this one-day workshop. This year’s annual conference, which was held in Atlanta, focused on the imperative to transform the academy.

“We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for!” Grace Lee Boggs

Hello esteemed IRT alums! Now that I have your attention! Are you looking for part-time Summer employment that aligns with your commitment to teach and lead for justice? Are you in search of a community that values a sense of belonging and is eager for you to share your wisdom while at the same time giving you opportunities to grow and innovate your teaching skills. Well you have come to the right place!

We are currently seeking IRT Summer Workshop faculty to teach in our IRT 2023 Workshop. This year’s workshop will be facilitated virtually so that all scholars, no matter where they live in the United States, can participate and engage with the curriculum materials as well as meet with IRT alums and Consortium partners. Our workshop sessions will be highly interactive and engaging as we seek to support and prepare the next generation of diverse educators to teach and lead in PK-12 through higher education.

Please consider submitting an application or pass this onto a fellow IRT alum. Many thanks! Applications are due March 17, 2023.

IRT Summer Workshop Faculty App Link

Phillips Academy Now Hiring for Summer Session

Looking for a great way to spend your summer? Phillips Academy, Andover is hiring for a number of temporary faculty roles in its various 2023 summer programs. IRT students and alums can make a real difference for students from all over the world through a summer spent teaching, coaching, or leading a residential community. Both on-campus and virtual opportunities are available, with compensation ranging from $2,000-$14,000 depending on role(s).

Details and the application link can be found via the button below.

APPLY NOW!