Summer Workshop – Page 3 – Institute for Recruitment of Teachers

Executive Letter, September 2023

Hello IRT Community!

Happy start of the school year! As we all return to classrooms, offices, routines, and the sounds of learning – I hope our community is well and safe. Over the last few months, the IRT staff worked diligently to ensure our program operations and conversations regarding our future stayed on course. I hope you join me in expressing gratitude for their skill application, resources, and tenacity to augment the opportunities for our Scholars.

We navigated the IRT admissions cycle, welcoming 108 Scholars into our cohort. In the last year alone, teachers faced unprecedented attacks on values the IRT community holds near and dear. We are proud of our Scholars for envisioning a future of education with them in it – even though our broader communities are navigating extensive uncertainty.

2023 IRT Summer Workshop Overview

The IRT virtual Summer Workshop brought together current scholars, alumni and university deans, and representatives to acquire, question, and disseminate knowledge based on lived experiences, public policy, and research. IRT alumni served as summer faculty and engaged with scholars through a variety of sessions this July. IRT scholars learned more about each other through a series of seminars, presentations, and reflective sessions.

Faculty Members of the IRT Summer Workshop

IRT Virtual Summer Workshop 2023

The IRT Summer Workshop in July focuses on advancing scholars preparedness for graduate school and a career thereafter through an equity-centered curriculum. The IRT has planned a series of virtual events with the consortium, alumni, and summer faculty and has adapted the curriculum for online engagement.

Alongside professional and academic skill development, alumni panels, and advising webinars, scholars also will have first-hand access to IRT Consortium graduate school deans, staff, and faculty via the virtual IRT Recruiter’s Fair held during the middle of the month.

2022 IRT Summer Workshop Faculty

As we head into July, the IRT virtual Summer Workshop Faculty and staff are busy finalizing curriculum, organizing alumni and professional panels, consortium liaison meetings and other events throughout the upcoming month. Join us in welcoming this year’s summer faculty!

Renée Wilmot, IRT ’12, ’17

My name is Renée Wilmot, I use she/her pronouns. Currently, I am a Ph.D. candidate at Michigan State University in the Teacher Education program. My research interests include (1) the historical legacy of Black women as educators and activists in the Black community and (2) Black girls’ practices of thriving and resisting in white supremacist schooling structures. I am originally from Virginia and I am a former secondary English/Language Arts teacher.

Advice for the current cohort
Do your best to commit 100% of yourself. Take advantage of this opportunity – take risks and push yourself.

Suggested Reading

Ebony & Ivy by Craig Steven Wilder
White Architects of Black Education by William H. Watkins
White Rage by Carol Anderson
Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry by Venus E. Evans-Winters

My biggest takeaway from my IRT experience was that this is a safe space for me to push myself, risk failure, and then get up to try again. I had never been in a space where I could “mess up” academically, experiment with time management and reading strategies, and take risks.

My grounding quote for this year: “We protect and nurture our collective well-being. We strive to make our home place a positive environment for everyone. We all agree that integrity and care enhance all our lives.” (hooks, ,p. 101)

My current favorite song: “Dim All the Lights” by Donna Summer

2022 IRT Cohort Application

The IRT application is open and accessible to all prospective applicants. Application requirements, dates and recordings of the online webinar series “Demystifying IRT’s Admissions Process” are located on the IRT website. IRT staff will focus on specific IRT application components and provide clarity on questions. We encourage students to take advantage of these webinars.

The IRT application will close on March 1, 2022. There will be no exceptions or extensions granted.