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Each month, SC TEACHER releases a new report on one of their key focus areas. This month, as FY24 comes to a close, they've compiled an illustrative guide to the top 10 takeaways that stood out across the last year of research on teacher retention, working conditions, and more.
Stephen Thompson has worked in teacher education in the College of Education for the past two decades. As the first in his family to graduate college, he is deeply familiar with the needs of the student population he will serve.
One would assume a veteran educator of 23 years would know all the tricks in the book. Dottie Adams shares that the Coaching Academy offered more than one new technique to engage with fellow colleagues, interact with teaching interns and practice problem solving in her school.
Karen Kelly is no stranger to global travel. She's taught in Haiti and traveled to China, the Middle East and throughout Europe. When her school district sent out an announcement about the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms program, she knew it would be a great opportunity for her to learn more about education from a global perspective.
LaKeyseah Brennan is driven by a mission to help others. After graduating with an English degree, she planned to start a nonprofit to prepare incarcerated individuals for future employment. A former colleague suggested she might be well-suited to a career in education -- where she could guide students toward their goals instead of beginning negative cycles.
As a member of the inaugural class of the Carolina Teacher Induction Program (CarolinaTIP), Alison Schriro gained three years of personalized coaching and joined a community of fellow novice educators. With six years of teaching under her belt, she's now joining another innovative cohort in the college - the first class of the Coaching Academy.
Markeshia Grant knew as a child that she felt ordained to be a part of something bigger than herself -- she might not have known that she would eventually help others do the same.
Sabina Mosso-Taylor (2013, Ph.D., early childhood education) grew up with a love for dance and a passion for helping others. While she dreamed of being a dance therapist, she began her career in public health and danced to fuel her passion. Ultimately, her greater love of working with students with special needs led her to return to school to become an educator.
As data findings particular to middle schools have continued to emerge across SC TEACHER's educator pipeline research, their latest release pulls together those takeaways to help state education leaders better understand middle school teacher experiences.
Dawn Pilotti, a long-time mathematics teacher and an online doctoral student in USC's College of Education, uses tools to make mathematics "more real" to her students. And with an assist from her doctoral advisor, USC associate professor Kristin Harbour, her students now count mathematics among their favorite subjects.
Braden Wilson was named the South Carolina Teacher of the Year at the "Gala in the Garden" on the grounds of the Governor's Mansion. In addition to $25,000 and use of a new BMW, she will receive a more enduring prize: a no-cost graduate degree from the USC College of Education.
The School Improvement Council (SIC) of Harold C. Johnson Elementary School in York School District 1 has been named the recipient of the 2024 Dick and Tunky Riley Award for School Improvement Council Excellence.
Erial Cooper is no stranger to the classroom. Her parents, Eric and Victoria Cooper, are both educators. She grew up observing her parents lead classrooms -- her mom now serves as a principal at Darlington Middle School, and her father is a curriculum coordinator at Lamar High School. While it is no surprise that Cooper was named "Teacher Candidate to Watch" by the South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education, she is still in disbelief.
The University of South Carolina College of Education has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as an outstanding provider of graduate education in the nation. Over the past two years, the college has risen 58 spots in the rankings, landing at No. 29 for 2024-2025. This achievement puts the College of Education in the top 6 percent of colleges of education with graduate programs nationally.
The Carolina Teacher Induction Program (CarolinaTIP) has earned a $300,000 grant from Power:Ed, the philanthropy arm of the SC Student Loan Corporation, to expand programming to South Carolina's Pee Dee region. This expansion will provide the opportunity for comprehensive induction and retention support districts with some of the highest teacher attrition in South Carolina.
The College of Education honored outstanding educators and education partners at the 2024 "Champions of Education" Gala.
Yell served as an expert witness for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on two anti-discrimination cases. These cases investigated if school districts discriminated against students with disabilities in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA
Gracie Vess' eyes light up at the mere mention of history. But the South Carolina Honors College senior and McNair scholarship recipient doesn't dream of chronicling the past; she wants to shape the future by becoming a high school history teacher.
Richard T. Greener (1844-1922) was the first African American man to serve on the faculty at the University of South Carolina. The Greener Lecture series continues his legacy of teaching by focusing on topics related to his life as an educator, philosopher, librarian, lawyer and diplomat. The 2024 Richard T. Greener lecture is co-sponsored by the History Center at USC's College of Arts and Sciences, Allen University and USC's College of Education.
Bayley Hickey went to college with dreams of working as a coach but learned a love of teaching and pushing students towards success that changed his trajectory.
Alumna Ernestine Young shares her experiences as a CarolinaCAP Coach.
Kirsten Kennedy received the 2024 Faculty Outstanding Contributions by a Scholar-Practitioner Award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). While she currently serves as the associate vice president for the residential experience, she has spent the last eight years as an affiliate faculty member teaching "Student Affairs in Higher Education."
Two people with legacies of education meet at the Champions of Education Gala.
"I was humbled to learn that I received this award," Ertel says. "I'll be recognized at the upcoming convention, but I'll be presenting as well. I'm presenting a poster with my advisor, Ali Brian, on parental barriers and facilitators to childhood physical activity. Professor Brian has been instrumental in my process here at USC."