Written by Anthony Pellegrino, associate professor of social science education.
School closures that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic have forced countless numbers of teachers to recalibrate their work and adjust to teaching online. In Theory & Practice in Teacher Education (TPTE), our teacher candidates have found various ways to continue working with their mentors and reaching their students. Likewise, TPTE faculty have responded to help these candidates meet the needs of their students through developing innovative instructional models and establishing partnerships to leverage expertise and outreach to various area communities.
One recent example of such a collaboration comes from the efforts of Nils Jaekel, clinical assistant professor, English as a Second Language (ESL) / world language education and TPTE doctoral student, Elizabeth Fincher. They, along with the ESL interns, partnered with Centro Hispano de East Tennessee, a local nonprofit serving Latino youth and families, to deliver an online education program for forty kindergarten through eighth-grade ESL students in Knox and surrounding counties.
Read the full story about the partnership here.
There is a significant need for ESL teachers in Tennessee, and districts are looking for teachers. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, offers multiple pathways for ESL teacher education.
Visit our website for more information, and let us know if you have any questions!