College of Education and Human Development
Transformative Teaching Program Showcased on WJLA
July 12, 2017
CEHD faculty, Betsy DeMulder, Stacia Stribling, and Jenice View were invited to WJLA’s Let’s Talk Live television program to discuss the Transformative Teaching Program. Transformative teaching is a multi-layered practice grounded in democratic leadership. It is the practice of protecting all and fostering equitable treatment, often through activism or negotiation with the school system. This form of transformative leadership relies on emotional intelligence and is cultivated through mindfulness, hope, and compassion.
The Transformative Teaching degree program is designed for experienced teachers who want to increase their impact in the classroom and beyond. In the program, students have opportunities to reflect upon their teaching practice to create empowering learning environments. Additionally, students will gain the knowledge necessary to be informed participants in the policy arena in issues related to teaching and learning and will also be empowered to promote social justice from the classroom outward.
The Transformative Teaching online format allows teachers from across the country to connect in deep collaboration while continuing to teach full time. Students work with a fixed group of faculty and students throughout the entire program in a cohort model and develop a strong sense of community during the week-long, on-campus course held each summer. Students establish unique relationships with policymakers, advocacy groups, and media because of the program’s proximity to the nation’s capital as they develop solutions for educational equity and access as part of the transformative teaching social justice focus.
The program’s accomplished core faculty have extensive experience teaching in the K-12 classroom, managing Department of Education grant projects, and actively participating in professional associations. These associations include the American Educational Research Association, Teaching for Change, and the Center for Education Policy.
For more information, visit the Transformative Teaching website. Please contact the Transformative Teaching program at trteach@gmu.edu if you have any questions.