School of Education

School of Education
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The American University School of Education is currently accepting graduate applications!

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Raise Your Hand for Equity in Education

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Teacher shortages, lack of diversity, outdated policies, inequitable access - learn how to be a part of the evolution of the education system at the American University School of Education.

In the world of education, some of the most passionate teachers find their calling through unexpected paths. Juilenne Townsend-Sanders' story is a testament to the power of perseverance, lifelong learning, and the profound impact of discovering one's true purpose. After teaching for 32 years,"I'm still in the honeymoon phase of this job!" she exclaims. READ MORE

Dixon witnessed firsthand how a positive educational environment could transform the lives of his family members with special needs. This experience, coupled with his own academic and athletic journey, shaped his path to becoming an educator.Imagine going from tackling opponents on the football field to tackling learning disabilities in the classroom. That's the remarkable journey of Charles Dixon, a former Division I football star now pursuing a Master of Arts in teaching (MAT) special education with a concentration on learning disabilities. READ MORE

Jesse Lima, SOE/MAT ’24

Using what he’s learned from AU’s School of Education, the DC Public Schools first-grade teacher Jesse Lima, Master of Arts in Teaching ’24, is shaping the next generation of Washington learners at Janney Elementary School in Tenleytown.“Diversity means including everyone,” Lima said. “In our classroom community, we are all seen.”

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Emmett Till

Racism and Disabilities

Dr. Antonio L. Ellis wrote thispiece in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education about Emmett Till's experiences as a person of color and a stuttering disability.

70 Years Later: Critical Education Policy to Live Out the Promise of Brown v. Board of Education

Did Brown v. Board of Education Fulfill its Promise?

Watch this insightful webinar today!

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2024 RETL Students at Orientation

From Classroom to Career:

AU's Groundbreaking Teaching Residency Program's first cohort has arrived!

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Two SOE ITEP students visit Japan, joining researches and other students

SOE Students Travel to Japan

ITEP students were among researchers and other students exposed to Japan’s society and culture.

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Maya Angelou Schools Student Learning

Teaching Those Most in Need

Dr. Clarisse Mendoza Davis, ’08, runs toward the students that everyone else could not reach.

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A calendar with a mortarboard

Fall 2024 Academic Calendar

If you're a potential student, student, parent, or community member, check out the fall 2024 academic calendar.

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School of Education Rankings

American University Rankings

Learn about SOE Accomplishments

  • Senior Professorial LecturerDeCuirArticle of the Year Award from theAmerican Educational History Journal, acknowledging her noteworthy contributions to the field of educational history in“Up North, Black Families Walked Out: Counternarratives of Jim Crow School Resistance, 1930-1935.” [October 15, 2024]

  • Assistant ProfessorDr. Robert D. Shandwas quoted incommenting on a recent report on the effects of comprehensive education reforms in Denver.[October 15, 2024]

  • ProfessorDr.Corbin M. Campbell'sresearchWashington Postpiece about how the quality that matters most to college applicants gets overlooked by current school rankings.[October 15, 2024]

  • Get to knowDr. Amaarah DeCuirinabout teaching research methods.[October 15, 2024]

  • Dr. Amaarah DeCuirtraveled to Malaysia to speak at the, attended the, spoke at the Workshop on Prophetic Pedagogy at the International Islamic University of Malaysia, and met with the education faculty at the National University of Malaysia.[October 15, 2024]

  • Dr. Antonio L. Elliswas thein Bucharest, Romania, at the International Centre for Innovation in Education’s annual conference. His presentation was titled “Navigating Equity: Exploring Perceptions of Fair Treatment among University Staff Members.”[October 15, 2024]

  • Senior Associate DeanDr. Rodney Hopsonwas awarded a National Science Foundation supplemental grant with theproject, intended to empower underrepresented students from Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands “to pursue their interest in marine and environmental sciences through scientific and professional development training and mentorship."[October 15, 2024]

  • Dr. William Thomas IV,Director of the EdD Program,on responsive lesson planning and reflection that centers the motivation of both teachers and public school students, inPerspectives on Urban Education.[October 15, 2024]

  • Dr. Rodney Hopson"'That Does Not Apply': Graduate Students' (Mis)Perceptions of the Racial Climate in STEMM" in the journalStudies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education,andthe bookTheories Bridging Ethnography and Evaluation: Making Transformative, Intersectional, and Comparative Connectionsfor the Emerald Book series Studies in Educational Ethnography.[October 15, 2024]

  • Dr.Eugene Pringle,Senior Professorial Lecturer, wasofTeacher Preparation as Social Activism at Historically Black Colleges and Universities,part of the Teacher Education Series, with SOE’sDr. William N. Thomas IV, Dylan Ravdin(MEd '23),Brianna Nargiso(EdD '25),Keyana Terry(EdD '25), andDr. Ocheze Josepheach co-authoring a chapter.[October 15, 2024]

  • ProfessorDr.Jennifer Steele"JD Vance Knows Better" regarding the power and importance of education subsidies inSalon.[October 15, 2024]

  • Dr. Robert Shand"The Relationship Between Teacher Collaboration and Instructional Practices, Instructional Climate, and Social Relations” in the journalEducational Policy.[October 15, 2024]

  • Dr. Corbin Campbell, Professor, wasin theWashington Monthlyarticle "Why Professors Can’t Teach," which discusses academics' struggle to impart their knowledge to students.[September 16, 2024]

  • Senior Professorial LecturerDr. Antonio L. EllisaDiverse: Issues in Higher Educationop-ed on how the intersection of race and disability is an overlooked aspect of Emmett Till's story.[September 16, 2024]

  • ProfessorDr. Jennifer SteelewasinThe National Desknews segment "Educators Want a Post-Pandemic Reset" and wasin both theCBS Newsstory "How Schools' Long Summer Breaks Started, Why Some Want the Vacation Cut Short" andThe Baltimore Sun"Educators Call for Post-Pandemic Reset, Overhaul of Current System."[September 16, 2024]

  • Dr. Samantha Cohen, Senior Professorial Lecturer,an article on the importance of equity-mindedness inThe CRTL Beat.[September 16, 2024]

  • Dr. Bridget Trogden, Professor,withInside Higher Edin "Can Professors Get Some STEM Students to Vote?" [September 16, 2024]

  • SOE ProfessorsDr. Sarah Irvine BelsonandDr. Alida Anderson, with Adjunct InstructorDr. Jasmine Rogersand Professorial LecturerAnne Karabell, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading in Copenhagen, Denmark. [September 16, 2024]

  • Adjunct Senior Professorial LecturerDr. Altheria CalderaonNPR’s Open to Debate program, where she advocated the value of teaching social justice issues in K-12 schools.[September 16, 2024]

  • Assistant ProfessorDr. Robert Shandco-published the educational policy“The Relationship Between Teacher Collaboration and Instructional Practices, Instructional Climate, and Social Relations,” detailing the importance of teacher collaboration.[September 16, 2024]

  • Professorial LecturerDr. JisunJeonga chapter, "A Complex Global Governance of Education: Multiscalar Social and Emotional Learning Policy Making in Lebanon," in the e-book,Researching Global Education Policy: Diverse Approaches to Policy Movement.[September 16, 2024]

VIEW ADDITIONAL FACULTY AND STAFF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Dr. Jasmine Rogers(EdD '23 and SOE adjunct faculty) was a guest on the Leading Literacy Podcastabout her time in AU's Doctorate in Education program. [October 15, 2024]

  • Julie Corbett(EdD '25) was alsoChicago Tribuneabout a the resignation of the entire Chicago Public School Board of Education.[October 15, 2024]

  • Julie Corbett(EdD '25) presented at thein Salt Lake City, UT, discussing(the foundation of her doctoral dissertation).[October 15, 2024]

  • Dr. Nara Nayar,EdD '27, published “” in theAmerican Institutes for Research,examining data about the education of Indigenous people.[October 15, 2024]

  • MEd studentCarlos Gamez’spaper, “Student Growth on a Statewide Progress-Monitoring Assessment System by District,” was accepted by theFlorida Journal of Educational Research.[October 15, 2024]

  • Education studies minorFelicity Chapman,SOC/BA ’26,the prestigious 2024–26 Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship and up to $50,000 in financial aid. [September 16, 2024]

  • Carl Felton, III, MEd '23, policy analyst at EdTrust,a blog post promoting tutoring, extending learning time, and teachers building relationships with students.[September 16, 2024]

  • Teaching FellowsTatiana Ellis, BA '26, andLuis Paredes Alvizurez, BA '27, taught DCPS Generation Teach (GT) STEAM Academymath and engineering as part of their GT Summer Teachingpromoting teaching in diverse communities.[September 16, 2024]

  • The Black Code, a documentary by EdD program alumDr. Sharice Lane, '24, is a Student Film categoryfor the 2024 Lane Doc Fest. The film analyzes the cultural responsiveness of English language arts (ELA) instruction.[September 16, 2024]

  • Pamela Harris, CAS/MEd '73 and SOE/EdD '25, with husband Tyrone, SOC/BA '72 and WCL/JD '75, won the 2024 Volunteer Impact Award at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Ebony Eagles of Excellence, for their dedication to advancing the global Black community.[September 16, 2024]

  • EdD alumDr. Dia L. Jones, '22, willa workshop at STEMNoire 2024: Black Women Leading the STEM Renaissance Conference which willattendees with tools to build their belongingness capacity in STEM spaces. She will also present research to support increased participation of Black girls and women in STEM at this summer's Black Gaze Symposium.[May 28, 2024]

  • EdD studentJulie Corbett, '25, was one of the subjects of aThe Hour, "Chalk Talk: A Diverse Group of Norwalkers Are Being Trained to Be Civic Influencers," which detailed ashe designed enabling diverse citizens of Norwalk, CT, to participate in a civics lesson on local government.[May 28, 2024]

  • EdD alumDr. Iris Bond Gill,'24, has been named aFellow. The program invests in thinkers who generate big, bold ideas that have an impact and spark new conversations about the most pressing issues of our day.[May 28, 2024]

  • EdD studentDarla Davenport-Powell, ’24, plays the role of the family matriarch Lucy Bell in the slavery-centered live-animationThe Bell Affair, which explores freedom lawsuits of US slaves and recently beganon Amazon Prime.[April 24, 2024]

  • Education Policy and Leadership (EPL) MEd studentsLauren Gustafson,Meanha Kim, andKwand Lang, Jr.ofDr. Phelton Moss’s proseminar course are partnering with Opportunity Consulting to develop a series of toolkits for school leaders with strategies to bolster school improvement efforts. EPL MEd studentsJarrenNewby,KissiahValle, andAngeliki Papari-Kosioriaccompanied Moss to a Capitol Hill roundtable discussion he organized and facilitated for Black and Latino school superintendents from across the country and the education policy advisors of President Biden and Vice President Harris. [April 24, 2024]

SUBMIT YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT HERE