Darcie Peterson of the IRIS Center is back to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the IRIS Center. In this episode she shares how the IRIS Center's modules and resources are constantly evolving based on the latest research-backed information as well as from user feedback. Their primary focus is translating research into high-quality instructional resources that are accessible and flexible.

Among this year's updates are significant revisions to several modules in the secondary transition and early childhood topic areas, as well as the Measuring Behavior case study. Other tools and supports have been relocated to the For Faculty section of the website, including the Wraparound Resources and Navigation Videos.

In order to reduce confusion around earning a downloadable PD certificate for module completion, IRIS has made changes to the module landing pages offering the choice up front regarding whether or not someone wants the certificate or simply to complete the module without earning the certificate which includes pre- and post-tests. They have also removed the module outlines and will be retiring the answer keys on August 31st.

Lastly, Mrs. Peterson feels the hidden gems of the IRIS Center website are the Fundamental Skill Sheets which can be found using the IRIS Resource Locator.

⁠https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/⁠

⁠https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/resources/faculty/⁠

⁠ https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/resources/iris-resource-locator/⁠

IRIS Fundamental Skill Sheet Spotlight - ⁠https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vEFTMYqk_R4sEcFINFJt1FrD65Lw0qcU/view?usp=sharing⁠

IRIS Top Tips for Faculty - ⁠https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G0v6PEmM-KJ2XN72Mfv20yPIJcVG6ZfX/view?usp=sharing

This special episode bids a fond farewell to Dr. Mark LaCelle-Peterson, Founding President and CEO of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation, AAQEP, and welcomes Dr. Karen Lowenstein to the role. Together they discuss how AAQEP came to be as an accrediting body for educator preparation programs and emphasize that it is not focused on compliance, rather on context and celebrating the innovations of the EPPs that count as their members.

Together with editors Christine DeGregory and Stephanie Schneider, Drs. LaCelle-Peterson and Lowenstein published Locating Quality in the Dynamic Educator Preparation Landscape: Creating Quality in Context (AAQEP Program Evaluation in Education), a collection of experiences from a variety of of AAQEP accredited programs.

Our first episode of Season 5 is a conversation with the NACCTEP Executive Board President, Dr. Lennon Audrain. Listen in as he shares what is on the horizon for the year ahead including our annual scholarships, our latest Fall Institute, our annual pre-conference in February, as well as more exciting resources and programs.

This episode brings listeners to New Jersey where Raritan Valley Community College Professor of Education and Education Program Coordinator Dr. Kathy Suk and Mr. Edward Gordon II, CEO of the Gordon Leadership Academy and founder of the Gordon Leadership Foundation, discuss guiding teacher candidates through RVCC's Associate of Arts in Education K-12 program. During a sabbatical a few years ago, Dr. Suk discovered that 60% of the schools in New Jersey were using the Danielson Framework rather than the New Jersey standards and changed the program to match that. By creating an environment where teacher candidates can feel seen, heard, and valued, Dr. Suk and Mr. Gordon positively influence these students to feel self-confident and to act as leaders among their colleagues and classmates.

In this episode we hear from Gracy Obuchowicz whose background in self-care and wellness extends to teachers and school leaders through her work at Empower Ed. She discusses how burnout can be a demoralization or moral injury and suggests making small changes, or kaizens, to help counteract that feeling. Simple things like getting enough sleep, giving yourself five extra minutes in the morning, enjoying a cup of tea, or listening to your favorite music are ways you can focus on yourself. In the workplace, finding a mentor or other form of peer support that you can talk with provides a sense of not being alone in whatever challenges you're facing.

While her book, Selfcarefully is currently out of print, you can still purchase a PDF version through her publisher thickpress.com.

Gracy also recommends the book Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski.

In this episode of NACCTEP Now, Julie Ferin sits down with the incredible Dr. Tina Boogren for a conversation that every educator and leader needs right now. Drawing from her work as an award-winning educator, bestselling author, and national speaker, Dr. Boogren brings both research and real-life experience to the forefront. She shares powerful insights on educator burnout, the difference between stress and burnout, and why sustainable teaching starts with taking care of the adult in the room. What makes this conversation stand out is how practical it is. From “micro choices” to redefining wellness as something achievable, not overwhelming, listeners will walk away with simple, actionable steps they can apply immediately in their own lives and programs.

Dr. Boogren’s voice is both honest and hopeful. She reminds us that this work is hard, but it can also be joyful and sustainable with the right approach. Her perspective on supporting educators across different career phases, along with her emphasis on leadership responsibility in shaping a culture of wellness, makes this episode especially impactful for those in educator preparation and leadership roles. To learn more about Dr. Boogren’s work, including her books such as 180 Days of Self-Care for Busy Educators and 180 Days of Physical Wellness for Busy Educators, and her workshops and coaching, visit www.tinaboogren.com and connect with her on social media. This conversation will leave you thinking differently about wellness, leadership, and what it truly takes to support educators for the long haul.

Dr. Mary Olvera is the State Director of Teacher Education, Public Services, and Perkins Special Populations for the North Carolina Community College System. In this episode she shares the unique structure of community colleges in NC, that there are 58 that all use a singular curriculum and none are more than 30 miles from their students across 100 counties. They operate in service areas, and if the community college in a student's service area isn't one of the 29 with an EPP program, the student can attend the next nearest college that does.

Through various programs such as College Promise, students can begin their journeys to becoming teachers as early as high school and continue on through the community college before transferring to a university that may charge as little as $500 a semester on their way to a degree. Programs may include a one-year apprenticeship or a three-year residency for teacher candidates that hold different licensure levels.

In this episode we hear from Dr. Jennifer Gresko of Rio Salado College and Heather Merrill of Glendale Community College discuss the joint bachelor of elementary education and special education program they share with Paradise Valley Community College in the Maricopa County Community College District, MCCCD. When state legislation passed to allow community colleges to offer bachelor degrees in 2021, Jennifer and Heather joined forces to create a dual certification bachelor degree. Born from existing associates and post-baccalaureate programs, the knowledge that all teachers need special education training, and requests from students and districts, the BAEE/SpEd program set out to lessen the teacher shortage in Arizona.

Their collaboration doesn't stop with the accredited program, it continues as the students, the teacher candidates, who may face unique needs are able to take courses at any of the three colleges because of their shared curriculum and the flexibility of the in-person and online modalities. At a price under $13,000, and the opportunity for state backed scholarships specifically for future teachers, the degree is among the most affordable paths to becoming a teacher.

For more information, please visit https://www.maricopa.edu/degrees-certificates/bachelors-degrees/elementary-education-special-education-baee-sped

As we continue the conversation with Kim Eckert, Craft Education's head of Instructional Innovation and Apprenticeship Design and former Louisiana Teacher of the Year in this second half of our two-part series, we learn about how to start small while aiming for larger scale implementation. By gathering all the constituents a program will need, such as higher education faculty, district leadership, as well as legislative and funding personnel, building a sustainable teacher apprenticeship program becomes a realistic possibility.

Ms. Eckert can be reached at [email protected]

In this first half of our two-part series with Craft Education's  head of Instructional Innovation and Apprenticeship Design, Kim Eckert, we learn why teacher apprenticeships are vitally important to the future of teacher education. As part of that importance, we also hear how community colleges are ideally positioned to lead this work that endeavors to break down the financial barriers that traditional student teaching often brings to teacher candidates who may already have families. Additionally, teacher apprenticeships keep paraprofessionals who are already community members within the schools and communities they already serve.