Winston-Salem Teachers for Equity, Achievement, Community & Humanity, also known as Winston-Salem TEACH has partnered with Salem College, a liberal arts educational institution for women in Winston-Salem, Winston-Salem State University, and Wake Forest University, to help area teachers work towards initial licensure and a master’s degree in teaching.
Students accepted into the program receive a stipend of $43,000 during the period when they are completing their student teaching requirements. Each higher education institution focuses on a different licensure area, and for Salem College, its focus is on elementary educators.
“Completing student teaching is financially challenging for many teaching professionals. Winston-Salem TEACH offers this stipend to our students, before and during their student teaching, so that teachers can fully focus on their students and their professional preparation,” said Rebecca Jordan, associate professor of literacy education at Salem College. Through this focus, Salem prepares teachers to understand the impact of education on the overall health of children, families, and communities. Salem’s elementary education program emphasizes a whole-child approach that addresses physical and emotional well-being, as well as, cognitive development.
“Salem College’s elementary education program is world-class providing teachers significant field-based opportunities to apply what they are learning in their classrooms,” Dr. Jordan said. “While learning evidence-based pedagogical practices, our graduate students consider the wide range of students they will encounter in their careers and how to support each student individually. Simultaneously, given Salem’s focus on health leadership, Salem students consider the role of education in fostering a healthy society.”