In early April, the Brown University Education Department hosted The Power of Teacher Residencies, a dynamic panel exploring how year-long, community-embedded residency programs are reshaping teacher preparation and the broader education landscape. The panel featured Diana Turk, Director of Teacher Education at New York University, and Katie Rieser, Director of Teacher Education at Brown. The discussion was moderated by John Palella, Lecturer in Education at Brown.
Palella opened the conversation by acknowledging the challenges educators face in today's landscape while affirming the enduring belief in the power of education. He called for approaching this work with “joy, resilience, and resistance.”
Panelists emphasized that effective teacher residencies do more than prepare individuals—they strengthen entire school communities. These programs embed aspiring educators in classrooms with close mentorship from both university faculty and practicing teachers, offering a model grounded in collaboration, justice, and sustainability.
Turk challenged programs to move beyond preaching antiracism and toward practices that truly support systemic change. She stressed the importance of evaluation methods that strengthen, rather than strain, school relationships.
Rieser addressed the historic undervaluing of teacher preparation, especially in elite academic spaces. She warned against programs that lean too heavily on practice without grounding in theory: “Teaching is a career that’s creative, intellectual, and life-long. We need programs that are integrated, rigorous, and just.”
Audience questions led to rich discussion on equitable evaluation tools, student teacher compensation, and long-term teacher support. Turk highlighted the FEET (Framework for Equitable and Effective Teaching) model, created by Maria Salazar, as a tool for centering equity in assessments. Rieser shared details about a new induction program designed to support Brown MAT graduates in their early years of teaching.
The event concluded on a note of optimism. When asked what gives them hope about the future of teaching through teacher residency programs, both Turk and Rieser pointed to the passion and commitment of their teacher residents and the human connections formed in classrooms every day.