Spark Teacher Education Institute partners with Marlboro Graduate School to offer teacher certification and a Masters in Social Justice Education. Participants work side-by-side for an entire year with a skilled mentor teacher, learning to integrate social justice and equity content into the mainstream curriculum.
The program strives to instill an understanding of self and others in conjunction with the development of skills, knowledge, critical thinking and compassion required for creating an equitable and engaging learning environment for diverse learners.
The program produces teachers and leaders in education who engage to restructure contemporary systems. It provides experiential and theoretical preparation for transformative work in all aspects of education. Graduates go on to positions in education throughout the world, equipped for the challenges of teaching and for their role as leaders and innovators.
Curriculum
Spark alumni and student teachers generated curricula that challenged dominant narratives and connected classroom work to local and global struggles for equity.
Summer Institute
Spark began each year with an intensive Summer Institute that prepared student teachers for classroom experience, mentor work, and reflective practice.
Exhibitions
Spark student-teachers participated in exhibitions where they showcased lessons and units to peers, faculty, and community members, then received critical feedback for further reflection and growth.
Graduation May 2018
The 2018 graduation marked another year of educators completing fieldwork, exhibitions, and study in social justice education.
Alumni Highlights
Spark graduates carried the program into classroom teaching, curriculum writing, youth organizing, public scholarship, and local education projects. The alumni work emphasized historical inquiry, community knowledge, and reflective classroom practice.
