Texas Border Business
The Academy for Teacher Excellence Research Center at UTSA has held its second Transfer Academy for Future Teachers to enhance the success of students from community colleges who will be transferring to UTSA to become teachers.
An innovative summer bridging initiative designed to develop future educators, TAFT immerses future teachers in a learning environment that includes both self-paced modules and virtual sessions with COEHD faculty and staff. This virtual modality allowed 33 incoming UTSA transfer students from across the state to participate in the program along with many more locally from the Alamo Colleges.
Students who completed the program, held virtually from May 18–29, qualified for a $250 scholarship when they transfer to UTSA.
TAFT’s learning modules are focused on setting students up for success as they begin the teacher preparation program. This occurs by growing their identity as a culturally efficacious educator and by helping them develop strategic design thinking for the classroom.
“Students have already begun making connections with each other and faculty so they will have an automatic support group when they enroll at UTSA,” said Emily Young, ATE Project Coordinator. “The institute prepares them so they are ready to immerse themselves in their program from day one.”
The Academy for Teacher Excellence Research Center is housed in the College of Education and Human Development at UTSA.
