Teachers convene for day of learning
CSUMB's College of Education hosts local gathering
Approximately 15,000 California teachers came together on July 31 at dozens of locations across the state, including Cal State Monterey Bay, for a first-of-its-kind event led by teachers, for teachers. As California leads the way to implement new, more rigorous standards, Better Together: California Teachers Summit provided an opportunity for teachers to share best practices and build a network of colleagues to support future collaboration.
The 200 teachers who attended the CSUMB event were welcomed to campus by Dr. Cathi Draper Rodriguez, chair of the Department of Teacher Education. Keynote addresses were delivered via video stream by actress and teacher advocate Yvette Nicole Brown and astronaut and STEM education pioneer Leland Melvin. They spoke about the potential of teachers to spark curiosity, creativity and a love of learning in their students.
Based on the EdCamp model of professional learning, the summit featured breakout sessions where teachers shared ideas and innovative strategies that are working in classrooms across the state. Teachers also heard talks by local teachers who offered perspectives on their successes with implementation of the California Standards.
The New Teacher Center partnered with California State University, the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities and its member institutions to organize this event. The free summit was co-sponsored by the California Department of Education and supported by grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation and the Silver Giving Foundation.