In this conversation, we speak with the leaders of three programs: Dr. Rashad Anderson from Call Me MiSTER, Dr. Trinity Davis from Teachers Like Me, and Keilani Goggins from The Black Educators Initiativeat the National Center for Teacher Residencies. All share the common mission of bringing more Black educators into school classrooms, with varied approaches and incentives, including an emphasis on staff well-being. We discuss what personally drew them to education, their strategies for recruitment, how they promote educator well-being and empowerment, and how they disrupt inequities.

0:20 - Introduction.
2:40 - Keilani from the Black Educator Initiative talks about her start in education.
4:15 - Trinity from Teacher’s Like Me discusses her early interest in learning.
6:36 - Rashad from Call Me MiSTER on his motivation to become a teacher.
9:47 - Trinity’s’ Teacher’s Like Me’s efforts to recruit Black teachers.
11:19 - Kailani’s’ work with the Black Educator Initiative to recruit Black teachers.
13:29 - Rashad’s Call Me MiSTER’s specialized recruiting of Black male teachers.
16:32 - Keilani’s Black Educator Initiative’s work to support teacher well-being.
18:50 - Rashad’s Call Me MiSTER on being the only Black male teacher in a school.
20:40 - Trinity’s’ Teacher’s Like Me on being the only Black person in a school.
22:31 - Rashad’s Call Me MiSTER on the importance of leadership.
23:45 - Trinity’s’ Teacher’s Like Me on how to support and retain teachers.
25:00 - Keilani’s Black Educator Initiative on recognizing teachers as experts.
25:57 - Keilani’s Black Educator Initiative on fighting inequality.
28:05 - Trinity’s’ Teacher’s Like Me on tackling the barriers Black teachers face.
30:37 - Rashad’s Call Me MiSTER on training teachers to be leaders.
31:48 - Trinity on Teacher’s Like Me’s plans for future expansion.
33:29 - Rashad on Call Me MiSTER’s proudest achievements.
34:49 - Keilani on the Black Educator Initiative’s goals and accomplishments.
36:55 - Key takeaways.
37:40 - Closing.

For all questions or feedback, you can email NCSSLE@air.org. Thanks for listening!

Please note, this podcast does not necessarily represent the policy or views of the U.S. Department of Education, nor does it imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education.