Salem College Partners with Winston-Salem TEACH, Giving Financial Support to Teachers Earning a Master’s Degree in Education
Teachers Will Earn $43,000 While Working on a Master’s Degree in Education
WINSTON-SALEM, NC (NOV. 29, 2023)–Working together to transform education in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, Winston-Salem Teachers for Equity, Achievement, Community & Humanity, also known as Winston-Salem TEACH, has partnered with Salem College to help area teachers earn $43,000 while working towards an initial licensure and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree.
Winston-Salem TEACH is the story of three Winston-Salem institutions of higher education, including Salem College, joining together to transform the quality of education in the city of Winston-Salem. Through this partnership, the institutions are committed to creating a pipeline of highly-effective teachers in high-need Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools.
“Completing student teaching is financially challenging for many teaching professionals. Winston-Salem TEACH offers this stipend to our students, before and during their student teaching, so that teachers can fully focus on their students and their professional preparation,” said Dr. Rebecca Jordan, Associate Professor of Literacy Education at Salem College.
The $4.7 million grant is a partnership among Salem College, Winston-Salem State University, Wake Forest University, and Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools that prepares master’s level teachers to work in high-need local schools after graduating with a master’s degree in education. Each higher education institution focuses on a different licensure area, and for Salem College, its focus is on elementary educators.
“Salem College’s elementary education program is world-class providing teachers significant field-based opportunities to apply what they are learning in their classrooms,” Jordan said.
“While learning evidence-based pedagogical practices, our graduate students consider the wide range of students they will encounter in their careers and how to support each student individually. Simultaneously, given Salem’s focus on health leadership, Salem students consider the role of education in fostering a healthy society,” Jordan added.
For the partnership, Salem College facilitates the elementary education program. Through this focus, Salem prepares teachers to understand the impact of education on the overall health of children, families, and communities. Salem’s elementary education program emphasizes a whole-child approach that addresses physical and emotional well-being, as well as, cognitive development. The program follows a two-phased design where phase one focuses on initial teacher preparation and culminates with a student teaching internship. Phase two is designed to be completed while teaching, addresses advanced competencies, and leads to an advanced-level teaching license.
With support from the U.S. Department of Education and two generous awards from local foundations, the resident stipend is a remarkable $43,000 including $4,500 of tuition stipend support. This financial initiative ensures local teachers can focus on becoming exceptional teachers without the financial burden of attending graduate school.
Winston-Salem TEACH is hosting an information session on Dec. 6 from 6 to 7 p.m. (EST). Visit winstonsalemteach.com to register and to learn more information about the program and how to apply. The application deadline is Jan. 15.
For more information about Salem College and its Elementary Education Master’s program, visit the Salem College MAT program website or contact Dr. Rebecca Jordan, Salem College Associate Professor of Literacy Education, at rebecca.jordan@salem.edu.
About Salem College
Salem College provides women a liberal arts education with a distinctive focus on health and leadership ensuring our graduates understand the power, importance, and complexity of health in our society. Salem College prepares students for a range of career paths to lead in making the world a better, healthier, more equitable place. Salem College is the only national liberal arts college exclusively focused on developing the health leaders of tomorrow.
For more information about Salem College, please visit salem.edu.
Photo Credit: Winston-Salem TEACH
News media contact
Meagan Coughlin, APR
(336) 721.2665
meagan.coughlin@salem.edu