Our Reach
Supporting Facts
It Takes a Village to Raise a Teacher
By Julia Dawson Alternative teacher education programs must continue to focus on best practices for transforming potential educators into master teachers. A unique program in South Carolina,…
The Impact of a Teacher: Transforming Students and Adults
By Melissa Harrison Before I stepped into my classroom, I believed I would positively impact my students. Little did I realize how many others would also be touched by the experiences and…
How Persistence, Support, and Determination Made Me the Educator My Students Need
By Kimberly Graham Imagine facing overwhelming challenges and knowing that giving up isn’t an option. In 2012, I was a mother with a master’s in business administration, battling more than the…
Meeting New Teachers Where They Are: The People & Programs That Make A Difference
By Dr. LaToya Curry-Jones LaToya remembers the day she laid her mother to rest like it was yesterday. Life changed suddenly and forever the day before she was supposed to have her degree conferred.…
CarolinaCAP: A Model for Alternative Certification that Works
By Dr. Remona Jenkins, Director of Teacher Quality & Staff Development, Kershaw County School District Allyson, a kindergarten instructional assistant, first heard about CarolinaCAP through a…
It’s Never Too Late: Walk in Your Purpose with CarolinaCAP’s Support
By Tina M. Ramos-McBride Have you ever felt like you’re running a race a mile behind everyone at every turn, but then you blink and become a contender? You can see the cheering fans, the trophies…
CarolinaCAP: Coaching Gets to the Art and Heart of Teaching
By Benita Hughes Could individualized coaching and support possibly be the missing piece needed for teacher retention? The Carolina Collaborative for Alternative Preparation (CarolinaCAP) candidates…
CarolinaCAP: Experienced Educators Plant Seeds of Hope
By Dr. Ernestine Young Have you ever planted a seed that blossomed into a beautiful flower? I have. My two years as a CarolinaCAP Coach have been a rewarding and fruitful experience. The journey…
mCrED Program Update – Fall 2023
The mCrED team at the University of South Carolina College of Education offers micro-credentials and supports to K-12 educators in South Carolina to personalize their professional learning…
U.S. Department of Labor certifies CarolinaCAP as an apprenticeship with assistance from Apprenticeship Carolina
This designation allows increased benefits for program participants. The Carolina Collaborative for Alternative Preparation (CarolinaCAP) is now a certified apprenticeship through Apprenticeship…
Lead and Follow: My Journey to the Classroom
by Rashard Burrows Since primary school, teachers have told us to take initiative and be leaders rather than followers. When transitioning in a line, we were told, “Follow the leader.” But when the…
Personalized Learning: It’s Not Just for Kids
by Dr. Sarah Bowie Six pairs of eyes focus on the Smart Board screen at the front of the room and on me as I click to the final slide of the presentation on goal setting with reading strategies.…
South Carolina Among States Looking to Micro-Credentials to Reduce Teacher Turnover
by Bev Perdue, Governor of North Carolina (2009-2013) Chair and Founder, digiLEARN Recently, South Carolina State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman said, “If we are truly committed to…
Leading With Love: What Impact Will You Leave Behind?
By Kentrina Bridges Being born into a family filled with love makes it easy to love. Showing understanding, compassion, and respect to all becomes automatic. Now imagine you were never provided those…
An Alternative Certification Pathway You Want to Support
By Kathy Schwalbe Recently, a South Carolina teacher posed a question about policymakers continuing to entertain the idea of “shortcuts” for people to become teachers in our state. She asked, “How do…
Rising to the Challenge
By Brad Washington I knew sooner or later that a classroom would be calling my name. I worked with the Boys & Girls Club for more than ten years and as a behavior interventionist for seven years…
From Obstacle to Opportunity: The Story of an Accidental Middle School Teacher
From the time I can remember my answer to the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” was always the same. A teacher. But life is a series of paths filled with unexpected twists and…
Life Didn’t Come with a Map
Adadra Neville Social Studies Teacher at Williston Elko Middle School We all remember the Robert Frost poem about two roads diverging in the woods. I’ve thought about that concept many times…