As school districts across the state face critical challenges with recruiting and retaining teachers, the University of Central Missouri (UCM) in Warrensburg is inspiring the next generation of educators with its annual Future Teacher Academy.
The UCM College of Education expects record-breaking attendance of more than 800 students over two days, Oct. 6-7. Students from more than 50 schools will be at the event, which is designed to showcase the teaching profession with plenty of energy, excitement and educational fun. Participants will connect with UCM’s outstanding faculty, staff, students and partners, but the larger goal is to help middle and high school students envision their own college and career readiness.
The list of participating schools ranges from the Kansas City Metro area and across Central Missouri, all the way to Kirksville and Columbia.
The agenda for both days includes:
- Keynote Address: Featuring Dr. Doug Fiore, UCM’s new College of Education dean.
- Teacher Talks: Dynamic sessions from volunteer teacher-experts, many from the Western region of Missouri and the Kansas City area.
- Interactive Events: Teaching trivia games, hands-on interactions with UCM faculty and UCM Education majors.
- Signing Ceremony: Students already committed to UCM will participate in a celebratory “signing” event.
A recent Department of Elementary and Secondary Education report recommended strengthening Missouri’s teacher pipeline through targeted communications campaigns. Central to this is sharing positive messages about teaching, emphasizing its lasting impact on the lives of individuals and communities.
Several faculty members can be made available for interviews during the event, including UCM College of Education leadership and Future Teachers Academy planning team members, along with UCM Education students and session leaders.
UCM’s Future Teacher Academy will occur from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, and Tuesday, Oct. 7, in the Elliott Student Union at UCM’s Warrensburg campus (a lunch break is planned for 11 a.m. to noon). If you intend to be present, please notify Nicole Lyons, assistant director of University Communications and Media Engagement, at ncooke@ucmo.edu.
The Future Teacher Academy is just one part of UCM’s efforts to strengthen Missouri’s teacher pipeline. The university offers education courses at UCM Warrensburg and UCM Lee’s Summit and continues to provide Grow Your Own paraprofessional degree pathways. UCM also has several partnerships with Kansas City area school districts, including an advanced degree program for Blue Springs School District educators.
We invite you to learn more about UCM’s efforts to help combat Missouri’s teacher shortage. Please contact us to arrange an interview or for further details.
About the University of Central Missouri
With its main campus in Warrensburg, in addition to academic opportunities at the UCM Lee’s Summit at Missouri Innovation Campus, the University of Central Missouri is a comprehensive state institution that serves more than 13,000 students, many of them from out-of-state and across the globe. Helping students to “redefine what’s possible,” UCM offers affordable tuition, prestigious and varied academic programs, and faculty members who are dedicated to their success. While benefiting from a support team of mentors, advisors, counselors, classmates, friends and professors, students not only leave UCM well prepared for the job market, but for life, having access to hundreds of opportunities beyond the classroom. Learn more at ucmo.edu.
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