In February 2017, two members of the Alder Teacher Residency community were published in the Berkeley Review of Education’s Call for Conversations, “Education in the Era of Trump.” In her piece, “Power of the Student Voice,” alumna Kimberly Sazon examines how being a teacher empowers her to be an agent of change toward a more equitable society. By building relationships with her third-grade students and providing them opportunities to engage in meaningful discussion, Sazon argues, “The encouragement of free expression in the classroom eventually leads to future generations making their own changes on a larger scale.”

Similarly, former Los Angeles teacher resident Vanessa Vargas asserts in her piece, “Fueled by Hope, Never Fear,” that it is her aim to empower her future students. She writes, “Every day in the classroom has taught me that teaching is not a neutral act. For better or for worse, the moment we step into the classroom, we are agents of change. … The stakes are high and the consequences of failure run deep. That is why, now more than ever, we must tirelessly work for our students fueled by hope, never fear.”

Full Text- “Power of the Student Voice”
Full Text- “Fueled by Hope, Never Fear”