Deans for Impact

Hand to Hand, Place to Place: Transforming Teacher Preparation

Education EN ↓ 5 episodes

How has the field of teacher preparation evolved over the last decade? Where is it headed, and how can stakeholders work together to ensure all pathways into teaching are affordable and high-quality? Hosted by Deans for Impact Executive Director Valerie Sakimura, this podcast will feature insights from leaders and educators working collectively towards a future when all students are taught by well-prepared teachers.

Author

Deans for Impact

Episodes

The Future of Teacher Preparation 05.05.2026 40:25

In the final episode of “ Hand in Hand, Place to Place ,” we look ahead to what an unpredictable future of teaching demands of teacher preparation. Exploring the rise of AI and different schooling models, this conversation surfaces what must adapt, and what must remain foundational, to best prepare teachers and students for what’s ahead. DFI Executive Director and host Valerie Sakimura is joined b...

Inside the Black Box of Instruction 09.02.2026 40:28

There have been exciting developments to make teaching pathways more accessible and practice-based, with the growth of promising models like residencies and apprenticeship programs. But just as important as how new teachers are entering the profession is what they are practicing, and what instruction looks like inside these different pathways. Host and DFI Executive Director Valerie Sakimura is jo...

Crossing the Advocacy Divide 22.10.2025 43:30

Too often, teacher preparation and PK-12 policy are treated as separate: funded, legislated, and advocated for in isolation from one another. The result is a persistent disconnect that affects teacher retention, workforce quality, and ultimately, student learning – especially for those furthest from opportunity. DFI Executive Director Valerie Sakimura sits down with Jennifer Alexander (Executive D...

Leading in a Changing Landscape 23.06.2025 44:09

In this episode, host and DFI Executive Director Valerie Sakimura is joined by Sara DeLano, Ellen McIntyre, and Carolyn Theard-Griggs, who lead teacher-preparation programs in very different geographical and institutional contexts. They examine how the role of leaders has evolved over the last decade, and the mindsets and actions necessary of EPP leaders to champion accessible, high-quality pathwa...

A Third Way: The Founding of Deans for Impact 12.05.2025 32:54

DFI Executive Director and co-founder Valerie Sakimura sits down with founder Benjamin Riley and co-founder Pete Fishman to revisit the bold vision that launched Deans for Impact a decade ago. Together, they reflect on the early days of disrupting the status quo in teacher preparation. Gathering inspiration and input from leaders in the field, they explore how DFI’s founding was rooted in a “third...