Inspiring the Next Generation of Educators

The future of education in the region was looking bright at the third annual Future Educators Summit, with nearly 600 students from across San Diego County and the Inland Empire coming together to learn more about what various pathways toward a career in education can look like, as well as programs and resources that can help them achieve their career goals.

The event, geared toward high school and undergraduate students who are looking to launch into a career in education, was held at San Diego Mesa College, and was a collaboration among the San Diego County Office of Education’s Teacher Effectiveness and Preparation team, Cal State University San Marcos, After School Unlimited, and the region’s community colleges, universities, and TK-12 schools.

Students, most of whom are high schoolers currently enrolled in their school’s career technical education (CTE) educator pathway programs, had a packed day, hearing from experts in the field covering a wide variety of topics, including early education, after-school programs, special education, credentialing, and more. In these sessions students learned valuable tips on the various ways they can reach their goals and understand what options and resources are available to them as they work toward their future careers.

A big takeaway for many was the financial considerations, both looking at what kind of costs they might be looking at as they pursue their career, and also what kind of wages and benefits they might be looking at once they’ve landed the job.

“I learned there are ways to get your tuition or other costs paid for, which is really helpful,” said Lesly P., a sophomore at Oceanside High School.

Others took note that the pathway to career in education does not necessarily have to look like a traditional four-year university right after high school.

“I really like that [the panelists] shared they didn’t really like sitting in a classroom in college,” shared Elizabeth G., a sophomore at Oceanside High School, after hearing the “Education Roles Outside the Classroom” panel featuring several San Diego County Office of Education employees who are in non-classroom roles. “I signed up for the educator pathway because I’ve been babysitting and spending a lot of time with little kids, but I don’t know if spending all that time in a college classroom is for me. I like that there are flexible options like online classes.”

For many of the teachers who brought their classes to the event, it was an opportunity for their students to connect with each other as well as meet experts who can help guide them in their pursuit of a career in education. And with the event taking place on a college campus, they also hoped their students would see themselves fitting into the college atmosphere.

“I’m hoping my students get the chance to connect with other students from different schools who have the same interests as them,” said Nicole Cheslar, an educator pathway instructor at Murrieta Valley High School. Cheslar brought 30 students to the event, ranging from 9^th through 12^th grade.

Despite the long drive for the event, Cheslar wanted her students to see and experience the community college environment at San Diego Mesa College. “My students had the chance to see the smaller class sizes and get to just hang out and enjoy lunch in the grassy area," added Cheslar. "The environment here is very much the ‘college experience’ but at a community college and I wanted them to be able to see themselves here.”

“I hope my students see that they’re not on their own, but rather a part of a larger professional community,” said Eric Ginsberg, a teacher at Helix Charter High School. “As teachers who lead educator pathways, we’re really trying to foster a community of practice not only for other educators in this line of work, but also for our students so they can have a playbook to help them enter the field.”

Michael Wickert, a presenter at the event and professor at Southwestern College, was feeling hopeful about the future of education as he took in the sight of hundreds of young people who were interested in careers in education at the event.

“It’s truly inspiring to see how many students want to be educators,” said Wickert. “My hope is that they see community college as a viable and affordable option, and they see that there is a system of support in place to help them reach their goals.”