After a rigorous selection process, Arkansas Teacher Corps has chosen five Summer Mentors for the 2022 Institute, tentatively scheduled for June 1-July 15. Returning mentor Ava Hollins-Rogers (ATC ’20) will join newcomers Brianna Thompson-Young (ATC’20), Cade Vallee (ATC ’19), Carah Colbert-Matchett (ATC ’20), Erica Weathers (ATC ’19) and Dr. Ivy Macaranes in guiding new fellows through the seven-week virtual training.
Ava Hollins-Rogers is a 2020 ATC fellow and has taught elementary (K-6) education for four years. She is currently teaching 6th grade math at Maddux Elementary School in West Memphis, where she also serves as a member of the school’s leadership team. Ava also served as a summer mentor in 2021.
Brianna Thompson-Young is a 2020 ATC fellow and has taught elementary (K-6) education for two years. She is currently teaching 5th grade all-subjects at Otter Creek Elementary School in the Little Rock School District.
Cade Vallee is a 2019 ATC fellow and has taught K-12 art for three years. He is currently teaching art at East Junior High and Maddux Elementary in West Memphis, where he also coaches soccer. Cade is also serving as a policy fellow in the inaugural Teach Plus Arkansas cohort.
Carah Colbert-Matchett is a 2020 ATC fellow and has taught secondary science for two years. She is currently teaching physical science, biology, and anatomy & physiology at at Hope High School.
Erica Weathers is a 2019 ATC fellow and has taught middle school STEM for three years. She is currently teaching 6th Grade math and science at Blytheville Middle School.
Dr. Ivy Macaranes has taught high school reading and English Language Arts for 15 years. She is currently teaching 11th grade English at Forrest City High School, where she also serves on the school’s leadership team and teacher advisory board. Although she holds a Ph.D. in educational management from the University of Bohol (Phillippines), Dr. Ivy recently completed the Arkansas Academy for Educational Equity fellowship to gain additional coaching support and earn a M.Ed. in educational equity.
Summer mentors will be the first point-of-contact for a group of four to six fellows as they gain foundational knowledge and develop skills to be effective teachers. Mentors will work collaboratively with the summer directors to build and sustain a supportive, growth-oriented culture for fellows to improve their practices.
Mentors will give weekly feedback to each fellow on instruction, classroom management, and work/life balance through lesson and unit planning, regular observations, and weekly coaching debriefs. Mentors will also guide Fellows in self-assessing their strengths and areas for growth (both personally and professionally) while setting clear expectations and maintain a solutions-focused and growth-oriented approach at all time.