Enriching education in Western Massachusetts
EDUC faculty, students, and alumni foster justice-based approaches to education research, teaching, and practice.
The College of Education has a strong programming and research presence in Western Massachusetts, especially in the Springfield, Holyoke, and Amherst communities.
- At the program level, our 180 Days in Springfield program offers students the chance to teach full-time in Springfield while earning their master’s degree and initial teaching license. Students focus on urban education theory and practice as part of their course of study.
- In terms of research, College of Education faculty are heavily involved in the Pioneer Valley, both through their affiliations with various research centers, as well as their work on individual and collaborative grants. The Center of Racial Justice and Youth Engaged Research, for example, amplifies the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) youth, through its Youth Board and events hosted on campus. The Western Massachusetts Bilingual Hub leads initiatives to train educators and promote bilingual/multilingualism in schools.
In the spotlight
"We're there to teach them more than content. We're teaching them skills...It’s this desire to create a nurturing and really safe environment and let them let their guard down. It’s ok to be themselves. They’re empowered to do that."
180 Days alumni working at Springfield Central High School
academic year = time to complete the 180 Days program
Center of Racial Justice and Youth Engaged Research (CRJ)
CRJ was launched in 2021. Its mission centers Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the work of racial and educational justice through community-school-university partnerships.
- To help amplify the voices of BIPOC youth in Springfield, Holyoke, and surrounding areas, CRJ created a Youth Board. Students elected to this board work with CRJ faculty and staff to center identities and cultures of color in local communities and the UMAss community.
- The College of Education is a regular site for “youth sit-ins,” events where members of the CRJ Youth Board share thoughts and reflections about BIPOC identity and experiences.
- CRJ was founded by Jamila Lyiscott, associate professor of social justice education, and Keisha Green, associate professor of teacher education and school improvement. Justin Coles, assistant professor of social justice education, is the center's director of arts, culture, and political engagements.
In the spotlight
“It felt like it would behoove us to create this mechanism for bringing together various stakeholders across the campus, the community, and the nation; to think about the relationship between racial justice, youth voice, and the kind of transformation that our society needs right now.”
Western Massachusetts Bilingual Hub
The Bilingual Hub was developed in 2020 through partnerships among UMass Amherst and Holyoke Public Schools, Springfield Public Schools, and the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District.
- The hub provides bilingual and dual language teacher preparation programs. Programming events focus on professional development and mentorship.
- The hub also supports the implementation of research-based bilingual and dual language programs and praxis.
- In 2023, the Bilingual Hub expanded to partner with the Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership.
- Faculty and affiliates: Marialuisa Di Stefano, assistant professor of language, literacy, and culture; Elenita Irizarry Ramos, lecturer; doctoral student Elizabeth Llorca
Ethnic Studies program at Holyoke High School
Several College of Education faculty and alumni have played an instrumental role in developing and implementing an ethnic-studies program at Holyoke High School.
- Ethnic-studies classrooms aim to affirm and reflect the lived experiences of students, in this case the youth of Holyoke.
- College of Education faculty are conducting a community-engaged ethnography about the program. Their research informs education policy and practice related to ethnic-studies programs in secondary schools.
- Faculty affiliated with the project also provide faculty and teacher-led professional development, and have supported the development of a Community Advisory Board with teachers, activists, parents, students, and faculty.
- Faculty and affiliates: Kysa Nygreen, associate professor of teacher education and school improvement (TESI); Keisha Green, associate professor of TESI; Laura Valdiviezo, professor of TESI; and doctoral student Dana Altshuler.
Justice-Based STEM Education for Multilingual Learners
Enrique Suárez, assistant professor of mathematics, science, and learning technologies, is the recipient of a prestigious National Academy of Education (NAEd) / Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship for 2020-2022. His current research focuses on partnering with elementary schools in western Massachusetts to revise their science curricula. His aim? To center justice-based approaches to learning, especially for bilingual learners. As part of his NAEd/Spencer Foundation grant, Suárez proposes pedagogical approaches that link science, learning through investigations, and environmental justice to students’ lives. Read more.