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Educator Field Narratives

We feature real-world case studies that resonate with educators, policymakers, and local community leaders alike. Some of our recent stories, case studies, and work can be seen in our educator showcase below.

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A group of about 24 adults poses outdoors on a sunny day, standing behind a sign that reads Education Leaders Experience. They are smiling, with trees and buildings visible in the background.

Leadership in Motion: How the Education Leaders’ Experience Is Reshaping South Carolina’s Leadership Landscape

Lesley Snyder, with help from the Iota Cohort participants' reflections
A red brick building with large windows lit from inside, yellow-striped steps, a wheelchair-accessible ramp, neatly trimmed green grass, and a concrete sidewalk in front.

The Journey to Where I Was Meant to Be: HOME

Jennifer Long
A group of adults and children stand together smiling indoors near a red ribbon, with one adult holding a certificate. A sign above them reads Community Family Resource Center.

Building a Legacy of Community Impact: The Power of Collaboration and Resilience in Rural South Carolina

Sarai Melendez
Two women are standing indoors, having a conversation. One woman, smiling, is facing the camera wearing a light striped shirt, while the other, with her back to the camera, is wearing a pink sweater with striped details.

The Lesson I Almost Missed: What One Conference Taught Me About Networking

Cindy Van Buren
A man in a red shirt stands in front of a two-story beige house with white trim and a stone accent. Two white vehicles are parked nearby, and the sky shows a mix of clouds and sunset.

Finding Home in a Village Built for Educators

Dr. Rolando Curabo
A group of seven women sit around a conference table with laptops, notebooks, and coffee cups, engaged in a meeting. A presentation is displayed on a screen in the background.

Coding a New Path: How Teaching Brought Me Home

Shequila Davis
A group of people stands smiling on a porch as a woman cuts a ceremonial red ribbon with large scissors. A sign reads “TruVista Technology Center.” Everyone appears happy and dressed for the occasion.

More Than a Classroom: How Education Led Me to Build a Village

Dr. Sue Rex
A person squats next to a stone sign that reads University of South Carolina, College of Education, Educators in Residence outside a building with a stone wall and windows.

Right on Time

Juan Alvarado
A group of teenage boys, most in black soccer uniforms, sit together on stadium bleachers, smiling at the camera in warm sunlight. One boy holds a framed photo. The stands and blue sky are visible behind them.

Rooted in Education: Building a Life Where I Teach

Victor Hernandez
A teacher stands by a screen introducing herself to a group of seated adults and children inside a colorful classroom decorated with posters, calendars, and learning materials.

Parents and Teachers: The Joy of Family Engagement

Robyn Mixon
Three women sit at a table discussing and writing on large paper with markers. Other groups work in the background. The setting appears to be a workshop or collaborative meeting.

Reality Check: Preparing for Life Beyond School Through Strong Community Partnerships

Ranina M. Outing
A woman places colorful sticky notes on a glass wall, while other people work in the background of a modern office space. The notes are pink, green, yellow, and orange.

Sometimes the Grass is Greener

Fallon Griffy
A teacher stands at the front of a classroom speaking to a group of adults seated at desks, listening and taking notes. The classroom has beige walls, a whiteboard, and fluorescent lighting.

Education in Newberry: A Parent-Educator Perspective

Christie Allison
A student stands at the front of a classroom presenting information on a screen, while classmates sit at desks listening attentively. The room has educational posters and charts on the walls.

Voces Comunitarias: Honoring Latino Community Voices

Lorilei Swanson
A teacher sits at a round table with five young students in a classroom, handing out papers. The children are engaged and working on assignments, surrounded by colorful educational materials and charts on the walls.

Parents and Teachers: The Joy of Family Engagement

Dr. Robyn Mixon
A group of seven adults stands in a small circle indoors, chatting and smiling near a door with a yellow poster on it. Some hold papers, and colorful wall art is visible in the background.

ELE, IOTA, Opening Retreat

CEP
A teacher sits at a round table with five young students in a classroom. The children are working on papers, and the teacher is guiding them. Classroom decorations and educational materials are visible in the background.

Knock, Knock: Who’s There? Paid Student Teaching

Susan Fernandez
A teacher stands at the front of a classroom speaking to a group of attentive adults seated at desks, with educational posters, bookshelves, and supplies visible around the room.

Cultivating a Culture of Collaboration: Pivoting at a Professional Development School

Aisja Jones
A man stands and speaks to three seated women in a classroom setting, with desks, notebooks, and a whiteboard visible around them. The group appears to be engaged in a discussion or meeting.

Attending to Challenges, Supplying a Teacher Workforce: How South Carolina Can Support Alternative Certification Pathways

Dr. Remona Jenkins
A group of women sits around a table in discussion, with notebooks, sticky notes, and a water bottle on the table. One woman gestures while others listen. More people are visible in the background in a modern meeting room.

It Takes a Village, and That’s Ok

Emmylou Todd
A woman in a floral dress speaks to a group of adults seated in a brightly decorated classroom with alphabet rugs, bookshelves, and educational posters. The group listens attentively.

Una confianza perdida, otra regenerada

Julia Beaty, MSW, LISW-CP
A diverse group of children and adults stand together in front of an audience in what appears to be a school, possibly performing or presenting, while people seated watch attentively.

Discovering Worth: There’s No Place Like an Educational Partnership with Families

Ruth Hill
A large group of people, mostly women, sit closely together in a bright room, attentively listening to a speaker or presentation. Some people are standing in the back, and many wear name tags.

Practitioner Inquiry: Supporting Teaching During a Pandemic

Brooke Scott
Two women stand in front of a wall covered with colorful sticky notes, reading and discussing them. Another woman writes on a large notepad in the background in a bright, modern room.

Culturally Responsive Teaching: From Individual Classrooms to Schoolwide Action

Robyn Brooke Biery
Five smiling children sit together on bleachers inside a school, dressed in colorful and floral clothes. Behind them is a wall with heart-shaped notes and a sign that reads “I Stand Up For.”.

What Would Happen If We All Started Caring About Every Student?

Debbie Jones
A teacher stands at the front of a classroom speaking to a group of adults seated at desks, listening and taking notes. The classroom has beige walls, a whiteboard, and fluorescent lighting.

The Power of Stories from the Inside Out

P. Ann Byrd & Cindy Van Buren
A woman stands and points to a projected graph during a meeting, while three seated people watch and listen attentively. A laptop and papers are on the table.

Power Up by Giving Up Power

Brandy Meyers
A young boy stands in front of a classroom, speaking and holding a water bottle. He faces two seated adults. Behind him is a red display board decorated with student work, colorful signs, and a chessboard diagram.

Everyone Can Be “Au-Some”

Bethany Reilly
A teacher sits with five students around a table in a classroom, holding a whiteboard and leading a lesson. The students have laptops open in front of them and are attentively listening.

Can You Hear Me?

Jessie Guest
Three women sit at a table discussing and writing on large paper with markers. Other groups work in the background. The setting appears to be a workshop or collaborative meeting.

When the Spirit Speaks: My Battle with Change

Matherine Dixon
A diverse group of people sit around a conference table in a bright meeting room, engaged in discussion. Papers, notebooks, and drinks are on the table, and a window looks out to a hallway.

Why Comfortable is a Four-Letter Word

Roy Blankeney
A woman writes on a large sheet of paper attached to a wall in a classroom, with posters and colorful papers displayed around her.

Finding a New Lens: How Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Shifted My Practice

Stephanie Bailey
A group of adults sit in a colorful classroom, listening attentively. Books and supplies fill shelves on the back wall, and papers hang in the background. Some people hold papers and notebooks while seated in chairs arranged in a circle.

Honoring Teacher Voice as Professional Development: A Democratic Imperative

Rhonda Jeffries, Terrance McAdoo & Michele Myers
Four women stand in discussion in a modern room. One holds a tablet and another has a clipboard. A presentation slide titled “Action Plan Template” is projected on a screen in the background.

Carolina Transition to Teaching: We’re Better Together

Kristin Mumford
A group of eleven adults stand together in a hallway, smiling at the camera. They are dressed in casual, colorful clothing and each wears a name tag. The hallway is bright with light-colored walls and ceiling panels.

Takes One to Know One: How Empathy Made Me a Better Teacher

Dottie Adams
A teacher stands by a screen introducing herself to a group of seated adults and children inside a colorful classroom decorated with posters, calendars, and learning materials.

Unpacking Problems? Invite Teachers to the Table

Dottie Adams
Three people stand in a modern office, placing colorful sticky notes on a glass wall during a brainstorming or planning session. The room is bright with chairs and a whiteboard in the background.

Life Didn’t Come with a Map

Adadra Neville
A woman writes with a blue marker on large sheets of paper taped to a wall, with colorful paper and posters featuring handwritten text in the background.

When Does the Magic Happen?

Carrie Trivedi
A student stands at the front of a classroom presenting information on a screen, while classmates sit at desks listening attentively. The room has educational posters and charts on the walls.

The Power is in the Process: Solving Adaptive Challenges in a Technical World

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Center for Educational Partnerships
University of South Carolina College of Education
Wardlaw Building, Room 201
820 Main Street; Columbia, SC 29208

Phone: 803-777-6417

The CEP was created pursuant to a proviso to the SC General Appropriations Bill of 2013-2014 (H.3710, Proviso 1A.52).

White logo of the Center for Educational Partnerships at the University of South Carolina, with a network graphic of five connected dots on the left.

White logo of the Center for Educational Partnerships at the University of South Carolina, with a network graphic of five connected dots on the left.

Center for Educational Partnerships
University of South Carolina College of Education
Wardlaw Building Rm. 201
820 Main St. Columbia, SC 29208

Tel: 803-777-6417  Fax: 803-777-0905

© 2026 Center for Educational Partnerships. All rights reserved

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