PSU’s Redesigned Elementary Education Program Prepares Diverse Educators for Oregon Classrooms

Only a few weeks into his student teaching placement in a first-grade classroom at Vestal Elementary School, Portland State senior Issac Graham noticed something unexpected: parents were bypassing veteran teachers and staff to bring their concerns directly to him.

In one case, a family approached Graham, who is Black, because their child's name had been misspelled on school documents. Another family sought his help when their child was mislabeled as an English language learner.

"As a parent of kids of color, I know that feeling of worrying that people won't take your fears seriously because they haven't lived them," Graham said. "I get to be the person who says, 'I hear you, and we're going to take care of it.'"

That immediate sense of trust is exactly what PSU faculty envisioned when they redesigned the Elementary Education program two years ago. By centering identity and removing systemic roadblocks to the profession, the program is preparing a new generation of teachers who mirror the diverse communities they serve.

"Our teacher candidates recognize that when their identity becomes known in the community, they have an 'in' with certain families," said Lauren Vega O'Neil, an associate professor of practice. "They are that friendly face and representation that many families haven't had in the past."

Graham is one of 17 students in the program's inaugural cohort preparing to graduate this month. Historically, teacher licensure in Oregon has required a graduate-level degree - a time-intensive and financial hurdle often out of reach for talented candidates from lower-income or historically underrepresented backgrounds.

To address these barriers, PSU launched a dual-track system with a redesigned graduate pathway and a new undergraduate bachelor's track. By offering hybrid classes, full-time and part-time options and a direct route to licensure, the program aims to diversify Oregon's educator workforce while lowering the cost of entry.

If this program hadn't come up, I'm not sure if I would have been able to go down this path.

Returning to a High School Dream

For Graham, the undergraduate option made a career change possible. As a father of three working long hours as an engineering technician, he had fully embraced the role of "neighborhood dad" - coaching and mentoring local youth. He had set aside his high school dream of becoming a teacher because, for years, a professional career in the classroom felt out of reach.

"If this program hadn't come up, I'm not sure if I would have been able to go down this path," he said.

Issac Graham (left) and a PSU classmate pair up to practice language they'd use with their students in different classroom situations during a student teaching seminar.

Graham earned his associate degree at Portland Community College (PCC) and, supported by the Rise to Teach scholarship, transferred to PSU to join the first cohort of undergraduates. He appreciates the hybrid format, which has given him a little more time with his family between the demanding schedule of student teaching, coursework and evening classes.

Graham says he's surprised by how often the skills he's learned at PSU translate to his field placement. He regularly pulls from his Social Emotional Learning (SEL) strategy toolbox, incorporating an "opening circle" at the start of each school day to build community and foster an inclusive environment.

SEL is a cornerstone of the redesigned curriculum. Vega O'Neil says these practices are about more than just behavior management - they are about establishing the conditions necessary for education to happen.

"It creates good mental health and an openness to learning, so that students can then focus on academics," Vega O'Neil said. "We want our teachers to feel like they are ready for teaching, and we want our students to feel like they are ready for learning."

Another technique Graham has adopted is centering strengths - which shifts the focus away from negativity toward what students are doing right. Applying this approach to "high-stakes" subjects like math has helped him move away from simply correcting errors to instead sparking curiosity.

"Our professors modeled that for us from day one," he said. After months of practice, he says the habit is now second nature. "I'll say, 'You did a fantastic job understanding that we are adding these numbers. Is there another step we can do here?'"

For Graham, these moments make the career change worth the effort. "There's nothing more fun than watching kids learn things and grow," he said.

As graduation nears, Graham hopes to secure a position within Portland Public Schools, the district where he grew up.

"I'd like to make the biggest impact on the community that I'm a part of," Graham said. "I've seen the difference, not only on the students, but the parents of students of color, and how settling it can be to have a teacher that has a shared experience."

Authenticity as a Teaching Tool

In an adjacent classroom at Vestal, Graham's classmate Samrana Munye is having a similar impact on her kindergarteners.

Samrana Munye discusses teaching strategies with classmates during a recent student teaching seminar.

Munye's family immigrated from Somalia. She grew up in the neighborhood and attended Portland Public Schools. But it wasn't until college that she had a teacher of color.

Her path to education was a surprise. She originally planned to enter the medical field like her cousins. But during a high school internship, a second-grader named Halima noticed Munye's hijab and asked if she was a teacher. The girl told Munye she had never seen a teacher who looked like her. It was a pivotal moment for Munye.

"I knew then this was what I wanted to do," she said.

Like Graham, Munye's path to PSU began at PCC. Also a recipient of the Rise to Teach scholarship, she moved directly into the Elementary Education graduate track after earning her bachelor's degree.

Today, Munye shows up to teach as her authentic self, weaving her Somali and Muslim identity into the curriculum. Drawing on "storyline" and "community mapping" strategies she learned at PSU, Munye leads her students on cultural field trips, walking to local landmarks and eateries near 82nd Avenue - from the neighborhood fire station to a German bakery and a Somali restaurant where the owner closed the doors just to host the students.

In the classroom, she embraces her identity as a primary teaching tool. When she manages her kindergarteners, she counts to five in Somali - and now, her entire class counts along with her. "They know five is shun," she said. "They'll say, 'Oh, she's getting to number shun, you guys sit down!'"

I know what it feels like to be the student who lacked diversity, who lacked a teacher who advocated for them. Now, I get to be that teacher.

When a newcomer student who spoke only Somali joined her class, Munye was able to step in as a linguistic and cultural bridge, making the child feel welcome from day one. Vega O'Neil says this is the ultimate goal: supporting candidates to recognize there is power in who they are.

For Munye, the joy of the job comes from the students themselves. "There are no better co-workers in this world," she proclaimed. After graduation, she hopes to stay with younger children in a diverse school where she can continue to dismantle biases early.

It is a level of professional confidence Munye says she couldn't have imagined just a few years ago.

"I was not an academically driven person. I had a 2.0 GPA and had to go to community college to get myself on track," she said. "I get very surprised that I am sitting in my last term of grad school sometimes. If it wasn't for the teachers of color who advocated for me, I wouldn't be here."

A Mission-Driven Cohort

The program's success is reflected in stories like Graham and Munye's - and in its growing popularity: there were over 100 program applicants this year alone, contributing to a total of nearly 150 declared majors currently pursuing the undergraduate degree. A significant draw is the built-in English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsement - ensuring graduates are prepared to support multilingual learners immediately and giving them an early advantage in the job market.

Vega O'Neil describes this first group of graduates as an "amazing, dedicated, informed and responsive" group of educators who are ready for the unique demands of today's diverse classrooms.

"I hope they get hired in a school with a principal and colleagues who see their value and really understand the gifts they have," Vega O'Neil said.

As the first cohort heads toward Commencement, the sense of personal mission is clear.

"I've had really hard days," Munye said. "But I've never second-guessed it. I know what it feels like to be the student who lacked diversity, who lacked a teacher who advocated for them. Now, I get to be that teacher. I honestly cannot see myself doing anything else."

Interested in teaching in elementary schools? Learn more about each of the elementary education pathways PSU offers.

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