Time Capsule: Memories of the Office of Teacher Education at UCI
Mary Roosevelt ’75 shares about the School’s early years when it was an Office of Teacher Education.
October 28, 2022
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“We had recently moved to California from Switzerland in 1972, and as my European credentials were not accepted in California, I applied to the Office of Teacher Education at UCI in 1974 to study for a California Teaching Credential. Dr. Kenneth Bailey, a former high school principal was the founding director of the Office of Teacher Education in 1967, and his faculty consisted of fellow high school teachers. He was an amazing educator, and a wonderful human being, who became a great friend to both my husband and me.
The Office of Teacher Education was housed in the old Social Science Tower, one of the few buildings on the campus at that time. The classrooms were in another building, and our offices were scattered, all over the fourth floor of the building. Dr. Bailey was not sure what to do with me because, prior to my marriage, I was the principal of the Junior House at the United Nations International School in New York and I had traveled all over the world on educational assignments, for what was to become the International Baccalaureate, while teaching at the International School of Geneva in Switzerland. It was interesting being a student again, but Dr. Bailey handled the situation superbly. He asked me to do an independent study by reading his book on the History of Education in the USA. It was an excellent introduction to a new country, and its educational philosophy. I also had fun doing student teaching at a school in Irvine. |
Mary Roosevelt (left) with Chancellor's Professor
Emerita Deborah Lowe Vandell, 2011 |
I had not intended to work following my California certification, but Dr. Bailey offered me a job supervising student teachers in elementary schools, so I started part time at UCI, and later became full time as the coordinator of the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. I enjoyed my new position, but I was frustrated by the way the school year clashed with the university year. This meant that our credential students missed the start of the school year in the public schools, and the end of it, too.
I worked with several interested faculty to have the credential students start in August, and complete the course at the end of June, to match the calendar in the public schools. This gave us the opportunity to change the program as we became more engaged with the schools and the districts during the next 25 years. We were partners with the districts, the schools and the teachers, and this created wonderful experiences for our student teachers.
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I fully retired in 2002, but I have never really left what is now the School of Education. The School of Education is now nationally and internationally recognized, and it has become a success beyond my wildest dreams for it.”
I worked with several interested faculty to have the credential students start in August, and complete the course at the end of June, to match the calendar in the public schools. This gave us the opportunity to change the program as we became more engaged with the schools and the districts during the next 25 years. We were partners with the districts, the schools and the teachers, and this created wonderful experiences for our student teachers.
…
I fully retired in 2002, but I have never really left what is now the School of Education. The School of Education is now nationally and internationally recognized, and it has become a success beyond my wildest dreams for it.”
