Graduate School of Education and Psychology Cohosts Convening of 14,500 Teachers Across California
Pepperdine Magazine is the feature magazine for Pepperdine University and its growing community of alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends.
On July 31 more than 14,500 teachers came together at 33 locations across the state
for Better Together: California Teachers Summit, a first-of-its-kind event designed
to help teachers build a powerful network of peers, share best practices, and access
effective resources to implement the new California Standards.
Teachers walked away with concrete tools and strategies and built a network of colleagues
from their home region to support future collaboration. The Pepperdine University
Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Loyola Marymount, USC, and Antioch, in
partnership with the New Teacher Center, the Association of Independent California
Colleges and Universities, and California State University, cohosted this unprecedented
event, featuring nationally renowned keynote speakers Yvette Nicole Brown, an actress
and teacher advocate, and Leland Melvin, a NASA astronaut and STEM education pioneer.
“Ed Talks” throughout the day offered funny, inspiring, and poignant perspectives
from teachers, including GSEP associate professor of psychology Thema Bryant- Davis.
EdCamp-style breakout sessions were led by teachers on cutting-edge strategies that
are working in classrooms across the state.
Special guest Kid President, a character played by 10-year-old YouTuber Robby Novak,
offered an inspirational and humorous perspective on the important role of teachers.
Calling the educators a “roomful of awesome” highlighted the importance of educators
as individuals who are “shaping the world.”