Miner Teacher Residents Celebrate Match Day 2024
70 teachers-in-training placed in schools across the region
EL PASO, Texas (Dec. 18, 2024) – The College of Education at The University of Texas at El Paso celebrated a significant milestone on Dec. 16 as 70 teacher candidates tore open envelopes to reveal the schools where they will spend their yearlong teacher residency.
The fall Miner Teacher Residency Match Day, held at the Undergraduate Learning Center on the UTEP campus, brought together family, friends and education professionals to celebrate the future educators.
The Miner Teacher Residency is an immersive training program that gives teacher candidates the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in local classrooms while learning the intricacies of lesson planning, classroom management, parent engagement and professional collaboration.
“Our residency program is transforming teacher preparation in our region,” said Erika Mein, Ph.D., associate dean for academic affairs in the UTEP College of Education. “By working side-by-side with experienced educators in local schools, our teacher candidates are not just learning to teach – they’re building relationships, honing their skills, and becoming integral parts of the school communities they serve.”
For many students, Match Day is a highly emotional and rewarding moment. Karma Tinajero, a junior in the College of Education, expressed excitement about starting the next phase of her journey as a budding educator.
“I’ve been waiting for a long time, so I’m very excited,” Tinajero said. “I have so much to learn, and I’m really trying to gather as many tips and insights as possible. My focus is special education, and through my past observations, I’ve met such amazing special education teachers. I’ve realized I have everything to gain from this experience.”
More than 20 schools across the El Paso region participated in the latest Match Day. The participating campuses are located in several school districts, including the El Paso Independent School District, Socorro ISD, Ysleta ISD, Canutillo ISD and Fabens ISD.
This fall’s Match Day represents the continued expansion of the program. When the residency program first launched in 2019-20, only two schools participated.
Since the program began in 2019, more than 600 students have participated in the Miner Teacher Residency. For more information, visit the program’s website.
About The University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is America’s leading Hispanic-serving university. Located at the westernmost tip of Texas, where three states and two countries converge along the Rio Grande, 84% of our 25,000 students are Hispanic, and more than half are the first in their families to go to college. UTEP offers 171 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs at the only open-access, top-tier research university in America.
Last Updated on December 17, 2024 at 12:00 AM | Originally published December 17, 2024
By MC Staff UTEP Marketing and Communications
