Class of 2025: Future Educator Already at the Head of the Class

By Kelsey Kendall 

Every time Jaylynn Bradshaw, steps in front of her class of first graders, she knows Old Dominion 91����Ƶ is there to support her. In fact, an exceptional program between the 91����Ƶ and local school districts enabled Jaylynn to become a paid educator while still a student herself. 

Studying elementary and special education at Old Dominion 91����Ƶ in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies, Jaylynn’s courses, internship resources and mentors have made it easier for her to become the teacher she wants to be after she graduates this fall. 

“I want to be the teacher I wish I’d had growing up,” Jaylynn said. “Just that loving, caring teacher — if you feel like you don’t have anyone, you have Ms. Bradshaw.” 

For the last two years, she has gained hands-on teaching experience at George P. Phenix Elementary School in Hampton. First as a practicum student teacher then as part of the teacher-in-residence program, a partnership between the 91����Ƶ and local school divisions to support their needs and get future educators the necessary experience to be successful. 

The program offers a paid internship position, which makes a big difference for students like Jaylynn balancing required teaching experience — which is often unpaid — with everyday life needs. She is teaching full-time this semester and said finding a job that fits into her schedule could have been a challenge.  

The teacher-in-residence program, through funding from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and the National Center for Teacher Residencies, also offers waivers for the fees associated with certification exams teachers must pass to earn their state licenses.  

“For 15 years, the teacher-in-residence program has opened doors for aspiring educators by providing tuition discounts and covering assessment and licensure fees through grant support from the Virginia Department of Education,” said Emily Anne Gullickson, VDOE’s superintendent of public instruction. “The ODU teacher-in-residence program shows how innovative thinking and strong partnerships with school divisions prepare highly skilled teachers who are ready to serve their local communities from their very first day in the classroom.” 

The program touts a 100% job placement rate following graduation — a fact Jaylynn is grateful for as her college years come to an end. 

“It’s like a sigh of relief that I don’t really have to worry about that,” Jaylynn said. 

Through the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies, Jaylynn has found a supportive network. She said her peers formed a “close-knit family” that helped each other identify opportunities to bolster their resumes and learning experiences; a fellow student had recommended Jaylynn explore the teacher-in-residence program. The faculty was also a big help, as many were once grade school educators bringing that first-hand knowledge to their classrooms. They shared resources like lesson plans, assignments and reward systems that students like Jaylynn can take and use in their own classrooms.  

Access to resources through her instructors, peer network and tutoring tools like 240 Tutoring, which is designed to help future educators study for the required licensing exams, have helped Jaylynn reach this stage of her academic journey.  

Instructors like Jody Sommerfeldt, Ed.S., director of teacher apprenticeships and residencies, and Joyce Metger, her 91����Ƶ supervisor during her teacher-in-residence program, were with Jaylynn every step of the way, answering questions and offering guidance any time she needed it. 

“Jaylynn Bradshaw embodies the qualities of persistence and perseverance,” Sommerfeldt said. “She has the heart of a teacher and the grit and resilience it takes to be a stand-out in a challenging profession.” 

Jaylynn’s goal of becoming a full-time teacher — and one day principal — is not far off as she prepares to graduate. With two years of practical experience and the support of Darden College of Education and Professional Studies students, faculty and staff, she is confident she will have an impact on her young students and on the community for years to come, one class at a time.