"There's no school like Freedom School!" : a qualitative exploration of the experiences and values of educators who are former Servant Leader Interns

Effective teaching methods are one of the core components in providing students a quality educational experience. Due to the growing diverse student populations across the country, it is imperative that teachers have a myriad of strategies that will reach all students. Children's Defense Fund's (CDF) Freedom Schools use non-traditional methods with their students who are from marginalized backgrounds. This study focused on seven teachers from across the United States who were once CDF Freedom Schools participants and their experiences and values when it comes to teaching and learning. The findings reveal four main themes that emerged as a result of the Freedom Schools experience: the importance of diversity, embracing community, emphasis on a student-centered learning environment, and acceptance through self-awareness. The study's implications suggest that former Servant Leader Interns who are now classroom teachers have applied their experiences in the program to shape their teaching pedagogy and perspectives on teaching and learning

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Leadership

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Missouri--Columbia

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Thomas-Alston, Monica N.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Diem, Sarah

Language dc:language.iso

eng, English

DOI

https://doi.org/10.32469/10355/109535

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/109535