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DREAM

DREAM — the Diverse and Resilient Educators Advised through Mentorship program — combines 12 months of Master of Arts in Teaching instruction followed by three years of unique on-the-job guided mentorship to prepare you for an effective and meaningful career as an educator.

DREAM has a special focus on recruiting students and retaining teachers from among diverse populations. As North Carolina faces a shortage of teachers of color, there’s a growing understanding that these teachers have a positive influence on the academic outcomes among students of color.
dream logo

Financial Aid and Career Opportunitites

For the duration of MAT program instruction, students admitted into the DREAM program — DREAM residents — will receive a $35,000 in financial support, contingent upon completion of the MAT program and three years of full-time teaching in Durham Public Schools. In the MAT program, residents will complete coursework that includes a focus on transformational social and emotional learning and participate in fieldwork within Durham Public Schools.

After completing the MAT program, residents will earn initial North Carolina licensure in either Elementary Education (K-6), Secondary Education (6-12), or Special Education: General Curriculum (K-12). Upon graduation, they will begin their teaching careers in Durham Public Schools, where they will receive three years of mentorship in a unique teacher-induction program that includes workshops, trainings, and seminars on issues that face beginning teachers.

Apply Now

Submit your application today

Application deadline: February 14, 2023

To apply for DREAM, complete the supplemental questions included within the Master of Arts in Teaching application.

APPLY

Curriculum & Courses

DREAM residents will spend their first year of the DREAM program completing our Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program.

Residents can select either the Elementary Education (K-6) or Special Education: General Curriculum (K-12) Track.

  • Elementary Education Track (K-6)
  • Secondary Education Track (6-12)
  • K-12 Special Education (General Curriculum) Track
  • Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program
  • See the full program of study for the MAT program.

Recruit

Each year, we will bring a cohort of 10 DREAM residents to the UNC School of Education to begin the four-year residency program, beginning with the Master of Arts in Teaching program.

Educate

DREAM residents will learn to be effective educators who are well versed in Transformative Social Emotional Learning (SEL) through the one-year Master of Arts in Teaching program. You will graduate with certification in either elementary education (K-6), secondary education (6-12), or special education (K-12 General Curriculum).

Support

During their first three years as teachers within a DPS partner school, DREAM residents will participate in affinity groups and receive professional development to equip them with skills, dispositions, and knowledge necessary to effectively teach a racially and ethnically diverse student body.

Retain

DREAM residents will receive ongoing support as beginning teachers through mentorship, community-building activities, and affinity groups, with the goal of developing a strong foundation for their careers as educators.

Connect with DREAM

Learn more about DREAM by downloading the DREAM information sheet (Spanish version) and by signing up at the link below.

Learn more at an upcoming info session Sign up for DREAM updates
Kristin Papoi feature image
Contact us

Kristin Papoi

Principal Investigator

Email: dream@unc.edu

Mailing Address:
CB 3500 Peabody Hall
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3500

See all DREAM Faculty & Staff
The University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill School of Education
CB 3500 Peabody Hall
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3500
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