The Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia

A magazine for Curry students, alumni, faculty, and friends

Spring 2007

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Curry Foundation

One of the strengths of the Curry School’s teacher education program is its yearly field placement requirement that places students in classrooms for anywhere from a few days to an entire semester. However, placing nearly 500 students per year in classrooms is a daunting challenge for a coordinator who must provide a critical interface between Curry and area schools.

For the past six years, assistant professor Kristin Sayeski has successfully filled this role, carefully balancing a mutually beneficial relationship: On one hand, students have ample opportunities to practice the educational strategies they have learned in the program. On the other, teachers are often rejuvenated by the enthusiasm and innovative ideas of student teachers, as well as by the helpful professional development workshops Sayeski leads each year.

Sayeski is responsible for finding the right placement for every student, which means partnering with all the nearby school divisions: Charlottesville City, Albemarle County, and surrounding counties, as well. She understands how generous it is for teachers and principals to let students into their classrooms, and she works hard to build relationships with them and to express appreciation.

As a matter of fact, for many school leaders, Sayeski is the face of Curry. She provides a centralized communication point and can also be counted on to mediate a mutually agreeable solution when misunderstandings arise between students and their mentor teachers.

Sayeski earned her own Ph.D in Curry’s special education program and, in addition to serving as coordinator of field placements, still devotes time to teaching critical special education courses and advising students.

First and foremost, Sayeski is an outstanding teacher, says Curry School Director of Teacher Education, Sandra Cohen, “She understands students' needs as well as the needs of the educators who work with them.” Cohen adds that Sayeski has gained the respect of the teachers and administrators she works with in the schools, the collaboration of her colleagues at Curry, the admiration of supervisors she trains, and the cooperation of the student teachers she places into classrooms.

Clearly, the face of Curry’s teacher education program brings a smile.