Brewster Educator Attends National Development Programs

Brewster High School teacher Kayla Corvino spent her summer immersed in professional learning experiences designed to enrich her teaching and benefit her students.

Corvino, who teaches Senior Government and Economics, was selected as an Alexander Initiative Fellow through Vanderbilt University. She joined a cohort of 30 educators from across the country to explore best practices in education. During her time in Nashville, she participated in site visits, lectures and worked alongside peers to analyze teaching strategies that build student engagement and critical thinking.

“Some of the most valuable moments came from hands-on activities and the chance to work closely with other educators as we tested out ideas and reflected on how they could apply in our classrooms,” Corvino shared. She will participate in monthly conversations with her cohort, sharing classroom successes and challenges while refining her approach to teaching government.

In addition to the Vanderbilt fellowship, Corvino attended the Sphere Summit in Washington, D.C. The program emphasizes civil discourse and civic engagement, and it brought together teachers from a wide range of backgrounds. Participants heard from leading voices on some of the most important issues in government today, with multiple perspectives represented. Corvino and her colleagues then worked together on ways to model civil discourse and bring these practices into their classrooms so students can learn how to discuss challenging topics respectfully and thoughtfully.

This year, Corvino was also selected as a Sphere Fellow, which will extend her learning throughout the school year. She will participate in monthly conversations with her cohort, sharing classroom successes and challenges while refining her approach to teaching government and economics. Later this month, she will return to Washington, D.C. to officially launch her fellowship.

“Working with educators from across the country reminded me how much we can learn from one another,” said Corvino. “The hands-on activities, structured discussions , and even the informal conversations gave me fresh ideas I’m excited to bring back to my students here in Brewster.”