Stephanie Furuta

Stephanie Furuta of the College of Education Institute for Teacher Education believes mentoring and teaching go hand-in-hand in her role with pre-service and in-service teachers. Her theoretical approaches align with Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory, with the tenet that a learner is greatly influenced by one’s environment and social interactions. “Dr. Furuta is dedicated, passionate, a natural leader, always seeking new knowledge. Her student-centered, hands-on approach rendered memorable field experiences that helped me improve my own teaching practices.” She challenges students to more rigorous expectations along a continuum. “I would describe her pedagogy as invigorating, rigorous, and relevant. I became a divergent thinker, able to broaden my perspectives on topics impacting education.” She is sensitive to cultural aspects in education and offers support to diverse communities of learners by assisting them in seeing the larger picture while being respectful of the communities in which they work. “Professor Furuta’s courses led me to deeply reflect on who I am as a teacher and what my goals are…to reignite my passion for teaching.”