John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
Stanford University has introduced a new initiative aimed at bridging the gap between high school and college education. The program, which involves delivering a Stanford course to high school students through a hybrid model, relies on partnerships with teachers and schools willing to explore innovative teaching methods.
Lerone A. Martin, who holds the Martin Luther King, Jr., Centennial Professorship in Religious Studies and African and African American Studies at Stanford, emphasized the crucial role of teaching fellows in this initiative. He stated that these fellows provide the "secret sauce" to the program's success.
Martin collaborated with Stanford Digital Education and the National Education Equity Lab to offer his course, "Between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr: Race, Religion, and the Politics of Freedom," to students from under-resourced communities. "The curriculum is provided by me as the professor, and it's the same curriculum that I teach here on campus to Stanford students," he said.
Teaching fellows—comprising Stanford undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni—play a significant role by co-leading weekly discussion sections via Zoom alongside classroom teachers. They also give feedback on student writing and assist high school students in adapting to college-level work. Teaching fellows Juan Flores, Sam McLoughlin, and Anna Rose Robinson shared their experiences of supporting students in a video presentation.
This teaching fellow role is vital for all courses offered by Stanford to low-income community high schools through its collaboration with the Equity Lab. Subjects covered include bioengineering, computer science, and ethics.
The course was first introduced in seven Los Angeles Unified School District high schools in 2024. It is set to expand into schools across California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C., during winter and spring sessions. Students who successfully complete the course earn credits from both their high schools and Stanford University.
Those interested in becoming teaching fellows or supporting the program can contact digitaleducation@stanford.edu with "Malcolm-Martin course" as the subject line.
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