Cooperating Teachers

“Paul Meadows showed me what it means to build a safe and welcoming environment, and it’s an environment that I now try to create in my own classroom. Meadows cares deeply about his students—about their education and, more importantly, who they are as people—and it shows. It doesn’t matter if he is sick, tired, or drained: when a student comes up to Paul, he immediately gets a smile on his face. His smiles, his jokes, his huge heart are a constant source of light that brightens students’ days. I’m lucky to have had a mentor like him and even luckier that my classroom is now down the hall from his, where I can continue to see his light shine.” - Christian Contreras, AHS English Teacher and 2025 UTLA Graduate

“Through Paul Meadows’ teaching style, I have witnessed the art of what makes an impactful teacher. Paul exemplifies what it means as an educator to reach ALL your students. He consistently shows them love and patience while also maintaining expectations of students that don't yet see the importance of learning. Education is Paul’s priority, but through his teaching approach and his relationship with his students, he shows that the students themselves are what matters.” - Bryanna Nzali, Spring 2026 UTLA Graduate

Paul Meadows currently teaches on-level and advanced English I at Austin High School in Austin ISD. Paul has 19 years’ experience as a secondary English educator, 14 of which he has spent in Austin ISD. Over the last eight years, he has mentored eight of our preservice English teachers—four from their high school internship through the student teaching semester and four for student teaching alone. Mr. Meadows was one of the very few cooperating teachers, or CTs, who continued working with his apprentice throughout the 2020 spring when COVID pandemic essentially ended the learning experience for so many student teachers. I know he considered her comfort with technology to be a potential asset as he was forced to move his classroom online, but by allowing Mahvish to continue her journey while he himself was facing an unknown, Paul revealed the deep faith he has in his students’ capacity.

To be sure, there are many excellent mentor teachers out there who can serve as paradigms of professionalism and who excel at growing mentees’ skills in crafting concept-based curriculum and delivering engaging instruction. At UTLA, we’re looking for all this and more in a CT. We hope to send our students to educators who can show them how to strike the balance between building strong relationships with students and holding them to high performance standards, to those educators who genuinely believe in their students’ personal power and know how to use their belief to help students discover that same faith in themselves. This is Paul’s superpower—his trust is palpable, and as such, it’s contagious. We’re so grateful to Paul Meadows for his commitment to his students and ours, and we hope to continue sending UTeachers his way for many years to come!

Kristi Kennedy has been a respected educator for many years. UTeach-LA was beyond pleased when she began to share her expertise to mentor the next generation of educators. In the words of her current student teacher, "Mrs. Kennedy is incredibly committed to helping me become an excellent educator. She consistently pushes me to be better, holds me to high standards, and offers support when I’m struggling. Student teaching is not exactly an easy experience, but Mrs. Kennedy goes out of her way to make sure that I’m not drowning and that I have all the tools necessary to succeed. Not only is she a wonderful mentor, but she’s also a great storyteller, a thoughtful listener, and a role model to both our students and me."

For 34 years, Ms. Lisa Mielke has dedicated her career to teaching middle school, and since 2010, she has been an integral part of the Gorzycki Middle School community. She understands something many people don’t: that middle schoolers are wonderfully unpredictable. As she told me, one day middle school students might drive you a little crazy, and the next, they’ll be the kindest, funniest, most thoughtful students you could hope for. And she embraces every bit of that. As a World Cultures teacher, Ms. Mielke brings the world into her classroom in a way that sparks curiosity and connection. She said she loves that because so much of what she teaches is new to her students, she gets to witness those powerful “light bulb” moments—when students suddenly see how their lives connect to the broader world. And I know that she does all of this with a sense of humor! But Ms. Mielke’s impact doesn’t stop with her own middle school students. She has also been an incredible mentor to our aspiring UTeachers. She has hosted at least one intern every semester since the Spring of 2022 and many semesters she was gracious enough to host two.

I love placing interns with Ms. Mileke. I know they will always get a positive role model who gives exceptional feedback. Her mentorship is grounded in honesty and real-world wisdom. One intern shared, “Working in Ms. Mielke’s classroom has been an incredible experience. She always made me feel so comfortable, which made the transition from observing to teaching feel natural.” As another intern reflected, “The biggest lesson she taught me is that sometimes a lesson isn’t going to go according to plan—and that is perfectly fine.” Helping our sometimes perfectionist students embrace the uncertainty of teaching is no small feat.

Ms. Mielke ensures that everyone in her classroom—students and interns alike—feels like a valued part of the community, not just a visitor passing through. Another intern described working with her as “an amazing experience,” highlighting her as hardworking, patient, and supportive at every turn.  After more than three decades in education, Ms. Mielke is retiring this year. It is an honor to celebrate Ms. Mielke —not just for her years of service, but for the countless lives she has impacted along the way. My 202 students have been incredibly lucky to learn in her classroom! 

UTeach-Liberal Arts is honored to spotlight Madison Riley, a first grade teacher at Zilker Elementary School in the Austin Independent School District. Through the eyes of those who learned under her guidance, it is clear that Ms. Riley’s classroom is defined by intentionality, warmth, and a deep-seated respect for the craft of teaching.

Here are testimonials from her student interns this year:

“I am truly grateful for the time I have spent in Ms. Riley's classroom. She created such a welcoming environment that it was comfortable to teach without the fear of making mistakes. What I appreciated most was how she made time to meet with me over Zoom to go over my co-teaches. Having that dedicated space to reflect and receive thoughtful feedback truly helped me build my confidence as an educator!”               - Shreya B. 

“Being a student intern of Ms. Riley’s class is an extremely enriching experience. She is so supportive, kind, and helpful. Her vulnerable and honest approach to teaching has been one of the most alternative and progressive principles I have seen in the practice of teaching. Any time I needed help or clarification with my lessons, she was always responsive and guiding with positivity. Her kindness and hard work is always reflected in class, and more importantly, in her students. She has created a healthy environment for learning, mess-ups, and growth; all of which has blossomed into a beautiful garden.” - Dara J. 

“Ms. Riley is an excellent teacher who is incredibly skilled in her craft.  She built an environment based on respect: respect for other students, respect for yourself, and respect for the environment. This culture is reflected by the behavior of the students. They are engaged and participate with their peers. One of the things I admire most about Ms. Riley is the way her love for education and for her students shines. She puts in careful effort getting to know her individual student’s needs and supports them academically and personally in her classroom as best as she can. Her students listen to her and show her so much love in return. The classroom environment is warm and inviting. As my cooperating teacher, I am especially grateful that Ms. Riley allowed me the space to develop my own classroom management style and grow my confidence in the classroom. She provided such amazing feedback and incredible guidance. She trusted me to take initiative in the class and bond with the students. Overall, my experience with Ms. Riley has been incredibly positive. I have learned so much observing Ms. Riley and the feedback she has given me in return.” - Sofia G. 

We thank Ms. Riley for her dedication to her students, her interns, and the future of the teaching profession. Her "beautiful garden" of growth continues to thrive.