Francesca Forzani is the deputy director of TeachingWorks. An experienced teacher educator and expert on change in teacher preparation, she directs the organization’s work with teacher educators. She began her career as a high school English teacher in Greenville, Mississippi, where she was a Teach for America corps member. She also served as a teacher educator for Teach for America and for Teach First in London, U.K, and has taught courses in secondary English language arts methods at the University of Michigan. She holds a BA in English from Smith College, an MPP from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, and a PhD in education foundations and policy from the University of Michigan. Forzani serves on the board of trustees of Deans for Impact and in the national advisory group for The Path Forward for Teacher Preparation and Licensure for Early Literacy.
Why did you decide to join DFI’s board?
DFI's mission is my mission, and it is a pleasure to serve on the board of such a functional, thoughtful organization. I continue to learn so much from Deans for Impact - both my fellow board members and the wonderful staff.
What is one pivotal moment in your career that helped shape how you view your own role in advancing educational equity?
Every moment that I stood in front of my high school students in Mississippi was a pivotal one: Their eyes said, "It's up to you to make the next hour worthwhile for me." I try to remember always that that is still the case.
Describe a teacher or student who made a lasting impact in your life.
I'm lucky to call Deborah Loewenberg Ball, at the University of Michigan, my colleague, but she's always been my teacher, too, and she pushes me to think more carefully about what classroom instruction is, and could be, nearly every day of my life.
What most excites you about the work of transforming educator preparation?
It sounds trite, but nothing excites me more than the possibility of building a better world by building better teachers.