Clay Weidinger isn’t taking a traditional path toward becoming a teacher. But then, Clay isn’t a typical education student.

He earned a physics degree at UM-Rolla before switching gears to pursue a career in nursing. He still works the overnight shift as a trauma nurse in the University Hospital ER on weekends. During the day, he teaches 8th grade biology.

His goal, once he receives his master’s degree in education, is to train others to become teachers in Third-world countries.

“I started to see that I could change parts of the world that I didn’t like,” he says. “I went into nursing, which is where I am now. Six months into my job, I decided that basic healthcare is only one of the components of things I’d like to help change.”

Clay realized that education was a strong way to improve the lives and futures of children in developing countries. He had done some tutoring in the past but knew he would need more practice if he hoped to one day open schools in Africa.

Learning about Education

He contacted MU’s College of Education to find out more about his options. The traditional plan didn’t appeal to him, but as soon as he heard about SMAR2T, he knew it would be a good fit.

SMAR2T — or Science and Mathematics Academy for the Recruitment and Retention of Teachers — was created by a grant from the National Science Foundation and today offers alternative teaching certification for individuals with degrees in the fields of science or mathematics. Candidates take education courses over a 15 or 24-month period while teaching in Missouri classrooms.

Since being in the classroom, Clay has learned several valuable skills, including classroom management. He’s also figured out how to include forms of assessment in his lessons, so he can tell right away how much information students are retaining.

“This is the best way for me to get real skills and knowledge of the system,” he says. “Then I can change and scale the system to fit my own goals.”

Later this academic year, Clay will switch schools to teach 9th grade physics at Jeff Jr in Columbia. He thinks the familiar content will allow him to further develop as an instructor.

“Also, I’ll be with a fantastic teacher,” he says. “I’m with another fantastic teacher right now. I’m grateful to have two great mentors.”

Thinking globally

Clay hopes to apply his skills in places like sub-Saharan Africa, where almost 50 percent of children never enroll in school. It’s a far cry from his original dream of becoming a professor in Germany, but the challenges haven’t deterred him. He’s currently drafting a business plan that outlines his proposal.

The idea, he says, is to build a peer-to-peer learning structure that is sustainable within small communities rather than relying on outside volunteers. He plans to focus on entrepreneurial skills that encourage students to create their own opportunities.  “In order for education to mean something, it needs to be relevant to their experiences,” Clay says.

“The world doesn’t have unlimited resources. Compared to the benefits, education is a low-cost solution to problems that are holding back a lot of the world.”