Brown University Department of Education

Capstone Spotlight: Anne Overton MAT'26

"Students frequently default to summary when they are asked to analyze." 📚

This is a common challenge in the secondary English classroom, but newly graduated MAT alum Anne Overton designed a way to address it.

For her Capstone project, Anne developed a rigorous eight-day English Language Arts unit for high school seniors centering on critical theories of gender. But the secret weapon of the curriculum is how it approaches the art of the summary.

Rather than treating summary as a repetitive exercise, Anne’s unit teaches it explicitly as a sophisticated bridge between reading and writing. By helping students master the structure of a summary, they learn to stop simply retelling a text, and instead use it as a "diving board" for deeper, complex analysis.

🌟 Anne’s parting advice to our incoming MAT cohort? “Nourish yourself! Remember that you are here to learn.”

Capstone Spotlight: Anne Overton MAT'26 Anne’s project focused on mastering the art of the summary.

Celebrating the Legacy of Professor Diane Silva Pimentel ❤️🐻

After nearly a decade of transforming teacher preparation at Brown University, Diane is preparing for her next chapter. As the long-time lead for the MAT Science cohort and former Director of the MAT program, Diane has been a steady anchor for hundreds of MAT students. Under her collaborative vision, the program shifted into a rigorous, immersive residency model focused on developing culturally responsive teachers who serve diverse communities.

While her presence will be deeply missed, Diane’s true legacy continues to unfold daily in the secondary classrooms where her alumni are currently inspiring the next generation of students.

Newly graduated MAT alum Anna Ryu, reflected: "It is hard to capture how deeply and significantly Professor Silva Pimentel has helped shape my understanding of education, science teaching, and what it means to live in this world with intention and care."

Thank you, Diane, for your abundance of wisdom and warmth.🌟

Read the full article here:

The Art of Investing in Teachers: Celebrating the Legacy of Professor Diane Silva Pimentel After nearly a decade of transforming teacher preparation and shaping the MAT program, Professor Diane Silva Pimentel reflects on her time at Brown, her students, and passing the torch to the next generation of science educators.

Undergraduate Thesis Spotlight: Ava Bradley '26 🌟

For her senior thesis, newly graduated Education Studies concentrator Ava Bradley focused on students who are both multilingual learners and recipients of special education services. Her research, titled "A Spot at the Table," asked how educators, administrators, and school staff can meaningfully engage the families of these students, as well as the challenges with engagement.

Her central conclusion was that districts responding to this growing population cannot rely on one-size-fits-all engagement strategies. "The intersectional identities of dually identified students and their families entail specific and nuanced challenges," she shared, ones that call for approaches intentionally designed around their particular strengths and needs.

Read more in our latest article:

Undergraduate Thesis Spotlight: Ava Bradley '26 Ava's thesis explored how educators can better engage the families of dually identified students in a rapidly changing Rhode Island district.

The rain couldn't dampen the incredible joy, pride, and celebration at this weekend's Commencement. Watching our MAT, UEP, and undergraduate students cross the stage alongside our dedicated faculty was the perfect reminder of why this community is so special.

Congratulations, graduates! We are so proud of you. 🎓❤️

The 2026 Urban Education Policy Capstone Conference💡📊

Brown Urban Education Policy students transformed their yearlong internship experiences into policy recommendations during a recent conference-style event. Attended by a network of faculty, alumni, and local civic leaders—many of whom served as supervisors for the students in their internships—the event served as a platform for students to present the synthesis of their intensive coursework and their on-the-ground residency within partner organizations.

The UEP Capstone serves as a final project for each student’s time at UEP, and it is also a professional inquiry into the mechanics of change. Throughout the year, students leverage their new learnings about creating and evaluating policy, as well as training in economic analysis and quantitative methods, to address real-time issues faced by their internship sites. These projects move beyond abstract theory, offering high-level recommendations that are deeply informed by the lived experiences of urban students and families.

🔗 Check out our most recent article to learn more about the 2026 UEP cohort and their projects.

Bridging Data and Dialogue: The 2026 Urban Education Policy Capstone Conference Graduate students in Brown’s UEP program presented capstone projects addressing key issues in urban education, sharing research-informed policy solutions shaped by their yearlong internships.

2026 Master of Arts in Teaching Capstones 🍎 📚️

The MAT Capstone Project represents the intersection of scholarly research and classroom reality. As the final milestone of the Brown Master of Arts in Teaching program, this project challenges candidates to move beyond the role of "student" and step fully into the role of "reflective practitioner." Throughout their yearlong residency in Rhode Island’s secondary schools, MATs conduct a deep dive into their own teaching, using their daily interactions with students to drive a sustained cycle of instructional design and critical reflection.

Each candidate selects a pedagogical lens specific to their discipline, analyzes the latest educational research, and builds a standards-aligned unit from the ground up. By using a variety of assessment tools to track student growth, they are able to see exactly how their choices impact learning, allowing them to adapt and refine their approach in real-time.

Read more about our students and their projects in our latest article:

The Next Generation of Educators: 2026 Master of Arts in Teaching Capstones After a year of intensive residency, Brown’s MAT candidates share the research and instructional strategies that are shaping the future of local classrooms.

Congratulations to Professor Christopher Cleveland, who received the NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship for his research, "Understanding Special Education at Scale." 🎉

The fellowship supports early-career scholars working in critical areas of education research. Through professional development, funding, and mentorship from senior scholars, it enhances the career and research opportunities of the fellow. As a highly competitive initiative, this fellowship annually identifies and supports 25 of the most exceptional researchers conducting postdoctoral studies relevant to education.

Read more about Professor Cleveland's project:

Christopher Cleveland

Meg Henning, MAT '26, received the 2026 Master’s Award for Professional Excellence for her contributions to curriculum development, instructional leadership, and schoolwide collaboration.

Meg shared, "Receiving this award is a true honor and a reflection of the deep care and joy I’ve found working in Central Falls over the past year. My growth as a professional has been shaped by the remarkable people in this community, and I am grateful to be surrounded by those who inspire me to live out values of integrity, empathy and a strong commitment to the students and families we work with each day. The joy and purpose I find in this work continue to ground and motivate me during uncertain times."

Congratulations, Meg! 🎉

Master of arts in teaching student Meg Henning honored with professional excellence award From supporting student-teacher colleagues in integrating curricular changes to stepping into full time classroom leadership, Meg Henning is being recognized for her impact as a secondary science educator-in-training.

Student Spotlight: Faizaan Siddiqui UEP'26 🌟

Faizaan is turning his classroom experience into systemic change. As an intern at the Equity Institute, he is helping future teachers navigate the certification process and exploring the evolving role of AI in Rhode Island education.

When asked what excites him most about his post-graduation plans, Faizaan shared, "Honestly, being able to put all this experience and knowledge into practice! I've spent the last few years preparing for what feels like this moment. It is time to transition from theory into action."

Check out our latest student spotlight to hear about his journey and advice for the next UEP cohort.

Student Spotlight: Faizaan Siddiqui UEP'26 Faizaan is a UEP student who is interning at The Equity Institute, where he is developing digital Praxis prep resources and research on the integration of Artificial Intelligence in Rhode Island classrooms. Drawing on his background as a chemistry teacher, he is leveraging Brown’s community and ca...

This past weekend, UEP student Ash Horn took her commitment to Providence beyond the classroom, running the Providence Marathon in support of her internship site, Providence Promise. With her UEP cohort cheering her on from the sidelines, Ash and the PVD Promise team raised over $14,000 to support local students’ futures.

Congratulations, Ash! 🏃‍♀️‍➡️