UA Little Rock Teacher Residency Graduate Named Jacksonville Middle School Teacher of the Year

Chadwick Comer was part of the inaugural Trojan Teacher Residency Program at UA Little Rock, spending a full year co-teaching with a mentor educator while earning a salary and completing his degree. He is now being recognized as Teacher of the Year at Jacksonville Middle School, the same place where his teaching career began.

The paid teacher residency program places education majors in a K-12 classroom for a full academic year, allowing them to co-teach with an experienced mentor while completing their coursework. Comer, a Middle Childhood Educational Development major, graduated in 2024 and was hired by Jacksonville Middle School immediately after completing the program.

“It was definitely helpful earning an income while completing my last year of college,” Comer said. “The program builds confidence by allowing you to be in the classroom on a full-time basis. From day one, you are teaching, planning, grading, and meeting with parents under the watchful eye of a mentor teacher who is ready to step in if things get overwhelming.”

Comer said spending a full year in the classroom and as part of the school community also made the transition from student to full-time teacher seamless.

“It was an easy decision to stay,” he said. “The entire staff was incredibly supportive from the first day to the last. We were treated as teachers, not interns or observers. We were teachers in every sense of the word.”

Now in his second year in the classroom, Comer said being named Teacher of the Year is both humbling and affirming.

“As a second-year teacher, it means a great deal to me,” he said. “It means that I am noticed and valued. I work with so many amazing teachers that it makes this award mean that much more.”

Comer said having a mentor teacher and utilizing the residency model helped bridge the gap between coursework and classroom realities.

“There is a significant difference between theory and practice,” he said. “An experienced mentor teacher is the bridge between what we learned in class and what we should do in the classroom.”

He said the residency experience was a more effective method than the traditional student-teaching models.

“Traditional models were weekly observations,” Comer said. “You visited the classroom for a day and went home. The residency program puts you in the classroom the entire time. You learn the curriculum, form bonds with students, and become part of the school community.”

Comer’s experience is part of a broader shift in teacher preparation across the state. Beginning in 2027, Arkansas will require all first-time teacher candidates to complete a one-year supervised residency as part of their licensure process, expanding clinical training beyond traditional student teaching.

Dr. Rachel Eells, director of the UA Little Rock School of Education, said the residency model positions graduates and school districts for long-term success.

“As Arkansas moves to require one-year residencies for all teacher candidates, we are committed to providing a high-quality experience that includes coaching and support from our team, along with opportunities to co-teach with strong mentor teachers,” Eells said. “Our close partnerships with districts like Jacksonville also allow some residents to earn a salary while completing their training.”

Eells said Comer exemplifies the impact of that approach.

“We are incredibly proud to have worked with Mr. Comer as part of our inaugural Trojan Teacher Residency cohort,” she said. “From the beginning of his residency, he demonstrated a deep commitment to his students, his school, and his district. He exemplifies excellence in education and continues to lead by example by returning to campus to participate in alumni panels and encourage future teacher residents.”

Comer encourages future students considering the paid residency pathway to be professional, prepare, and build relationships.  

“You are not just participating in a residency — you are building a real-time résumé,” he said. “You are not a resident. You are a teacher.”