On this episode of Govs Teach Unplugged, host Megan Simpson welcomes Dr. Joanne Philhower. Dr. Philhower is an assistant professor at Austin Peay State University, where she teaches students seeking initial licensure education degrees.

Dr. Philhower discusses her experiences at Austin Peay State University working with traditional, nontraditional and military-affiliated students. She also expands on her passion for assessment and how that extends beyond tests.

If you're interested in shifting your assessment mindset or learning more about the key skill sets that military veterans bring to teaching, this episode is for you!

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⁠APSU Eriksson College of Education⁠

APSU Military & Veterans Affairs Division

Assessment: It Doesn’t Have to Be Quiet or Completed Alone

Enhancing Education Using Student Feedback for Curriculum Mapping Development

Austin Peay honors faculty for excellence during annual awards ceremony

M.A.Ed. in Educational Leadership Studies

APSU’s Full Spectrum Learning introduces Mobile Sensory Carts

Student Tennessee Education Association

On this episode of Govs Teach Unplugged, host Megan Simpson welcomes Jimmy Zambrano-Menard. Jimmy is a senior in the Grow Your Own Teacher Residency Program at Austin Peay State University, set to graduate in August 2026.

Jimmy discusses his experience in the Grow Your Own program – the first federally registered teacher apprenticeship in the nation. As a nontraditional student, Jimmy shares how the program enabled him to complete his teaching degree.

If you want to learn more about the world of teacher apprenticeships, this episode is eye-opening for educators and non-educators alike.

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⁠APSU Eriksson College of Education

⁠APSU Grow Your Own Teacher Residency

McConnell Named Impact Academy Fellow

Leadership CMCSS

New Faculty Publication

Tennessee Lookout Commentary

On this episode, host Megan Simpson sits down with Dr. Christi Maldonado, associate dean of assessment and accreditation and assistant professor in the Eriksson College of Education.

Dr. Maldonado brings more than 20 years of experience in public education to the conversation, including 15 years as an assistant principal in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. Now, she helps prepare the next generation of school leaders through Austin Peay's Master of Arts in Education: Educational Leadership Studies program — the university's second-largest graduate program.

The discussion covers everything from what makes the program unique to Dr. Maldonado's role in a historic achievement: the U.S. Department of Labor's recent approval of the first-ever National Guideline Standards for K-12 Principal Apprenticeships. She also shares candid advice for teachers considering the leap into administration.

Whether you're a classroom teacher eyeing a leadership role or just curious about what it takes to run a school, this episode offers an inside look at the pathway from teacher to principal.

Dive Deeper:

⁠APSU Eriksson College of Education⁠

APSU Master of Arts in Education: Educational Leadership Studies

Principal Apprenticeships: 2026 National Guideline Standards

New U.S. Department of Labor Standards for Principal Apprenticeships Amplify Educator Pipeline

Eriksson College of Education celebrates achievements at annual ceremony

Tennessee Educational Leadership Journal Latest Issue

A Decade After the Passage of ‘Say Dyslexia’ Bill, Confusion Still Persists