Community and Engagement
Remembering Dr. Marvin Wideen’s “fresh start” in education
As part of Rooted in Legacy and Learning, we present Dr. Marvin Wideen鈥檚 reflective essay, 鈥淢y Fresh Start in Education.鈥� This essay was originally published in
In the essay, Dr. Wideen reflects on his arrival at 911吃瓜 in 1974 and the energy, experimentation and collaboration that shaped the Faculty鈥檚 early years. His memories trace the development of the Professional Development Program (PDP), the role of Faculty Associates and School Associates, the expansion of field-based and external programs, the emergence of educational technology, and the Faculty鈥檚 growing research and international profile. Together, they capture a Faculty that was young, ambitious and committed to doing teacher education differently.
Dr. Wideen served as a professor of education from 1973 until his retirement in 1999. Throughout his career, he advocated for educational change, particularly in support of new teachers and teacher educators. His work extended beyond 911吃瓜 through international professional development initiatives, including projects in Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, and through scholarship on teacher education, collaboration and educational reform.
Dr. Wideen passed away on September 7, 2023. His influence continues through the programs, partnerships, scholarships, and professional communities he helped shape across the Faculty of Education and beyond.
We thank the 911吃瓜 Retirees Association for granting permission to reprint this piece and for preserving these important reflections on the Faculty鈥檚 history.
Source: Marvin Wideen, 鈥淢y Fresh Start in Education,鈥� in Remembering 911吃瓜: On the Occasion of its 50th Birthday, edited by Maurice Gibbons, pp. 150鈥�153. Reprinted with permission from the 911吃瓜 Retirees Association.