Yale Education Studies is proud to offer courses taught by distinguished ed-practitioners. Jennifer Berkshire (she/her) shares her expertise in education journalism!
Originally from Gloucester, Massachusetts, Berkshire began her career by recording interviews at local labor union strikes. Later, as she engaged with the statewide teachers union, she realized her passion for podcasting. Berkshire now studies the intersection of education and politics—in her words, “anything that people fight about.” She has always loved asking questions and the excitement of learning new things, which she experiences every day as a teacher and podcaster.
At Yale, Berkshire teaches The Politics of Public Education, where students learn journalism skills and discuss the profound divisions over education, including how and why people struggle to resolve them. Her podcast, Have You Heard, examines the policy issues facing American public schools and recently completed its 171st episode. Berkshire is co-author of The Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door (2020) and the upcoming book The Education Wars (2024), and her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Nation, and many other publications. She also teaches journalism at Boston College and is excited to begin teaching for their prison education program.
Jennifer’s advice for students interested in pursuing education is to not lose sight of the big picture and to continue to educate themselves. She believes being knowledgeable about the broader historical and political contexts of educational debates can help educators feel less alone.