In "Mini Moments with Big Thinkers," leading figures in Teachers College's history discuss groundbreaking ideas, research and initiatives born at the College during the past half-century. The Mini Moments are drawn from the College’s Oral History Project, a collection of more than 90 videotaped interviews conducted by Melanie Shorin and Jessica Wiederhorn, the principals of The Narrative Trust, a private firm that conducts and captures the oral histories of institutions, communities and individuals. Produced in conjunction with TC’s Department of Development and External Affairs, the Mini-Moments are airing throughout 2013.
Richard Mills | Mini Moments With Big Thinkers
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Mini Moments With Big Thinkers
Richard Mills
Richard Mills began his career as a history teacher at the Dalton School in New York City and helped found the Elizabeth Seeger School in 1971. He pursued an MBA at Columbia Business School, graduating in 1975 before pursing his doctorate at Teachers College.
Mills worked for the New Jersey Department of Education in the mid-1970s and was named to serve as special assistant on education to Governor Thomas Kean in 1984. In 1988, Governor Madeleine M. Kunin selected him to serve as Commissioner of Education for Vermont, a post he held for seven years.
In 1995, under Governor George Pataki, Mills began his 13-year tenure as New York State's Commissioner of Education, succeeding TC alumnus Thomas Sobol. During that time, he emerged as a leader of the national movement to promote standards through testing. He focused on accountability because, in his own words, “It’s not fair to graduate children without the knowledge and skills to make it in the world—we are setting them up for failure.” Under his leadership, New York's districts were for the first time held accountable for student performance on state achievement tests; the Regents diploma became standard; and the state allocated more money for New York City and other high-needs districts. When Mills stepped down in 2009, New York had significantly raised its high school graduation rates. He was succeeded by TC alumnus John King.
Mills received TC's Medal for Distinguished Service in June 2010.
To learn more about Richard Mills, read:
- TC Testimonials: Alumni, friends and admirers reflect on the College (TC Today magazine)
- The Class of 2010: Graduating Amid Challenge and Change (www.tc.edu)
- NY Commissioner Richard Mills and Father of Test Preparation Stanley Kaplan in Great Speaker Series (www.tc.edu)
- A New York Tradition for Teachers College Alumni (www.tc.edu)
Learn more about TC's programs in education leadership, Learn more about the College's Department of Organization and Leadership and its programs in education leadership -- including the Urban Education Leaders Program to prepare superintendents.
Premiered on 12/8/2013
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Nahas Angula
Ed.M., 1979; M.A., 1978
Jody Gottfried Arnhold
Dance Educator
Col. Bernard Banks
Ph.D. '11
Leonard Blackman
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George Bonanno
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Warner Burke
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George Bond
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Margaret Crocco
former TC Professor of Social Studies and Education
Morton Deutsch
E.L. Thorndike Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Education
Christopher Emdin
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Alumnus William Epps
Pastor, Second Baptist Church, Los Angeles
Claire Fagin
M.A. '51
Celia Genishi
Professor of Education
Antoinette Gentile
Professor Emeritus, Movement Sciences
A. Lin Goodwin
Vice Dean and Professor of Education
Edmund Gordon
Richard March Hoe Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Education
Maxine Greene
William F. Russell Professor Emeritus in Foundations of Education
R. Douglas Greer
Professor of Psychology and Education
Jeffrey Henig
Professor of Political Science & Education, Department Chair, EPSA
Ellie Krieger
M.S. '94
David Johns
M.A. '06
Sharon Lynn Kagan
Marx Professor of Early Childhood and Family Policy
John B. King, Jr.
Ed.D. '08, New York State Commissioner of Education
Henry Levin
Professor of Economics & Education
Richard Mills
EdD '77
Eric Nadelstern
Professor of Practice in Educational Leadership
Sandra Okita
Assistant Professor of Technology and Education
Raphael MontaƱez Ortiz
Ed.D. '82
Matthew Pittinsky
Ph.D. '08
Michael Rebell
Professor of Law and Education
William Dodge Rueckert
Co-Chair, Teachers College Board of Trustees
Donna Shalala
President of the University of Miami, former TC faculty member
Gita Steiner-Khamsi
Professor of Education
Derald Wing Sue
Professor of Psychology and Education
Viola Vaughn
EdD '84
Ruth Vinz
Program Coordinator, English Education
Cally L. Waite
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Barbara Wallace
Professor of Health Education
Vivian Ota Wang
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Howell Wechsler
Ed.D. '95 and 2012-2013 Tisch Lecturer