November 17, 2025 — In celebration of American Education Week, the National Center for Teacher Residencies believes in recognizing the contributions of those who may go unnoticed for the work and talent they bring to classrooms. One impactful role that comes to mind are teacher residents. We are shining a spotlight on teacher residents’ passion and contributions to the field of education by amplifying the real voices and stories of teacher residents across the United States.
Meet Ray Reduque, Teacher Resident, Seattle Teacher Residency
How did you come to find out about the teacher residency program?
I did my own research into teacher preparation programs. I had also heard that some public school districts worked with residency programs, so I crossed my fingers that Seattle Public Schools was one such district, and it was!
Why did you decide to take part in the program?
I knew that the Seattle Teacher Residency program would get me into the classroom faster than a normal graduate school program. As someone who has already done graduate school once before, it was a priority for me to finish my graduate-school requirements – and start teaching in a classroom – as quickly as possible.
Before beginning the program, what role(s) did you hold or continue to hold?
I was a corporate lawyer for a number of years at two large global law firms. I fell in love with education through my pro bono work, where I served on the boards of trustees of two independent schools and the governing body of one public elementary school.
How has being part of the program contributed to your life?
The best part of the program is being able to work with my class of bright and talented fourth graders every day at my placement school. I feel that’s something unique to residency programs – you quickly find yourself immersed in a real-world public school classroom, spending time seeing and actually doing the job, rather than simply reading about it in a textbook.
What does teaching mean to you?
As a Filipino American and a product of public schools myself, when I practiced corporate law, I would sit in these office conferences rooms with other lawyers and Fortune 500 business executives and realize that I was the only person who looked like me – and went to public school – in the room. Teaching, to me, means an opportunity to help change that dynamic – to teach public school students of color who remind me of me, so that more people who look like us are in those same conference rooms one day.
What are you looking forward to most upon completion?
I imagine this is a popular answer for teacher residents: having my own classroom.
We invite you to read more stories of teacher residents from our NCTR Network teacher residency programs.
Photo provided by the Seattle Teacher Residency