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Professional Development Schools (PDS) were established as
partnerships between preK-12 schools and teacher preparation
universities. They offer pre-service teachers an opportunity
to work
with experienced teachers in a classroom setting while improving
student achievement (Levine, 2002). The Professional Development
Schools program at Westconn brings together classroom teachers,
pre-service teachers, and professors. This collaborative effort
provides an opportunity for the Education and Educational
Psychology Department and classroom teachers in the Danbury
Public Schools to partner for the purpose of improving teacher
quality and student learning.
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NCATE
Standards
Western Connecticut State University's Professional Development
Schools subscribe to the five standards established by the National
Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education (Blair, 2001).
They include learning community, accountability and quality
assurance, collaboration, equality and diversity, and structures,
resources and roles.
- Learning
Community: Danbury is the 7th largest city in Connecticut.
It is located approximately 2 miles east of the New York
state line. The Danbury community is supportive of its educational
system and boasts the largest high school in the state.
Parents and community members often serve as mentors. They
also work with local schools to improve student achievement
and learning. Schools offer seminars to parents and staff
development sessions for teachers.
- Accountability
and Quality Assurance: Stakeholders involved in the PDS
partnership uphold state and national standards for teaching
and learning. This includes incorporating criteria from
the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium
(INTASC), National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education
(NCATE), and the Connecticut Competency Teacher (CCT) standards.
Such standards are documented in classroom teachers' lesson
plans and University course syllabi.
- Collaboration:
Classroom teachers work with pre-service teaches in field-based
settings to enhance their professional skills. Pre-service
teachers develop curriculum materials and implement teaching
methods and instructional strategies that address diverse
student learning styles. WCSU supports learning through
academic development and delivery of clinical courses, cooperative
school-University projects, and by maintaining exemplary
field-based sites.
- Equality
and Diversity: Pre-service teachers work with diverse populations
within the Danbury Public Schools. Over 30 different languages
are spoken in the community. Emphasis is placed on the learning
styles of all students including those with special needs
and the talented and gifted.
- Structures,
Resources and Roles: In addition to the partnership among
classroom teachers, pre-service teachers, and University
professors, others are involved. School principals and University
personnel are very active in the program. They monitor the
PDS program in their schools, and meet with University faculty
on a regular basis. In addition, University faculty liaisons
are assigned to each school. They are a channel of communication
between the school and University.
Blair,
J. (2001). NCATE releases quality measures for professional
development sites. Education Week, 21(8),
14.
Levine,
M. (2002). Why invest in professional development schools?
Educational Leadership, 59(6), 65-68.
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