rigor and justice: teacher education programs lauren caracciola and kaitlin riley

RIGOR AND JUSTICE: TEACHER EDUCATION

PROGRAMS

Lauren Caracciola and Kaitlin Riley

Rationale:

Novice teachers are often reassured by veteran teachers that it takes three years to become truly comfortable with one’s teaching practice. While most professions carry short periods of learning curve progress, three years is too long, especially in the high stakes environment in which most teachers practice. Our rigor and justice project attempts to rectify this glaring problem in one of the nation’s most important professions.

Stakeholders

Teacher: “you don’t learn about teaching by sitting in a classroom and talking about teaching theory. You learn to teach by sitting in a classroom and watching others teach. You learn to teach by standing in front of students, trying out your ideas, and gaining your footing. You cannot learn unless you fail and reflect on these failures.”

Stakeholders

Administrator: “We need more numbers of experienced teachers, of course. We also need, in general, more bodies in the classroom. Teaching wide ranges of students in inclusive settings just requires more bodies- but the budget doesn’t allow for this. With a program such as this, we are not only investing in our future employees, we are serving our students that need adult supervision, guidance, and remediation right now.”

Stakeholders

Student: “I had a first year teacher once and you can just tell, like, they don’t know what they’re doing. Kids are like running everywhere and all hype. You feel bad for them, but ya know, its their job and I’m sitting here bored, like I could do this and not learn at home.”

Student: “We drove them away. We were like ‘ok, see how long this one lasts.’ The worst is when they cry. If you don’t know how to do your job with kids you shouldn’t teach. Don’t you go to school for this stuff?”

Goals:

-Provide support to fledgling teachers in areas of difficulty. -Provide extra support for cooperating DOE schools in need of committed, extra staff.-Prepare teachers to enter their first official year of teaching with the confidence and experience of a veteran, third-year.

Overview:

3 year program (Masters Program): 3 schools- 60 person program

In school Year 1: Monthly rotations, observations, teacher and student interviews, one on one tutoring Year 2: Quarterly rotations, observations, pair with veteran teacher to co-plan, small group teaching Year 3: Semester rotations, observations, student teaching,

feedback 2x week Curriculum:Year 1: 2 days in school, 3 days taking classesYear 2: 3 days in school, 2-3 taking classesYear 3: 4 days in school, 1-2 taking classes

Sample Schedule: Year 1

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

School 1 morning observations


History of ed Small group advisory



Teaching lit and learning

Mentor teacher meetings

Mentor teacher meetings

Class proced./org

School 1 afternoon observations

Small group/one on one tutor session

Sample Schedule: Year 2 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

School 6 observations School 6 observations School 6 observations Teaching Writing

School 6 lessons School 6 lessons School 6 lessons Elementary education- issues and solutions

Mentor teacher reflections



Small group instruction Small group instruction Small group instruction

Sample Schedule: Year 3Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

School 7- student teaching



Teaching ELLs School 7- observations




Technology in classroom

School 7- observations









Rigor and Justice: 3 years in classroom

-Year 1: observing and learning-Year 2: (rotations) observing, learning and small group

instruction-Year 3: (residency) learning and teaching under

guidance Strenuous observation program:

-“Teacher Quality Rubric”

- Targetted video and mentor observations weekly Differentiation: -“Teacher Support Classes” Extra support for public schools involved

rigor and justice: teacher education programs lauren caracciola and kaitlin riley

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