Introduction:
I’m not sure what box I’m thinking outside of here. But I can’t quite parse the student numbers issue. But I think we should start dreaming programs and let the student numbers issue follow. We need to develop several large courses to attract students from across the university…think three credit diversity requirement of Race and Racism in the US. Think Multicultural Children’s Literature. Think Progressive Thought For Democratic Schools. Think Schooling and Parenting For A Democratic Society.
Scenario One.
Four year program. Students from all programs take foundation, psychology, introduction to education courses together as a group. Team taught across el/md/sec/fdn faculty. School experience through SL connections throughout. Methods stay within programs. Student teaching local, faculty from all programs supervise across programs.
Variation: Primary education goes to echd. Elem works with grades 3-6, blends with middle level ed. All methods taught in one block with pull out discussion sections dealing with program specific adaptations.
Variation: Echd comes into DOE. Teacher education programs under one organizational roof. One teacher education faculty = echd, intermediate, middle, secondary.
Scenario Two.
Fourth year and fifth year program. Foundation, psychology courses taken all together as a group. Faculty team. Summer school (public school) methods experience between 4th and 5th year. Fifth year internships constitute student teaching. BA and MEd. Grant support. Interns pair up, take over classroom teaching slot. Teacher released for graduate work and program supervision/teaching.
Variation: Fifth year internship occurs partially in urban school with need. We (whoever that is – released teachers??) work there. Graduate work 2/3s distance learning + one UVM person in the school.
Scenario Three.
ElEd. Foundations first year. Psychology second year. SL connection with both courses in schools, after school programs, boys and girls clubs, homework sessions at schools. Methods third year modularized, integrated with school SL strands across whole year. Summer school teaching between third and fourth year. Major internship fourth year. Heavy technology involvement throughout. El/Md/Sec/Fdn faculty teach throughout. Grant support.
Scenario Four.
Interprofessional Model. Teams of faculty work with cohorts of students. Team = education generalists, sw faculty member, foundations faculty member. Content modularized as much as possible with ample use of technology. Social work students in schools as well. Each cohort has a faculty leader responsible for overall conduct of content. Grant supported.
Scenario Five.
We do pre-professional prep. in junior and senior years to large numbers of students – if they will come. Between fourth and fifth year, we run several summer school programs to deliver an introductory methods experiences. Fifth year student teaching, interns paired, take over class, teacher released for supervisory and methods teaching responsibilities along with a university faculty person. Ample technology support. BA + MEd. or PBAC. Module/competency based. No “courses” as such.
Scenario Six.
We go to “experts” like Deborah Meier, others + an ongoing focus forum of our students – the really “wired @Generation ones” to really renovate what we do before we do anything!
Other ideas?????
New (recycled) ideas:
Summer school learning. Could be focused on struggling populations.
Cross program course work.
Modularized experiences
Teacher release/graduate work.
Ba/med program for eled.
Release primary prep. to echd.
Teacher ed faculty one faculty, teaching together.
Heavy, focused, planned technology involvement.
Things to keep in mind:
Numbers count.
External money counts.
Flash/early involvement attracts current students. Are we talking about new students?
Technology is the new frontier.
Teach for America model attractive in terms of money and numbers and quality?
Urban Frontier program.