Twelve Research-based Components for an Effective Teacher Preparation

To address teacher shortages in New York State (NYS), the Northeast and Islands  Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) used data from the NYS Education Department to conduct two related studies. Among other variables, the studies sought to better understand the pathways by which both new and experienced teachers obtained certification, in what areas, and where they were employed. One REL study was conducted with teachers with less than one-year of experience who began teaching between 2015-2018 found: 

·  While the majority of new teachers earned certificates through the traditional in-state pathway, this varied somewhat by certification area. The proportion of teachers who earned certificates through the individual evaluation pathway was higher for the shortage certification area of career and technical education than for other certification areas.

·       The most frequent certification area for new teachers was in the shortage certification area of special education (40 percent), while the shortage certification areas of career and technical education and bilingual special education were among the least frequent areas (1 percent each).

·       New teachers employed in high-need districts had higher rates of retention in the same district for a second year than did new teachers employed in average and low-need districts

The second related REL study examined how teachers with more than one-year of teaching experience earned additional certificates between 2015-2017. These findings included:

• About 5 percent of experienced teachers in 2015/16 earned additional certificates between October 2015  and October 2017, and these teachers had fewer years of teaching experience (on average 7 years) in New York State public schools than did teachers who did not earn additional certificates during that time (on average 15 years).
• More than half of experienced teachers earned additional certificates through the traditional in-state pathway, while about a third did so through the individual evaluation pathway.
• Special education was the most common shortage certification area in which experienced teachers earned additional certificates (27 percent). 

Obviously, the results from the two REL studies could be used to effectively communicate with current or prospective teachers and NYS teacher preparation programs. Ideally, the results of the referenced REL studies would inform other state policymakers’ work to address statewide shortages. Crucially, the preparation of teacher candidates must become as efficient and effective as possible.  Paraphrasing Covey (1989), in the pursuit of helping to create positive change, we must be effective with people and efficient with time; rather than vice versa. Invitational Education theory and practice, advocates for the utilization of an intentionally caring, optimistic, respectful, and trusting (ICORT) mindset. Through intentional invitations for vibrant discussions and active interactions an ICORT-driven stakeholder within any teacher preparation program would willingly systemically address institutional needs through an inventory of the people, places, policies, programs, and processes (5-Ps) that influence the teacher candidate’s potential for success.

Between the need to develop professional dispositions, the requirements to exhibit content proficiency, and the expected outcome to be “day one ready”, student teaching can be a time of anxiety for the novice.  Does it need to be? The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) through its Coalition for Teacher Preparation has done extensive research and pilot testing to prove that the observable presence of 12 Components within a model for teacher preparation programs can optimize the student teacher's potential. Let's examine the NYC Coalition's 12 leading indicators of success:

Rich Clinical Experience

·         Semester-long experience in NYCDOE host school in communities of color, 4-5 days/week

·         Student teaching seminar aligned to student teaching experience 

·         Candidates co-teach and take gradual responsibility for the classroom alongside a Cooperating Teacher who embodies culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy

Opportunities for Practice and Ongoing Feedback

·         Regular observation by and feedback from Site Coordinator

·         Use of multiple sources of data, e.g. videos, K-12 student perceptions

·         Structured feedback cycles, both formal and informal – driven by the Site Coordinator and Cooperating Teachers, using agreed upon and aligned rubrics, provide candidates actionable, coherent feedback to improve their practice

Practice Based Coursework 

·         Aligns to NYCDOE core pedagogical practices, relevant NYS standards, and NYSED Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework

·         Encompasses perspectives from communities of color

·         Prepares candidates to be culturally responsive and sustaining educators (in partnership with DOE)

·         Provides high-quality opportunities to practice learning from coursework, e.g. micro-teaching, case-based instruction, simulations, video analysis, and lesson study

Performance Assessment and Gateways

·         Grounded in current NYCDOE evaluation framework, Framework for Teaching

·         Relies on multiple sources of data and includes structured feedback 

·         Occurs regularly each semester

·         Co-scoring of select artifacts to ensure inter-rater reliability

·         Tied to interventions and supports as well as clear exit criteria

Site Coordinator Faculty Position

·         Full-time faculty member with robust, recent, and preferably NYCDOE experience, who serves as partnership liaison

·         Develop and teach methods coursework

·         Conduct student teaching seminar

·         Mentor Cooperating Teachers and teacher candidates

Teacher Educator Professional Learning

·         Actively participate in yearly convenings, engage in regular professional development series with Coalition, and commit to sharing experiences and resources with the broader Coalition

·         Develop and implement formal and informal professional learning that aligns with the Teacher Educator Practices Framework and that supports teacher educators to deepen their understanding of how marginalized communities are impacted by structural inequities

·         Train and calibrate on Danielson Framework for Teaching, NYSED CR-SE Framework, and professionalism/disposition rubric

Teacher Educator Practice

·         Ongoing application of learnings to improve curricula, teaching, and coaching of teacher candidates

·         Focused on surfacing and mitigating implicit biases and integrating CR-SE & racial literacy into coursework

·         Feedback that support teacher educators; to improve their practice and further embody culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy

Partnership with Schools

·         Student teacher placements at school sites that serve BISOC, students experiencing economic hardship, Students with Disabilities, Multilingual Learners, LGBTQI+, and other students who have been marginalized by systemic inequities

·         Student teacher experiences scheduled around and responsive to the NYCDOE calendar

·         Recruitment, selection, and professional learning support of exceptional Cooperating Teachers

Robust and Diverse Recruitment pipeline

·         University-district partners co-develop strategic teacher recruitment plans, including goals to increase numbers of BIPOC teachers and address district shortage areas

·         Plans contain focused, measurable, and time-bound goals and benchmarks and address equity and inclusion goals

Monitoring Plan

·         Make collective commitment across partners to share data

·         Plan for what data is needed by whom and when to do what 

·         Dictates details of how data is collected, analyzed, and used

·         Build coherence throughout the Shared Governance Structures, anchored in evaluating progress towards full implementation of the 12 Components

Systems to Collect and Analyze Data

·         Identify disproportionate outcomes

·         Use data visualizations and reports to facilitate decision-making

·         Collect and disaggregate data on:

·         Teacher candidates (e.g., student perception survey, NYCDOE teacher evaluation framework)

·         Cooperating Teacher (e.g., TEPF look-fors)

·         Pilot program (e.g., pilot experience survey, stakeholder focus groups, annual progress reporting against Gates O&Is )

·         Sustainable program development (e.g., school employment records, principal survey, teacher educator focus groups, NYCDOE ORD data such as licensure needs and attrition)

Routines for Using Data

·         Governance meetings at least 2x per semester at the school level, at least quarterly at the IHE level, and biannually at the NYCDOE level

·         Communication protocols

·         Data collection analysis and use plans

You and your Professional Learning Community are invited to reflect upon why this model should be effective with the teacher candidate and efficient with stakeholders’ time. Why should this model promote diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.  Why should this model optimize the student teacher’s potential for Day One Readiness?  Compared to your institution’s teacher preparation program, what might be missing?  

 

To cite:

Anderson, C.J. (August 31, 2021). Twelve research-based components for an effective

teacher preparation. [Web log post] Retrieved from

 http://www.ucan-cja.blogspot.com/

 

 

References

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., & Eaker, R. (2008). Revisiting professional learning

communities at work: New insights for improving schools. Solution Tree Press.

Purkey, W. W., & Novak, J. M. (2016). Fundamentals of invitational education. (2^nd Ed)

            International Alliance for Invitational Education. Retrieved from:

http://invitationaleducation.net/product/category/books