Professional Development SeminarMonarch Center

Carol M. Pate, Ed.D.Chestnut hill College

Philadelphia, PA

Qualities and Characteristics of Teacher Candidates and Field

Experience Settings

General Frameworks – National Overview

Special Education Certification and Licensure Unique by State Requirements

Different age levels and disability categories Initial and advanced levels of certification

Add-on endorsements/specialty areas Teachers /supervisors/leaders/directors

Increase in Alternative Licensure /Alternative Certification ProgramsFlorida – BA/BS plus passing Praxis ScoresTeach for America negotiationsTeaching FellowsABE – PA; BA/BS + Praxis; + Internship for one year

Characteristics: Population of Teacher Candidates

TraditionalUndergraduate 18-23 full-time student

May or may not work to support college Population fairly homogenous; little/some experience with

diverse cultures Non-Traditional

Undergraduate adult students completing evening accelerated programs (22 years old /older)Usually working as teacher assistants or other paraprofessional

roles More diverse backgrounds Could be lead teacher in private religious-supported schools Working at current job; arranging time for field experience;

arranging for leave or quitting job when clinical practice time is required

Graduate Students – Initial CertificationSecond Career Candidates

Special Teaching Programs: Teach for America; Teaching Fellows (alternative or Intern programs)o TFA not high retention in teaching field

Characteristics :Population of Teacher Candidates continued

Graduate Students – Initial Certification Second Career Candidates

Working at current job; arranges time to complete field experiences and clinical/student teaching (may take leave of absence or quit position)

Increase in number of males as teacher candidates Mothers returning to school after raising children

Graduate Students – Advanced Preparation Teachers adding a second/third certification

ECE/Elementary adding Special Education Secondary English/Social Studies adding Special

Education

Characteristics :Population of

Teacher Candidates continued

Graduate Students – Advanced PreparationTeachers adding a second/third certification

Special Education Teachers adding supervision

Teachers adding age range (Prek-8 to 7-12)Teachers adding endorsements

Autism

Challenges: Teacher Candidate PopulationTraditional Students (18-23 yrs old)

Little diverse experiences during formative years

Need significant scaffolding/support for developing professional dispositions during field experiences (high maintenance)

Need significant exposure to diverse P-12 settings to meet field experience competencies

For some candidates who work; programs completed in more than four years

Challenges: Teacher Candidate PopulationUndergraduate Adult Candidates

Work to support family increases time needed to complete program

Positions in ECE /child care settings hampers ability to obtain broader experience (to K-3 classroom settings)

Adult learners with experience not as flexible to learn from younger certified teachers

Candidates not as flexible to participate in extended field experiences due to family commitments

Challenges: Teacher Candidate PopulationGraduate Teacher Candidates – Initial

LevelsSame challenges as undergraduate adult

candidatesFamily considerations for field placementsCurrent position may not provide diversity

experiences Difficulties adjusting to less-experienced

cooperating teacherTFA/PTF placements – most difficult

placements; need significant mentoring/on-going support and IHE supervision throughout program.

Challenges: Teacher Candidate PopulationGraduate Level Teacher – Advanced Field

PlacementsCurrent position not conducive to advanced

requirementsEndorsement area addition – no readily

accessible field experience in school of current assignment

Adding special education: same as above; or time with students not in large enough blocks to assess competencies

Diverse teaching practices: co-teaching/resource room/home-bound not well developed in school

Qualities and Characteristics of Field Experience SettingsGeographical and Demographic Location of

Primary Teacher Preparation ProgramsLarge Urban Teacher Preparation ProgramsLarge Suburban/Rural Teacher Preparation

ProgramsMid-Sized to Small Urban Teacher Preparation

ProgramsMid-Sized to Small Suburban/Rural Teacher

Preparation ProgramsAll-sized Teacher Preparation Programs Serving

More Specific Populations; i.e., native Americans; Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders, Alaska Natives

Challenges : Field Experience SettingsChallenges for Field Experiences

Large Urban Teacher Preparation ProgramsLittle contact/experience with suburban/rural

communitiesTeachers primarily from outside urban communities

during their formative yearsP-12 Schools – difficult environments to place teacher

candidates; especially middle and secondary levelsLarge Suburban/Rural Teacher Preparation

ProgramsLittle contact/experience with urban schoolsLittle contact with P-12 students who are from diverse

backgroundsSome ethic groups settle in suburban/rural areas

Challenges: Field Experience SettingsMid-Sized to Small Programs

Competition for field experience placementsSame challenges as larger programs

All Programs Serving Specific PopulationsSimilar challenges as other programs

Qualities and Characteristics: Early Childhood FEEarly Childhood Special Education

Need opportunities to experience young children with disabilities in a variety of settings that are accredited by state licensure/national accreditation organizations:Home-based Day Care – Private/public fundingHead StartK-3 Programs (private/public/parochial)Special Settings: Easter Seals Infant-toddler programsSettings that also serve ESL populationsSettings that significantly involve the family in the

education planning

Qualities and Characteristics: Elementary Level FEElementary School Settings

Co-teaching models in inclusion classroomsResource Room teachingClassrooms with students who have

significant behavioral challenges (including students on the autism spectrum)

Urban/Suburban and Rural settingsClassrooms/programs/schools that support

RTITransition programs for students needing

significant academic/social/behavioral supports as they move to middle school

Qualities and Characteristics: Middle Level FEMiddle Level School Settings

Co-teaching models in inclusion classroomsResource Room teachingClassrooms with students who have significant

behavioral challenges (including students on the autism spectrum)

Urban/Suburban and Rural settingsClassrooms/programs/schools that support RTITransition programs for students needing significant

academic/social/behavioral supports as they move to high school

Programs/Classrooms with students who have significant disabilities requiring assistive technology to benefit from education

Qualities and Characteristics: High School FEHigh School Level School Settings

Co-teaching models in inclusion classroomsResource Room teachingClassrooms with students who have significant

behavioral challenges (including students on the autism spectrum)

Urban/Suburban and Rural settingsClassrooms/programs/schools that support RTIPrograms/Classrooms with students who have

significant disabilities requiring assistive technology to benefit from education

Transition planning and implementing for work/independent living/post-secondary programs

Candidate ConsiderationsStart with ends in mind (backwards

planning)What specific competencies are

current candidates missing from existing field experience(s)?ExposureEngagementDemonstrationModeling

What specific field experiences may be missing to support the needed competencies?

Candidate ConsiderationsLiteracy Practices Social SkillsCommunication with Conversational patterns

Parents/FamiliesInterdisciplinary Teams Transition Planning and

Implementation

Differentiated Teaching PracticesAdvocacy for Students/Parents/Families Professional Development SchoolsLegal Aspects of Education Medical/Rehabilitation Aspects of Special

Education

Designs to Meet Needs Collaboration between Unit and School Partners

EC; Elementary; Middle School; High School Create new partnerships to meet unique needs

Day Care/EC providers allow 4 weeks for candidate to teach in K-3 classroom for clinical placement

IHE to provide professional development in RTI, or co-teaching, or other targeted areas to enhance experience of teacher candidates in schools – especially in middle and secondary schools

Summer institute bringing urban teacher candidates to rural school programs/ and vice-versa

Teacher candidate exchange programs IHE (Mid-Sized/Small) Adopt a School Program

Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Field Experiences and Clinical PracticeExpand sites for field experiences; use specific

rubric/assessment/observation tools to evaluate sitesConnect site program with diverse needs of teacher

candidates (List of possibilities included below)

FE Settings to Meet Partnership Needs Public, private, and/or parochial or religiously-affiliated schools (both Title 1 and non-Title

1) Boys/Girls Clubs After School Programs Before-School Day-Care Programs Commercial Learning Centers, e.g. Sylvan, Huntington, Kaplan Test Centers Tutor Time, ChildTime, Goddard or other licensed preschool settings Immigration and Naturalization Service English classes Community college remedial courses YMCA and YWCA Jewish Social Services, Catholic Social Services, Lutheran Social Services, or other

community-based continuing education opportunities Summer Camp programs Private formal tutoring classes with a certified teacher Virtual schools with a certified teacher Home School networks with a certified teacher Summer School Programs Summer School ESY Programs Private schools for Student s with Disabilities Adult Service Agencies (for transition programs) Community Service Agencies for Families Education Law Centers

Designs to Meet Knowledge, Skills & Disposition NeedsCandidates’ Development and

Demonstration of Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Dispositions To Help All Students LearnDevelop assessment rubrics for each unique

field experience setting to identify competencies that would support the candidate in the more formal clinical student teaching setting. Professionalism competencies Communication with diverse individuals/community

members/groupsSpecific teaching/skill competencies obtained in

setting

Designs to Meet Knowledge, Skills & Disposition NeedsGraduate Students : Advanced FE Needs

Systematic inquiry into their own practice as well as that of colleagues in school (action research)

ESY Programs that serve students in endorsement area (students on autism spectrum)

Arrange Saturday tutoring/teaching/other programs for students with disabilities

Advanced case studies analysis – including IEP development

After school programs – RTI Tier I and II services

Videos of teaching practice

Designs for Your Program NeedsIdentify Unique Needs in terms of

Candidate competency needsIHE /Geographical Demographics & Current

DesignStudent Population – Traditional or Non-

TraditionalTeacher Candidate Program Level and Specific

Area (if applicable) EC; Ele; MS; HSGraduate Initial or AdvancedNCATE FE Requirements – what standard(s)

would you need to consider in your re-design/improvement