The Neag Teacher Education Program

THE NEAG TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM: UNIVERSITY-SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM-WIDE SURVEY RESULTS --- SPRING 2012 Overall IB/M Program Results

The Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut recognizes the importance of local schools in the state’s effort to prepare future teachers. Partnerships between teacher preparation programs and public schools are essential in providing contextual experiences for pre-service teachers. Open communication and a degree of transparency are necessary for long-term partnerships to thrive. In this spirit, a survey was developed and administered in the spring of 2012. These following represent overall results.

# Districts: 7 # Schools: 27 # Completing Survey: 74

Over the past three Over the past three years, number of Number of teacher candidates the years, number of times Respondents’ years at this school times the respondent met with a respondent has had at this school the respondent met with university supervisor a clinical faculty member

Part A: The following mission statement was developed by representatives from partnering schools: The mission of our partnership is professional preparation of candidates, faculty development, inquiry directed at the improvement of practice, and enhanced student learning. The degree to which the school and UConn are each fulfilling the following standard components (1 = not at all through 4 = very much).

School UConn Gap Mean Mean A school-university culture committed to the preparation of future educators that embraces their active 3.69 3.70 -0.01 engagement in the school community Ongoing and reciprocal professional development for all participants guided by need 3.26 3.09 0.17 A shared commitment to innovative and reflective practice by all participants 3.64 3.75 -0.11 Engagement in and public sharing of the results of deliberate investigations of practice by respective participants 3.06 3.16 -0.10 An articulation agreement developed by the respective participants delineating the roles and responsibilities of all 3.59 3.69 -0.10 involved A structure that allows all participants a forum for ongoing governance, reflection, and collaboration 3.35 3.52 -0.17 Work by college/university faculty and P-12 faculty in formal roles across institutional settings 3.25 3.27 -0.02 Dedicated and shared resources and formal rewards and recognition structures 2.94 2.93 0.01

Part B: The level of agreement about practice and development within the PDS using the following scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree through 4 = Strongly Agree.

Mean Teacher candidate and faculty learning is embedded into the school program and into practice 3.40 Guided learning activities such as practice, reflection, and feedback are embedded in a series of working sessions with PDS 3.44 participants Participants create deep interpersonal connections both within and across institutional boundaries 3.36 The PDS partnership includes multiple partner institutions and has established relationships with multiple schools 3.13 PDS participants both engage in and routinely reflect upon best practice 3.62 Participants in PDS are prepared and supported through a range of professional development activities 3.09 The community of learners, through action, results and personal/professional expectation, determines the focus of the 3.18 professional development of those involved in PDS. The individual and collective self-reflection is facilitated in order to establish the direction of professional development. 3.15 PDS participants’ practice explicitly focuses on providing improved and enhanced educational opportunities for all P-12 students. 3.38

Part C: The degree to which PDS features continuous learning focused on an engaged community of learners using the following scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree through 4 = Strongly Agree.

Mean Teacher candidates are professionally developed via their work in the PDS 3.52 New teachers are professionally developed via their work in the PDS 3.40 Veteran teachers are professionally developed via their work in the PDS 3.23 College/university faculty are professionally developed via their work in the PDS 3.18 Neag student experiences are enriched by this partnership 3.65 Teachers in the school are enriched by the experiences that stem from their partnership 3.43 UConn faculty are enriched by the experiences that stem from his partnership. 3.16 Your P-12 pupils’ learning is enriched by this partnership 3.48

Part D: The percent responding "yes" to address how PDS participants have shared their work with others as a means of contributing to the educational dialogue.

% Yes Have conference presentations occurred? 57.41 Have inter-school and/or intra-school discussions occurred? 61.11 Have PDS-sponsored forums occurred? 31.48 Have oral or written reports to school boards been issued? 9.26 Have oral or written reports to parents organizations been issued? 14.81 Have oral or written reports to other community agencies been issued? 3.70

Part E: The percent responding "yes" to shared decision-making in the PDS.

% Yes The structure provides opportunities for participants to make decisions over... How the PDS functions for the benefit of the relationship. 69.23 How evaluation of the PDS will be used for the benefit of the relationship. 61.54 How resources will be best invested for the benefit of the relationship. 53.85 The practice is mutually determined through discussion and shared decision-making as evidenced by... Straightforward and manageable two-way communication. 84.62 Communications leading to formalized document signed by the individuals negotiating on behalf of the respective participants. 86.54 Meetings and discussions, both formal and informal, held on a regular basis. 88.46 A meeting held early in the academic year to discuss clear expectations for this experience. 94.23 Participation in the structure may not necessarily be equal , but represent some equivalency of contribution based on the 88.46 ongoing collaboration; participants feel a sense of parity. Part F: The percent responding "yes" to (1) have received this from the Neag School of Education and (2) interested in receiving this from the Neag School of Education.

Already In the receive future … Monetary support for lead teacher 20.00 61.82 Monetary support for service as a clinic teacher 20.00 58.18 Monetary support for service as a cooperating teacher 76.36 85.45 Monetary support for service as an internship supervisor 20.00 58.18 Teaching candidate raising funds to benefit the school community 5.45 40.00 Teaching candidate holding benefits (such as coat drive) to benefit the school 12.73 49.09 UConn faculty conducting a workshop 25.45 72.73 UConn faculty conducting a series of sessions on a designated topic 18.18 72.73 UConn faculty working beside a teacher to implement a new technique 18.18 78.18 UConn faculty conducting research at your school 45.45 74.55 UConn faculty conducting research on an issue the school has identified 30.91 72.73 UConn provide team training on instruction 20.00 63.64 UConn providing assistance on a grant with the school 14.55 83.64

How faculty been involved in the school

I never have a problem involving the faculty wiht any UCONN student placements, be it clinic, intership or student tachers. I am not aware of any real connection between the teachers and UCONN other than obsservation visits. I would love tos e soem reciprocal PD offered to our staff through UCONN (NEAG) and our teachers. Some of the faculty are available to offer free workshops and assistance with areas of expertise (i.e., Project M2 & M3, SEM-R). they have not been XX and Langford School have had great open communication regarding 5th year internships throughout the years. (Initial Meetings, visits, and participation in the sharing of 5th year research projects at the end of their last semester) xxx has attended meetings with student teacher/5th year intern about progress/ or placement concerns. I've only been here 7 months so I don't really know. Some faculty have been wonderful in embracing the support given by our student teachers. Some are not so eager to assist stating that it is "more work for them". I see it as a way to provide more service to our very needy students. Students are engaged more and are better prepared each day. Faculty has not been involved in my school. Apart from the initial orientation session and my student teacher asking her methods professor to come and observe her, NEAG faculty have never been in touch with me or visited the school. I know our school participates a with the M3 and M2 programs from Uconn. M2 and M3 Enrichment Faculty has done a nice job meeting with the teacher candidates. Providing support to the Teacher Candidates via observations as well as one day a week classes. Faculty has supported cooperating teacher and student teacher by communicating with the vice-principal and commenting positively as to experience of cooperating teacher and growth of student teacher. AP Courses School faculty: I was surprised and disappointed that the "lead" teacher (a new position?) chosen (by principal) for our school has not been, to my knowledge, a recent Neag mentor or cooperating teacher or involved in the state TEAM program. It seems such a position should be someone who has been and is involved in this process. As to pay for the position, I am not entirely sure of the work load it entails. UConn faculty; except for initial meeting and mandatory observations by UConn supervisor, I am not aware of UConn involvement. My apologies if this escapes me. They have not. I only see supervisors (for student teachers) and they only come when observations are scheduled. I've had a professor's class visit my classes to view class-management techniques. As a former alumnist at the University of Kentucky, and a beginning teacher in Fayette County Public Schools in Lexington, KY., my UK professors were in classrooms frequently conducted research and allowing for teachers to co-facilitate research and collect data. This was instrumental in developing teachers with sound research skills. Faculty from NEAG Bilingual and Multicultural Program participated in Community Conversations about education in my district. They have also periodically provided me with new research findings. One Professor in NEAG came to my class over a 3 week period to help me to integrate motion pictures into my classes. consults Just in the initial orientation to the student-teaching experience. I have not experienced any outside involvement from UConn personnel in our school. (other than the student teaching evaluators) There has been little involvement other than the direct supervision of pre-service teachers. Initial meeting to set the stage for what is expected from this experience. Creation of a program to help athletes improve their academic progress. The faculty have been involved with our school when we piloted a math program with them. Xxx has consulted with teachers in the Teacher Prep Studies Program at Bulkeley High School I have only had contact with UCONN via my student teacher and some research that xxx did a few years back with a few of my students on letter sounds and reading. See Part F observing classroom teachers None

Other potential involvement by faculty to the school that may be helpful

PD...variety of isseus...mentoring the new teacher, classroom management; building support for various learners within a classroom setting; engaging lessons; homework as a meaningful extension of learning; MOre district-wide workshops for teachers. Availability of free course work in specific areas of need/interest. I think the supervisors of the Student teachers should make it a point to check in with the building Principal throughout the semester. As of this time, I haven't met any supervisors other than 5th year supervisor I currently have several student teachers in my building and have had no contact with these individuals. I would love UConn faculty to be availble to provide PD to my staff on selected topics based on need. What are the opportunities? Latest research in content area, common core / teaching and learning. Maybe address the whole staff to explain the system of student teaching and what they can offer to sudents. It seems that if comes from a "higher authority" it is accepted better. I think that first year cooperating teachers should have a mentor or contact person to be able to ask questions. A meeting/workshop 3-4 weeks into the experience would be helpful. This survey asks many questions about Professional Development. I believe it should be led more by UCONN and be offered to cooperating teachers. I think a rubric of the promising practices and what is expected in each domain would be extremely helpful to the intern and the cooperating teacher. I also think that many of the things the students are learning in their classes don't necessarily apply to the urban setting where many of the student teachers are placed. I also feel as though some of the clinic and advisory teachers should have experience with the urban setting to best help, understand and professionally develop their future teachers. Some of the suggestions made during evaluations or observations are not practical in this setting. I'm not quite sure where to place this comment, so I'm going to place it here. I find that forms and communication are a bit ambiguous and expectations unclear. For instance, it was unclear that cooperating teachers had to provide a written evaluation to the candidate at midterm evaluation time. The form only clarifies this for the end of the semester. Even this survey was difficult to understand in some areas. Some of the items were wordy and complicated. Essentially, I'd like for faculty to provide clearer communication to all parties involved. I would like to know more about the coursework that leads up to the Student Teaching experience. Classroom exposure versus classroom experience is typically lacking in some areas. The practice is well organized and it was very easy for new cooperating teachers to participate in. I was fortunate in my first year to have a lead teacher from UCONN that helped me see how to script lessons for the cooperating teacher. I am not sure if all cooperating teachers get that help. More enrichment courses to be taught or designed in the classroom. I know this is not the topic assigned to this box; While I understand that teachers such as myself participate in programs such as yours as a means of giving back to the profession, there is a tremendous responsibility and work load involved in the process. I'm certain that $250 for the time spent this year is less than a $1 an hour! In this current political climate of minimizing the classroom teacher's role and value, UConn needs to rethink this payment amount. More PD on better prep for students re: readiness for college; better collaboration between K-12 schools and U. I'm very open-minded and like collaborating. It would be helpful to know what knowledge student teachers should be coming in with as a 4th year student, i.e. being informed about IEPs/504 plans, familiarity with assessments (Dibels, DRA), behavior management strategies that have been discussed, etc. Complimentary copies of research articles, perhaps some books? I've been enjoying reading "Becoming a Reflective Educator" by xx. A poster session series for local school districts would be interesting as well as offering professional development or grants to provide for continued teacher education that translates into college credits would be helpful. Opportunities to enhance instruction using technology. more support/visits/observations when a student teacher is not meeting goals/responding to reflection/discussion with cooperating teacher Sessions on designated topics in education for veteran teachers. I would be interested in professional development regarding new educational developments in our community. I would like to see more dialogue between the school district and the university. Rarely are teachers asked how students can be better prepared to become teachers; what strengths and weaknesses we see. Offer guidance to teacher candidates on real-life teaching scenarios within their schools. Nothing. Discussion with department chair about realistic expectations of student-teachers at the school and on UConn campus during the student-teaching experience. I would like to see more opportunity of professional development for the student teachers, especially now that the common core standards are being implemented into all the academic areas. To assist us with problems that we have identified such as students completing homework. See Part F specialized pd from university faculty or partners training for helping student teachers

How the partnership provides opportunities for teacher candidates to develop their skills and knowledge in working with diverse students really not sure This happens through field study, collaborative work and clinic placements. mostly through work with classroom teachers and support staff Our partnership provides the UConn students a real opportunity to experience instruction in action in our diverse school. 5th Year interns are involved in using student data to drive instruction.They also have an opportunity to collaborate with collegues on the planning for Tiered interventions in order to meet individual needs. Teacher candidates are able to work with a diverse group of students. Experience with closing the Achivement Gap. They see first hand what real life teaching is. It is not like a made for TV movie. Not all happy endings. The partnership does an excellent job of giving teacher candidates a variety of experiences in working with diverse students. Being able to have hands-on experience over the course of 12 weeks as student teachers is the most valuable aspect of the program. ***I don't know where to write this, but I just want to say that this survey is very confusing. I'm not sure if I answered the questions accurately or not. I'm sure there are many other people who feel the same way and I even showed it to my student teacher and she thought it was very confusing as well. It took me way more than 3-10 minutes to complete!*** An indispensible part of their learning is in the classroom Their increased involvement with the students throughout the year helps them develop their skills in working with children of diverse needs and backgrounds. The more teacher candidates can get in front of a class of students, the further developed their experiences are and the greater impact they can have on students. The partnership with Windham definately allows for student teachers to see what it is like to work in an inner school setting with ELL students. This is invaluable in that most new teachers find them selves teaching in such schools their first few years of teaching. This year, my student teacher was more aware of diversity needs and issues. She had excellent rapport with all the students. It appears UConn offers very limited opportunity for teacher candidates to understand and apply any information he/she garners about diversity in his/her studies and is dependent upon the needs of students in the classroom and the cooperating teacher's expertise / experiences. The student population dictates the teacher candidate's application and development of working with diverse students. Hard to say. But I'm pleased that we communicate to make student teaching a great experience. Humanity is infinitely diverse, therefore teacher candidates, regardless of where they teach, will develop skills and knowledge for working with students of diverse needs. We have a diverse population from which teacher candidates can better prepare for their futures especially in inner city situations. I don't see the uconn staff helping with this Through attending parent-teacher conferences, PPT meetings, and professional development targeted toward our diverse student population. I have not had any experience in this area. The school environment is the only place for the students to put the theory they have been learning at UCONN into practice in a supportive environment that encourages reflection and risk-taking. Although we do not have tremendous racial diversity, we do have tremendous diversity in achievement, learning style, and family involvement. We have a very diverse population within our school. The partnership provides the opportunity for teacher candidates to work with all populations of students to increase their skills by giving them the chance to explore different settings and students of all abilities. This increases their awareness and understanding in order to be an effective teacher for all students. Teacher candidate observation period (usually in the fall) introduces student teacher prospects to our school diversity (urban area). I found this observation period to be very valuable in preparing the student teacher and the students to get the most out of the student teaching experience. Windham is a very diverse community and allows the student teachers to see the type of heavy problems our needy community deals with every day. It is a great opportunity to see first hand and become involoved with these real world problems that they may have to deal with in their own classroom. The University does a good job of providing the student teaching and internship candidates with a wide variety of placements, both urban and rural. I think that there needs to be more communication between the University and the cooperating teachers. We have one meeting before the experience begins and then our only contact is with the University Supervisor who is not necessarily a faculty member of the University. We don't always know as cooperating teachers what exactly the expectations are that are being set in the courses and whether or not we are following through on those. teacher candidates are immersed in inclusion classroom and classroom that are heterogeneous. Many students that they work with are ELL's, SPED and students who are academically below grade level. Teacher Candidates work along side regular teachers, SPEd teachers, bilingual, esol teachers and many other resource personnel. Provided the cooperative teacher has a range of courses and allows the teacher candidate to handle the different courses.