Pilot Program Seeks to Educate Teachers

On the heels of the announcement that an expert committee has recommended new reforms to teacher education, a national pilot program has been initiated in eight states. The goal of the program is to transform teacher education and preparation with the objective of giving prospective teachers more in-classroom experience.

"Teaching, like medicine, is a profession of practice," said State University of New York Chancellor Nancy Zimpher, who was the co-chair of the expert committee that released the report. Zimpher went on: "Making clinical preparation the centerpiece of teacher education will transform the way we prepare teachers."

The pilot program is being launched in California, Colorado, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, and New York. These states have agreed to implement the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Clinical Preparation and Partnerships for Improved Student Learning, a committee under the guidance of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Among the tactics of the pilot program:

- Put prospective teachers in the field (the classroom) earlier in their training.
- Provide prospective teachers with varied experiences: create "rounds" where they experience many different types of classrooms and then decide which best fits their expertise and interests.
- Initiate online and video tutorials to supplement in-classroom experience.
- Continue case-study analysis so that future teachers are well-prepared to deal with the plethora of student and community wants and needs.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan fully supports the pilot program, saying: "There is little or no accountability for turning out effective teachers. It is time to start holding teacher preparation programs far more accountable for the impact of their graduates on student learning and achievement."

Photo Credit: Kevin Dooley