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#3 -- K-12 and Teacher Preparation Reform
As part of our mission, we seek to integrate the strengths of the
University with those of our partners in schools, communities, and
others in the private and public sectors and to ensure that through
teaching, research, policy analysis, and service, all children and
families are fully prepared to succeed in school, be effective
life-long learners, and participate in a democratic society, its
institutions, and the economy. We prepare educators to serve diverse
populations and communities. Further, through collaborative research
and service, we seek to advance knowledge and understanding across our
discipline to inform policy, improve practice and thereby strengthen
schools, communities, and all levels of educational and related
developmental programs and policy. To realize its mission and vision
the University’s School of Education has been engaged in reform and re-engineering of
the unit’s teaching, service, and research efforts. These
efforts include:
Key Initiatives (1999-2002)
·
Transforming the Assessment and Teaching of Pre-service Teachers.
The redesign of teacher education programs focuses on key areas of the
content and nature of the curriculum, both in campus-based instruction
and student-teaching placements. This work reflects a shift from an
"inputs-based" model, where student readiness is judged
largely by the courses they have taken, to a "proficiency and
performance-based" approach where students must both complete
necessary educational experiences and also demonstrate that they have
acquired and can apply to the teaching of pre-12 students, the skills,
knowledge, and dispositions necessary to effectively, and at high
levels, impact the learning of their students.
·
The University of Rhode Island/Holmes and Urban Partnership Network.
This partnership, involving schools throughout Rhode Island, has a
particular focus on middle-level education but will include all levels
of K-12 education when fully implemented. This effort seeks to provide
for a network of "professional develop districts" as
intensive placements for student teachers, and the enhancement and
mentoring of young teachers.
·
"Preparing Tomorrow’s
Teachers to use Technology (PT3)." This federally-funded initiative seeks to improve teaching and learning
through the use of technology and targets not only pre-service
students but also seeks to enhance the skills and collaboration of
faculty from the School of Education, the College of Arts and
Sciences, and classroom teachers to enhance their instruction and
preparation of pre-service educators.
·
The URI/Rhode Island Federation of Teachers’ Partnership. This partnership focuses on enhancing the education of pre-service
teachers, and providing ongoing mentoring, educational opportunities
and experiences to teachers in their early years of teaching–as well as to assist veteran teachers–as
they move toward National Board Certification. A second major core of
this work is the development of literacy and reading instruction and
skills for pre-service URI students. We hope to expand this work to
include RI-National Education Association.
·
Focus on Transfer Articulation for Education Majors. We
are working in partnership with the Community College of Rhode Island
and Rhode Island College to encourage students from diverse
backgrounds to pursue a career in public education and to support
their transfer to URI or RIC education programs.
·
Information Works! and School Accountability for Teaching and Learning
(SALT) Survey. The National Center on Public Education and Social Policy works in
collaboration with the Rhode Island Department of Education to produce
Information Works! and the SALT survey data, both part of Rhode
Island's school information and accountability program. Information
Works! is the annual report on the status and progress of K-12
education for the State as well as each district and school. SALT is
the umbrella initiative of the Rhode Island Department of Education to
enhance student achievement and performance for all students through
improved instruction, learning conditions and accountability.
·
Teacher Preparation for Certification. URI
is a partner with the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), the
Rhode Island Foundation, Rhode Island College, the Rhode Island
National Education Association and the Rhode Island Federation of
Teachers to provide support to teachers preparing for certification by
the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
·
Rhode Island Teachers in Technology Initiative (RITTI).
Rhode Island Teachers in Technology Initiative (RITTI) is a
partnership among the Rhode Island Foundation, the University of Rhode
Island, and the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) to provide
laptop computers, training, and support to one-quarter of Rhode Island
K-12 educators. This ongoing and very successful project has earned
funding of about $3 million from the U.S. Department of Education.
·
Gender Equity in Mathematics and Science (GEMS) Initiative.
This National Science Foundation funded initiative works with partners
at RIC and RIDE to strengthen the skills and knowledge base of
teachers in schools throughout Rhode Island in the teaching of
mathematics and science with a particular concern on equity for all
students. URI faculty involved are from the School of Education as
well as science and mathematics related areas and programs throughout
the campus. The National Science Foundation support to date is $1.2
million.
Indicators of Success for 1999-2000
·
All teacher education programs will implement portfolio assessments as
part of both admissions and ongoing assessments of students.
·
Faculty in Education, partner schools, and related courses will identify
specific products and competencies to be demonstrated in each
course/educational experience.
·
A framework will be developed for the ways in which the College of Arts
and Sciences and related core faculty will provide more fully
integrated teacher preparation and ongoing professional development
and support efforts.
·
The middle-level program and at least four of its Holmes Partner sites
will be fully operational and an initial state review visit will have
been received.
·
Joint offerings with field-based teacher to enhance the preparation of
students in reading and literacy will be developed and implemented.
·
A first and second round of Education, Arts and Sciences, and other
faculty will participate in the PT3 initiative, and the program will
be refined based on their feedback.
·
Further reliability and validity work will occur on the assessments that
are developed by the School of Education to consider student progress.
·
University and the School of Education faculty will continue to
collaborate with the Policy Consortium, the Higher Education
Preparation Policy Group, and related RIDE and other statewide policy
and professional entities.
·
The National Center on Public Education and Social Policy (NCPE) and the
School of Education will continue to refine and expand their work with
State agencies, schools and districts.
·
Students from diverse backgrounds will increasingly apply to and
complete the Teacher Education Program.
·
Like other Schools of Education in its sister New England Land-Grant and
research institutions, URI will create and implement a development
plan that provides for the resources necessary to confront the
challenges of excellence in teacher education and land-grant
partnerships and public service to the State of Rhode Island.
·
Students in the teacher education programs will increasingly reflect
competencies to teach special needs students and thosefrom diverse and
multi-lingual backgrounds.
·
Initial institutes and joint professional development experiences in
partnerships with districts and unions will be provided.
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