Developing Quality Teachers
From the October/November 2009 Issue of InFocus (PDF)
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Early childhood teacher education programs, such as Fort Hays State University's Bachelor of Science degree in Education–Early Childhood Unified, are essential in preparing teachers for work in quality pre-K programs. Left: Breanne Davis, education degree candidate at FHSU, works with two children on a fall activity.
Photo courtesty of Fort Hays State University
Attending a high-quality pre-kindergarten has a lasting impact on a child’s success, both in school and later in life. Mounting evidence makes the case that investing in children’s early education is a wise economic development strategy. According to research by the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, investing dollars in high-quality pre-k can yield more than $8 for every $1 invested.
President Obama is among those who believe that investing in early learning makes good economic sense. The federal stimulus package introduced in February this year appropriated billions of dollars for the funding of children’s programs, such as Head Start and Early Head Start ($2.1 billion); the Child Care Development Block Grant ($2 billion); Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act ($13 billion); and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ($12.2 billion, of which $900 million is reserved for birth-to-five programs). In addition, $53.6 billion has been set aside for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund. Use of this money for early learning is left entirely to states’ discretion.
To get the highest return on this investment, the teacher quality is crucial. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has openly criticized education programs. While addressing a crowd on October 9 at the University of Virginia, Duncan said: “In far too many universities, education schools are the neglected stepchild. Too often they don’t attract the best students or faculty.” Although, he noted that not all schools of education were lacking in good faculty and curriculum. Duncan concluded with a directive to the education community: “We need to use every high-quality avenue possible to recruit teachers, whether they are older, successful adults interested in taking a new career path, or college seniors looking to serve the country and work with children.”
At many universities, CE units are doing their part to provide a variety of options to increase the number of qualified early childhood education teachers.
Partnering with School Districts for Teacher Success
Utah State University has developed an online program in partnership with the school districts of the state of Utah. Admission to their Early Childhood Alternative Teacher Preparation– Special Education (EC-ATP) distance education program is limited to those already employed in the Utah school system who have bachelor’s degrees, but who lack a teaching license. Some schools, particularly in rural areas of the state, do not have applicants with the proper credentials. Upon hiring, they must agree to enroll in the teacher prep program and complete the program within three years.
“We have developed a strong collaboration with the school districts that participate in this program,” explains Marlene Deer, Director of the Early Childhood Alternative Teacher Prep Special Education program. “The school district signs an agreement, outlining how it will support the new teacher during the process,” she explains. The employee operates under an emergency letter of authorization while he or she is enrolled. Once admitted into the EC-ATP two-year program, students receive advisement outlining the courses to take and the semesters in which they will be taken.
“Each school district supplies a coach who has experience at the master’s level to perform weekly observations, meet with teachers in class, and discuss their progress and professional development,” says Deer. This schedule can be challenging for these students, who have just taken on a new job and are embarking on the path to licensure. “The success of the program relies heavily on the coaches,” she continues.
New cohorts of teachers meet for a week in the summer before classes begin to attend a week-long orientation. “Basically we highlight survival skills,” explains Deer. “We prepare for the first days by addressing topics such as behavior management. That first week, coaches help the new teachers and work with them on how to collect data and develop measurable goals.” Students take up to six credits a semester. There is an additional week-long Effective Practices Conference the summer following the second year of the program.
EC-ATP, which just started its fourth year, is funded by the state office of education. Enrollment is at about 27, representing 15 school districts all over the state.
“With only two universities accredited for this type of program in the state, we have been able to reach many more people with an online format. Teachers would have had to relocate to complete coursework otherwise,” says Deer.
New early childhood teachers in Utah are able to “meet” with their directors and instructors using a desktop media system called Wimba, which offers a conferencing capability. A supplemental system that incorporates remotely operated video cameras and microphones is under development and eventually will facilitate more frequent interaction between teachers and supervisors. This system will replace the current method of video-taping the student teaching sessions and requiring in-person meetings that require travel for both the supervisor and the teacher.
“The program is very challenging,” continues Deer. However, with the support of the schools, the success rate has been quite high. “Every teacher has been recommended for licenses,” she says.
Fostering Flexibility on Campus
Towson University’s Master of Arts in Teaching Early Childhood not only targets recent grads with a bachelor’s or master’s degree, but also focuses on mid-career professionals who want to change careers and enter the field of education. The two-year program allows students to design a part-time course load to fit a working adult’s schedule. Typically, the degree can be completed in six terms or more. A special education concentration is also offered.
“We are in a health care setting or in information technology in a health care setting. Students at the UMUC program have worked in hospitals, nursing homes, insurance companies, medical supply chain management companies and public health agencies. Graduates of the program often go on to work as front line managers and staff for health organizations.
Lori Jackman, Graduate Program Director for Special Education at Towson University has noticed an increased interest in their program of late. “Based on calls I’ve received, it appears as though people are realizing that adding to your certification or obtaining a certification will increase the likelihood of opening doors and making a way in to a school system,” she says.
Currently there are 14 students in the MAT Early Childhood Special Education program. Graduates are eligible for Maryland licensure, which is transferable to 37 states through an interstate reciprocity agreement. The program is flexible enough to appeal to a wide range of professionals.
“We have people that come in and take courses who have a bachelor’s degree in something else but want to become teachers,” continues Jackman.
The program also appeals to paraeducators—sometimes called instructional aides—who play a central role in the classroom, but who are not certified to teach. Since paraeducators are already employed by the school system, they may be eligible for tuition remission as they continue their education in the field. Also, Towson allows paraeducators to complete their internships at the school at which they are currently employed.
“We allow them to do their internships as long as it is approved by their school district or principal,” explains Jackman. “This means they can complete their internships while working full time,” she says.
Using Technology to Expand the Reach
Fort Hays State University (FHSU) in Hays, Kansas, provides an entirely online bachelor’s degree for those seeking entry into the field of early childhood education. The Bachelor of Science in Education – Early Childhood Unified is part of the University’s Department of Teacher Education and Technology.
“Since we went online in January 2008, we have been growing,” explains Germane Taggart, Chair of the Department of Teacher Education in the College of Teacher Education at Fort Hays State University. “We already have more than 200 students enrolled.” Originally, Fort Hays had a traditional on-campus early education degree program. When the state of Kansas changed the licensure requirements for educators, however, the program went dormant. FHSU decided to rethink the course delivery and created an online format to increase access to the program and broaden its reach. Today, the program is one of FSHU’s top baccalaureate degree programs.
The BS in Education–Early Childhood Unified combines a liberal education with pedagogical theory and research—and integrates technology in the learning experience. Through the use of tools, such as Blackboard, Skype, and AdobeConnect, students are able to interact seamlessly with other students and instructors.
Taggart acknowledges that there is skepticism in regard to some online programs. “They want to know, how do you know we are graduating quality people? And we do that through intensive field experiences and quality scaffolded coursework,” she says. “We require more than 850 hours in-classroom. Our faculty observes and evaluates internships and student teaching using Skype. This is an important piece, as our students can complete internships in or near their hometowns. Skype is accessible and free.”
The program prepares students for licensure in the state of Kansas. Although, several of the students reside out of state, Taggart has found that in most cases, licensure transfers to other states without difficulty. FHSU has a 99 percent placement rate for graduates of the program.
The online format has also changed the student demographics, adding diversity that was missing before in the traditional program. “Our students come from varied backgrounds,” explains Taggart. “They tend to be parents and individuals who thought they could never get a teaching degree. We are able to serve a wider, more ethnically diverse community. We have international students, students on military bases. This program has even broadened our reach in western Kansas,” she continues. “This greatly enriches our discussions.”
—Kandace Gilligan
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