Posts Tagged ‘teacher quality’

National Teaching Grant to Boost Diversity

Sam Houston State University was one of 12 Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to receive a portion of the U.S. Department of Education’s Augustus F. Hawkins Centers for Excellence Program grants, which aim to increase high-quality teacher preparation programs for teachers of color, strengthen the diversity of the teacher pipeline and address teacher shortages.

The program supports comprehensive, high-quality teacher preparation programs at MSIs, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). SHSU is categorized within MSI as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).

You’re Invited: Learn About the HBCU TAG During #AACTE23

Join us at the AACTE Annual Meeting this year to learn how historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are transforming teacher education and preparation. The HBCU Teacher Education Topical Action Group (TAG) provides a platform for leaders and scholars associated with HBCUs to share their ideas and research on teacher education and preparation.

On Friday, February 24, 2023, from 8:00 a.m.  to 12:00 p.m., come to the Marriott IndyPlace’s Indiana Ballroom F to learn about the innovative programs and research initiatives at HBCUs that are driving change and making a difference.

AACTE Contributes to Senator Sanders’ Education Town Hall

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the new chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, held a Town Hall meeting on February 13 to call for increasing the salaries and supporting policies for the nation’s educators. 

Sen. Sanders was joined by Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA); Becky Pringle, president, National Education Association; Randi Weingarten, president, American Federation of Teachers; and four educators to talk about their experiences in the classroom and why it is critical to increase salaries for educators. AACTE was invited to share videos (see minute 5:23 and 6:40) of students who are being prepared to become teachers at AACTE member institutions.

AACTE Congratulates Inaugural Recipients of Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence Grants

AACTE is pleased to announce that the following 10 member institutions are part of the inaugural class of grantees under the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence Program (Hawkins Program):   

  • Bowie State University (MD)
  • California State University, Dominquez Hills
  • Florida International University
  • Metropolitan State University of Denver (CO)
  • Northeastern State University (OK)
  • Sam Houston State University (TX)
  • University of Hawai’i
  • University of Houston-Clear Lake (TX)
  • University of Texas at El Paso
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey

Aspiring Elementary Teachers Are Unlikely to Get Essential Social Studies and Science Content They Need to Teach Students

Gaps in Teacher Preparation Program Requirements for Coursework in World History, Economics, and Engineering Will Leave Students Unprepared for the Future of Work and Engaged Citizenry

New data and analysis released from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) finds significant opportunities for teacher preparation programs to improve their coursework requirements to ensure that aspiring elementary school teachers receive the essential social studies and science content knowledge they need for the classroom.

The new NCTQ report, Teacher Prep Review: Building Content Knowledge, shows that while most teacher preparation programs have sufficient course options available, only 3% require aspiring teachers to complete courses in most of the social studies and science topics an elementary teacher needs to know in order to promote students’ literacy and learning. Key topics most often absent in program requirements include world history and economics in social studies (required by fewer than 20% of programs), and engineering design in science (required by only 10% of programs), potentially leaving future teachers unprepared to provide their students with the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the modern world.

Tips for Supporting Teachers at Every Phase of Their Career

Looking for strategies to support teachers throughout their career? GoReact will host a live discussion on teacher support with a panel of education experts to gain revolutionary insights on how best to motivate and support teachers at every stage in their career. Register today for this complimentary event.

On Wednesday, February 15 at 4:00 p.m. EST, AACTE President and CEO Lynn M. Gangone will share her insights with Machel Mills-Miles, Vice President of Standards Implementation and Outreach at Learning Forward; Brent Raby, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning for West Aurora School District in Illinois; and Ann Stark, an experienced educator with over 22 years as a classroom teacher and 14 years as an induction program mentor.

Educators, We Must Defend AP African American Studies

This article was originally published by Education Week and is reprinted with permission.

Dear Florida Educators,

When I was growing up in Florida and I would hear church folks describe a troubling event that ran afoul of their moral compass, they would say, “it’s just not sitting right with my spirit.” That’s how I’ve been feeling lately when I hear about recent efforts in my home state of Florida to limit academic freedom in higher education; stifle intellectual curiosity in schools; ban books; obliterate diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in higher education; and silence the questions of pre-K-12 learners who may be struggling with their gender identity and sexuality.

I was educated in public pre-K-12 schools and graduated from three major Florida universities with my undergraduate and graduate degrees in the area of special education. I’m a former special education teacher who worked in Pinellas, Seminole, and Miami-Dade counties and was a tenure-track faculty member at Florida International University. Yet today, when I think about the education landscape in my home state, I’m grieved that instead of being lauded as a leader in innovation and delivering high-quality, equitable educational opportunities to all learners, Florida is applauded by its governor as “the place where woke goes to die.”

CCSSO Announces Finalists for 2023 National Teacher of the Year

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has announced five exemplary educators from across the country as finalists for 2023 National Teacher of the Year, four of whom have been prepared for teacher education by AACTE member institutions. 

AACTE is a proud member of the National Teacher of the Year Selection Committee and applauds each finalist for their commitment to the profession and meeting the needs of all students, as well as the AACTE member institutions that have contributed to their success.

APSU Eriksson College of Education to Host Teacher Shortage Conference

Local teacher Malachi Johnson was one of APSU’s first Grow Your Own graduates

The Austin Peay State University Eriksson College of Education is focused on finding new ways to address the need for licensed teachers in local and regional school districts. The college’s efforts, including the Grow Your Own initiative, garnered attention from White House officials in 2022. Next month, the College of Education will share successes and lessons from the past few years during the inaugural Virtual Conference on Teacher Shortage.

“With many school districts struggling to find qualified teachers, we have found the Grow Your Own model to be a new pipeline,” said Lisa Barron, APSU director of teacher education and partnerships. “Through this conference, we hope to present this model to school districts across the state and show them how they can partner with Austin Peay to train more teachers for their schools.”

AACTE Receives Longview Foundation Support to Create a Global Education Faculty Professional Learning Community

Through the generous support of the Longview Foundation, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) is launching a new Global Education Faculty Professional Learning Community (PLC). This PLC will provide a peer support network and professional development to faculty at comprehensive teacher preparation programs to effectively integrate global teaching competencies within their curriculum and practices.

A long-time supporter of AACTE, Longview Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Manise reflects on why the foundation has invested in AACTE since 1967: “the Longview Foundation made a grant to AACTE in its inaugural year to bring global perspectives to teacher education programs. In 2023, Longview awarded our eighteenth grant to AACTE. Together, we will support faculty development and innovative programming to prepare new educators and their students to be globally ready.”

College of Education Research Team Explores Nation’s K-12 Teacher Needs

(From left:) Molly Fisher, Ph.D., professor of STEM education in the College of Education and principal investigator; and REU student fellows Jacquelyn Armstrong and Alexandra Boardman.

A new study designed at the University of Kentucky College of Education is gauging the types of supports teachers across the nation need in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on schools. It is supported by a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) grant from the National Science Foundation.

“We are seeking K-12 teachers from anywhere in the U.S. who taught during the pandemic, or who were student teaching during the pandemic, to respond to a survey that will collect information on access to resources and the types of demands being faced as our schools return to normal,” said Molly Fisher, Ph.D., principal investigator and professor of STEM education in the College of Education.

Teachers willing to participate in the study can take the survey now. Responses will help researchers share information that will lead to equipping teachers to meet the demands of the current educational system, Fisher said.

Kentucky School Leaders Prepare December Grads for Interviews, Teaching Careers

(Left to right:) Karen Lymon, Megan Barnes, John Moore, Chelsea Clark, Cynthia Bruno and Michael Price.

When University of Kentucky clinical instructor Joni Meade prepares to say goodbye to each class of teacher candidates from the UK College of Education, one of her final tasks is assembling a group of Kentucky school personnel. 

Together, the school personnel — principals and other district leaders — create a simulation for graduating seniors in elementary education to put the finishing touches on their interviewing skills and prepare for the hiring process.  

SchoolSims Webinar Highlights Research on the Impact of Simulations on School Leader Preparation

In the latest webinar hosted by SchoolSims, titled “Evidence of the Impact of Simulations on School Leader Development and Preparation,” a panel of experts in educational leadership discuss their research on school leader preparation and development and the impact of experiential learning opportunities through simulations. Panelists include including Sara Dexter, Ed.D., Jennifer Bailey, Ed.D., David De Jong, Ed.D., Mike Johanek, Ed.D., and Trent Grundmeyer, Ph.D.

The purpose of the webinar is to provide context for the potential impact of simulation practice as a targeted professional development method that may go beyond pre-service preparation and continue as a learning pathway for in-service school leaders and teachers by examining the most recent research on leadership and teacher development.

AACTE in the Headlines: Innovation in Teacher Preparation

During the month of November, AACTE made headlines that highlighted innovation in teacher preparation programs, strategies for addressing the teacher shortage, ways to diversify the teaching profession, and censorship in schools.

AACTE has been cited in media outlets ranging from K-12 Dive to the Star-Telegram and Forbes on issues that include teacher apprenticeships, teacher preparation programs and engagement in education.