The Center for Transforming Alternative Preparation Programs (CTAPP) has partnered with seven educator preparation programs across the state of Texas to increase access to high quality teacher preparation in Waco, Dallas, Austin, Houston, and the Rio Grande Valley. These programs have all launched their transformation by establishing a vision and strategic initiatives to improve their programming and support for teachers aspiring to enter the classroom. One of these initiatives at the heart of CTAPP’s Teacher Preparation Model is the transformation of coursework and curriculum to better align with the needs of teachers in the 21st Century. We have emphasized grounding coursework in current research and providing multiple opportunities to practice and rehearse high leverage teaching skills in authentic settings. The Educator Preparation Programs we are partnering with are forming Coursework Transformation teams to gather relevant stakeholders who can support this work. However, we have found that one important voice is often left out of the conversation when planning, writing, and publishing coursework revisions: novice teachers.
It is essential to include current and novice teachers in the coursework transformation teams to provide feedback on the outcomes and format of the coursework, since they will be learning and implementing the knowledge and skills in the classroom. Often, a coursework writer’s vision may not align with the realities of the modern classroom; therefore, coursework revision teams should utilize the continuous improvement process and gather input from the teacher perspective. Experienced and novice teachers can provide valuable feedback on the language of the course, the adaptability of the learning outcomes, and the inclusivity and alignment of course materials to students' needs.
If you're currently transforming coursework or trying to determine which stakeholders should be engaged in the process, then we'd love to hear from you. We hope to share our resources and knowledge about coursework to ensure that teachers all across the country are receiving the highest quality of preparation possible, to increase retention, and ultimately contribute to better PK-12 student outcomes. For more information about CTAPP's efforts to prioritize curriculum literacy in novice teacher programming, please reach out to MSambrano@dallascollege.edu.
To learn more about resources available to EPPs regarding high-quality instructional materials, check out the Curriculum Literacy Hub at Education First.
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