Wheelock TeachBoston A Master’s program to prepare diverse, outstanding new teachers for the Boston Public Schools Patricia Hnatiuk, Cheryl Render Brown & Karen Murphy Wheelock College
Context • Grant: 5 year Federal Teacher Quality Partnerships Grant (TQP) • Boston Teacher Residency Partnership (BTRP): Boston Public Schools, UMASS Boston’s Teach Next Year, Boston Teacher Residency, Wheelock College – Wheelock is the only partner preparing for the ECE teacher license • BPS is currently expanding capacity for early childhood education, especially at the prek level “ Full-day school for four-year olds has proven to be successful. Even in these tough budget times, we must find a way to expand the reach of early education for those who need it most… A top priority for new commitments will be early education in the Circle of Promise. With private, public, and non-profit partners, I believe we can double the seats for four-year olds in the next five years .” -Mayor Thomas Menino State of the City Address, January 11, 2011
Wheelock College Facts • Established in 1888 to prepare Kindergarten teachers, programming subsequently expanded to address the full early childhood range and to include other education and social service professions, graduate programs began in 1955 • Private college with a public mission: To improve the lives of children and families • Currently offers Arts and Sciences and professional programs to undergraduate students and professional programs to graduate students in the areas of Child Life and Family Centered Care, Early Childhood Education, Elementary and Special Education, Language and Literacy, Organizational Leadership, and Social Work
Boston Public School Facts • First public school system in the U.S., established in 1647 • Currently 127 schools • As of April 2013, enrollment was 57,200 • 27,000 speak a language other than English at home • 40% Latino, 36% Black, 13% White, 8% Asian and 2% Other/Multiracial • 75% of students are eligible for free and reduced lunch • 53% are eligible for food stamps 4
TQP Grant Program Purpose • Provides resources to prepare teachers to teach in high-needs schools and support them through induction • Supports the creation of pre-baccalaureate and/or teacher residency programs • Requires five-year partnerships between school districts, institutions of higher education, and community groups • Funds requested must “supplement, not supplant” the existing program • Partnerships must be “visionary, collaborative, and committed to effecting the necessary changes that result in effective teachers and improved student achievement.” 5
BTRP Partnership: The Work Building a continuum of teacher preparation and professional development with a focus on high student achievement A. To recruit, select, and intensively prepare for BPS high-quality resident cohorts in high-need areas: special education, English as a second language, science, mathematics, early childhood, and teachers of color B. To build the capacity of a set of BPS schools to serve as strong preparation sites for new teachers. C. To develop a comprehensive support and development program for teachers in their first five years. D. To deepen and expand existing evaluation and assessment models to enable the district to use student academic achievement measures to drive the selection and training of all teachers. 6
The TeachBoston Program • 2 year, cohort program • 1 st year preparatory coursework, 2 nd year full time residency in a Boston Partner School • 37 credit NCATE/NAEYC accredited Master’s program in Early Childhood Education; leads to Massachusetts ECE Prek-2 nd grade initial license • 4 Course Cluster in ESL/ELL to add second license within 1 year of graduation and professional licensure after 3 years of teaching
“I am finding it very beneficial that we have advisors who are also our instructors. I found the course on Racial and Cultural Identities to be hugely rewarding, enabling me to gain a perspective on many facets of humanity and how stereotypes, institutionalized racism, and bias can serve as lenses to understand how systems are created and how I can have a role in being a change agent. The Introduction to Inclusive Early Childhood Education class enable me to see how curriculum is created and the level of detail, research, and strategy it takes to create a culturally and age appropriate curriculum for students/families. The ultimate wish I have is that this learning experience continues through an unlimited number of TeachBoston Cohorts.” - D’Anza Dambreville Cohort 4
Program Supports • Tuition-free program coursework • $12,500 stipend during the residency year • Paid student health insurance during the residency year • Job placement assistance to secure BPS teaching position in prek-2 nd grade classrooms after program completion • Licensure Exam preparation support
Recruitment Process • Specific TeachBoston admissions process • Affirmative outreach, including to BPS Paraprofessionals with Bachelor’s degrees • Advertising in free Metro Newspaper to reach local, urban population • Admissions files read and rated by multiple readers prioritizing ECE experience, urban commitment, diversity, multi-lingual candidates, connection to Boston, and previous academic success • Subset of Candidates invited to selection days – Group interview, mini-lesson related to a passion or interest, live write in response to video of exemplary urban teacher – Candidates rated by 2 interviewers, including BPS partners
“I enjoyed the interview process. At first I over-thought my lesson plan but ended up creating an interactive lesson that was engaging and fun. I found assessors to be friendly and that lightened the pressure. They made me feel comfortable and I left empowered and excited. I enjoyed writing the essay and putting the package together. It also was a good preview of the close family your cohort becomes and showcases the type of support you will receive from advisors and instructors .” -ToRena Webb Thomas Cohort 3
Wheelock TeachBoston Diversity 49* TeachBoston Residents have completed or are in the process of completing the program. Of these (including categories that are underrepresented in the BPS teaching workforce): • 26 are Black • 16 are White • 5 are Asian • 3 are Latino • 1 is American Indian • 9 are men • 13 are Bi- or Multi-lingual (languages represented: American Sign Language, Arabic, Cantonese, Cape Verdean Creole, Dutch, Haitian Creole, Italian, Mandarin, and Spanish) *There has been some attrition across cohorts-the 49 listed here are those who remain
BPS Partner School Selection 1. Consult BPS and Wheelock College colleagues and alumni for recommendations of schools 2. Narrow list to eliminate competing with other in-house and partnership sites 3. Contact school principals to share WTB model and express interest in selection process 4. Conduct visits to potential partner BPS Schools meet with principal, potential mentor teachers, and other school personnel conduct classroom observations share draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining program model and respond to questions 5. Collect WTB Field Team observation feedback and determine School disposition post-site visit; make partner school decisions 6. Contact schools with decisions and share feedback; arrange meeting to negotiate final MOU and match WTB residents to mentor teachers; and arrange date for residents to visit, meet mentor teachers and other personnel, observe classrooms, and tour school
Partner School Development and Support • Wheelock Partner School Liaisons/Supervisors • BPS Site Liaisons • MOU with each school outlines clear roles/responsibilities for all parties • Ongoing, required professional development for Mentor Teachers • Graduate course offered for credit: LPA 702 The Role of the Mentor Teacher
Wheelock TeachBoston Residency • Residents assigned in groups to partner schools • Work for full school year under supervision of 2 Mentor Teachers and Wheelock Supervisor/School Liaison • Residents are integrated into school community and expectation to participate in school activities beyond assigned classrooms • Half year in Prek/k classroom and half year in 1 st /2 nd grade • Planned visits to upcoming and previous classrooms to ensure connection and knowledge of curriculum/child growth over full school year • Year-long seminar to encourage mutual support and community of practice across the cohort
“My mentor teacher has been huge for me. I think it really is the first time that I've seen a classroom that I feel is better than anything I've done before. I'm feeling challenged and like I want to do more with my career. My mentor teacher and I have a good relationship and she talks me through a lot of her thinking and gives me a lot of responsibility in the classroom.” -Kevin Mullen Cohort 3
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