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PRESCOTT COLLEGE PARTNERS WITH
TEACH FOR AMERICA
TUCSON - In the fall of 1999, the Prescott College Tucson Center began an
innovative pilot program to certify ten Teach For America (TFA) teachers
in Phoenix area schools.
The program, administered through the Tucson Center's Adult Degree Program,
will certify the TFA teachers upon completion of the nine-month program.
Traditional programs often take up to 12 months or more.
Teach For America is funded mostly by private contributions from corporations,
foundations and individuals. Additionally, about 15 percent of funding comes
from AmeriCorps. TFA recruits recent college graduates to teach for two years
in under-resourced school districts in 13 areas across the country, including
Phoenix (where there are currently 60 TFA teachers); Baltimore; San Francisco
Bay area; Houston; McAllen, Texas; Los Angeles; Mississippi; New Jersey;
New York; North Carolina; New Orleans; southern Louisiana; and Washington,
D.C.
TFA recruits from the nation's top 200 colleges and universities and focuses
on non-education majors. Applicants have to demonstrate a battery of qualities,
such as critical thinking, achievement, sensitivity, high expectations and
efficiency that will allow them to teach successfully for two years in a
challenging environment. Those accepted into the program (500 of 3,000 applicants)
spend five weeks at the University of Houston in an intense training program
that includes student teaching, workshops, group study and self reflection,
explained Noel Normington, the program director for TFA in Phoenix.
The TFA corps members participate in a two-week orientation in Phoenix and
teach with an emergency certificate. This certification, valid for one year,
is awarded if a school cannot find another qualified person for the position.
Maricopa County typically awards approximately 800 emergency certificates
each year, Normington said.
Emergency certified teachers are required by the state to take coursework
in order to maintain their certification. Normington, who has been with TFA
for a year, knew that corps members needed professional development opportunities
to obtain their certification.
After meeting with and surveying corps members, Bill Walton, director of
the Tucson Center and faculty in humanities; Tully Lavold, faculty in education;
and Karen Onofrey, an adjunct faculty with teaching experience and a doctorate
in language, reading and culture, designed a certification program and presented
it to TFA along with several other Arizona schools.
What made Prescott College's program stand out was flexibility, design and
cost (Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and University
of Arizona would have charged out-of-state tuition), said Normington.
Lavold, of the Tucson Center, explained that TFA students have classes in
Phoenix on a regular basis and each has an individualized program since they
are at different schools teaching different grade levels. Students meet with
mentors provided by the program on a regular basis and are observed in their
classrooms. Additionally, students were given credit for their training in
Houston and their teaching experience (most of the teachers in the program
have at least one year of teaching under their belts).
"PC was a good option in terms of practical convenience because it's
not a long and drawn out process," said Jane Baldwin, a corps member
who majored in Spanish literature at Skidmore College in New York and is
teaching sixth grade bilingual language arts at Greenfield Elementary School. "It's
specifically designed for people who've been working in a classroom for over
a year and allows us to draw from that and build upon it."
The observation and feedback components of the program have also been praised. "The
corps members think the observations are fantastic and the feedback is great," said
Normington. "They have access to even more professionals to observe
and give feedback, and that's the best way to improve teaching."
Baldwin agrees. "I'm a big believer in observing and being observed.
It gives you an outside perspective, some new ideas and constructive criticism.
And it benefits my students too. I incorporate a lot of new ideas into my
classroom and make improvements, which serves student learning."
Lavold, one of the designers of the curriculum, would like to see the pilot
program evolve into a permanent program and said the experience has been
very positive. "I've gone to Phoenix for five different class meetings
and each time everyone was fully prepared and excited about us coming to
their classrooms, observing and giving feedback. Their professionalism, dedication
and excitement to really learn things amazes me - they really want to make
a difference in an under served populations. It's been a real privilege."
According to TFA, approximately 55 to 60 percent of their teachers continue
to teach after their two-year commitment. About 85 percent of the total work
in the educational field and 100 percent continue to advocate for students
and quality and excellence in public education, said Normington.
Baldwin, who joined TFA to devote her skills to people who really needed
them said, "I will definitely be staying with teaching and plan to continue
teaching in under-resourced school as well."
Prescott College is a small, private, liberal arts college with a strong
emphasis on ecological literacy and experiential education. The Tucson
Center serves students residing in southern Arizona who are pursuing
bachelor's and master's degrees or teacher education through community-based
programs.
For more information about Prescott College, call 800-628-6362 or 888-797-4680
(Tucson) or visit http://www.prescott.edu.
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