Common threads

1. Common threads • Cohesion (within programs, across programs, between UI and schools) • Expanded Horizons • Post-program Support • High-Quality Field Experiences

2. cohesion • Consistency among faculty/cohorts within the same program • Cross-program projects; Pairing of candidates from different programs for field experiences • Include instruction from/experiences with school support personnel (social workers, speech pathologists, librarians, etc.) • Reorganize the diversity curriculum to eliminate redundancy • Develop central administrative entity to manage and ensure consistency • Implement a “studio” approach

3. cohesion • Get professors into schools and master teachers into teacher ed programs • Co-teaching • Faculty work in schools count toward tenure • Adjunct appointments for cooperating teachers • Teach UI courses out in the schools • Master teacher symposia for preservice candidates • “Seconding” • Develop supervisors as links between program and schools • Systematically develop cooperating teachers • Lab school

4. Expanded horizons • Require multiple placements in different school and community environments • Require study and/or teaching abroad experiences • Partner with overseas teacher education program(s) • Utilize campus/community resources (international student community, LGBT Resource Center, Refugee Center, African-American Studies Program, GenEd requirements, parent/community groups) • Increase required pre-program volunteer hours and make more purposeful • Use technology to provide virtual experiences • Year-long student teaching/internships • Residency program • Require summer work

5. Expanded horizons • Teach/give candidates experiences that will help them navigate school • Be in schools prior to start and at first day • Observation/field experiences in every course • Specific field assignments tied to current content • Begin connected experiences earlier (freshman year) • EPOL/other course on “education politics”

6. post-program support • Dedicated PD for graduates • Restructure programs so that the bulk (or all) is delivered on-the-job • Faculty and cooperating teachers continue to work with grads in first year • Professional community of UI teachers on social network • Online web portals • Systematically develop UI grads into cooperating teachers • Special events for graduates

7. High-quality field experiences • Methods instructors = supervisors, or… • Each methods course/instructor develops a cadre of supervisors • Make all secondary field experiences supervised • Start FE earlier • Summer practicum • Self and guided analysis of recorded teaching experiences • Expand use of virtual field experiences

8. Other ideas • Customize instruction and experiences based on yearly candidate progress assessments • Badges • Assign organized, collective projects to build sense of community and shared purpose • Incorporate service learning projects for freshmen • Expand individualized mentoring of candidates by experts (UI and field) based on needs • Expand and define the role of clinical faculty • Modified RtI pyramid • Level 1 = content/experiences for all candidates • Level 2 = program specializations • Level 3 = extras that enhance a candidate’s profile/address specific needs