Search

The literature on teacher preparation programs in the United States is extensive. However, there is limited scientifically based research on what kind of program produces effective teachers; rather, the literature consists mostly of calls for change in teacher preparation programs. Almost all experts agree that major changes are needed in these programs, with the emphasis being to produce teachers who are effective in enhancing student learning. This paper reports evidence-based research and offers suggestions based on studies that include theoretical work, qualitative analysis, statistical analysis, and randomized experience that could provide strong causal evidence of the effects of teacher preparation on student learning. Key points of this briefing paper include the following: (1) Relevant clinical experience is a critical part of a teacher preparation program; (2) Programs must take advantage of existing technology and support its innovative use as a tool for teacher preparation and as a tool for teachers in the classroom; and (3) Multiple sources of data should be collected and analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of preparation programs.

Concerned about the persistently high dropout rates from big-city secondary schools, education leaders are trying a new approach to increasing the graduation rate--multiple pathways to graduation. Multiple pathways initiatives are relatively new and far from proven. Even the most advanced examples face significant issues, i.e., the need to demonstrate that students who graduate via multiple pathways are as well prepared as graduates from regular high schools. However, multiple pathways initiatives are clearly a significant new development, using analysis of student data to provide much better targeted remedies to students' individual problems than were possible in earlier dropout prevention programs. This report is based on interviews with district and foundation leaders and scholars who were among the originators of the multiple pathways idea. This report provides snapshots of different approaches to multiple pathways evident in New York, Portland, Oregon, other Eastern and Midwestern cities, and a California multi-district collaborative. This report distinguishes three different approaches to providing multiple pathways to graduation: (1) Targeted Population approach; (2) District-Wide approach; and (3) Linked Learning approach. This report describes these approaches in detail, provides examples of each, and analyzes what district leaders must do if they want to implement one or another of the approaches. The report ends with an analysis of how well the different multiple pathways approaches are likely to work in districts with particular characteristics. Appendices include: (1) Interview Questions; (2) Interviewees; (3) Graduation Rate Measurements; and (4) Suggested Effectiveness Dashboard. (Contains 1 figure and 23 footnotes.) [This paper was written with Paul Hill.]

We are in the midst of what amounts to a national experiment in how best to attract, prepare, and retain teachers, particularly for high poverty urban schools. Using data on students and teachers in grades three through eight, this study assesses the effects of pathways into teaching in New York City on the teacher workforce and on student achievement. We ask whether teachers who enter through new routes, with reduced coursework prior to teaching, are more or less effective at improving student achievement than other teachers and whether the presence of these alternative pathways affects the composition of the teaching workforce. Results indicate that in some instances the new routes provide teachers with higher student achievement gains than temporary license teachers, though more typically there is no difference. When compared to teachers who completed a university-based teacher education program, teachers with reduced course work prior to entry often provide smaller initial gains in both mathematics and English language arts. Most differences disappear as the cohort matures and many of the differences are not large in magnitude, typically 2 to 5 percent of a standard deviation. The variation in effectiveness within pathways is far greater than the average differences between pathways.

School districts often struggle to recruit and retain effective math teachers. Alternative-route certification programs aim to expand the pool of teachers available; however, many alternate routes have not been able to attract large numbers of teacher candidates with undergraduate degrees in math. In response, some districts, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and New York City, have developed alternative programs with a math immersion component to recruit candidates who do not have undergraduate majors in math. Such programs provide potential math teachers with intensive math preparation to meet state certification requirements while, at the same time maintaining an early-entry approach in which individuals who have not completed a teacher preparation program can become qualified to teach with only five to seven weeks of coursework and practice teaching. Four years since its inception, the New York City Teacher Fellows Math Immersion program supplies 50 percent of all new certified math teachers to New York City public schools. In this study, we find that Math Immersion teachers have stronger academic qualifications than their College Recommending (traditionally certified) peers, although they have weaker qualifications than Teach for America teachers. However, despite stronger general academic qualifications Math Immersion teachers produce somewhat smaller gains in math achievement for middle school math students than do College Recommending teachers and substantially smaller gains than do Teach for America teachers.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the social studies teaching beliefs and the application of these beliefs into classroom practice of a group of elementary teachers who are part of a New York City alternative certification program. The teachers in this study are working in low performing New York City schools, are typically pursuing teaching as a second career and often have undergraduate majors in the social sciences as well. Initial data for this study is extracted from a survey that the teachers completed in the second year of their two year program. Included in this survey are questions about the teachers' beliefs and practices in inquiry based constructivist teaching methodology. The survey results were compared to individual interviews and focus group discussions with selected teachers and observations of the teachers' classroom social studies teaching by their college supervisors. The authors anticipated an easier transition into teaching for a group of mature work experienced individuals than the typical transition of college graduates in their twenties with no prior full time work experience. Additionally the authors anticipated a greater ability to use the more complex teaching strategies involved in constructivist instruction than less experienced and mature teachers. One unanticipated outcome of this study is the further substantiation of recent research on the marginalization of social studies instruction in the elementary schools (Boyle-Baise et al, 2008; Doppen, Misco & Patterson, 2008: Rock et al, 2006;Vanfossen, 2005). The uniqueness of this study is that the teachers are alternatively certified second career individuals who have selected teaching as a second career. The study further substantiates that teachers are constrained in their ability to use constructivist practices, or teach social studies at all, by the emphasis in elementary school on reading and math instruction and integrated curriculum. This integration minimizes studies concepts and skills in favor of other subjects, typically reading and literacy strategies and skills. (Contains 9 tables.)

This study investigates the social studies teaching practices of sixty-seven elementary teachers who are part of an alternative master's degree program in New York City. The respondents' program emphasizes constructivist and inquiry based teaching practices in its social studies methods courses. The findings are from an exit survey that was completed at the end of coursework. The study finds that the teachers use constructivist teaching practices in social studies more than teacher directed instruction. The teachers with undergraduate majors in the social sciences use these practices even more than the total group of respondents. However, the results when focusing on teachers with academic undergraduate majors in the disciplines of social studies which include history, economics and political science show a preference for mixed method instruction which includes some direct teacher instruction as well as constructivist student inquiry. (Contains 9 tables.)

`The Teaching Fellows (TF) program in New York City was designed to attract individuals interested in an alternative certification program in teaching. The present investigation represents the first two waves of an ongoing investigation of TF in a graduate elementary education program. The TF begin the program during the summer by participating in two education courses and a field experience. In the fall, they are placed as full-time teachers in low performing schools. For the next two years, the TF teach full-time during the day and take two masters level education courses in the afternoon or evenings. Upon completion of their final college course and the end of their obligation to the TF program, the TF were given a survey that focused on many aspects of their experience. Survey results indicate that approximately 29 percent of TF intend to leave their current teaching position at the end of their contractual obligation. This report focuses on how the TF perceptions of the schools' socioeconomic status, the perception of support received from fellow teachers and the principals within the schools, the beliefs they hold about the efficacy of their teaching practices and their beliefs about pupil control in a classroom setting impact on their plan to remain teaching in their current setting. Pearson product-moment correlations revealed that socioeconomic status, administrative support and feelings of general teaching efficacy all correlated with the TF long-term goal of continuing to teach in their present setting. Utilizing a stepwise regression analysis, feelings of general teaching efficacy were found to significantly predict the TF plan to remain teaching in their current school. Findings from this investigation point to the need to build in more support for the TF in order to keep them in the positions they have been trained for.

The Teaching Fellows program in New York City was designed to attract individuals interested in an alternative certification process. The present investigation is an exploratory study of Teaching Fellows in a public graduate elementary education program. The department of education placed these alternatively certified teachers in teaching positions in low performing schools throughout the city. The Teaching Fellows completed a survey that focused on many aspects of their experience including previous employment, reasons for joining the program, curriculum, teaching efficacy and retention. This investigation utilized a portion of the survey to examine perceptions of socioeconomic status, the perceived support from school administrators, their pupil control ideology and beliefs about the efficacy of their teaching. Positive findings from the preliminary analysis include the inclination on the part of the Teaching Fellows to treat their students in a humanistic, encouraging way and feelings of competence as expressed in their personal teaching efficacy. (Contains 1 table.)