School-University Partnerships Create Professional Learning Communities
Multiple Subject Teacher Credential Coordinator Christina Gigiere has announced that DoE is adding a second school to their school-university partnership model that was developed to encourage interaction and mutual benefit between the department and local K-12 schools.
Developed in spring 2008 with Chaparral Elementary in Capistrano Unified School District, DOE's partnership model follows the research-validated model of placing two student teachers (credential candidates) with one master teacher to foster collaboration, shared responsibility, and reflection. Once at the school site for their student teaching, the students work with their master teacher to plan as a team, co-teach lessons, and provide each other with feedback. They receive guidance from the master teacher while all three work together to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all of their students.
Since spring of 2008, the UC Irvine Teacher Credential Program has placed over 40 student teachers at Chaparral for fieldwork and student teaching, and the model has been extended to additional school sites. In fall 2008 DoE implemented the paired model in the UCI Bilingual program; paired candidates now are working with a master teacher in dual immersion classrooms at Gates Elementary in Saddleback Unified School District.
For fall 2009, Doe extended the partnership model to Davis Magnet School in Costa Mesa and Top of the World Elementary in Laguna Beach. Davis is Newport-Mesa Unified School District's first and Orange County's ninth magnet school. Davis' curriculum, developed in partnership with UC Irvine, is focused on math, science, and technology.
In the future, DoE plans to provide professional development opportunities for the master teachers at Chaparral and Davis.
School site administrators and master teachers who are involved in the paired model have expressed their strong support for this professional learning community partnership.
