Education Reform Now Spotlights Alternative Teacher Prep Programs
in New Series
Month-long Series Examines What’s Working
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Education Reform Now is proud to rollout a new series of papers today that highlights trailblazing teacher preparation programs with promising results.
The six different alternative teacher preparation programs showcased in the series operate largely outside of the traditional system. Education Reform Now is spotlighting best practices to better spread effective approaches.
“For far too long, there’s been a gap between what teachers are learning in preparation programs and the skillsets required in the classroom,” said Shavar Jeffries, president of Education Reform Now. “It’s as unfair to throw teachers into a classroom when we know they have been poorly prepared as it is to place students with them.”
Research from Teach Plus found that nearly 2 in 3 new teachers said they graduated from their school of education unprepared for “classroom realities.” Education experts note that many of these problems stem from traditional teacher training programs having low admissions standards, failing to teach classroom management, and failing to provide support to teachers in their first years on the job.
“We know what’s not working in teacher preparation. The challenge is how we can replicate and expand components of programs that show the greatest promise,” said Charles Barone, chief policy officer at Education Reform Now and author of the series. Throughout this series, we’ll examine several trailblazers in teacher preparation and how they can provide a foundation for long-term systemic change.”
The first paper out today showcases the work of TNTP Teaching Fellows, which was founded as The New Teacher Project in 1997. TNTP Teaching Fellows operates as a one-year teacher licensure program in Baltimore, Nevada and New Orleans. TNTP also runs a two-year master’s degree program in Indianapolis through Marian University.
Additional programs examined in the series include High Tech High, the National Center for Teacher Residencies, Sposato Graduate School of Education, Urban Teachers and Relay Graduate School of Education.
Papers will be released on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Oct. 10.
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