InTASC Standard 10 Narrative
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InTASC Standard 10 |
Course Prefix and Title (electronic links to syllabi) |
Assessment (from among those listed under Section IV: Evidence of Meeting the Standard) |
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Standard #10 Leadership and Collaboration: The program prepares teacher candidates to seek appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, and other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession. |
EDUC 400 - Educational Psychology EDUC 480/490- Student Teaching
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InTASC 10 - Student Teaching Data InTASC 10 - Exit Survey InTASC 10 - Completer Survey InTASC 10 - Employer Survey InTASC 10 - Disposition Data Co-Teaching Data from Student Teaching Substitute Teaching EDUC 400 - Classroom Management and Parent Communication Project |
The data tagged to Standard 10 are gathered and analyzed from exit surveys, student teacher final evaluations, completer surveys, and employer surveys (InTASC Standard 10 Evidence 10.1). The EPP also gathers and reviews co-teaching and substitute teaching reflections on pages 8-12 in the Evidence 10.1 document. Data have been gathered from multiple measures and multiple sources to inform the EPP's perspective about the teacher candidates' preparation to collaborate with colleagues and work with parents and families.
The employers' cumulative mean score ratings of 3.55 or higher are positive on a 4-point scale with 3.00 representing the "Tend to Agree" level. The mean score ratings in both areas are higher in 2020 than in 2019. Making decisions based on multiple assessments is important. The dispositional data are highly favorable. The data from cooperating teachers, student teachers, and completers indicate obvious strengths in collaboration ratings. While the data from cooperating teachers, student teachers, and completers indicate more can be done to help teacher candidates prepare to work with parents, the feedback gathered from 305 employers is strong evidence for the readiness of the EPP's completers. The InTASC Standard 10 data gathered from employers provides a perspective that completers are prepared to work with parents and certainly display one more piece of evidence that completers are ready to collaborate with colleagues in the best interests of learners. The EPP will use the preponderance of evidence to consider ways to improve teacher candidates' experiences to work with parents in the future.
The unit promotes collaboration and co-teaching practices in many activities. While co-teaching strategies are utilized to keep multiple teachers engaged in student learning, the unit also realizes the need for candidates to be strong independently and take responsibility for student learning.
Opportunities for collaboration and leadership are built into the professional education sequence. Teacher candidates complete field experience hours in EDUC 250 Introduction to Education, EDUC 350/351 Classroom Management and Practicum, EDUC 352 Cultural Diversity Practicum, and twelve weeks in student teaching. In each required field experience, teacher candidates gradually assume more leadership and responsibility for student learning. In EDUC 352 Cultural Diversity Practicum, candidates learn and experience first-hand the importance of respecting families' beliefs, norms, and expectations. Candidates collaborate in EDUC 400 Educational Psychology to develop classroom management plans that include parent communication (Evidence for Sample 1 and Sample 2).
An important addition to the development of the teacher candidates' skills in collaboration has been the establishment of a substitute teaching program. VCSU has partnered with the school districts in Valley City, Fargo, and West Fargo to open doors for substitute teaching opportunities. The win-win substitute teaching program enables the K-12 classroom teacher to have time for professional development while two teacher candidates lead students through their daily routines, educational activities, and learning plans. Teacher candidates learn co-teaching strategies and assigned as working pairs to substitute in classrooms. The teacher candidates are able to connect theory with practice by applying what they are learning in teacher education courses with the practical classroom experience. One of the EPP's education professors supervises the teacher candidates by providing support and mentors the teacher candidates by answering questions, sharing feedback, and helping the candidates who are substitute teaching. The substitute teaching experience generates rich discussions and teachable moments back on campus.
While VCSU promotes collaboration and the co-teaching model, teacher candidates are still responsible for teaching "solo" and responsible for the entire classroom. Data gathered from teacher candidates indicate that co-teaching strategies are being used effectively (Evidence 10.4 Co-Teaching Data). In EDUC 480/490 Student Teaching, candidates are immersed in every aspect of the teaching profession. Candidates engage in planning, implementing, and evaluating lessons as well as assigning grades, working in Professional Learning Communities, working with parents, staff in-service days, and other activities that go beyond the regular teaching of duties.
Student teachers share materials and ideas with mentor teachers, plan lessons together, and maintain respectful relationships with other teachers. Student teachers attend parent/teacher conferences and communicate with parents as their cooperating teachers decide is appropriate. The overall ratings from multiple assessments indicate a high level of performance in the collaborative efforts of teacher candidates and room for growth in the area of communicating with parents.
