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Article Excerpt
Abstract
This article describes the Accelerated Collaborative Teacher (ACT) Preparation Program, a teacher-preparation program designed to promote collaborative practices in urban schools through a school university partnership. We discuss how the program is structured to foster collaboration; the collaborative activities among faculty, students, and the community; and evaluation used to support collaboration. Outcomes of the program are summarized and indicate that most candidates remain in the program despite its accelerated pace, are hired in the participating district, and report that the program provided appropriate preparation needed for the beginning teacher.
Introduction
Collaboration is an essential ingredient in teacher preparation, fostering a professional learning and teaching community for faculty, classroom teachers, and teacher candidates (Darling-Hammond, 1996). In these communities, educators are immersed collectively in sharing knowledge, inquiry, and problem solving (Darling-Hammond & McLaughlin, 1995; Veal & Rickard, 1998). Teachers who learn through this process are likely to develop into reflective professionals who can respond to the complex and diverse needs of students (Harry, et al., 1999; Pleasants, Johnson & Trent, 1998; Soto & Goetz, 1998).
The literature suggests that best practices in teacher preparation are grounded in collaboration and include: school-university partnerships in which teacher preparation becomes a shared responsibility (Prater & Sileo, 2002); collaboration among faculty in planning and implementing the program (Cruz & Zaragoza, 1998; Hillman, Bottomley, Raisner & Malin, 2000; Hudson-Ross & Graham, 2000; Miller & Stayton, 1999); and student cohorts that progress through the program together and are provided support and opportunities to share and reflect upon experiences (Bullough, Clark, Wentworth, & Hansen, 2001; Jenkins, Pateman & Black, 2002; Koeppen, Huey, & Connor, 2000). However, as Smith and Edelen-Smith (2002) argue, colleges, schools, and departments of education are enduring institutions that support traditional and existing practices. To promote change, we must incorporate new and creative methods to build partnerships and collaborative practices (Kochan & Kunkel, 1998; Maeroff, Callan, & Usdan, 2000). In this article, we describe the Accelerated Collaborative Teacher (ACT) Preparation Program, a preservice teacher preparation program developed in a school-university partnership. Collaboration between university faculty, the K-12 community, and teacher candidates is central to the successful implementation of the program. First, we discuss how the program was structured to foster collaboration. Second, we describe collaborative activities among faculty, students, and the community. Finally, we explain how evaluation was used to support collaboration and summarize outcomes of the program.
Structuring for Collaboration
The ACT Program was designed through a school-university collaborative reform effort to improve the quality of teachers and enhance the achievement of K-12 students in urban areas. To facilitate school-university collaboration, three faculty from the university, one from each of the three credential specialization areas (elementary, secondary, special education), and a K-12...
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