graduate school of education leading, learning, life changing preparing a diverse teacher workforce...

Graduate School of Education Leading, Learning, Life Changing

Preparing a Diverse Teacher Workforce to Teach in Diverse Classrooms

Dr. Liza FinkelDr. Julie Esparza–Brown

Graduate School of EducationPortland State University


Overview•Description of programs• Bilingual Teacher Pathway Program (BTP)• Bilingual Special Educator Pathway Program (BiSPED)

•Evidence of effectiveness•Challenges and implications• Informing policy


BILINGUAL TEACHER PATHWAY PROGRAM (BTP)

GoalsHistory


BTP Mission statementThe Bilingual Teacher Pathway (BTP) Program is a teacher preparation program designed to fill critical shortages of bilingual/bicultural teachers in the Portland, OR metro area. Working with district partners, we recruit and prepare bilingual/bicultural instructional assistants for initial teacher licensure along with an ESL/Bilingual Endorsement.


BTP Program Goals•Recruit, prepare and retain bilingual teachers• Increase the diversity of teaching force in a community with a rapidly diversifying student population•Enable bilingual educational paraprofessionals to earn graduate/undergraduate degrees and teaching licensure


BTP History•Developed by a Consortium of local school districts in collaboration with faculty from the GSE at Portland State University•Currently working with 20 local school district partners•1st cohort enrolled in fall 1999, enrolled cohort XII in fall 2010•Originally funded by two grants from the US Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Language Affairs (Office of English Language Acquisition)


BTP program structure• Two – three year part-time teacher licensure

program• 40 core credits, 22 ESL/Bilingual Endorsement

credits and either prerequisite or content area credits

• Students earn Elementary (grades 3-5) or High School Level (grades 9-12) licensure

• Authorization levels may be added for Mid-Level (6-8) or Early Childhood (K-2)

• All students earn an ESL/Bilingual Endorsement


BILINGUAL SPECIAL EDUCATOR PATHWAY PROGRAM (BISPED)

GoalsHistory


BiSPED Program Goals• Provide a research-based licensure

program leading to highly qualified special educator status

• Provide mentorship during field experiences and through the first year of teaching to increase teacher retention

• Provide support to participants and graduates in forming school-based teams with knowledge of ELL issues


BiSPED History

•Developed through a collaboration among local school districts and PSU GSE faculty•Currently working with 11 school district partners•First cohort enrolled in winter 2008•Funded through a grant from the US Office of English Language Acquisition


BiSPED program structure• 1-year full time or 2-years part time• 45 required credits (SPED licensure +

courses in second language acquisition, bilingual literacy & ELL assessment)

• Early childhood/Elementary or Middle level/HS endorsement

• Students receive $12,000 tuition stipend (grant-funded)


BTP & BiSPED Program Components

•Recruitment•Teacher licensure & degree program• Linked coursework & field experiences• Individualized support


BTP BiSPED

StudentsRecruited

Bilingual educational paraprofessionals working in partner school districts

Bilingual employees working in partner school districts

Degree & Licensure

BA or M.Ed. Initial General

Education teaching license with ESL added endorsement (any grade K-12, any subject)

MA/MS Special Education or endorsement only

Initial Special Education license or SPED endorsement added to general education license


Linked coursework and field experiences• Multiple field experiences• Reflective practice• Work samples

Individual support• Dedicated program advisor• Personal educational plans• Test-taking support


EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS

Program CompletionSatisfied GraduatesInvested Partners


BTP BiSPED

CurrentlyEnrolled

65 (across 3 cohorts)

14(across 2 cohorts)

Graduates 275 9

* Approximately 90% working as teachers in local school districts


Invested partners• “We have 13 [teachers] who are now licensed from the program. The BTP graduates are fabulous.” • “There are problems recruiting bilingual staff from outside of Oregon so it is good to find qualified assistants that can achieve licensure through a structured program.”• “This program is an example of a system of support that is individualized. The program works with students’ strengths and weaknesses.”• “It is a strength to have the districts talking to each other and with the university in order to include in a pre-service education program all of the components that lead to exceptional teachers of diverse learners.”


The Bilingual Teacher Pathways Program with PSU has been a key factor in our ability to recruit, prepare and retain highly qualified bilingual teachers in Spanish and Russian for our District. We have hired more than twenty-five bilingual teachers directly from the BTP Program. More than a dozen of our bilingual instructional assistants have completed or are completing their requirements so they can work for the district as certified teachers. The BTP Program at PSU provides rigorous and relevant teacher preparation coursework and the additional individual support needed to get bilingual educators through the licensing and examination requirements.

Graduate School of Education Leading, Learning, Life ChangingQualified, energetic

teachersThe first time I’ve heard about BTP was when I got hired to work in the elementary school as an ESL instructional assistant. That was also the time of making a turning point in my professional career. I was ready to sacrifice a comfort of a well-paid job I already had at the time for something much bigger. I was thinking long term and was driven by the motivation of becoming a professional educator. I wanted to become a licensed elementary teacher, and I knew that going through this program would be worthwhile. I also knew that my desire to teach, especially to help culturally and linguistically diverse students, would get me through it.

I am happy to have a chance to make a difference. I believe that I can truly relate…to the ESL students because of my own experience of learning English in my native Ukraine. I consider myself lucky having an opportunity to go through school in two different countries. I can bring the best I’ve learned in both of them, and enrich the learning experience of my students. I am looking forward to advocating for and teaching the ESL students to make their learning experience in this country a success.


CHALLENGES & IMPLICATIONS

FundingRecruitmentCollaboration


• Institutionalizing grant-based programs• Funding students• Program staffing & leadership

• Expanding recruitment pools• Seeking diverse candidates• Adapting field experience

requirements

• Collaborating with districts• Meeting student & district needs• Continuing program evolution


INFORMING THE PUBLIC AND POLICYMAKERS

“Grow your own”Cultural Congruence


Supporting success of diverse groups of students• Can’t rely on “luck”• Need for systems of support

Importance of cultural congruence• Positive outcomes of “growing your own”• Look at local needs in developing these

programs

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