Teaching Profession Report Roundup

Teacher Education

By Stephen Sawchuk — December 01, 2009 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A new report documents growth in “practice-based” teacher education programs in Massachusetts and makes recommendations on next steps to support them.

In practice-based teacher education, candidates spend a year as student-teachers, supplemented by courses or seminars. In Massachusetts, the report found, such programs are designed to fit school districts’ needs, focus on the practical aspects of teaching, and either give participating teachers stipends or reduce the cost of coursework. They also focus on the quality of their graduates. Few have been rigorously evaluated, though, and they typically do not track or solicit feedback from program completers.

The report recommends that policymakers and other stakeholders expand the state data system to make it easier to follow graduates, brand such programs as “field-based” or “practice-based,” strengthen the marketing of the programs, and adopt research practices that more clearly consider the structure of practice-based teacher education.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the December 02, 2009 edition of Education Week as Teacher Education

Events

Student Well-Being Webinar After-School Learning Top Priority: Academics or Fun?
Join our expert panel to discuss how after-school programs and schools can work together to help students recover from pandemic-related learning loss.
Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Teaching Profession Summer Jobs Have Become an (Unwelcome) Tradition for Many Teachers
Many teachers rely on summer as a time to earn much-needed extra income.


4 min read
Image of a computer at a desk with "Job Search" in the search window.
Syuzanna Guseynova/iStock/Getty + EdWeek
Teaching Profession Opinion The Teacher Who Inspired Me to Be Who I Am Today
It wasn’t until 10th grade that a teacher truly saw me for the first time.
Raj Tawney
3 min read
Surreal art of dream success and hope concept, a man in a grey environment looks through an open door into a bright colorful exterior
Jorm Sangsorn/iStock
Teaching Profession Opinion Teacher Stress Is Not Inevitable
But first we need to stop expecting teachers to be Band-Aids for system inequalities. Sacrifice shouldn't be part of the job.
Kristabel Stark, Kathryn Meyer & Elizabeth Bettini
4 min read
Illustration of teachers and students.
Mary Haasdyk Vooys for Education Week<br/>
Teaching Profession Q&A Why This Author Wants to Ditch the Term 'Teacher Burnout'
Alexandra Robbins' advocacy on behalf of teachers stems from her own research for a book on the teaching profession.
5 min read
Alexandra Robbins
Alexandra Robbins