ST2
Project Activities
ST2
focuses its efforts on three essential activities to support pre-service
teachers and first- and second-year teachers. These activities will
be carried out by University of Illinois at Chicago clinical and academic
faculty and Chicago Public Schools GOLDEN Teacher Program staff and
other school personnel. The participating schools will become meeting
grounds on which professionals from both of these institutions will
collaborate on teacher support.
Paired
Visits
These
paired visits are formal observations and debriefings for pre-service
teachers and first-year teachers. The field instructor (for the pre-service
teacher) or GOLDEN mentor (for the first-year teacher) is joined by
a field consultant with expertise in aspects of teaching that are
important for the urban teacher. Paired visits help the field instructor
or mentor to develop a richer vision of what to look for and how to
comment on it in mentoring. The field instructor and field consultant share information by paired conversations after observing the teacher candidate and fill out an observation form focusing on either content, culture and community or technology. observation forms
Professional
Learning Communities
Meetings
of field instructors, GOLDEN mentors, cooperating teachers, and others
who support pre-service teachers and first- and second-year teachers
in which they can reflect on their experiences and support and learn
from each other. They may observe videotapes of lessons, or discuss
issues of common interest. The group members will help set the agenda
and provide the content of the meetings. Initially, ST2 staff will
facilitate the meetings.
Targeted
Professional Development
Field
instructors, GOLDEN mentors, cooperating teachers and others who support
pre-service teachers and first- and second-year teachers will take
part in workshops on topics pertinent to supporting teaching in urban
schools. ST2 staff will help identify topics and will arrange for
expert workshop presenters to provide the learning opportunities.
