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Millersville University’s School of Education received the award for Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement today, March 28, for their program that gives middle and high schools better prepared, experienced and ready-to-teach teachers.
Dr. Nanette Marcum-Dietrich, the coordinator of the Professional Development School (PDS) program at Millersville, accepted the award at the National Association for Professional Development Schools’ 2014 Professional Development School National Conference in Las Vegas.
“Our PDS program is an internship where students are placed in a school for an entire year,” Marcum-Dietrich. “They leave the program with a full year of experience.”
WATCH A VIDEO ABOUT THE PROGRAM AT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO7ZzFjej28.
Dr. Timothy Shea, who has been the PDS Coordinator for the English Education program for the past three years likened the model to an apprenticeship that gives the student teacher lots of time and experience.
“It’s like having two professionals in the classroom; a master teacher and a new intern, working side by side,” said Marcum-Dietrich.
The award Millersville received “recognizes PDS relationships for their ongoing contributions to the mission and vision in creating and sustaining genuine collaborative partnerships between P-12 and higher education that shapes educator leadership and practice.”
And the best part, according to Dr. Oliver Dreon, educational foundations, “Our students are coming out and getting hired at a greater rate than students in traditional programs.”
Marcum-Dietrich and Dreon began designing the program six years ago.
2 replies on “Millersville Recognized for Revolutionizing Student Teaching”
Being part of the learning community nurtured by the PDS exceeds all possibilities associated with traditional methods.
The PDS program was amazing. I am a product of the program and I was so much more prepared to deal with the rigor and grind of a school year. I recommend it anyone pursuing a career in education.