A Message from the President
Dr. Linda Gronberg-Quinn, President
Director – Teacher Education, Community College of Baltimore County
Happy Spring! I do hope that everyone is doing well and staying healthy. Things certainly have changed since many of us were in Atlanta for our Poster Session at AACTE’s Annual Conference. I assume you now know more about Zoom than you ever cared to. In one of my many Zoom meetings today, an attendee mentioned that in looking for the positive in the COVID 19 quarantine, we could think of the invaluable experience our students are having. For those who were in the midst of their student teaching, internship, or field-based experiences, they were able to be on the frontline observing teachers who had to abandon their physical classrooms for virtual ones. This is such a real-life experience of the need for teachers to be flexible, be accommodating, and work with what they are given.
In addition, these teachers may be dealing with their own children who no longer have a physical classroom. We have found that some of the mentor teachers have welcomed the assistance that our students could offer. Others have been too overwhelmed to do more than tread water, which is totally understandable. I hope we are all beyond the treading water stage and looking forward to what summer will bring. Stay safe!
Dr. Linda Gronberg-Quinn, President
Director – Teacher Education, Community College of Baltimore County
Happy Spring! I do hope that everyone is doing well and staying healthy. Things certainly have changed since many of us were in Atlanta for our Poster Session at AACTE’s Annual Conference. I assume you now know more about Zoom than you ever cared to. In one of my many Zoom meetings today, an attendee mentioned that in looking for the positive in the COVID 19 quarantine, we could think of the invaluable experience our students are having. For those who were in the midst of their student teaching, internship, or field-based experiences, they were able to be on the frontline observing teachers who had to abandon their physical classrooms for virtual ones. This is such a real-life experience of the need for teachers to be flexible, be accommodating, and work with what they are given.
In addition, these teachers may be dealing with their own children who no longer have a physical classroom. We have found that some of the mentor teachers have welcomed the assistance that our students could offer. Others have been too overwhelmed to do more than tread water, which is totally understandable. I hope we are all beyond the treading water stage and looking forward to what summer will bring. Stay safe!
A Message from the Executive Director
Julie Ferin, Instructional Services Supervisor, Rio Salado College
Ending a school year in the midst of a pandemic is quite an accomplishment. Some of our readers yet haven’t reached the end of the school year, however their “classrooms” look very different than they did in the early Spring. Whether you are leading an organization, program, department or your own classroom through the pandemic, remember that it is hard to take care of others if you are not spending the time you need to take care of yourself. If possible, make the time to replenish your spirit doing something that recharges your body and mind.
For me, having the opportunity to step into the role of Executive Director in the middle of March during such an uncertain time, was a great reminder of the importance of supporting others. Now more than ever, the little connections matter - check in on a colleague, help someone in need, or send a cheerful email or card, this can have such a positive impact on someone’s day. ~ “A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” -Steve Maraboli
I had the pleasure of meeting the NACCTEP board members at the AACTE conference in Atlanta this past February. Their hard work and commitment was apparent as we planned for the coming year. Our focus will continue to be on increasing membership, but more importantly, making sure we are offering timely resources that are valuable for all members. We are planning the upcoming NACCTEP conference, including some virtual options for April 2021. These are just a couple of ways that NACCTEP is keeping a consistent focus on our members, we hope you continue to share your passion for education and help us promote the community college’s role in teacher education. We want to hear your voice! Consider joining NACCTEP’s Board, we will have some openings in June. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me, I look forward to talking with you Julie.ferin@riosalado.edu.
I hope you are able to celebrate the small victories, although ending a school year during a pandemic is not what I would consider a small task. As we navigate these uncharted waters make sure you are allowing yourself and others the grace to ask for help when it’s needed.
Julie Ferin, Instructional Services Supervisor, Rio Salado College
Ending a school year in the midst of a pandemic is quite an accomplishment. Some of our readers yet haven’t reached the end of the school year, however their “classrooms” look very different than they did in the early Spring. Whether you are leading an organization, program, department or your own classroom through the pandemic, remember that it is hard to take care of others if you are not spending the time you need to take care of yourself. If possible, make the time to replenish your spirit doing something that recharges your body and mind.
For me, having the opportunity to step into the role of Executive Director in the middle of March during such an uncertain time, was a great reminder of the importance of supporting others. Now more than ever, the little connections matter - check in on a colleague, help someone in need, or send a cheerful email or card, this can have such a positive impact on someone’s day. ~ “A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” -Steve Maraboli
I had the pleasure of meeting the NACCTEP board members at the AACTE conference in Atlanta this past February. Their hard work and commitment was apparent as we planned for the coming year. Our focus will continue to be on increasing membership, but more importantly, making sure we are offering timely resources that are valuable for all members. We are planning the upcoming NACCTEP conference, including some virtual options for April 2021. These are just a couple of ways that NACCTEP is keeping a consistent focus on our members, we hope you continue to share your passion for education and help us promote the community college’s role in teacher education. We want to hear your voice! Consider joining NACCTEP’s Board, we will have some openings in June. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me, I look forward to talking with you Julie.ferin@riosalado.edu.
I hope you are able to celebrate the small victories, although ending a school year during a pandemic is not what I would consider a small task. As we navigate these uncharted waters make sure you are allowing yourself and others the grace to ask for help when it’s needed.
Ambassadors we need your voice and would love to hear about your school’s achievements,
innovations, and future plans for an Ambassador’s Corner column in future newsletters.
Please contact us at nacctep@riosalado.edu with your ideas TODAY!
If you know of or are a graduate of a community college teacher preparation program, we need
your voice and would love to hear about your achievements, career plans and future aspirations.
Visit our website and submit your information via our Alumni Connection TODAY!
innovations, and future plans for an Ambassador’s Corner column in future newsletters.
Please contact us at nacctep@riosalado.edu with your ideas TODAY!
If you know of or are a graduate of a community college teacher preparation program, we need
your voice and would love to hear about your achievements, career plans and future aspirations.
Visit our website and submit your information via our Alumni Connection TODAY!
The Texas Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs (TACCTEP-a Texas Chapter of NACCTEP): Our Start and Who We Are Today
Fay Lee - TACCTEP President (2019-2020), President-Elect (2017-2019),
Founding Board Member
NACCTEP Ambassador
Professor of Education, Lone Star College-CyFair
The Beginning
In 2014, I was given a great privilege of being on the board of NACCTEP. The first board meeting in Washington, DC motivated me as I witnessed a collective voice from various educators, representing California, Idaho, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia, New York and Texas, to give community college teacher education a collective voice. Our state of Texas was no exception to the various issues that we all had in common (e.g., articulation agreements, program alignments, state transfer issues, diversifying the teacher pipeline, etc.). I shared this with my colleagues at Lone Star College and the idea of creating a unified voice for our state. The following year, Lisa Hill, a professor from one of Lone Star College’s other campuses, joined the NACCTEP board, and together we began the process to start a state chapter.
I sought advice from community college teacher educators in Michigan and California on how to begin our advocacy group, while Lisa Hill contacted executive board members of the Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education (CSOTTE). With these joint efforts and consultation from Kim Tobey, then Executive Director of NACCTEP, and Dr. Edward Leach, Executive Director of NISOD, TACCTEP was established in the summer of 2017.
The first board members of TACCTEP were gathered with the help of Dr. Doug Hamman, Department Chair of Teacher Education at Texas Tech University and Director of TechTeach Across Texas.
Current Status
Since its establishment, TACCTEP became a member organization of CSOTTE, a state-wide organization that houses all Texas teacher associations. TACCTEP sits on the board with universities, alternative certification programs, faculty, directors and administration. Our organizational members and board members have presented at numerous conferences. We have also gained membership with the Texas Education Agency’s Educator Preparation Advisory Council (EPAC). We keep our community college teacher education programs updated with legislative decisions that affect K-12 schools as well as Educator Preparation Programs.
Our strategic plan for 2019-2020 included: 1) organizational visibility by participating at conferences by holding meetings and establishing our semesterly newsletter, 2) non-profit status attainment, and 3) a robust revenue model to help sustain our organization.
To accomplish these goals this year, we:
Continuing Efforts
As the outgoing president, I genuinely believe in the community college mission, which is to provide equitable access to higher education for all students who aspire to complete a post-secondary degree. Within Community College Teacher Education, I strongly support our students who start at the community college to begin their educator preparation journey. Affordability to higher education has been an issue for decades; however, students starting at the community college can overcome this hinderance and make their aspirations to become a teacher a reality.
Strong partnerships with universities and other entities can also help alleviate some of the barriers that students face. For example, working with CSOTTE has allowed TACCTEP membership opportunities to be involved in state policy decisions and to network with universities across the state and their local areas. Our members are given invitations to attend and/or participate in conferences and meetings that provide information for all teacher educators. Most of our community colleges were unaware of these opportunities and are now invited to attend these annual conferences and meetings.
Our members can also apply to present at these conferences, ordinarily attended by universities and alternative certification programs. Community colleges inform teacher education organizations about our innovative programs and partnerships at these conferences. TACCTEP continues to cultivate this two-way communication stream by our board membership with CSOTTE. Doors are open to support community college involvement in all areas of teacher education. This created a trickle-down effect by providing accessible information for all community colleges, which creates stronger programs and alignment with university and Texas Education Agency expectations in the profession. We, therefore, avoid developing and establishing community college programs in vacuums and working in silos that prevent effective progress for the teaching profession.
Teacher vacancies are prevalent in the state of Texas and diversifying the pipeline is also a goal for our Texas Education Agency. In the largest independent school district in Texas, Houston ISD has an estimated two thousand teacher vacancies each year. Unfortunately, not all of these vacancies are filled. Houston ISD is not alone. Many other school districts share in this issue. Therefore, university educator preparation and alternative teacher certification programs need to be innovative and aggressive in order to find and prepare future teachers strategically for our Texas students. Recruiting from community colleges not only increases enrollment but also contributes to the diversity pipeline. Specifically, of community college students among all undergraduates in the U.S., there are 52% of Hispanics, 42% blacks and 39% Asian/Pacifica Islanders (Phillippe & Tekle, 2019). It is advantageous for universities to work closely with community college teacher education programs.
What then is TACCTEP’s role to meet these issues directly? Not only is it important for us to partner with universities but to collaborate with ISDs as well. One example is Lone Star College. We provide students opportunities to meet, visit and serve teachers and students at schools where the needs are high. We are establishing a foundation of service—specifically, teaching as a public service to our communities. TACCTEP member institutions have a platform to highlight their programs and show activities that promote service to our communities. We showcase these programs on our website and through the semesterly newsletter. This informs us about the needs in Texas and ways to advance our programs.
With our current President-Elect, Denise McKown, taking the baton very soon, I am confident that TACCTEP will continue to grow and develop a strong voice for our community college programs. We believe in supporting our students, our communities and the teacher workforce. With this belief as our focus, TACCTEP can be a part of bringing our Texas educator programs to new and greater heights.
Reference
Phillippe, K., & Tekle, R. (2019). Fast facts. In American Association of Community Colleges. Retrieved from https://www.aacc.nche.edu/research-trends/fast-facts/
Fay Lee - TACCTEP President (2019-2020), President-Elect (2017-2019),
Founding Board Member
NACCTEP Ambassador
Professor of Education, Lone Star College-CyFair
The Beginning
In 2014, I was given a great privilege of being on the board of NACCTEP. The first board meeting in Washington, DC motivated me as I witnessed a collective voice from various educators, representing California, Idaho, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia, New York and Texas, to give community college teacher education a collective voice. Our state of Texas was no exception to the various issues that we all had in common (e.g., articulation agreements, program alignments, state transfer issues, diversifying the teacher pipeline, etc.). I shared this with my colleagues at Lone Star College and the idea of creating a unified voice for our state. The following year, Lisa Hill, a professor from one of Lone Star College’s other campuses, joined the NACCTEP board, and together we began the process to start a state chapter.
I sought advice from community college teacher educators in Michigan and California on how to begin our advocacy group, while Lisa Hill contacted executive board members of the Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education (CSOTTE). With these joint efforts and consultation from Kim Tobey, then Executive Director of NACCTEP, and Dr. Edward Leach, Executive Director of NISOD, TACCTEP was established in the summer of 2017.
The first board members of TACCTEP were gathered with the help of Dr. Doug Hamman, Department Chair of Teacher Education at Texas Tech University and Director of TechTeach Across Texas.
Current Status
Since its establishment, TACCTEP became a member organization of CSOTTE, a state-wide organization that houses all Texas teacher associations. TACCTEP sits on the board with universities, alternative certification programs, faculty, directors and administration. Our organizational members and board members have presented at numerous conferences. We have also gained membership with the Texas Education Agency’s Educator Preparation Advisory Council (EPAC). We keep our community college teacher education programs updated with legislative decisions that affect K-12 schools as well as Educator Preparation Programs.
Our strategic plan for 2019-2020 included: 1) organizational visibility by participating at conferences by holding meetings and establishing our semesterly newsletter, 2) non-profit status attainment, and 3) a robust revenue model to help sustain our organization.
To accomplish these goals this year, we:
- built a wider reach across Texas by adding Members-At-Large that represent South, East and West Texas,
- participated and presented at the TxATE summer conference, CSOTTE fall annual conference, and TCCTA Annual Convention,
- established our website (www.tacctep.weebly.com),
- opened our bank account,
- applied and received approval on our non-profit status,
- prepared for our first annual conference, but due to COVID-19, postponed it to next spring 2021, and
- increased our revenue through conference fees and membership fees.
Continuing Efforts
As the outgoing president, I genuinely believe in the community college mission, which is to provide equitable access to higher education for all students who aspire to complete a post-secondary degree. Within Community College Teacher Education, I strongly support our students who start at the community college to begin their educator preparation journey. Affordability to higher education has been an issue for decades; however, students starting at the community college can overcome this hinderance and make their aspirations to become a teacher a reality.
Strong partnerships with universities and other entities can also help alleviate some of the barriers that students face. For example, working with CSOTTE has allowed TACCTEP membership opportunities to be involved in state policy decisions and to network with universities across the state and their local areas. Our members are given invitations to attend and/or participate in conferences and meetings that provide information for all teacher educators. Most of our community colleges were unaware of these opportunities and are now invited to attend these annual conferences and meetings.
Our members can also apply to present at these conferences, ordinarily attended by universities and alternative certification programs. Community colleges inform teacher education organizations about our innovative programs and partnerships at these conferences. TACCTEP continues to cultivate this two-way communication stream by our board membership with CSOTTE. Doors are open to support community college involvement in all areas of teacher education. This created a trickle-down effect by providing accessible information for all community colleges, which creates stronger programs and alignment with university and Texas Education Agency expectations in the profession. We, therefore, avoid developing and establishing community college programs in vacuums and working in silos that prevent effective progress for the teaching profession.
Teacher vacancies are prevalent in the state of Texas and diversifying the pipeline is also a goal for our Texas Education Agency. In the largest independent school district in Texas, Houston ISD has an estimated two thousand teacher vacancies each year. Unfortunately, not all of these vacancies are filled. Houston ISD is not alone. Many other school districts share in this issue. Therefore, university educator preparation and alternative teacher certification programs need to be innovative and aggressive in order to find and prepare future teachers strategically for our Texas students. Recruiting from community colleges not only increases enrollment but also contributes to the diversity pipeline. Specifically, of community college students among all undergraduates in the U.S., there are 52% of Hispanics, 42% blacks and 39% Asian/Pacifica Islanders (Phillippe & Tekle, 2019). It is advantageous for universities to work closely with community college teacher education programs.
What then is TACCTEP’s role to meet these issues directly? Not only is it important for us to partner with universities but to collaborate with ISDs as well. One example is Lone Star College. We provide students opportunities to meet, visit and serve teachers and students at schools where the needs are high. We are establishing a foundation of service—specifically, teaching as a public service to our communities. TACCTEP member institutions have a platform to highlight their programs and show activities that promote service to our communities. We showcase these programs on our website and through the semesterly newsletter. This informs us about the needs in Texas and ways to advance our programs.
With our current President-Elect, Denise McKown, taking the baton very soon, I am confident that TACCTEP will continue to grow and develop a strong voice for our community college programs. We believe in supporting our students, our communities and the teacher workforce. With this belief as our focus, TACCTEP can be a part of bringing our Texas educator programs to new and greater heights.
Reference
Phillippe, K., & Tekle, R. (2019). Fast facts. In American Association of Community Colleges. Retrieved from https://www.aacc.nche.edu/research-trends/fast-facts/
Ambassador’s Corner
Preparing Today’s Learners to be Tomorrow’s Teachers
Dr. Tawn Hauptli – Ambassador Liaison
Residential Faculty & Department Chair, Education Studies – Mesa Community College
Personalized learning has recently garnered a great deal of attention. Among the many definitions is this one: a student-centered teaching and learning method that can be applied in a wide variety of ways. It can be inclusive of educational programs, learning experiences, and instructional approaches intended to address the distinct learning needs, interests, aspirations, or cultural backgrounds of individual students. By tailoring assignments and instruction to individual students' interests, needs, and skills, teachers can help students achieve greater academic success.
Beliefs Underlying this Work
Applying this approach to teaching and learning has great promise for preparing teachers to meet the needs of today’s learners. By working closely with local education agencies, community college teacher educators can meet the needs of both education majors and practicing teachers to deliver the best educational experience to K12 students.
Our Process
The Road So Far
Preparing Today’s Learners to be Tomorrow’s Teachers
Dr. Tawn Hauptli – Ambassador Liaison
Residential Faculty & Department Chair, Education Studies – Mesa Community College
Personalized learning has recently garnered a great deal of attention. Among the many definitions is this one: a student-centered teaching and learning method that can be applied in a wide variety of ways. It can be inclusive of educational programs, learning experiences, and instructional approaches intended to address the distinct learning needs, interests, aspirations, or cultural backgrounds of individual students. By tailoring assignments and instruction to individual students' interests, needs, and skills, teachers can help students achieve greater academic success.
Beliefs Underlying this Work
- education majors will be likely to teach the way they were taught
- instruction in the community college teacher preparation program must complement the philosophies of the professional development schools
- professional development schools need to be flexible regarding the community college students’ schedules
- the 21st century skills of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity must be essential components of the program
Applying this approach to teaching and learning has great promise for preparing teachers to meet the needs of today’s learners. By working closely with local education agencies, community college teacher educators can meet the needs of both education majors and practicing teachers to deliver the best educational experience to K12 students.
Our Process
- a representative at the community college serves as the contact person for the professional development sites
- students sign up to complete their field experience at one of the identified schools using a Google form listing the education course(s), number of hours required, preferred grade level, and area of interest, i.e., 9th grade math, special education
- a K12 school representative places the student with an appropriate teacher and/or program
The Road So Far
- This work is in the very early stages, but initial feedback is promising. Both community college students and our K12 partners find the partnership beneficial.
A Community College Pathway into Teacher Education Increases Diversity in Teacher Candidates
Dr. Cecelia Monto
cecelia.monto@chemeketa.edu
Dean of Education, Languages and Social Sciences at Chemeketa Community College
Executive Board Member, National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs
Student demographics across the United States have significantly changed in the last 20 years with particular increases in bilingual and Hispanic student populations (Aud, Hussar, Kena, Bianco, Frohlich, Kemp, & Tahan, 2011), and the need to diversify the teaching workforce is well documented (Darling-Hammond, 2010). However, the teaching workforce has not come to reflect the shift in student demographics. A growing gap has emerged between the racial and ethnic backgrounds of students and teachers. This trend was noted in the Education Commission of the States report in 2017, which emphasized the need to increase the proportion of diverse teachers to reduce this disparity (Atchison, Diffey, Rafa, & Sarubbi, 2017).
Because community colleges serve a high percentage of diverse students, a community college pathway into teaching represents a promising approach for increasing the diversity of the teaching workforce. Community colleges are known for providing affordable access into academics, and they have locations throughout rural communities (Dougherty & Townsend, 2006; Magloire, 2019). Therefore, community colleges are well suited to promote a grow your own teaching force that is diverse and serves rural school districts. The grow your own approach is considered an effective way to engage and sustain teachers of color, particularly in Hispanic communities (Gist, Bianco, & Lynn, 2019; Villagomez, Easton-Brooks, Gomez, Lubbes, & Johnson, 2016).
Chemeketa Community College initiated a teacher education pathway model in 2015 that is successfully adding diverse teachers to the region’s education workforce and serving rural communities. The model pathway includes a set of interrelated strategies designed to support all students, with specific approaches that encourage diverse student populations. The Chemeketa program features six key elements:
• Bilingual faculty and staff that inherently honor linguistic diversity
• An ethic of caring
• Academic supports that keep students on track and provides service opportunities
• A clear and efficient transfer pathway that includes Education courses
• Financial assistance
• Outreach to rural districts including a Willamette Valley campus
The addition of bilingual faculty and staff cultivated a campus climate that was encouraging and welcoming to diverse student populations. The role of language and sociolinguistic consciousness influences student engagement, strengthens student identity, and supports the value of linguistic diversity. (Lucas & Villegas, 2013). Bilingual faculty and staff also serve to deliberately cultivate an ethic of caring (Noddings, 1988) that integrates cross-cultural awareness and creates a strong foundation for productive academic supports. Frequent contact around academics, service activities, and community events allows faculty and staff to build close relationships, which in turn builds cultural bridges between teachers and students in a meaningful way. This positive support builds cariño (caring) and confianza (trust), which is especially important to diverse and Latinx students (Hammond, 2014; Rueda, Monzó, & Higareda, 2004).
Strong transfer agreements support student degree completion. Data gathered by Chemeketa show a higher than average participation rate for Hispanic students, positive program for those student while at community college and continued academic success for students regardless of race/ethnicity upon transfer. Depending on the year, between 54-43% of students enrolled in the education pathway were Hispanic, compared with a college average of 24% for the same years. Community college graduation rates for Chemeketa students in the teacher pathway were higher than average college rates, and student success rates following graduation remained strong. 2019 Chemeketa Program Review tracking data from the four largest university transfer partners found that 94.8% of all students transferring from the Chemeketa teacher pathway had graduated or remained enrolled and were working towards graduation. These successful student outcomes data suggest that the community college pathway serves students not just an entry point into teaching degrees, but also provides students with solid academic preparation for university and commitment building to the choice of a teaching career.
Outreach to diverse communities and financial assistance also sustain student engagement and ultimate success. Frequent activities with area government and service organizations integrate the program into the community, including regional school districts that create employment opportunities for students.
The combination of strong student success rates following transfer to university and the high percentage of diverse student participation show that a community college pathway can be an effective strategy to cultivating a diverse teacher workforce. This model has influenced statewide efforts to cultivate improved academic collaboration between community college and university education departments. Although this model focuses on Hispanic students, the model could be tailored to unique demographics in other regions for replication.
References:
Atchison B, Diffey L, Rafa A, Sarubbi M, (2017). Equity in Education key questions to consider. Education Commission of the States.
Aud, S., Hussar, W., Kena, G., Bianco, K., Frohlich, L., Kemp, J., & Tahan, K. (2011). The Condition of Education 2011. (NCES 2011-033). US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office.
Darling-Hammond, L., (2010). Teacher Education and the American Future. (61:1-2, 35-47). https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487109348024
Dougherty, K.J., Townsend, B.K. (2006). Community College Missions: A Theoretical and Historical Perspective. New Directions for Community Colleges, (136:Winter, 5-13).
Gist, C.D., Bianco, M., Lynn, M. (2019). Examining Grow Your Own Programs Across the Teacher Development Continuum: Mining Research on Teachers of Color and Nontraditional Educator Pipelines. (70:1, 13-25). https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487118787504
Hammond, Z. (2015). Culturally Responsive Teacher and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Corwin.
Lucas, T., Villegas, A.M., (2013). Preparing Linguistically Responsive Teachers: Laying the Foundation in Preservice Teacher Education. Theory Into Practice. (52:2, 98-109).
Magloire, J. (2019). Who Wants to Teacher a Diverse Student Body? Community College Missions and the Faculty Search Committee. Community College Journal of Research and Practice. (43:3, 165-172).
Noddings, N. (1988). An Ethic of Caring and Its Implications for Instructional Arrangements. American Journal of Education. (96:2, 215-30).
Rueda, R., Monzo, L.D., Higareda, I., (2004). Appropriating the Sociocultural Resources of Latino Paraeducators for Effective Instruction with Latino Students: Promise and Problems. (39:1, 52-90). https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085903259213
Villagomez. A.A., Easton-Brooks, D., Gomez, K., Lubbes, T., Johnson, K., (2016). Oregon Teacher Pathway: Responding to National Trends. Equity & Excellence in Education, (49:1, 100-114).
Dr. Cecelia Monto
cecelia.monto@chemeketa.edu
Dean of Education, Languages and Social Sciences at Chemeketa Community College
Executive Board Member, National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs
Student demographics across the United States have significantly changed in the last 20 years with particular increases in bilingual and Hispanic student populations (Aud, Hussar, Kena, Bianco, Frohlich, Kemp, & Tahan, 2011), and the need to diversify the teaching workforce is well documented (Darling-Hammond, 2010). However, the teaching workforce has not come to reflect the shift in student demographics. A growing gap has emerged between the racial and ethnic backgrounds of students and teachers. This trend was noted in the Education Commission of the States report in 2017, which emphasized the need to increase the proportion of diverse teachers to reduce this disparity (Atchison, Diffey, Rafa, & Sarubbi, 2017).
Because community colleges serve a high percentage of diverse students, a community college pathway into teaching represents a promising approach for increasing the diversity of the teaching workforce. Community colleges are known for providing affordable access into academics, and they have locations throughout rural communities (Dougherty & Townsend, 2006; Magloire, 2019). Therefore, community colleges are well suited to promote a grow your own teaching force that is diverse and serves rural school districts. The grow your own approach is considered an effective way to engage and sustain teachers of color, particularly in Hispanic communities (Gist, Bianco, & Lynn, 2019; Villagomez, Easton-Brooks, Gomez, Lubbes, & Johnson, 2016).
Chemeketa Community College initiated a teacher education pathway model in 2015 that is successfully adding diverse teachers to the region’s education workforce and serving rural communities. The model pathway includes a set of interrelated strategies designed to support all students, with specific approaches that encourage diverse student populations. The Chemeketa program features six key elements:
• Bilingual faculty and staff that inherently honor linguistic diversity
• An ethic of caring
• Academic supports that keep students on track and provides service opportunities
• A clear and efficient transfer pathway that includes Education courses
• Financial assistance
• Outreach to rural districts including a Willamette Valley campus
The addition of bilingual faculty and staff cultivated a campus climate that was encouraging and welcoming to diverse student populations. The role of language and sociolinguistic consciousness influences student engagement, strengthens student identity, and supports the value of linguistic diversity. (Lucas & Villegas, 2013). Bilingual faculty and staff also serve to deliberately cultivate an ethic of caring (Noddings, 1988) that integrates cross-cultural awareness and creates a strong foundation for productive academic supports. Frequent contact around academics, service activities, and community events allows faculty and staff to build close relationships, which in turn builds cultural bridges between teachers and students in a meaningful way. This positive support builds cariño (caring) and confianza (trust), which is especially important to diverse and Latinx students (Hammond, 2014; Rueda, Monzó, & Higareda, 2004).
Strong transfer agreements support student degree completion. Data gathered by Chemeketa show a higher than average participation rate for Hispanic students, positive program for those student while at community college and continued academic success for students regardless of race/ethnicity upon transfer. Depending on the year, between 54-43% of students enrolled in the education pathway were Hispanic, compared with a college average of 24% for the same years. Community college graduation rates for Chemeketa students in the teacher pathway were higher than average college rates, and student success rates following graduation remained strong. 2019 Chemeketa Program Review tracking data from the four largest university transfer partners found that 94.8% of all students transferring from the Chemeketa teacher pathway had graduated or remained enrolled and were working towards graduation. These successful student outcomes data suggest that the community college pathway serves students not just an entry point into teaching degrees, but also provides students with solid academic preparation for university and commitment building to the choice of a teaching career.
Outreach to diverse communities and financial assistance also sustain student engagement and ultimate success. Frequent activities with area government and service organizations integrate the program into the community, including regional school districts that create employment opportunities for students.
The combination of strong student success rates following transfer to university and the high percentage of diverse student participation show that a community college pathway can be an effective strategy to cultivating a diverse teacher workforce. This model has influenced statewide efforts to cultivate improved academic collaboration between community college and university education departments. Although this model focuses on Hispanic students, the model could be tailored to unique demographics in other regions for replication.
References:
Atchison B, Diffey L, Rafa A, Sarubbi M, (2017). Equity in Education key questions to consider. Education Commission of the States.
Aud, S., Hussar, W., Kena, G., Bianco, K., Frohlich, L., Kemp, J., & Tahan, K. (2011). The Condition of Education 2011. (NCES 2011-033). US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office.
Darling-Hammond, L., (2010). Teacher Education and the American Future. (61:1-2, 35-47). https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487109348024
Dougherty, K.J., Townsend, B.K. (2006). Community College Missions: A Theoretical and Historical Perspective. New Directions for Community Colleges, (136:Winter, 5-13).
Gist, C.D., Bianco, M., Lynn, M. (2019). Examining Grow Your Own Programs Across the Teacher Development Continuum: Mining Research on Teachers of Color and Nontraditional Educator Pipelines. (70:1, 13-25). https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487118787504
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Mott Community College – Ferris State University 20-Year Partnership
Jeff Bean
Program Advisor, School of Education
Ferris State University
&
Becky Garske
Associate Professor and Coordinator, Early Childhood Education
Mott Community College
The city of Flint had been in the news frequently prior to the Covid-19 outbreak for the serious infrastructural failure of its water system. Beyond the political concerns and legal issues, the very real product of this catastrophe is a major effect on the children of the Flint and Beecher communities. We are just now beginning to see the effects of lead poisoning manifest themselves in Pre-K and school age children via behavioral issues and cognitive development that is slowed or altered all together. In a state that has done all that it can to batter the professional educators on the front lines by our State Legislature, the partnership between Mott Community College and Ferris State University to provide highly qualified Early Childhood Instructors and Elementary Teachers is more than just a nice idea at this point, it is an essential part of the recovery process.
This partnership began over twenty years ago when Ferris, located in Big Rapids, Michigan on the west side of the state, set up a “Statewide” location on the Mott Campus in Flint on the east side of the state as a way to better serve non-traditional students who were finishing Associate Degrees at Mott and wanted more but couldn’t make the move to a Main Campus because they had either a job here or family or both. Because Flint has always had a strong need for early childhood educators (ECE) due to socio-economic and social issues, the head of Mott’s program at the time fought for the initial offering to include an Associates to Bachelor’s program in the ECE field. There were already several Head Start locations in the city along with many privately run Pre-K Day Care centers because of the high need due to so many parents working varying shifts in the GM and auxiliary plants that provided most of the work in the area. So, both Mott and Ferris directors saw a way to utilize the sites where folks were already employed as locations for internships. They could take evening and weekend classes to gain pedagogical background and do “boots on the ground” work where they were employed. Ferris complemented the format of evening and weekend classes, utilizing a large number of the Mott credits and acknowledging the high quality work the Community College instructors were providing and were able to move most students through to their Bachelors within a 3-4 semester framework.
Over the lifetime of the partnership, 75% of all Mott grads continuing on to obtain a four-year degree choose Ferris State University (FSU). The most cited reasons are the number of Mott credits we accept and the fact that all classes are taught on the Mott campus leading to lower student costs. Because 70% of the total number of credits needed are done at the Mott tuition rate as opposed to FSU’s rate, the students see massive savings. We add to that savings by being local so they don’t have to pay for additional room and board. A comparison done a year ago showed a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education done through the Consortium was $15,000 less expensive than its nearest competitor, with the average being a $20,000 savings. In an area where return on investment is a strong factor in the choice to continue after high school, we can provide a positive front.
Because of close work between the two faculties, Ferris is able to leverage 10 of the 12 occupational specific courses that Mott requires of their students for the Associates. FSU then adds an additional 6 courses along with a concentration of 5-7 more. The concentration is a choice for the student. If they are looking to own their own center or go into Management of any kind, they are provided classes in Accounting, Marketing and Management. If their desire is to stay in the classroom, we offer a Leadership track that gives them continued pedagogical background in ELA, Music and Art.
A recent survey found that almost 60% of Flint Head Start lead teachers are grads of the program. While we don’t have numbers for the county wide impact yet, an educated guess would put it around 40%. That means that this collaboration has had a dynamic impact on a community that has been severely impacted by poverty, bias and now, lead poisoning.
The Mott- Ferris partnership will continue to grow and strengthen in a community that has both great need and tremendous potential. Our desire is to share what we gather with institutions across the country and around the world. Education has always been and will continue to be a massive collaboration of people who are committed to the most important section of our communities, our children.
Jeff Bean
Program Advisor, School of Education
Ferris State University
&
Becky Garske
Associate Professor and Coordinator, Early Childhood Education
Mott Community College
The city of Flint had been in the news frequently prior to the Covid-19 outbreak for the serious infrastructural failure of its water system. Beyond the political concerns and legal issues, the very real product of this catastrophe is a major effect on the children of the Flint and Beecher communities. We are just now beginning to see the effects of lead poisoning manifest themselves in Pre-K and school age children via behavioral issues and cognitive development that is slowed or altered all together. In a state that has done all that it can to batter the professional educators on the front lines by our State Legislature, the partnership between Mott Community College and Ferris State University to provide highly qualified Early Childhood Instructors and Elementary Teachers is more than just a nice idea at this point, it is an essential part of the recovery process.
This partnership began over twenty years ago when Ferris, located in Big Rapids, Michigan on the west side of the state, set up a “Statewide” location on the Mott Campus in Flint on the east side of the state as a way to better serve non-traditional students who were finishing Associate Degrees at Mott and wanted more but couldn’t make the move to a Main Campus because they had either a job here or family or both. Because Flint has always had a strong need for early childhood educators (ECE) due to socio-economic and social issues, the head of Mott’s program at the time fought for the initial offering to include an Associates to Bachelor’s program in the ECE field. There were already several Head Start locations in the city along with many privately run Pre-K Day Care centers because of the high need due to so many parents working varying shifts in the GM and auxiliary plants that provided most of the work in the area. So, both Mott and Ferris directors saw a way to utilize the sites where folks were already employed as locations for internships. They could take evening and weekend classes to gain pedagogical background and do “boots on the ground” work where they were employed. Ferris complemented the format of evening and weekend classes, utilizing a large number of the Mott credits and acknowledging the high quality work the Community College instructors were providing and were able to move most students through to their Bachelors within a 3-4 semester framework.
Over the lifetime of the partnership, 75% of all Mott grads continuing on to obtain a four-year degree choose Ferris State University (FSU). The most cited reasons are the number of Mott credits we accept and the fact that all classes are taught on the Mott campus leading to lower student costs. Because 70% of the total number of credits needed are done at the Mott tuition rate as opposed to FSU’s rate, the students see massive savings. We add to that savings by being local so they don’t have to pay for additional room and board. A comparison done a year ago showed a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education done through the Consortium was $15,000 less expensive than its nearest competitor, with the average being a $20,000 savings. In an area where return on investment is a strong factor in the choice to continue after high school, we can provide a positive front.
Because of close work between the two faculties, Ferris is able to leverage 10 of the 12 occupational specific courses that Mott requires of their students for the Associates. FSU then adds an additional 6 courses along with a concentration of 5-7 more. The concentration is a choice for the student. If they are looking to own their own center or go into Management of any kind, they are provided classes in Accounting, Marketing and Management. If their desire is to stay in the classroom, we offer a Leadership track that gives them continued pedagogical background in ELA, Music and Art.
A recent survey found that almost 60% of Flint Head Start lead teachers are grads of the program. While we don’t have numbers for the county wide impact yet, an educated guess would put it around 40%. That means that this collaboration has had a dynamic impact on a community that has been severely impacted by poverty, bias and now, lead poisoning.
The Mott- Ferris partnership will continue to grow and strengthen in a community that has both great need and tremendous potential. Our desire is to share what we gather with institutions across the country and around the world. Education has always been and will continue to be a massive collaboration of people who are committed to the most important section of our communities, our children.
Collaboration Between the Community College and the Four-Year College: How We Are Increasing the Number of Home-Grown Teachers in Maryland
Dr. Linda Gronberg-Quinn
NACCTEP President
Director – Teacher Education, Community College of Baltimore County
&
Amanda Crusse
NACCTEP Student Representative
Ms. Crusse is an alumna of the Community College of Baltimore County. Dr. Gronberg-Quinn is the Director of Teacher Education at CCBC and served as Ms. Crusse’s advisor. We wanted to examine the transfer experience of our students as they move to their four-year institutions. Ms. Crusse is currently a student at one of the private universities in Maryland. She surveyed her fellow transfer students regarding their experiences. They felt that they are not treated as native students are treated in that they are often referred to as the “transfers”. However, they did report that their courses completed at the community college transferred seamlessly to this university. As completers of the Associate of Arts in Teaching degree this is the expectation, but it is not always the experience at some of the four-year institutions. The students also reported positive experiences in their field-placements, feeling confident in their career choice. As a follow-up, we will have a discussion with the Dean of Education at Ms. Crusse’s college to discuss some of the issues uncovered and discuss ways to improve the situation.
Dr. Linda Gronberg-Quinn
NACCTEP President
Director – Teacher Education, Community College of Baltimore County
&
Amanda Crusse
NACCTEP Student Representative
Ms. Crusse is an alumna of the Community College of Baltimore County. Dr. Gronberg-Quinn is the Director of Teacher Education at CCBC and served as Ms. Crusse’s advisor. We wanted to examine the transfer experience of our students as they move to their four-year institutions. Ms. Crusse is currently a student at one of the private universities in Maryland. She surveyed her fellow transfer students regarding their experiences. They felt that they are not treated as native students are treated in that they are often referred to as the “transfers”. However, they did report that their courses completed at the community college transferred seamlessly to this university. As completers of the Associate of Arts in Teaching degree this is the expectation, but it is not always the experience at some of the four-year institutions. The students also reported positive experiences in their field-placements, feeling confident in their career choice. As a follow-up, we will have a discussion with the Dean of Education at Ms. Crusse’s college to discuss some of the issues uncovered and discuss ways to improve the situation.
Teacher TRAC Partnership
Shireen Pavri, Ph.D., Dean, College of Education, California State University, Long Beach
Colleen McKinley, Director, Educational Partnerships and Programs, Cerritos College
California State University Long Beach (CSULB) and Cerritos College’s Teacher TRAC Program highlighted twenty years of partnership at the NACCTEP Poster Session during AACTE’s 72nd Annual Meeting. Our twenty-year pathway partnership provides opportunities for students preparing to be TK-12 teachers. In order to give context to viewers, information about California teacher preparation was included, as well as how integrated programs include the BA integrated with a teaching credential
California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) piloted the first Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP) for prospective K-8 teachers with support from the Knight Foundation. The first cohort of CSULB ITEP students began in fall 1999. It was Cerritos College’s goal to have a program in place and recruit its first group of Teacher TRAC students to also begin in Fall 1999. Cerritos College achieved the goal of arranging a fully articulated, fully integrated lower division curriculum that mirrors almost exactly the first two years at CSULB, thereby allowing Teacher TRAC students to transition seamlessly into the ITEP upon being admitted. Both institutions shared the belief that a comprehensive integrated program involved faculty who modeled best practices and provided curriculum that was: infused with technology; aligned with standards; rich in content knowledge; and provided scaffolded clinical experiences early in their preparation.
Faculty from both campuses worked in true partnership in course development and refinement with the common goal of aligning their courses with state credentialing requirements and the state standards. Faculty have worked together on several grant funded projects to prepare future teachers in areas such as Early Learning Foundations and Special Education.
Students in the Teacher TRAC program receive wrap around supports and advising from the Cerritos College Teacher TRAC faculty and staff and visiting CSULB advisors.
Although this collaboration began with building a pathway for elementary teachers, the Teacher TRAC program now also includes additional teaching pathways: secondary, career technical education, and early childhood education. The partnership is sustained through frequent collaboration and joint scholarships and grants. After twenty years, this relationship has not only provided a model for other colleges, but has allowed for innovative programs like the Summer STEM Academy. Partnerships beget other partnerships, and this relationship now includes local K-12 school districts and pathways that include high school Education CTE pathways.
Shireen Pavri, Ph.D., Dean, College of Education, California State University, Long Beach
Colleen McKinley, Director, Educational Partnerships and Programs, Cerritos College
California State University Long Beach (CSULB) and Cerritos College’s Teacher TRAC Program highlighted twenty years of partnership at the NACCTEP Poster Session during AACTE’s 72nd Annual Meeting. Our twenty-year pathway partnership provides opportunities for students preparing to be TK-12 teachers. In order to give context to viewers, information about California teacher preparation was included, as well as how integrated programs include the BA integrated with a teaching credential
California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) piloted the first Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP) for prospective K-8 teachers with support from the Knight Foundation. The first cohort of CSULB ITEP students began in fall 1999. It was Cerritos College’s goal to have a program in place and recruit its first group of Teacher TRAC students to also begin in Fall 1999. Cerritos College achieved the goal of arranging a fully articulated, fully integrated lower division curriculum that mirrors almost exactly the first two years at CSULB, thereby allowing Teacher TRAC students to transition seamlessly into the ITEP upon being admitted. Both institutions shared the belief that a comprehensive integrated program involved faculty who modeled best practices and provided curriculum that was: infused with technology; aligned with standards; rich in content knowledge; and provided scaffolded clinical experiences early in their preparation.
Faculty from both campuses worked in true partnership in course development and refinement with the common goal of aligning their courses with state credentialing requirements and the state standards. Faculty have worked together on several grant funded projects to prepare future teachers in areas such as Early Learning Foundations and Special Education.
Students in the Teacher TRAC program receive wrap around supports and advising from the Cerritos College Teacher TRAC faculty and staff and visiting CSULB advisors.
Although this collaboration began with building a pathway for elementary teachers, the Teacher TRAC program now also includes additional teaching pathways: secondary, career technical education, and early childhood education. The partnership is sustained through frequent collaboration and joint scholarships and grants. After twenty years, this relationship has not only provided a model for other colleges, but has allowed for innovative programs like the Summer STEM Academy. Partnerships beget other partnerships, and this relationship now includes local K-12 school districts and pathways that include high school Education CTE pathways.