Table Of Content

teacheR RecRuitment and Retention CTE program, pre-service teachers have level provides continuous, closely moni- experience in developing lesson plans an opportunity to experience the varied tored experiences that involve observa- when their cooperating teachers are responsibilities of a CTE teacher. tions, participation in teaching, extensive required to submit lesson plans. During continual teaching, and other duties of the practicum, CTE pre-service teachers Clinical Experience Key to Learning the classroom teacher. write and teach five lesson plans which Immersing students in schools during they then reflect upon, make changes to, their clinical experience is one of the CTE Practicum at JSU and submit to the university supervisor. primary ways that CEPS ensures that (Levels I, II and III) These lesson plans are finally incorporat- CTE teacher candidates learn the skills JSU requires all pre-service teachers to ed with an Integrated Academics plan (an necessary to be effective teachers. The complete a total of 201 practicum hours 18-week planner) and a final course exam clinical experience portion of the teacher before admission to internship. JSU into a Content Pedagogy Project. In ad- education program is divided into four requirements far exceed the minimum dition, JSU CTE pre-service teachers are TEACHER levels: number of hours required by the state. encouraged to complete their practicum Approximately 30 of these hours are hours with CTE programs that maintain LEVEL I earned through micro-teaching projects an active Career and Technical Student In their professional studies classes and and individual lessons. Family and con- Organization (CTSO). in method classes, teacher candidates en- sumer science education majors may earn Research skills are exercised during gage in micro-teaching, project and unit additional hours by participating in our CTE 460, but only to the extent to find development, subject matter portfolios, group research, presentations, and other photos by istock.com activities. PREPARATion Immersing students in schools during their clinical experience is LEVEL II Activities for Level II experiences are pro- one of the primary ways that CEPS ensures that CTE teacher vided at the Teacher Learning Center and the Child Development Center. These candidates learn the skills necessary to be at Jacksonville State University experiences provide teacher candidates with opportunities for one-to-one tutoring EffECTivE TEACHERs. and interaction with local children. Can- didates work with university instructors to By kelly W. Ryan and kim h. toWnsel diagnose learning needs and develop and implement learning activities. T he mission of the College of businesses related to its programs within ing education, family and consumer sci- child development lab. Remaining hours appropriate articles to share with the Education and Professional and surrounding the university’s service ence education, technical education, and LEVEL III are completed in the course CTE 460 class. Practicum students don’t write a Studies (CEPS) at Jackson- area. We believe that strong affiliations career technologies. Graduates from each These experiences are provided in Practicum Plus. paper; they learn how to keep up with ville State University (JSU) with constituency groups such as superin- program must be able to demonstrate collaboration with local schools and pro- While not required, we prefer that best practices from peer-reviewed publica- located in Jacksonville, Alabama, is to tendents, principals and teachers benefit a knowledge of the history, philosophy, vide gradual exposure to the classroom. CTE 460 Practicum Plus students con- tions. That’s what a working teacher will prepare students for successful careers in our teacher candidates through super- principles, objectives, trends, patterns and Pre-service teachers conduct observa- duct their hours in a CTE program that have time to actually complete. Writing a variety of professions, including career vision of practical experiences, and as issues of CTE programs; the organiza- tions, teach classes and participate in is Business and Industry Certified (BIC). papers works toward a degree or a grade and technical education (CTE) teacher members of college advisory committees tion, management and methods of assess- school activities. College professors, For Alabama’s CTE programs to receive or tenure; reading articles, meanwhile, preparation. The college’s uniqueness is dealing with program development. The ment of CTE programs; the Alabama along with classroom teachers—called Carl Perkins funding, they must pass a improves a working teacher’s toolbox. reflected by its diversity of programs and ultimate goal of the CEPS is to assure that Course of Study: career and technical cooperating teachers—monitor JSU strenuous business and industry certifica- This research project, along with the services. CEPS programs enable gradu- its graduates are effective, highly perform- education; and teaching techniques, students’ performances. tion process, which requires accountabil- Content Pedagogy Project, lesson plans, ates to be creative decision makers who ing employees. including evidenced-based strategies, ity on numerous issues. We try to place unit plans, and a Classroom Management effectively solve problems using concepts project-based learning, and authentic LEVEL IV our pre-service teachers with cooperating Plan are uploaded into a LiveText elec- and practices appropriate for each CTE Certifications assessments applied to CTE programs. Intern teachers spend approximately 15 teachers who have three years of teach- tronic portfolio, which university supervi- discipline. The Alabama State Department of The CTE program Pre-service Teachers weeks in this level and work with carefully ing experience in their field of study and sors assess using rubrics. The CEPS programs maintain rigor Education offers five distinct certifications complete the general requirements of the selected mentors. Intern teachers have have earned either a master’s or National CTE 461 is the methods course which and relevance through outreach and in the area of CTE. The programs are JSU teacher education program. In ad- a cooperating teacher in the classroom Board Certification. is offered online for our undergradu- partnership activities with schools and agriscience education, business/market- dition, due to the unique demands of the setting and a university supervisor. This Our pre-service teachers gain better ates. Those who have already earned a 34 Techniques JANUARY 2010 www.acteonline.org www.acteonline.org JANUARY 2010 Techniques 35 teacheR RecRuitment and Retention non-education degree may take CTE Intern teachers are eventually responsible that course, two lesson plans from that unit plan creation) that Ms. Townsel gave are better prepared by leading learning 461 to help fulfill coursework for their for 20 days of teaching and lesson plans. unit, and the unit assessment. The final us during practicum than I learned dur- during presentations and educational ses- alternative certification. All students in During the internship, CTE interns also exam/assessment for the semester course Pre-service teachers need hands- ing any of my other classes in college. It sions, as well as by preparing for profes- CTE 461 develop a unit on careers for a take ED 496, Reflective Practices, for must also be included, both in English is the above mentioned items that I still sional duties. Just as our CTE students on experience with activities semester course which they will be certi- which they complete a resume, write and Spanish. refer back to during my first year as a in the middle and secondary schools fied to teach. The students upload and reflections, comment on two personal vid- During CTE 462, intern teachers and assignments that are teacher.” Another student recommended prefer assignments that have rigor and share their Careers Units via BlackBoard, eotaped lessons, and conduct professional also begin a CTSO binder or file. Many “the opportunity to have more experi- relevance—hands-on learning with a pur- closely related to job duties that so students increase their repertoire of observations of four employed and certi- interns fill this with photos, fundraising, ences in the classroom and exposure to pose—so do our pre-service teachers. resources for teaching careers. CTE 461 fied educators. All of these assignments and “fun-raising” activities that they the professional world through workshops “real” teachers have. Having students also create and share a project- are uploaded into the LiveText electronic accumulate from their own participa- Family and aCnod nnseutwmorekri nSgc wieitnhc ceu rDreinvti tseiaocnhers and kelly W. Ryan tion during their high school days and/ pre-service teachers takeT etechstnsi quesprofessionals at the state level.” is the director of Teacher Education Services at Jacksonville State or from being involved with the cooperat- Jan 2010 and write papers might provide University, Alabama. He can be contacted at [email protected]. ing schools’ club while they completed TQN1001 Conclusion practicum and intern hours. They also graduates with a degree, but Pre-service teachers need hands-on ex- kim holdbrooks townsel create a BIC binder for which they perience with activities and assignments is the CTE instructor at Jacksonville State University. She can be does it prepare them for teaching download current state standard check that are closely related to job duties that contacted at [email protected]. sheets and create corresponding sections. “real” teachers have. Having pre-service in the “real world?” Interns create an Integrated Academics teachers take tests and write papers might Interested in exploring this plan, a syllabus for at least one course provide graduates with a degree, but topic further? Discuss it with they are likely to teach, and a safety test does it prepare them for teaching in the your colleagues on the ACTE forums at for a related course. During CTE 462, “real world?” We believe JSU students www.acteonline.org/forum.aspx. they prepare a professional development we may measure outcomes and refine file for which they use the Alabama State programs if needed. Department of Education’s teacher evalu- ation documents. Student input TQN1001 The textbook used in CTE 462 We have a short anonymous survey to covers the history of CTE, as well as gather feedback from our five most recent federal funding and legislation. Interns students who have graduated and are make two major presentations, one from currently employed as teachers. With a the textbook and one on diversity. Two 100 percent response rate, the most useful minor presentations on academic concepts assignments identified from the practi- photo by istock.com and teaching/learning strategies are also cum have been lesson plan development given. Presentations account for about 26 (80 percent), practicum hours in schools based lesson plan. In addition, each stu- portfolio, which are assessed using rubrics percent of the course grade. Textbook dis- (60 percent), and professional observa- dent completes a Teaching Style Analysis by university supervisors. cussion and quizzes account for about 15 tions and the career portfolio (both at 60 to assess his or her use of more than 50 CTE intern teachers also take CTE percent. The remaining points for CTE percent). The most useful assignments teaching and learning strategies. To 462, during which they refine planning 462 come from projects that intern teach- identified from the internship have been satisfy a professional observation assign- skills for units and lessons. By this time ers can use once a teaching job is found. lesson plan development (100 percent) and ment in the course, students visit three we know what the interns’ passions for internship hours in schools (60 percent), different CTE programs, one of which content are, and their final assignment for Job Placement with each of the following at 40 percent: must be a secondary school and the other CTE 462 is to complete a Core Course CTE 462 interns create an application evaluations from cooperating teachers one a middle or junior high school. For Project for content matter that they are with Alabama’s online application system and university supervisors, the student this professional observation assignment, likely to teach, but for which they may (which every school district can use to organization binder, and the BIC Binder. CTE 461 students also observe a lab class not have exhibited a passion or expertise. post jobs) where they can receive and Currently employed teachers who were and interview a CTE educator. This gives interns experience in develop- review applications. We use our extensive trained through JSU’s CTE program ing lessons and assessments for all of the networking and the state’s listserve to recommended assignments that focus on CTE Internship state standards and courses. The Core link our graduates to job openings. The real-world application in the classroom. During the CTE 495 Internship, intern Course Project includes an 18-week plan- state department of education collects One stated, “I gained more knowledge teachers are mentored by a cooperating ner with all of the state content standards data on first-year teachers, and generates with the assignments (career portfolio, teacher the entire school day for 15 weeks. for a semester course, a unit plan from summative data to the universities so that CTSO binder, BIC Binder, lesson and 36 Techniques JANUARY 2010 www.acteonline.org www.acteonline.org JANUARY 2010 Techniques 37