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Professional
Development Schools
General
Information:
For the past two years, the School of Education has embarked on
a model of teacher training known as Professional Development Schools
(PDS). Based on the work of John Goodlad at the Center for Educational
Renewal at the University of Washington, the notion of a PDS involves
the simultaneous renewal of public schools and teacher training
programs. This concept involves a commitment to a university-school
partnership centered on the belief that if change within teacher
preparation and public schools is to occur it must involve a collaborative
relationship between the two partners. Each must commit to the idea
that, together, they are responsible to the preparation and cultivation
of teachers and that it is through this collaborative, evolutionary
process that teacher training programs and public schools will be
revitalized together for the 21st century.
PDS offer our students a unique opportunity to participate in school
classrooms, to reflect upon their work via discussions and tie-in's
to classroom work back at the university and engage in active inquiry
about education. SCSU faculty are directly involved in the schools
and offer consultation and direct support to classroom teachers
in areas of educational research and emerging best practices in
reading, mathematics, classroom management, inclusion of students
with disabilities, among a host of other contemporary educational
issues and challenges. Conversely, public school teachers offer
our students and faculty a realistic view of what public (urban)
education really is, and ways to effectively create learning communities
within classrooms. Together, faculty in the public school and at
SCSU are engaged in a dialogue of simultaneous renewal which will
ultimately create better teachers for today's world.
Professional
Development Schools
Edgewood
Magnet School
Edgewood is a K-8 school that occupies on e of New Haven’s
beautifully restored and refurbished buildings. Edgewood has a dedicated
faculty and administrative staff that work collaboratively to foster
a sense of purpose and a strong focus on educational excellence.
Edgewood is a HOT school: Higher Order Thinking. The arts are infused
into the curriculum as a medium for student learning. There is a
strong sense of family and many parents have worked to maintain
Edgewood’s neighborhood connection.
Conte-West Hills K – 8 Magnet School
Conte-West Hills is New Haven’s first magnet school. The original
West Hills school was designated as a Follow Through school which
centered many of its organizational elements as a continuation of
the Head Start program. The school developed a curriculum and an
academic focus that was modeled after the program that had been
developed at Bank Street College. Currently, the school is housed
in a totally renovated Conte School in the Wooster Square neighborhood.
What we have here is the marriage of a beautiful facility with a
long standing program. Conte is currently beginning the process
of infusing a multiple intelligence focus into the curriculum. Staff
will be trained in the MI techniques.
Jerome Harrison Elementary School
Jerome Harrison is a Kindergarten through Grade 3 elementary school.
It Jerome Harrison is a vibrant community of learners with a highly
motivated and well-trained staff. A five-year strategic plan directs
the district’s initiatives. The initiatives are: Character
Education, Responsive Classroom, Differentiation, Technology and
Columbia Writing. Jerome Harrison emphasizes a strong connection
to the community and enjoys active parent involvement.
Jepson Non-Graded Regional Magnet School
Jepson is New Haven’s only non-graded school. The students
are grouped into multi age units and are taught by a team of professional
and para professional staff. The student population is very diverse
and includes about one third out-of- district students. The students
are placed in heterogeneous classrooms with the same teacher for
two or more years. Flexible grouping is used to enable student to
progress at their own rate. The teachers develop thematic units
and utilize many hands on learning experiences. Students’
progress is documented through the use of portfolios, observations
and authentic assessments. There is a strong parent component at
the school.
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