The Future of Education

Increasingly, school leaders and researchers recognize that the quality of education is aligned with the quality of teacher preparation and the ongoing professional development and support that teachers receive throughout their careers. One very promising way to optimize teacher preparation is through the Professional Development School (PDS). This paper and presentation will identify the essential elements of a Professional Development School model for teacher education and provide strategies for implementation and sustainability.

By definition, a Professional Development School (PDS) is a partnership with a shared research focus designed to improve teacher preparation, enhance professional development for teachers, and improve student achievement. The partnership typically includes a college of education and an elementary or secondary school. The essential elements of a PDS include a formalized partnership designed to assure connections between research and practice to promote learning and professional development. While no two PDS schools are the same, common elements often include university classes taught at the PDS, school administrators teaching college courses, year-long internships for pre-service teachers, demonstration lessons, co-teaching between teacher candidates and classroom teachers, classroom research, inquiry-based teaching, and a shared focus on research to improve professional practice.

Successful Professional Development Schools are grounded in positive working relationships based on a clear understanding of common goals and individual responsibilities, especially since the college or university and K-12 school have very different cultures. Clarifying these goals and purposes is a critical role for leaders who are developing a new PDS. Each step in the process must follow principles of change and allow each participant to join the PDS with both a personal and professional understanding of the plan and expectations. Although the plan for the PDS often begins with approval at the administrative level, the true success occurs when teachers, teacher candidates, and university professors work together to improve student learning. The model presented will offer strategies and a timeline for implementation that have proven to be successful for establishment of a PDS.