Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation-Sacramento

University Enterprises, Incorporated, Sacramento CA

Investigators

Abstract

California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) is establishing The Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation-Sacramento that works with university mathematics, science, and education faculty, three area community colleges (Los Rios Community College District), and local K- 12 school districts in pursuit of two goals: (1) To improve the math/science content knowledge and teaching practice of pre-service elementary teachers by revising math and science content courses and fully articulating them with area community colleges, supporting faculty in developing and using standards-based content and pedagogy, providing faculty with opportunities to gain experience in K-12 education, and supporting integration of content and methods courses. This effort involves a collaboration among the university math and science faculty, teacher education faculty, and community college faculty. (2) To increase the number of elementary and secondary math/science pre-service teachers, especially from underrepresented groups, by building an infrastructure to coordinate recruitment, advising, and academic support, and by offering supported teaching opportunities to prospective teachers. This is being done in partnership with the area community colleges (three) and K- 12 school districts. A third goal, to improve the quality of math/science classroom teaching practices in student teaching sites by working with cooperating teachers to implement experience-based science curricula, and supporting cooperating teachers' use of technology to enhance classroom learning, is being pursued in parallel using alternative funding. This effort involves strengthening partnership schools and building collaborations with area businesses.