NACCTEP Now

Robert Parker, Manager of Strategic Partnerships for 240 Tutoring shares what inspired founder and CEO Scott Rozell to create 240 Tutoring in October 2010. He also discusses the individualized nature of their test preparation courses from benchmark assessments at the beginning of a course to providing guidance on incorrect answers in order to learn the concepts necessary to successfully pass the tests. Each course also has an alignment tool to help candidates see where each of the standards for the test are included in the course.

In addition to their current offerings, Mr. Parker shares that they will be nationwide by the end of 2024 as they include New York state. They will also be updating courses to be more dynamic and expanding to include more disciplines such as art, music, business, and Spanish. Additionally, they are piloting a job matching concept in Texas that will help districts and candidates connect. He also shares other exciting additions to help with retention and for program administrators to improve their programs.

Monica Carson, Chief Growth Officer for the American College of Education, ACE, discusses how the school was created twenty years ago by educators for educators. She talks not only about the value of ACE financially, but also in terms of academics, and stack-ability of their many offerings from micro-credentials, to certificates, bachelors degrees, as well as multiple varieties of masters degrees. Partnerships with other colleges such as Rio Salado College allow program completers to transfer in credits towards other degrees, while partnerships with school districts offer para-pros, janitors, bus drivers, and parents the opportunity to become credentialed educators in their own communities.

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Lynn Gangone, President and CEO of The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), as she shares how AACTE plays an integral role in elevating the field of teacher education. 

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education is the leading voice on educator preparation. AACTE’s member institutions and programs prepare the greatest number of professional educators in the United States and its territories, including teachers, counselors, administrators, and college faculty. 

Dr. Gangone begins by sharing how she started her career in higher education at a community college and explains how this experience has underscored the work she continues to do with AACTE. The discussion covers competency-based education (CBE) initiatives, registered apprenticeships, guideline standards for teacher apprenticeships, AACTE’s 75th anniversary, and the upcoming AACTE Annual Meeting in Colorado. For more information about AACTE and information about the upcoming pre-conference and annual meeting visit https://aacte.org/about-aacte/

Dr. Prentice Chandler, Dean of the Eriksson College of Education at Austin Peay State University, and Dr. Lisa Barron, professor, discuss their apprenticeship program. The program is the first federally registered program of its kind and has been adopted as a model for other programs in the state of Tennessee. Through the use of grants and federal apprenticeship workforce dollars the program is tuition free and compresses a typically 4-year bachelor of science into 3 years. There are 200 current students in the cohort style program consisting of both local cohort groups and cohorts made from consortiums of rural partners. Reliance on community colleges throughout the state is vital to the success of the program that was pioneered in 2018.

In this episode we host the Arizona State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Mr. Tom Horne, as he shares the state of Pre-k - 12 education in Arizona. Key amongst his discussion topics is the need for teachers to make more money and how a new free tutoring for all is helping to put additional funds into teachers' pockets while assisting students to achieve better skills and higher test scores. Additionally, Mr. Horne talks about how the state is looking at how the teacher colleges are preparing new teachers to ensure they are day-one ready to be effective in the classroom.

Among the new initiatives within Arizona are partnerships with several of the high-needs industries in the state including the medical field and burgeoning semiconductor industries to provide skilled training for students to enter the workforce career-ready after high school. Another initiative is providing fully enabled tablets to students in the Navajo nation that do not require broadband connections in order to study math, reading, and language skills.

Mark LaCelle Peterson, President and CEO of AAQEP, the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation, discusses his organization's history as well as the collaborative process they employ as their members move through the accreditation process. He emphasizes that standards should not be a ceiling, not to let "the best we know today stop you from learning the things you need to know tomorrow." He also describes how AAQEP enlarges the circle of learning through regular cohort style meetings for those seeking accreditation before, during, and even after they've completed the accreditation process. To this end, AAQEP will be publishing the first two volumes in a series filled with stories from those who have gone through the accreditation process and what they learned along the way.

Mark's book recommendations include the books Five Dimensions of Quality: A Common Sense Guide to Accreditation and Accountability and Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide by Linda Suskie who was the keynote speaker at a recent AAQEP event as well as Reclaiming Accountability in Teacher Education by Marilyn Cochran Smith, Molly Cummings Carney, Elizabeth Stringer Keefe, Stephani Burton, Wen-Chia Chang, M. Beatriz Fernandez, Andrew F. Miller, Juan Gabriel Sanchez, and Megina Baker.

In this episode we hear from Tim Finklea, Vice President for Membership Engagement and Board Services at CAEP, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, as he shares the history of the organization. Mr. Finklea also shares the importance of accreditation and ways people can volunteer to assist with the numerous virtual accreditation applications each year. Currently there are 33 states that require CAEP accreditation for their educator preparation programs. Additionally there are several community colleges that have begun or are exploring the process to become CAEP accredited.

Tim's book recommendations include the books Five Dimensions of Quality: A Common Sense Guide to Accreditation and Accountability and Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide by Linda Suskie.

Join us as Tim Neubert, the Executive Director of the American Association for Employment in Education, AAEE, discusses the history of the organization as well as several upcoming initiatives. This includes their annual conference and career expo being held in Chicago, Illinois October 23rd - 26th this year. Mr. Neubert also shares information on new surveys that have or will be sent out in the next few months related to AAEE's publications surrounding supply and demand in the K-12 realm as well as new work with Youngstown State University in Ohio on what new teachers need for job satisfaction. In December, AAEE will launch their annual teacher scholarships as well as program mini-grants.

Mr. Neubert also talks about why he recommends the book The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates.

Hear NACCTEP Executive Director Julie Ferin and NACCTEP Executive Board President Dr. Lennon Audrain discuss upcoming events and initiatives for the 2023-24 academic year. Items discussed include ways NACCTEP will seek to expand its reach, the 3rd Annual Fall Institute, and the upcoming Pre-Conference ahead of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, AACTE, annual conference in Denver in February 2024.

In this episode we hear from Tonja Eagan, the CEO of Kappa Delta Pi, on what the KDP organization provides to teacher candidates, new teachers, and veteran teachers. We learn the origins of this national honor society in 1911 as a place to honor and celebrate all high-achieving teacher candidates, including women and teachers of color who were dismissed by a prominent educational honor society of that time. Ms. Eagan also discusses the latest partnerships and initiatives of KDP including members having full access to the Teaching Channel resources; a virtual half-day Annual New Teacher National Summit; and a quality-of-life initiative, The Rooted Teacher by KDP. The Rooted Teacher includes monthly podcasts, virtual coaching and support sessions, and weekly microlearning videos.

Additionally, KDP will be hosting a 2-day in-person conference in St. Louis - Convo: The Premier Conference for Future Educators. They are anticipating over 700 participants at this event to learn about innovative techniques and ideas for teaching. More information on this event can be found on their website at https://www.kdp.org/events/convo2023.

Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner is an associate professor at Louisiana State University with a special interest in teacher mental health in the early childhood education and care arena. Her work with future and current teachers features in her many journal articles. In this episode we learn tips on coping mechanisms and strategies including making time for deep thinking and setting boundaries. Dr. Baumgartner references the work of Fred Rogers as well as Parker Palmer's The Courage to Teach in addition to Brad Montague's Becoming Better Grownups.

Meet Danielle Savory-Seggerson of Lansing Community College as she discusses the challenges of transitioning from in-person instruction to online synchronous and asynchronous instruction. She shares the tips and tricks of how she ensures she is able to offer inclusive interactions with students in all of these settings and how she personalizes how she interacts with her students.

The books that she feels have most helped her in offering inclusive instruction include Tracie Addy's What Inclusive Teachers Do: Principles and Practices for Excellence in College Teaching and Inclusive Teaching: Strategies for Promoting Equality in the College Classroom by Kelly Hogan and Viji Sathy. She has also adapted a student information Google form that Michelle Pacansky-Brock has on her website brocansky.com. In addition to these valuable resources, Danielle also recommends James Lang's Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning sharing that small changes can lead to bigger results.

In this episode we talk with Dr. Ingrid Anderson, Program Coordinator for the Infant/Toddler Mental Health graduate certificate and Co-Coordinator for the Masters of Early Childhood Inclusive Education. Dr. Anderson is the co-author with Jean Barbre of Supporting Children's Mental Health and Well-Being: A Strength-Based Perspective as well as Caring for Self: A Workbook for Early Childhood Educator Well-Being coming in early 2024. She discusses the importance of recognizing, respecting and caring for the mental health of young children, but also of recognizing, respecting, and caring for the mental health of the teachers. Care of self, different from self-care, is critical for teachers in order to be able to positively impact the mental health of the students.

In this episode of Voices from the Field we meet Melissa Rees who led the charge to create coursework for educators on autism. The coursework she created and that is taught through a partnership with ACES for Autism provides current and future educators with the hours of instruction and experience to qualify for the National Behavioral Specialist exam to become an certified technician. The curriculum is also available as a 16-hour certificate for existing educators.

Ms. Rees also discusses the book American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins about an immigrant family from Mexico and the struggles that they and their children experience. She recommends this book as a good source for educators, both in the P-12 and the higher education realms, to better understand their students. 

In this episode from our Voices in the Field series we hear from Julie Powers, Department Chair of Social Sciences and Program Coordinator for Early Childhood Education at the University of Hawai'i - Maui College.  She discusses some of the challenges unique to teacher preparation in the Hawaiian islands as well as innovations that were born out of the pandemic.  She also extends an invitation for listeners to consider working in the University of Hawai'i system.

Dr. Allison Landy, an Associate Dean for Educator Preparation at Northland Pioneer College in Holbrook, Arizona discusses not only the challenges and innovations born of the pandemic, but also the ever-present challenges of working with a student population in the remote areas of the Four Corners tribal lands.  Dr. Landy also expounds on the importance of working with tribal and indigenous students, especially in the early childhood education realm.  She also shares her wish for teachers to be leaders who are unafraid to speak up when faced with bad policies or practices.

Meet Heather Merrill, a Residential Faculty member and  Assistant Chair of Social Sciences Leading the Teacher Education Program at Glendale Community College in the Maricopa Community College District in Arizona. Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is one of the nation's largest community college systems, with 10 regionally accredited colleges across Maricopa County serving over 100,000 students each year. The district received accreditation approval from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) for a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary and Special Education, which will be the first community college in the state. Heather has been an integral part of the development of the Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education, and Special Education which includes three of colleges; Glendale, Paradise Valley, and Rio Salado College. Listen to the following NACCTEP Now Podcast to hear more about how Heather is positively impacting the teacher shortage. 

Join NACCTEP's Executive Director, Julie Ferin as she speaks with Emma McCallie, a Senior Director in the Grow Your Own Tennessee Department of Education. The Tennessee Department of Education is the first state in the country to be approved by the U.S. Department of Labor to establish a permanent Grow Your Own Model between local K-12 school districts and Educator Preparation Programs. Listen to Emma describe how the Teacher Occupation Apprenticeship program came to be, and the struggles, triumphs, and takeaways that have positively impacted their teacher shortages. 

NACCTEP held a Spring panel discussion with four Educational Professionals about what new practices (post-Covid) have proven to be beneficial and positively impacted their current work in preparing quality teachers. Come hear from a professor from Community College of Baltimore County, Theresa Robinson to see what updates she shares from her college. 

NACCTEP held a Spring panel discussion with four Educational Professionals about what new practices (post-Covid) have proven to be beneficial and positively impacted their current work in preparing quality teachers. Come hear from Dr. Lewis "Andrea" Brownlee, South Mountain Community College, Maricopa County Community College District in Arizona to see what updates he has since the spring panel discussion.