Abstract:

Global teacher education institutions are encouraged to strategically consider the strengths and challenges of partnerships with K-12 Professional Development Schools (PDS) when designing new teacher education programs. PDS partnerships provide a milieu for creating respectful, reciprocal and responsible models of teacher education. Teacher candidates continuously merge theory and practice in culturally responsive and inclusive classrooms throughout their master’s degree program. Faculty researchers found that teacher candidates serve as positive agents of change in K-12 professional development school placements while earning their Master of Education in Teaching degree (MEdT) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. The reciprocal, relational aspect of place-based professional development, shared funding, and the infusion of collaborative action research emerge as three noteworthy MEdT strengths and opportunities. MEdT coordinators summarize challenges of working in professional development schools into three broad categories: teaming, inclusion, and evaluation.

Keywords:

Teacher education, professional school partnerships, collaborative and problem-based learning, action research projects, graduate education trends, cultural diversity and inclusion, mentoring, transferring disciplines, teacher leaders.