Abstract
This chapter describes PedsAcademy®, a unique partnership between the University of Central Florida and Nemours Children's Hospital, which employs a collaborative clinical internship model to develop teacher candidates. Since the Fall of 2018, over 100 interns have participated in this Professional Development School where interns teach patients bedside and facilitate PedsAcademy® programs and events. Data collected shows that PedsAcademy® is mutually beneficial to all stakeholders. Utilizing coaching, performance feedback, embedded professional development, and reflection, PedsAcademy® has specifically facilitated the development of teacher candidates in the areas of teacher empathy, making accommodations and modifications, adaptability (or flexibility), self-confidence, and implementing professional development which has impacted their overall teacher identity. The PedsAcademy® internship has enacted the AACTE's Clinical Practice Commissions' skills and empowerment proclamations, offering interns an opportunity to practice the skills of teaching in an alternative placement.
TopBackground
In 2010, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) Blue Ribbon Panel on Clinical Preparation and Partnerships for Improved Student Learning called for drastic changes to teacher education programs, specifically in how teacher candidates are prepared in clinical settings. More recently, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation State Alliance Clinical Partnership Design (2015) added that teacher preparation programs should redesign clinical placements to better reflect diverse populations and settings. Although there has been progress in this area, the reality is that teacher education programs need to continue to improve the frequency and quality of clinical experiences for teacher candidates, as fewer students are seeking teaching as a profession (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, AACTE, 2018). Furthermore, once in the teaching profession, there remains a sense of job dissatisfaction and lack of autonomy (American Association of State Colleges and Universities Teacher Preparation Task Force, 2017) that has resulted in a high level of attrition. As teacher educators at a large urban university, we believe clinical practice is crucial to preparing effective teacher candidates (AACTE, 2018) and keeping them in the profession. We also think teacher educator programs should intentionally help teacher candidates discover their “teacher selves” (Freese, 2006), and that teacher educators are integral to developing their teacher identities.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Adaptability: Changing one’s thoughts, actions, and/or emotions based on context.
Reflection: Interpreting one’s practices to determine strengths, needs, and set goals.
Empathy: The ability to understand, relate to, and share feelings of another.
Feedback: Information given to the learner about the learner's performance relative to learning goals or outcomes.
Modifications: A change to what a student is taught or expected to do in school.
Accommodations: A change that removes a barrier to learning or getting work done.
Self-Confidence: The extent to which a teacher is confident enough to his or her ability to promote students’ learning.
Clinical Practice in Education: The process of engaging teacher candidates in teaching supported by a formal school-university partnership.
Teacher Identity: The beliefs, values, and commitments an individual holds toward being a teacher.
Professional Development: Continuing education to learn new skills and grow.