What is the purpose of the consortium?

The purpose of the Alabama Consortium for Educational Renewal is to promote collaboration among faculty members from The University of Alabama and from the public schools, and to develop school-university partnerships for the purpose of educational renewal.

What is a Professional Development School (PDS)?

A professional development school has a three-fold purpose:

  • to serve as a site for preservice education (teacher interns, methods block students, observation/participation activities)

  • to develop inquiry projects (research)

  • to provide opportunities for in-service education (workshops, presentations, conferences)

The establishment of a professional development school partnership can meet many needs of educators in both the university environment and the public school environment:

  • a "reality-based" environment for collaborative research and inquiry projects

  • provides school site contacts for university personnel

  • inservice education opportunities for public school faculty members and university faculty members

  • field-based courses

  • classroom settings for preservice teachers to work under the guidance of public school faculty who also work closely with university faculty

  • opportunities for public school teachers to develop leadership skills

  • opportunities for public school teachers to work with university teachers in the collaboration and development of preservice curriculum and programs

  • opportunities for university teachers to collaborate in the development of public school curriculum

ACER means…

  • that educators at each site (UA and public schools) develop and work toward common goals for education

  • a willingness to examine our practices and implement our work differently ( it should not mean "more work"—but possibly working in a different way)

  • understanding and valuing the contributions of everyone—classroom teacher, professors, preservice students

  • the generation of new ideas and structures, and the willingness to revisit existing plans and activities

  • that public school teachers see themselves as stakeholders in the supervision, assessment, and achievements of preservice teachers and programs

  • that UA professors see themselves as stakeholders in the achievement of public school students and as an intergral part of the public school planning process

  • a "win-win" situation is created for everyone—preservice teachers, inservice teachers, public school educators, university educators, and most of all, the students

In practice this means…

  • the development of research projects among public school professionals and UA professionals

  • "team teaching" – UA professor and classroom teacher plan/teach together either at school or campus site

  • education courses taught in classrooms at the school site with UA faculty modeling instructional strategies with the students for the preservice teachers

  • public school professionals serve as "guest lecturers" or panel members to discuss trends and issues in education

  • professional development at school sites which includes inservice for teacher/staff, preservice teacher/staff, parents/guardians, and community members, UA faculty, and which may be led by different educators

Clinical Master Teachers at PDS sites

  • the bringing together of educators from different districts, from different levels of the educational process (elementary, secondary, and college), and with varying years of experience and perspectives, to work toward educational renewal