Bethel University

A small private liberal arts university located in St. Paul, Minnesota

Bethel University teacher licensure programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels emphasize real-world experience, Christian values, and “building responsive, compassionate teacher-leaders.”

Innovative Approaches to Teacher Education

• Intensive Block Model, in which elementary education students are in the field for five various experience resulting in over 450 hours prior to student teaching; two semesters’ worth of education courses are ‘blocked’ to allow for extended field time and ‘hands-on’ learning

• Student Teaching Seminar, a weekly face to face meeting of undergraduate student teachers with guest experts, ongoing reflection on practice, cohort community, and preparation for transitioning to the workplace via mock interviews with partnering school administrators, human resources personnel, and advisors

• Teach Forward, a series of free, face-to-face monthly seminars for Bethel alumni to continue to build on practice and stay connected with other teachers working in their formative years

Concordia University

A private comprehensive Christian liberal arts university located in St. Paul, Minnesota

At Concordia University, pre-service teachers encounter rich learning experiences that promote diversity and service to the community.

Innovative Approaches to Teacher Education

• The development of the “model classroom” for use by teacher candidates in their preparation courses

• The commitment on the part of faculty members in the department to model and teach methods of educational technology

• Extensive field experiences for teacher candidates that far exceed the state requirement: 60 hours of field experience + 150 hours practicum + 15 weeks of student teaching clinical

Hamline University

A mid-sized regional university located in St. Paul, Minnesota

With more professional development opportunities for educators than any other private institution in Minnesota, Hamline’s School of Education has a long history of preparing and supporting teachers to meet the needs of local and regional school systems.

Innovative Approaches to Teacher Education

• Accelerated Teacher Education Program (ATEP) licensure pathway in partnership with Mounds View Schools, an initiative that includes program development and review, recruitment, retention and internal and external collaboration

• School of Education requirement that pre-service teacher candidates be placed in culturally diverse school districts during their clinical experiences, now including many year-round placements, to ensure they are prepared to educate K-12 students in urban environments

• Recruitment and Retention team that supports aspiring teachers of color during their pre-service program, student teaching experience, and through their first year of teaching

Minnesota State University - Mankato

A state university offering undergraduate and graduate degrees with an enrollment of 16,000

MSU-Mankato’s College of Education strives to prepare professionals who embrace big ideas and real-world thinking to ensure student success.

Innovative Approaches to Teacher Education

• Center for Educator Partnerships and Student Support, a collaborative effort between the College of Education and local school districts to pilot various Professional Development School (PDS) initiatives;

• Center for Educator Support, which leverages resources from the New Teacher Center (California) in providing quality professional development experiences and mentorship to help pre-service and novice teachers become more confident, capable, and effective practitioners;

• Teachers of Tomorrow, a program designed to meet individual candidate needs as they prepare to become a future teacher by providing specific, relevant guidance and support aimed at enhancing teaching competencies.

Minnesota State University - Moorhead

A mid-sized public university located in Moorhead, Minnesota

First established in 1888 as a normal school dedicated specifically to training teachers for the Red River Valley region, Minnesota State University - Moorhead has significantly expanded its educational offerings and influence while maintaining a strong commitment to high quality teacher education.

Innovative Approaches to Teacher Education

• Elementary Inclusive Education major, a challenging pathway for aspiring teachers combining coursework and field experiences in both elementary education and special education

• Expanding online graduate programs in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Leadership emphasizing a strong theoretical foundation and conduct of action research to improve teaching and learning

• A long history of community outreach opportunities that build connections between the university and surrounding community

North Dakota State University

A doctoral research land grant university located in Fargo, North Dakota

With strong ties to neighboring school districts and institutions of higher ed, the NDSU School of Education is committed to research-based teacher education for 21st century learners.

Innovative Approaches to Teacher Education

• Teacher Effectiveness Partnership with Northern Cass, which seeks to increase the quality of the field-based experiences for teacher candidates by identifying characteristics of high-quality field experiences, developing a training guide, and implementing training for host teachers;

• North Dakota’s Common Metrics Initiative, which includes administration of the NExT Common Metrics surveys and building of a state aggregate as well as collaborative development and validation of the Student Teacher Observation Tool (STOT);

• Partnership with the South East Education Cooperative (SEEC) and school districts in North Dakota to offer an annual new teacher Summer Academy to help our graduates and other beginning teachers prepare for the start of the new school year.

St. Catherine University

A women-centered Catholic liberal arts university located in St. Paul, Minnesota

St. Catherine is committed to preparing undergraduate and graduate students to be socially just and compassionate educators in close partnership with local school districts.

Innovative Approaches to Teacher Education

• Elementary STEM Certificate for all K-6 teacher candidates;

• Clinical Experiences aligned with methods coursework taught in K-6 schools by full-time faculty;

• Problem-based practice within a learning community embedded in student teaching through the induction phase of teacher development.

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

A research intensive university in the heart of the Twin Cities, Minnesota

At Minnesota’s flagship land grant university, aspiring teachers choose from multiple pathways to licensure, all of which emphasize research-based teaching methods and a commitment to inclusive, culturally relevant practice.  

Innovative Approaches to Teacher Education

• Teacher candidates co-teach with cooperating teachers for up to a year in urban and suburban settings, allowing them to work together with groups of students while sharing the planning, organization, delivery, and assessment of instruction.

• Minneapolis Public Schools, the University of Minnesota, and both the teacher’s and service providers’ unions have partnered to create the Minneapolis Residency Program for current unlicensed MPS employees who work closely with students in schools and are interested in obtaining their Elementary Education license.

• The Minnesota Educator Dispositions System (MnEDS) provides teacher candidates and faculty with an equity-based framework for coaching beginning teachers on how to build relationships with diverse communities of students and families so that all students learn at the edges of their abilities.

University of South Dakota

South Dakota’s public flagship university dedicated to the liberal arts located in
Vermillion, South Dakota

USD is pioneering new ways to prepare, support, and develop novice and veteran teachers alike.

Innovative Approaches to Teacher Education

• Full-year teacher residency programming at the undergraduate level;

• Professional Development Center (PDC), which provides experiences where new and mentor teacher learning becomes experimental, grounded in teacher questions, collaborative and connected to and derived from teachers’ work with their students;

• Center for Educational Research, which provides internal support for faculty and student research, supports faculty collaboration on research studies, and maintains a clearinghouse for reports, presentations, and guides.

Governance Council

• Gary Thompson      gary.thompson@vcsu.edu

•Dave Bass dave.bass@vcsu.edu

Teacher Effectiveness

• Dave Bass
 dave.bass@vcsu.edu

Common Metrics

• Alan Olson
 al.olson@vcsu.edu

Governance Council

• Tarrell Portman
 TPortman@winona.edu

• Bruce Ramsdell
 BRamsdell@winona.edu

 Teacher Effectiveness

• Bruce Ramsdell
 BRamsdell@winona.edu

Common Metrics

• Joel Traver
 jtraver@winona.edu