8.1MB - College of Education - Auburn University
8.1MB - College of Education - Auburn University
8.1MB - College of Education - Auburn University
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Teacher-in-Residence provides valuable<br />
perspective for pre-service educators<br />
Wherever Marcia Webb’s travels take her in supervising<br />
elementary education interns, she hears a<br />
familiar refrain from principals and teachers alike.<br />
“Everywhere I go, the principals and teachers<br />
just rave about our interns and how <strong>Auburn</strong> <strong>University</strong><br />
has the best,” said Webb ’73, who graduated<br />
from <strong>Auburn</strong> <strong>University</strong> with a degree in elementary<br />
education.<br />
The high marks received by <strong>Auburn</strong>’s preservice<br />
teachers stem, in part, from the <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Education</strong>’s<br />
efforts to help them seamlessly blend theory and real-world<br />
practice. One <strong>of</strong> the ways undergraduates develop that balance is<br />
through their exposure to pr<strong>of</strong>essionals like Webb, a veteran educator<br />
who returned to the college in fall 2010 as its first Teacher-in-<br />
Residence.<br />
“I am very impressed with what I see [from <strong>College</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Education</strong> students]. They’re very mature,<br />
very pr<strong>of</strong>essional. They want to do a good job<br />
and are very open to suggestions for change. They<br />
want reflection. They’re always looking to grow.’’<br />
The Teacher-in-Residence program, an extension <strong>of</strong> the national<br />
award-winning Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Development System partnership<br />
between the <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Education</strong> and <strong>Auburn</strong> City Schools, enables<br />
a tenured K-12 educator to take a 1- to 2-year hiatus from his or her<br />
everyday position in order to supervise interns and teach courses<br />
at the university. In addition to preparing interns for the challenges<br />
they will face in elementary school classrooms, Webb is also using<br />
the opportunity to further her education. She is pursuing a doctorate<br />
in rehabilitation and special education.<br />
“After two years, I go back in the classroom and someone else<br />
comes out,” Webb said <strong>of</strong> the Teacher in Residence arrangement.<br />
Marcia Webb works with a cohort <strong>of</strong> pre-interns.<br />
Webb, who has directed the Academic Venture enrichment<br />
program at Cary Woods, said she has enjoyed her time working with<br />
the college’s elementary education students.<br />
“I am very impressed with what I see,” she said. “They’re very<br />
mature, very pr<strong>of</strong>essional. They want to do a good job and are very<br />
open to suggestions for change. They want reflection. They’re always<br />
looking to grow. When I was here [as a student], the elementary<br />
education program was known to be one <strong>of</strong> the best around and I<br />
think that it still is one <strong>of</strong> the best.”<br />
While Webb helps <strong>Auburn</strong> students refine their teaching techniques,<br />
their interactions are very much a give-and-take. Through<br />
the site visits that comprise part <strong>of</strong> her intern supervision responsibilities,<br />
Webb has been able to learn about some <strong>of</strong> the practices<br />
being applied to good effect in different area schools.<br />
“I am enjoying getting out and seeing what’s going on in the<br />
other schools and picking up ideas that I can bring back to my classroom,”<br />
Webb said. “All <strong>of</strong> the schools are good. <strong>Education</strong> is very<br />
important to the <strong>Auburn</strong> community.”<br />
PDS in Action<br />
The Teacher-in-Residence program<br />
serves as one example <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Development System<br />
collaboration between the <strong>College</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Education</strong> and <strong>Auburn</strong> City Schools. The<br />
system seeks to foster collaboration among<br />
educators, students, parents/guardians and<br />
other community stakeholders. To learn more<br />
about the Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Development System, visit<br />
auburnschools.org/pds.<br />
Webb brings interns together to discuss their experiences.<br />
6<br />
K e y s t o n e V o l u m e V I I , 2 010