Interdisciplinary Curriculum Models for Elementary, Middle, and Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs
Quality content preparation of teachers is vital to strengthening the teaching profession. National research indicates that approximately 30 percent of first-year teachers leave the classroom by the end of their first year and close to 50 percent by the end of their fifth year. In addition, fewer than 30 percent of new teachers report being “very well prepared” to enter today’s classrooms – that is, feeling capable of delivering content instruction in accordance with state academic standards, integrating technology into instruction, dealing with increasingly diverse learners, including varying degrees of limited English proficiency, and attending to the needs of special education students.
But what kind or amount of content preparation makes teachers most effective? The research here is inconclusive. Recent mandates such as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) signal attempts to address the perceived deficiency in content preparation. Recognizing the importance of strong content preparation for elementary, middle, and special education teachers, the Virginia Department of Education proposed developing curriculum models to link how teachers are prepared in these areas with NCLB and IDEIA as part of its three-year Teacher Quality Enhancement grant.
The Department awarded grants to Old Dominion University and Longwood University to develop these curriculum models. Old Dominion University developed a curriculum for elementary teachers to enhance their preparation in mathematics, science, English, and history and social sciences. Longwood University developed a curriculum for middle school teachers that offers a concentration in one or more of the following disciplines of mathematics, science, English, and/or history and social science. In addition, Longwood University developed a curriculum model for preparing special education teachers that complies with the IDEIA mandate requiring all special education teachers to be highly qualified in the content areas.
All three models incorporate a high-quality interdisciplinary approach to enhance teacher preparation in the core academic subjects. Not only do these models provide future teachers with the content preparation to teach Virginia’s demanding Standards of Learning (SOL), but they also fulfill the “highly-qualified” teacher requirements of No Child Left Behind and IDEIA
Virginia introduced the three curriculum models on September 22-23, 2005, at a two-day summit entitled It Takes a State – It Takes a Campus – It Takes You! held at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Representatives from college and university teacher education programs throughout the South and Mid-Atlantic states attended, as well as teacher education directors from several state education agencies. There was general agreement that the interdisciplinary curriculum approach is the future of teacher preparation. Given the national trend towards standards-based content instruction, a single department within a college or university acting alone can no longer be expected to prepare highly qualified teachers. Preparing today’s teachers requires the collaboration of faculty and administrators across disciplines. The summit afforded an opportunity for attendees representing 16 states and the District of Columbia to participate in this important discussion.
Old Dominion University and Longwood University have the responsibility for assisting other Virginia institutions of higher education in the implementation of the interdisciplinary curriculum models.
Below are Contacts for additional information on the Interdisciplinary Curriculum Models for Elementary, Middle, and Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs
Longwood University
Interdisciplinary Curriculum Models for Middle School and Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs
Mrs. Joanna H. Baker
Assistant Dean
College of Arts and Sciences
Director, Liberal Studies Program
Longwood University
201 High Street
Farmville, Virginia 23909
Office: Ruffner 102
Phone: (434) 395-2205
E-mail: bakerjh@longwood.edu
Dr. Lissa Power-deFur
Chair
Education, Special Education, Social Work, and Communication Disorders
Longwood University
201 High Street
Hull 263
Farmville , Virginia 23909
Phone: (434) 395-2369
E-mail: powerdefurea@longwood.edu
Dr. Peggy Tarpley
Associate Professor & Coordinator of Special Education Programs
Longwood University
201 High Street
Farmville , Virginia 23909
Phone: (434) 395-2337
E-mail: tarpleypl@longwood.edu
Old Dominion University
Interdisciplinary Curriculum Model for Elementary Education Teacher Preparation Programs
Dr. Leigh L. Butler
Director Teacher Education Services
Old Dominion University
Education Building , 152
Norfolk , Virginia 23529-0156
Phone: (757) 683-6448
E-mail: lbutler@odu.edu
Ms. Renee Olander
Interim Director
Virginia Beach Higher Education Center
Old Dominion University
1881 University Drive
Virginia Beach , Virginia 23453
Phone (757) 368-4100
E-mail: rolander@odu.edu
Mrs. Terri M. Mathews
Assistant Dean
College of Sciences
Old Dominion University
OCNPS 135
Norfolk , Virginia 23529-0156
Phone: (757) 683-5201
E-mail: tmmathew@odu.edu
Virginia Department of Education
Division of Teacher Education, Licensure, and Professional Practice
P. O. Box 2120
Richmond, Virginia 23218-2120
Dr. Thomas A. Elliott
Assistant Superintendent
Division of Teacher Education, Licensure, and Professional Practice
Phone: (804) 371-2522
E-mail: Thomas.Elliott@doe.virginia.gov
Dr. Douglas J. Fiore
Director
Office of Professional Practice
Phone: (804) 225-2803
E-Mail: Doug.Fiore@doe.virginia.gov
Jennifer K. Stuart
Higher Education & Community Colleges Specialist
Office of Professional Practice
Phone: (804) 225-2047
E-mail: Jennifer.Stuart@doe.virginia.gov