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Professional Education Unit

ATE Standards for Teacher Educators

Standards for Teacher Educators

Standards of practice for teacher educators should represent agreements about what teacher educators should think about, know, and be able to do. Forging these agreements gives teacher educators the opportunity to review and adopt a knowledge base that can be tested, modified, and revised when appropriate. Such dialogue will add immeasurably to the public debate on schooling and teacher preparation.

Teacher educators have an obligation to be precise about what is entailed in being a teacher educator. To do less at a time when the quality of children's education weighs so heavily in the balance is indefensible. Not only will the standards of teacher educators provide a vehicle for being precise; it will also provide the opportunity to coalesce a knowledge base that will make public the characteristics of the specialization.

A list of the Standards for Teacher Educators, Indicators of each Standard, Evidence supporting Proficiency, and Assessment Modes are identified on the following pages. Please note that the listings under Evidence do not correspond directly to Indicators, nor are all persons expected to provide evidence related to all indicators or evidence. The final Evidence for each Standard provides flexibility to persons so they may adequately portray their expertise as a Master Teacher Educator.
 

STANDARD 1 Master teacher educators: Model professional teaching practices that demonstrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes reflecting the best available practices in teacher education.
Indicators	Potential Sources of Evidence
Master teacher educators: Model effective instruction, reflection, and evaluation for prospective and practicing teachers  Demonstrate and encourage critical thinking and problem solving among teacher educators, teachers, and prospective teachers  Promote practices that enhance both an understanding of diversity and instruction that meets the needs of society  Regularly revise courses taught to incorporate recent materials, including technology  Consciously encourage and challenge students to be reflective practitioners  Use a variety of innovative instructional methods; matching learning objectives with student needs and appropriate teaching strategies  Mentor novice teachers and teacher educators  Apply specialized knowledge and processes of inquiry which are central to teacher education  Interpret developmental phases of becoming a teacher in a culturally and economically diverse society  Demonstrate an understanding of the influence of school context and culture upon teacher education  Demonstrate currency of knowledge regarding issues critical to education, and especially teacher education	Evaluations and/or statements from students, peers, and supervisors  Video and/or audio tapes of teaching  List of courses taught, with syllabus and assessment of each course, block. or series of activities  Instructional materials developed  Testimonials of mentoring of peers, current students, or former students  Teaching awards, recognition  Documentation of changes in teaching based on recent findings from research and practice  Logs or other written evidence of activities in classrooms during past two years  Journals of reflective examination of own practice  Documentation of effectiveness of past students as model teachers  Scores on tests of knowledge of central concepts in teacher education and subject matter of candidate's discipline  Written philosophical statement that reflects underlying knowledge and values of teacher education  Courses, experiences, case studies that reflect the best research and exemplary practice  Video or audio tapes of presentations, teaching episodes, or other experience that reflect best research and exemplary practice  Other evidence as appropriate to the candidate's role and responsibilities

STANDARD 2 Master teacher educators:  Inquire into and contribute to one or more areas of scholarly activity that are related to teaching, learning, and/or teacher education.
Indicators	Potential Sources of Evidence
Master teacher educators: Provide evidence of scholarship in teaching, learning, and/or teacher education, including but not limited to:  Improvement of teaching  Curriculum and program development  Regularly revise courses taught to incorporate recent materials, including technology  Theory development  Influence other programs, institutions, and/or professionals	Description of current scholarship and analysis of own work, including but not limited to:  Presentations at scholarly meetings  Publications  Citations by other scholars  Research awards and recognition  Funded research grant proposals  Evidence that scholarly activity has made a contribution to programs, institutions, and/or professionals  Other evidence as appropriate to the candidate's role and responsibilities

STANDARD 3 Master teacher educators: Inquire systematically into, and reflect on, their own practice and demonstrate commitment to lifelong professional development.
Indicators	Potential Sources of Evidence
Master teacher educators: Maintain a philosophy of teacher education that is continuously reviewed based on a deepening understanding of research and practice  Maintain and implement a professional growth plan which results in seeking out opportunities to pursue continuous professional growth through regular renewal activities  Update professional knowledge through a variety of . means that include, but are not limited to:  Frequent experiences in schools  Participation in growth activities in professional associations and learned societies  Other training opportunities  Life experiences  Reflect regularly on own practice and professional development	Statement of philosophy of teacher education and its relation to professional goals and accomplishments  Professional growth plan that includes self-assessment and plan for further development  Documents showing changes in performance over a three-year period, including brief rationale for changes  List and description of experiences in schools during the previous three years  List professional meetings and workshops attended, books read, and other professional development experiences during the previous three years  Journals of reflective examination of own practice  Other evidence as appropriate to the candidate's role and responsibilities

STANDARD 4 Master teacher educators:  Provide leadership in developing, implementing, and evaluating programs for educating teachers that embrace diversity, and are rigorous, relevant, and grounded in accepted theory, research, and best practice.
Indicators	Potential Sources of Evidence
Master teacher educators: Provide leadership in designing and developing a teacher education program (preservice or inservice)  Assess one or more teacher education programs to determine validity  Provide university/school-based leadership at the local, state, and/or national levels through boards or committees related to program development. approval. or accreditation  Contribute to research that focuses on effectiveness of teacher preparation programs  Make decisions based on theory, research, and best practice  Promote diversity in programs and participants	Documentation of program design, rationale, unique features, and materials for students, with description of the candidate's role in its development  Documentation of program accreditation status (state and national) in which the candidate participated  Lists and descriptions of recognition and program awards  Documentation of leadership roles in preservice or inservice programs, including specific contributions  Research and evaluation studies of the teacher education program to which the candidate contributed  Evidence that decisions are based on research, theory and best practice, and that they promote diversity  Documentation of participation in professional societies and associations  Other evidence as appropriate to the candidate's role and responsibilities

STANDARD 5 Master teacher educators:  Collaborate regularly and in significant ways with representatives of schools, universities, state education agencies, professional associations, and communities to improve teaching, learning, and teacher education.
Indicators	Potential Sources of Evidence
Master teacher educators: Are actively involved and promote collaborative projects (e.g.. among schools, community groups, businesses, social service professionals, and intra-university constituencies)  Initiate and sustain meaningful contributions to schools and other institutions concerned with schooling and teacher education and within the university community  Work closely with schools/colleges of education, teacher education professional organizations and other agencies or groups interested in promoting teacher education	Description of activities  Materials related to activities  Recognition of participation and collaboration  Statements from collaborators testifying to the candidate's involvement in, and contributions to, the collaborative  Evidence that collaboration is making a difference in schools and their students  Other evidence as appropriate to the candidate' s role and responsibilities

STANDARD 6 Master teacher educators:  Serve as informed, constructively critical advocates for high-quality education for all students, public understanding of educational issues, and excellence and diversity in the teaching and teacher education professions.
Indicators	Potential Sources of Evidence
Master teacher educators: Promote education through community forums. activities with other professionals. and work with policymakers.  Informs and educate those involved in making governmental policies and regulations at local. state. and/or national levels to improve teaching and teacher education.  Actively address policy issues which affect the profession  Promote diversity in all aspects of education  Potential Sources of Evidence	Documentation of having served as advocate far high quality teaching and teacher education in own institution as well as the local, state or national levels  Description of contributions to educational policy or regulations at local, state, and national levels (e.g., presentations, member of accreditation review teams, commissions or task forces, testimony at state hearings)  Papers, presentations. and/or media events designed to enhance the public's understanding of education and teacher education  Other evidence as appropriate to the candidate's role and responsibilities

STANDARD 7 Master teacher educators:  Contribute to improving the teacher education profession.
Indicators	Potential Sources of Evidence
Master teacher educators: Provide leadership regularly to learned societies and professional associations  Recruit talented prospective teachers and teacher educators who represent national diversity (social, economic, cultural, ethnic, religious, and special needs groups)  Recruit, screen, mentor, and support prospective teachers and teacher educators: secure and monitor scholarships work with elementary, secondary and college students considering teaching; and encourage community groups to support prospective teachers  Serve as mentor to other teacher educators  Collaborate in research, publishing, and presentations  Encourage and support promising teacher educators to excel professionally and seek leadership roles  Serve as an advocate for promising teacher educators internally within the institution and externally with other groups  Interpret the roles of teacher educators to the public	List of memberships in learned societies and professional associations, offices held, contributions made, with supporting documentation  Evidence of recruitment and/or scholarship activities for prospective and/or practicing teachers  Mentioning or coaching activities documented (e.g.. co-teaching, joint publications and presentations, membership and activities of persons mentored in professional organizations testimony of colleagues  Activities and results of such activities related to policy issues and governmental activities in education  Evidence of activities that increase the general public's understanding of the roles of teacher educators  Other evidence as appropriate to the candidate's role and responsibilities

ASSESSMENT MODES

A wide range of assessment tools may be used to determine the proficiency of teacher educators. Three major types of assessments are portfolios, assessment center exercises and interviews. Experts and persons who make major contributions to teacher education do so in widely disparate ways, thus, the contents of portfolios may vary widely.

Portfolios could include resources such as video or audio tapes, computer disks, and copies of the most relevant materials and publications. The key to successful portfolio assessment is in selecting documents that provide an adequate view of the candidate's proficiency without a mass of inconsequential material.

• Some initial indicators for portfolio assessment include: 
• Complete curriculum vita 
• Copies of publications and documents written by the candidate 
• Evidence of special training or proficiency 
• Documentation that he/she seeks and uses feedback on teaching and management 
• Presentations at personal philosophies and their basis in educational philosophy and research 
• Syllabi of courses taught 
• Video taped excerpts of teaching prospective and/or inservice teachers 
• Student evaluations of teaching 
• Descriptions of teacher education programs to which the candidate contributed, with a statement indicating the precise role in the development, and any data demonstrating the effectiveness of the program(s) 
• Contributions to accreditation reports and results 
• Funded proposals 
• Research, teaching, and service awards 
• Letters of support/recommendation from professionals who have observed the candidate or benefited from the candidate's contributions 
• Leadership in professional associations Self evaluation Videotaped excerpts of teaching P- 12 Videotaped conference with student teacher and cooperating teacher 
• Evidence of expertise in dealing with students of diversity and exceptionality 
• Evidence of a positive working attitude 

Assessment Center Exercises could include both written examinations and simulations. Some of the activities in the assessment center include:

• Written analysis of a videotaped episode and/or case study in a 
• PreK-12 classroom. list of recommendations to be made to the teacher and/or prospective teacher in a follow-up conference, and a rationale for recommendations 
• Examination that tests knowledge of teacher education practice, research, and current developments 
• Small group discussion among 3-5 candidates concerning an educational issue 
• Simulations of situations related to teacher educator role 
• Oral defense of portfolio 

Personal Interviews permit the assessment panel to explore in depth areas of teacher education not fully developed in the portfolio or included in assessment center responses. Some areas probed in interviews include: 

• Depth to which principles of teacher education are understood and applied as indicated by a presentation and defense of a program to which the candidate contributed 
• Extensiveness of contributions to the profession 
• Decisions and responses made in the assessment center 
• Materials included in the portfolio 
• Clarity and sensitivity with which ideas are presented 

STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENTS

Proficiency can be demonstrated in a number of ways. For each standard. a teacher educator can present portfolio information, demonstrate competence through various exercises in the assessment center and expertise through responses during a personal interview.

The interaction of standards with these various methods of assessment does not imply that an individual will include materials in all cells. Indeed. one might include videotapes related to Standards 2. 4, and 6 while another might include them for Standard 1 only. Certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards will be evidence of teaching competence and can be substituted for other such measures.

For future information about the standards, contact: Association of Teacher Educators 1900 Association Drive, Suite ATE Reston, VA 20191-1502 Telephone 703/620-3110 Fax 703/620-9530

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This information is subject to change at any time. Feel free to make recommendations about how we might improve this space. All information copyright © 1996 Association of Teacher Educators.

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Last revision: 22 June, 1998
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