Area addressed: Strategies for Increasing the Number of Teachers

Objective:

To recruit and retain promising students in to the teaching profession, with particular attention to students from under represented groups through the development of an "apprentice teacher" program to be offered to students starting in their freshman year.

Description:

This presentation will highlight the activities and outcomes of the VCEPT teacher apprentices program. VCEPT's teacher apprentice program forms the basis for the collaborative recruitment and retention efforts. Each participating institution has developed its own plans for recruiting, training and actively engaging teacher apprentices into collaborative programs. Apprentices have served as tutors and mentors in elementary and middle schools, as teaching associates in college classes, and as workshop leaders for PRAXIS instruction. From all reports this program has been very successful. College professors and public school teachers who have had apprentices in their classes are very pleased, and college students and K-8 students are appreciative of the individual attention and additional support they receive from the apprentices. Two successful apprentice conferences have been held and a third conference is planned for this fall.