PSU graduate student Susanna (Susi) Marble, center, one of six paid teacher residents in the inaugural PSU PREP cohort, speaks during a panel discussion at the Vanport Building on Dec. 12, 2023.
PSU’s College of Education (COE) recently celebrated the early success of a transformative teacher preparation program funded by a three-year $300,000 US PREP grant. The dinner event, hosted by COE interim Dean Tina Peterman, brought together COE faculty and partners from Tigard-Tualatin School District, Portland Public Schools and the US PREP National Center.
PSU’s COE was the only college of education in the Pacific Northwest awarded the US PREP grant funded by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The US PREP Coalition supports colleges of education nationwide in innovating clinical practices and preparing teachers to meet the diverse needs of K-12 students.
“The focus is providing high quality teacher education,” Peterman said. “It really is about creating innovative partnerships between the university and the K-12 school district, to train the next generation of teachers to improve outcomes for children.”
A panel discussion featured graduate student Susanna (Susi) Marble, a bilingual biology teacher candidate and one of six paid teacher residents in the inaugural PSU PREP cohort. She highlighted the importance of financial support, security and mentorship in her decision to apply, given responsibilities as a parent.
“If I can’t afford daycare, then I can’t afford to student teach,” she said.
Marble was hired by the Tigard-Tualatin School District to complete her student teaching year – while also substitute teaching one day a week. She praised her resident mentor, the head wrestling coach at Tigard, for introducing her to everyone at the school and facilitating a smooth integration.
The mentor connection also helps her build a quick rapport with students as a substitute teacher. “I’m a part of the school, I'm involved in the community,” Marble explained. “So they treat me differently. Especially compared to how I was treated as a sub before I was part of the school.”
PSU teacher residents are not alone in their enthusiasm for this transformative teacher preparation model. Sherri Sinicki, a PSU clinical educator, lauded the mentorship model that places faculty in schools to observe student teachers.
“It’s brilliant!” Sinicki said. “If you are not in the classroom, you don’t know what is happening in the classroom. And how do you inform student teachers going forward if you don’t know what is happening in the classroom?”
School district partners are also pleased and the overwhelmingly positive response from school principals bodes well for the program's continuation.
Peterman acknowledged the commitment of the PSU team and school district partners in transforming teacher preparation. Special thanks went out to Ashly Harris and Irma Nurre of US PREP for providing vital support throughout the process.
“You have been by our sides, giving us a little tough love here and there. Sitting with us on Zoom after Zoom after Zoom through COVID,” Peterman said. “The COVID years were hard with this project.”
Faculty member Gayle Thieman, Ph.D., raised a glass to honor COE School Partnership Director Gabe Hunter-Bernstein, who coordinated the grant. “I am so appreciative and full of joy because you chose to come to PSU and lead us in our partnership work,” Thieman said. “You far exceeded what was on your job description. You put your heart and soul into this program and you led us, you encouraged us, you inspired us.”
Buoyed by a successful launch, the College of Education is excited to grow the program. Next year’s teacher resident cohort will double to include 12 student teachers.
“It’s been four years and we are just getting started, folks!” Peterman said in closing.