Changes in prep program for teachers

Students who want to become teachers could choose an alternate course pattern under proposed blended programs being developed for CSUS.

These programs, which were encouraged by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, were designed to develop new ways of preparing students who know early on that they want to be teachers. The programs would blend the subject matter course work with instructional course work and student teaching.

Jean Torcom, director of liberal studies, said that “early deciders” would benefit from the programs in different ways.

“The programs would offer courses concurrently and connect subject matter. Students would also get early field experience as freshmen to see what the profession is like,” Torcom said.

These programs are designed to be completed in four years, with some summer work required, but don’t replace existing programs. Torcom also said that the traditional “fifth year” credential program would stay in place.

“Most students can’t commit to the number of units required for this program, so the fifth year will always be necessary,” Torcom said.

Julia Lambating, Associate Professor of Teacher Education, who is helping with the development of a blended program for math, said that these programs probably wouldn’t be available until Fall 2000.

The program is being developed for incoming freshmen and is aimed at current high school students, according to Torcom.

“This is an experimental program,” Lambating said, “and we’re in the process of making it known to community colleges, where many of the students will come from.”

Several CSU campuses started their blended programs this fall, including Chico, Fullerton, Long Beach and San Luis Obispo. The results are not known yet, and Torcom said that she’s not sure what impact the blended programs will have.

“There’s no answer yet. I’m not sure how this will unfold,” Torcom said.

The current teaching program at CSUS gives students the option of working toward a multiple- or single-subject preliminary teaching credential designed to be completed in two or three semesters. Undergraduates could begin as early as the second semester of their junior year and qualify for a preliminary teaching credential when they graduate.

The rationale for blended programs for students to get field experience as freshmen, in case they decide not to pursue a teaching career.

CSU Chancellor Charles Reed has made the development of these blended programs a priority. The goal is to train future teachers more quickly than in the past, as there will be hundreds of thousands of new teachers will be needed in California over the next ten years and beyond.