COMMUNICATING WITH SCHOOL-BASED COLLEAGUES ABOUT PACT: UC DAVIS’ EARLY STRATEGIES

PACT Implementation ConferencePauline Holmes, UC Davis

October 2007

Informing Administrators

Statewide letter to district superintendents (Summer 2007)

Individual connections with site principals, dept. chairs, grade level coordinators

Emphasis on teaching candidate, use of video in context of candidate assessment, as required by CA Teacher Preparation Program Standards

More work to do here!

Informing and Enlisting Support from Resident Teachers

Individual and group overviews by supervisors - refer to “Making Good Choices” and web information

Working with resident teachers over time embeds concepts and tips - some did a PACT with us in piloting process and offer advice

Resident teachers often help with planning ahead for technical support and calendar for the teaching event - consultant role

Candidates identify resident teachers as keys to support, so clear expectations are critical

More work to do here!

Challenges to Teaching Event Implementation at Sites

Fitting PACT requirements smoothly into existing curriculum expectations (especially with prescribed and paced curricula)

Effective support for PACT elements from resident teachers - balancing coaching role

Video taping concerns & permissions - administrative help is critical

BTSA Connections

UCD representatives on Sacramento Area BTSA Consortium work group - bimonthly meetings:- What does PACT look like? (Help scoring for

exposure?)- How do PACT skills correlate with induction

requirements?- What, if anything, will be shared between institutions

and BTSA programs? What can candidates take with them about PACT results?

BTSA Connections (cont’d)

UCD representatives on Yolo/Solano and Sacramento Area BTSA Advisory Boards:- Scoring help for understanding of PACT- How to support UCD graduates in next steps for them

- avoiding redundancy in two years of induction program? What does “extending skills” entail? How to blend UCD MA requirements with induction expectations?

Identified Challenges Between Preparation & Induction Programs

Communicating variation in preparation program contexts - timing of TE (ex. mid-way versus end of program), “value” placed on TE, approaches to failing scores

What to provide candidates about their PACT results as they move to districts? What is the legislative requirement for sharing information?

Helping Support Providers interpret “results” PACT profile may not be indicative of candidates’

current teaching skills