1. Growing Your Own: A University / District Collaboration
CSOTTE 2017
Notes
Growing Your Own:
A University / District Collaboration

2. Introductions Dr. Stacey Edmonson, Dean SHSU
Dr. Sandra Stewart, Associate Dean SHSU
Katie Lowe, Coordinator for Recruitment and Communications SHSU
Dr. Jannah Nerren, Associate Dean SHSU

3. History of the Program
It doesn’t go back quite this far

4. Why Grow Your Own
Districts are interested in having their own students return as teachers because:
Knowledge of the culture of the school
Pre-service teaching program is connected to the school district, strengthening their preparation
Retention rate is improved because of student agreement

5. Background
In Texas, only 73% of teachers are retained over 5 years (Texas Education Agency)
School districts spend an average of $18,000 annually on professional development (Mader, 2015)
Teacher turnover has negative impact on student learning (Ronfeldt, Loeb, & Wycoff, 2013)
Three to four years of initial teacher preparation in model schools with strong mentoring increases student achievement and teacher retention. (Darling-Hammond, 2010).

6. Project Scope
Create a partnership between Sam Houston State University and school districts in an effort to increase the likelihood of current high school students returning to their home base as certified teachers. The intention is to increase the diversity of students, as well as assisting school districts reduce the need to hire.

7. Process Meet with school districts for needs assessment
Review the project plan
Individualized the project plan to meet the needs of the partner school districts
Develop MOUs with school districts
Attend district signing day
Develop Summer Teacher Camp schedule and curriculum
Assess Summer Teacher Camp with a survey

8. What makes this program unique?
Summer Teacher Camp
Summer internships
Living-Learning Communities
University dual credit
District incentives
On-going mentoring from high school through college graduation
District signing day

9. Project Plan High School Junior High School Senior
Fall 2017 – meeting with the “Ready, Set, Teach” students (Home Grown?)
Sam Houston Recruiter activities (coordinate with teachers/director)
Spring 2018 – tour at Sam Houston with “Ready, Set, Teach” students
Sam Houston Tour and College of Education visit
Summer 2018 – Teacher’s Camp at Sam Houston State University
Two-day camp at The Woodlands Center (Huntsville)
Teacher Education Workshop Sessions
EC-6, 4-8, and Secondary Education Sessions
Career Services District Panels
Sam Houston Faculty Panels
High School Senior
Fall 2018 – CIEE 2333 Dual Credit (Sam Houston)
Spring 2019 – New Bearkat Teachers Reception at Sam Houston
Signing Day in the District
Tour Education Dorm Wing
Meet with Candice Wilson on Education Learning Community and U1301 (if they don’t live on campus, can they participate in the “Living” activities?)
Summer 2019 – Freshmen Orientation
College of Education Tour and Reception with students and parents
College of Education Advising

10. Project Plan at SHSU
Fall 2019 – See Schedule – Education Learning Community Cohort
Spring 2019 – See Schedule – Education Learning Community Cohort
Summer 2019 – Teaching Innovation Internship
Three-day camp on Technology and Innovation at Sam Houston Main Campus (suggested to include current teachers as mentors)
International Study Abroad (if offered)
Summer 2020 – Capturing Kids Hearts Training (or equivalent)
Two-day training
Summer 2021 – First Year Teacher Camp
Summer Internship – Coordinated with district and Sam Houston

11. Program Requirements Must meet admission requirements
Will bring Dual Credit and/or College Credit (courses will be recommended by SHSU staff)
Enroll in U1301 with cohort
Participate in Education Living - Learning Community
Be in a cohort when taking Content Methods, Literacy Block, and Targeted Field Experiences.
Summer professional development and internship

12. MOU Highlights ISD agrees to:
Facilitate SHSU recruiting visits to the district for GYO
Initiate a letter of intent for each student committed to the GYO at SHSU
Promote and transport interested students to the “Celebration of Teaching” event annually and
Transport juniors and seniors participating in the summer teaching camp each summer
Identify teacher mentors during the summer of the teacher candidates junior year at SHSU that will remain with the teacher candidate through student teaching
Support summer internships including, but not limited to, professional development with mentor teacher, setting up classrooms, and developing lesson plans
Support and provide time for the mentor to be trained with the teacher candidate in collaboration with SHSU
Ensure each student enters the program at SHSU with hours of dual credit, including the beginning education course at SHSU (CIEE 2333 – Becoming a Teacher)

13. MOU Highlights cont. SHSU agrees to:
Plan and facilitate a SHSU campus visit entitled “The Celebration of Teaching” annually
Plan and host a summer teacher camp annually for junior and senior high school students (2-3 days)
Meet a minimum of two times annually with all incoming GYO freshmen at SHSU to provide support and mentoring during the first year
Provide mentor training with the teacher candidate during the first summer of the teacher candidates junior year at SHSU
Support summer teacher internships (summer of junior and senior years at SHSU) for all students in the GYO program in collaboration with ISD
Ensure that GYO teacher candidates meet all degree, testing, and certification requirements upon completion of the program to ensure efficient teacher placement within the district

14. Camp Agenda Tuesday, July 11, 2017 Wednesday, July 12, 2017
9:00 am to 9:30 am Introductions – Katie Lowe
9:30 am to 10:00 am Ice Breaker Game
10:00 am to 10:30 am Future of Education – Dr. Sandra Stewart
10:30 am to 10:45 am Break
10:45 am to 11:45 am Visual Literacy – Dr. Lory Haas
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Lunch
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm Teacher Language – Dr. Rebecca Wentworth
2:30 pm to 2:45 pm Break
2:45 pm to 3:30 pm Creative Classroom – Dr. Jannah Nerren
3:30 pm Dismiss
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
9:00 am to 10:00 am Classroom Design – Dr. Tara Wilson & Dr. Patricia Durham
10:00 am to 11:00 am Digital Storytelling – Dr. Pam Gray
11:00 am to 11:15 am Break
11:15 am to 12:30 pm Panel Discussions with School Districts and Student Ambassadors
12:30 pm to 1:00 pm Box Lunch
1:00 pm Dismiss

15. Letter of Intent
The letter of intent will be designed by the ISD’s. The student will be subject to meet all of the hiring requirements, as well as the performance requirements, to gain and maintain employment with the district. Below are some examples we have received from the districts.
Three year commitment from student to the district
Signing bonus; half at time of hire and remainder after commitment fulfilled
Stipend, amount varies on needs of the district
Scholarships

16. What’s next?
Review surveys from Summer Teacher Camp and make adjustments
Review input from Summer Teacher Camp planning committee
Expand Summer Teacher Camp to include classroom specific projects (i.e. lesson planning)
Pilot summer internships
Increase school district participants
Implement district mentoring over duration of program

17. Contacts Sandra Stewart, sstewart@shsu.edu
Katie Lowe,
Jannah Nerren,

18. Resources Darling-Hammond, L. (2010) Mader, (2015).
Ronfeldt, Loeb, & Wycoff, (2013)
Texas Education Agency, (2017)