In an evolving world, Purdue’s College of Education is innovating new paths to success for K-12 teachers by Jennifer Merzdorf Make no mistake. The pandemic has set the table for seismic shifts in teaching methods in America’s elementary and secondary schools. But the need to evolve in a hypercompetitive and increasingly data and technology driven world has long been there. A newly launched Purdue University College of Education program is responding to that change. Called the Innovation Initiative, or I2, the most comprehensive change in two decades to the teacher education curriculum, the program is designed to meet students more where they are. It addresses, among other things, how to teach students with disabilities. And those academically gifted. And those who are English language learners. For teachers like TJ Rosa, who in the spring completed her first year of teaching at West Intermediate School, it will be a huge help. She says being adaptable in changing circumstances and environments is key to successfully managing the classroom. “Especially during the pandemic, everything is changing all the time in schools,” says Rosa, a 2020 Purdue College
of Education graduate and fourth-grade teacher. “Whether it’s new procedures and guidelines, schedules, or students coming in and out of quarantine, teachers have to be flexible. Even without the added stress of COVID, being able to adapt and problem-solve quickly in the classroom is a valuable skill.” Rosa says that students are also changing, and today’s classroom environments can present unexpected situations. Guided by research and evidence, I2 launched this fall and is built on six hallmarks that will empower education majors with the tools and experiences they need to effectively educate all students while confidently navigating classroom environments. Sustained and meaningful clinical experiences in P-12 schools, supported by university coursework, are essential in preparing teachers. I2 changes include field experiences each semester, combined with on-campus seminars, that culminate in an expanded student-teaching internship during the students’ final year, substantially expanding their instructional time in the classroom. One new clinical 4
