Principia College Education Department Elsah, Illinois Institution Comment Comments submitted by: Libby Scheiern, Education Department Chair
We dispute NCTQ’s evaluation methods for reasons forthcoming from the Illinois Association of Teacher Educators at Private Colleges. One of these methods, negotiating scores judged as final, is ongoing for standards 8, 11A, 14, 18, and 20. NCTQ’s evaluation of Principia remains unfounded for sixteen of seventeen standards in question: 1A: Principia exceeds state program entry requirements. Candidates successfully complete five education classes and three weeks of clinical practice before program admission followed by three rigorous oral examinations prior to certification. Documents entitled “evaluation of teacher candidate form” describe standards. “Program statistics” document rigor with number of candidates dropping programs prior to completion. 3: Principia does not solely rely only on a state elementary generalist test. The institution independently requires rigorous assessments in reading instruction and NCTQ’s four core subject areas. See “Intermediate Block” syllabus. 8: Principia prepares teachers to meet English Language Learner needs as indicated in EDUC 203 syllabus and EDUC 352 syllabus. EDUC 352 syllabus revisits two teaching product lesson plans produced for internships (EDUC 221/271 and EDUC 321/371)— adapting lessons to meet ELL needs. Teaching product assignments in all methods classes examine student special needs including ELL. We disagree with the standard’s applicability to our work. 11A: Principia omits the word “prohibit” in the relevant syllabus description, but over 10 years of documented practice shows no student teacher engaging in additional courses, varsity athletics, campus work programs. 14: Principia tracks graduate outcomes including employment and retention. See “Graduate and Employer Survey” and “Program Statistics” documents. 15: Principia uses available data to examine program graduates. See “Graduate and Employer Survey” document. With most graduates working outside Illinois, principal surveys are used—a special consideration. 18 (elementary and secondary): Principia addresses forms/purposes of assessment; standardized testing; and applying data to improve instruction. See Beginning Block, Intermediate Block, and Student Teaching syllabi and handbook descriptions. 20 (elementary and secondary): Principia teaches grade specific methods of classroom management via internship classes. See Beginning Block syllabus, EDUC 221/371, where candidates manage middle schoolers and Intermediate Block syllabus, EDUC 321/371, where candidates manage elementary or secondary students. Courses are unique due to individualized instruction with small numbers of candidates. Principia averages eight teacher graduates per year. 21 (elementary and secondary): Principia gives a grade-specific introduction to special education in EDUC 252 and the EDUC 221/271 middle school internships. In EDUC 352, lesson plans from intermediate elementary/secondary grade internships (EDUC 321/371) are used for grade specific instruction. Courses are unique due to individualized instruction with small numbers of candidates, enabling differentiation between elementary/secondary candidates. 22 (elementary and secondary): Principia teacher candidates all graduate in about four years with a second major, exceeding
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NCTQ Teacher Preparation Program Design Ratings
the 5-6 year average characterizing most U.S. colleges and universities that educate teachers. 24: Principia gives candidates a broad liberal arts education. See college catalog page 21. Candidates also complete a second major. This education does not align with NCTQ’s standard which advocates a national liberal arts curriculum for teachers. 26A, B: Principia prepares candidates for reading instruction. See five National Reading Panel recommendations on page 8 “Intermediate Block Syllabus”—reading course description is found on page 3. 27A: Course syllabi do not align with NCTQ standard—our only agreement with NCTQ standards in question.
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