PDS Center for Teaching and Learning is a Professional Development Schools Consortium (PDS) internship program for Buffalo State teacher candidates. It includes participation in pre-travel meetings during the fall semester and an immersive 1-week internship at the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) in Edgecomb, Maine in January.
During the PDS trip, participants will engage in a workshop-based internship where they will observe classrooms at CTL, collaborate with CTL teachers and students, and learn from school administrators and curricular leaders about the cutting-edge cross-curricular literacy practices at CTL. Prior to the trip, participants will read Atwell’s seminal work, In the Middle, to explore the workshop model and prepare for clinical experiences and discussions at CTL. Research opportunities at the school are also available for interested participants. In addition, participants will explore the quaint towns of coastal Maine, attend a group dinner in Booth’s Bay, and stay at a local inn.
Open to all undergraduate and graduate teacher candidates, including those who are graduating the December before travel. Best fit for junior or higher. Candidates must be a currently enrolled Buffalo State student and must maintain good academic standing. Selected participants must submit all final payments by the deadlines specified, complete required paperwork and processes, participate in the pretravel meetings, and adhere to all travel guidelines.
Participants pay a program fee of $500 prior to travel to cover program costs, lodging, and meals. Additional travel costs must be paid separately; students may elect to carpool (9.5 hrs) or fly (approx. $300).
The $500 fee is the remaining balance of the overall base program fee of $1170 minus $675 in pre-arranged donations from campus organizations including the Professional Development Schools (PDS) consortium, the Western New York Network of English Teachers (WNYNET), and the school deans.
Submit the following materials (electronically) to James Cercone:
The CTL (http://c-t-l.org/) is a K-8 independent demonstration school that focuses on workshop approaches to literacy learning, small class sizes, respect for children, relationships of trust between faculty and parents, and programs that engage and prepare students for life. CTL was founded by Buffalo State alumna and Global Teacher Prize winner, Nancie Atwell, one of the most respected educators in the US and across the world. Nancie's classic In the Middle, now in its third edition, has inspired generations of teachers; in it she describes her teaching journey and innovative reading and writing workshop practices that transform elementary and secondary classrooms. The CTL is certified by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and draws from nearly twenty towns and villages to create a loving, close-knit community of students and families.
English Education Department
cerconje@buffalostate.edu
Professional Development Schools
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