Exemplary Teaching Program for Vocational Educators

1. Exemplary Teaching Program for Vocational Educators https://cia.rcu.msstate.edu/exemplary/ A special recognition program for Mississippi’s secondary vocational teachers

2. A Partnership

3. Getting Started • National Dissemination Center for CTE The Ohio State University • Joint effort of OSU and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • Advisory council • Annual nominations • Applicants submitted applications • Expert raters • Onsite evaluation • Final selections are made based upon the findings • Award was presented in a national forum

4. Getting Started • Visit to OSU • Learned about program and other resources/services • Customize for Mississippi

5. Development Systematic way of evaluating CTE teachers in regard to the following: • program quality • educational significance • evidence of effectiveness and success • replicable best practices

6. Development: Collaboration Advisory Committee Established • Teachers • Directors • State CTE leaders • Professional Development Specialists

7. Development: Vision & Mission VISION • To elevate the level of teaching and learning in vocational and technical programs in Mississippi. MISSION • To recognize exemplary vocational and technical programs in Mississippi providing a network of support for those promising programs aiming to reach exemplary status.

8. Development: Basic Goals • Identify exemplary best practices for replication • Increase visibility of programs and exemplary practices • Provide a statewide network of support for teachers who need help in reaching exemplary practices

9. Development: A Framework of Standards How do we identify exemplary best practices for replication? • Established the Mississippi Exemplary Teaching Standards for Vocational Educators • 15 standards organized around 3 major clusters • Program Quality • Educational Significance • Evidence of Effectiveness and Success

10. Development: Application Who is eligible to participate? Minimum guidelines established • 3 years experience • Standard educator license • Secondary CTE course/program teacher

11. Development: Application What is the application process? • Available in May and due in August • Lengthy application that includes many open-ended responses • Letter of support required • Colleague • Former Student • Parent • Verification of meeting minimum requirements

12. Development: Tools & Training for Success What did we develop to support teachers in the process? • Orientation training face-to-face • Guidelines and tools for portfolio submissions • Online support • Rubrics

13. Award • One time $5,000 classroom equipment allocation: • Does not have to be on the approved equipment list • Does not come out of upgrade money • Funds come from state equipment money • Number of awards each year is contingent upon funding

14. Award • 5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) • 100% participation in the program Teachers are also recognized publicly at the annual Mississippi ACTE summer conference.

15. Commitment • Candidates who achieve Exemplary Status are required to make a commitment to the program. • Provide support and training to new candidates • Provide training to replicate their exemplary practices • Market the program

16. Development: Marketing https://cia.rcu.msstate.edu/exemplary/ • Website • Brochure • Presentations • Mail out • Listservs

17. The Process: Components • Once candidates are identified, what is involved? How long is the process? • The process is about 8 months long: • Face to Face Kick Off Training/Orientation • Portfolio Process • Online Support Community via Blackboard • Desk Reviews • Site Visit Evaluations • Exemplary Program Awards • Exemplary Teachers Become Leaders

18. Process: The Time Line

19. Kick-Off Training • Overview of the Process • Standards Review—requires pre-work • Data Collection Guide and Analysis—requires pre-work • Online Discussion Topics • Scoring Rubric Review • Portfolio Development • Using Basic Blackboard • Reflection

20. Portfolio • 3 Sections—based on clustered standards • General formatting guidelines for each • Time limits • Teaching and Learning Setting • Featured Professional Actions • Reflection • Guiding Question to Get the Writing Started • 3 Kinds of Writing: descriptive, analytical, reflective

21. Portfolio • Using the Data Collection Guide • 3 Sections—based on clustered standards • Evaluation Criteria • Indicators for Data Collection • Suggested Examples—not all inclusive

22. Online Support • Weekly discussions throughout portfolio process • Focused Topics • Standards • Best Practices • Time Management • Writing

23. Review Team • 3 person review team • Representatives from the state department and the RCU • Anonymity

24. Desk Review

25. Site Visit

26. Public Recognition

27. The Voices of Exemplary Teachers

28. The Voices of Exemplary Teachers

29. The Voices of Exemplary Teachers

30. The Voices of Exemplary Teachers

31. The Voices of Exemplary Teachers

32. The Voices of Exemplary Teachers

33. Exemplary Teaching Program for Vocational Educators Amy Johnson amy.johnson@rcu.msstate.edu Please contact me with your questions.