|
(FRANKFORT, KY) – The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Career and Technical Education (CTE) Advisory Committee heard feedback and ideas for the New Teacher Institute at its meeting on May 7.
The New Teacher Institute is a KDE initiative designed to provide professional support and training to those seeking an occupation-based CTE teaching certification. Candidates who are seeking certification in the occupation area for which they have recent work experience may be recommended for licensure after successful completion of the program and meeting other certification requirements.
The two-year program usually starts with a three-day introduction at the Kentucky CTE summer program, along with regional meetings in the fall and spring.
Teachers must attend at least four virtual professional learning sessions throughout the school year, where experts in the education field teach about classroom management procedures and teaching methods. There are currently 270 teachers participating in the program. The institute also provides CTE teacher mentors who have CTE career experience and teacher mentors.
Chris Smith, New Teacher Institute director at KDE, said they recently polled school administrators about what they wanted more of from the institute. He said administrators want more hands-on lessons for their teachers, and they are working to increase in-person opportunities.
Mike Hesketh, who represents employers on the committee, asked if KDE shares best practices from around the state of teaching experiences that have gone well.
Smith said this year KDE wants to bring all-star teachers to the institute to talk about how to handle different classroom scenarios. Hesketh said that sharing best practices from across the state is a great way to learn what works in different areas.
Smith said they are working with multiple postsecondary institutions to give teachers college credit for attending the institute.
“These teachers can get a head start on their degree, because although they do come in as professionals, like nurses or electricians, they’re not teachers; so we have to teach them how to be teachers in a short time,” Smith said.
Michael Yoder, Commissioner of the Department of Workforce Development in the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet, brought up the topic of offering support to people nearing retirement age who may not have considered teaching, to encourage them to consider becoming an educator.
While the New Teacher Institute is only available to teachers who have already been hired by a school, Yoder suggested that KDE could increase communication to businesses about the New Teacher Institute and other KDE resources to help transition employees to become teachers.
Kentucky Sen. Jimmy Higdon, who serves on the committee, asked if KDE could change the acronym of the New Teacher Institute. In the Kentucky education sphere, the acronym NTI is also used for non-traditional instruction and new teacher induction programs.
KDE Policy Advisor Lauren Graves said KDE is working on addressing the institute’s acronym because it can be confusing.
In other news:
- The committee discussed the potential of teaching some CTE courses virtually.
|
