SFU PDP

Simon Fraser University -- PDP
Simon Fraser University is located in Burnaby, BC, Canada. The Education department offers a PDP, or Professional Development Program, that leads to teacher certification with the BC College of Teachers.

The Professional Development Program (PDP) in the Faculty of Education is a three semester program which involves twelve months of study. The program is combination of practicum experience and professional coursework which integrate the educational ideas with their application to classroom practice. When students successfully complete the program, they are recommended to the College of Teachers for a British Columbia Teaching Certificate.

Students who want to teach in elementary schools may apply to the program after a minimum of five semesters of course work (two and a half years of college or university study). All students who plan to teach at the secondary level are required to have completed their degree requirements prior to beginning PDP.
Program Design
The Professional Development Program at SFU currently supports 28 to 32 student cohorts or modules that are led by instructional teams comprised of Faculty members, Faculty Associates, and Coordinators. These modules are based in Surrey, Burnaby, Maple Ridge, Abbotsford, Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and Kelowna. Typically these modules host 32 students and are engaged in philosophical and pedagogical discussions around the implementation of the BC K-12 Curriculum. In addition, modules have the flexibility to reflect the theoretical interests and strengths of the current instructional team. While each module is influenced by a general or particular curriculum orientation, all modules are committed to the same over PDP goals. Students are assigned to a module and normally remain with that module throughout two of the three PDP sememester. For more information on the available modules, please refer to http://www.educ.sfu.ca/pdp/modules/index.html for more information.
Whichever module a student is assigned to, the three -semester PDP includes the following components:
Education 401/402: Integration of Theory and Practice

In Education 401 and 402, you study teaching through the integration of in-classroom practicum experiences and instructional seminars. This integrated experience makes it possible for you to grow in your understanding of the relationship between educational theory and classroom practice. You will spend a total of at least six weeks in assigned classrooms and another six weeks of seminar experiences.

As part of your Education 401 experiences, you are teamed in pairs and assigned to a classroom teacher (School Associate) selected by school personnel in consultation with the Faculty of Education. As part of Education 402, you begin the study of the literature of education and engage in seminars that examine educational issues. You may also attend curriculum workshops, and become familiar with a vast array of educational resources. As an important part of the Education 401/2 experience, you will begin to make meaning of the vast and complex world of educational practice, and to have this meaning informed by extensive study of the literature and by thoughtful, reflective discourse.
Education 405: Teaching Semester
In Education 405, you are assigned to a classroom for 10 to 12 weeks of student teaching experience. During this semester, the School Associate and Faculty Associate provide help and guidance, as well as make assessments of your growth toward the achievement of standards of professional competence and the achievement of the twelve program goals.

Education 404: Professional Coursework Semester
In Education 404, you choose from a variety of professional courses offered by the Faculty of Education-courses that will build on teaching strengths, and eliminate deficiencies in the preparation for teaching.

Students will enrol in a minimum of 15 hours of upper division education course work to further promote their professional development.

The requirements of 404 are:

• A minimum of 15 hours of upper division Education courses
• A minimum cumulative grade point averages of 2.0
• A maximum of 8 credits by Distance Education

To help you plan for 404, information sessions are held for PDP students during the semester 401/2.
12 Program Goals
The Professional Development Program is based on:
1)The development of a clear, coherent and justified view of education that enables one to: understand the place of education in an open, pluralistic and caring society; determine the content, methods and institutional arrangements that are relevant, worthwhile and appropriate for the education of children; have a personal vision of what one can achieve as an educator; understand how schooling and other institutions influence students.
2)The development of a clear commitment to: respect students as persons with varied interests, backgrounds, points of view, plans,goals and aspirations; care about students and their individual development, uphold standards of excellence inherent in various forms of inquiry; uphold the principles that ought to govern a civilized, democratic and pluralistic community; establish and maintain ethical working relationships with all members of the educational community.
3)The development of clear commitment to lifelong learning manifest in: openness to alternatives and possibilities; reflective practice; engagement in dialogue and collaboration with colleagues, students, parents and others in the educational community; ability to form and reform ideas, methods, techniques; setting an example to students; stimulating students to be continuous learners.
4)The development of ability to create opportunities for learning that are: engaging and imaginative; significant and relevant to pupils’ educational development; intellectually challenging; sensitive to issues of social equity and cultural diversity; appropriate to building habits of sound thinking; responsive to students’ individual learning needs; reflective of growing understanding of what goes on in the classroom; consonant with learning goals.
5)The development of ability to put educationally sound curriculum ideas into practice in well-organized ways.
6)The development of knowledge about: teaching subjects; how individuals and groups of students learn; evaluation practices.
7)The development of ability to be a thoughtful and sensitive observer of what goes on in the classroom.
8)The development of ability to use evaluation and assessment practices that: use evaluative data as a means of furthering studentlearning; appreciate the subjectivity of evaluation; make use of varied practices that are congruent with learning goals; respect the dignity of each learner; show understanding of the moral implications of evaluation and assessment practices; promote self assessment.
9)The development of ability to use classroom interactions that: show caring and respect for every student; encourage learners to clarify and examine their ideas; are authentic, unpretentious and honest; communicate openness, a tolerance for uncertainty, and appreciation of the spirit of inquiry.
10)The development of appreciation for and skill in organizing harmonious working groups, and interpersonally sound working relationships among students.
11)The development of ability to observe, understand and respond respectfully to students with different learning styles and learning difficulties.
12)The development of appreciation for and ability to be flexible about curriculum — recreating, re-inventing, re-constituting, and discarding practices that have been observed, upon reflection, to be inappropriate to individual and group learning needs.
Bachelor of Education as a Second Degree
This option is available to PDP students who have already completed a degree prior to entry to the Program.

If you select your courses carefully you can complete the Bachelor of Education (second degree) within PDP. This degree is a minimum of 45 upper division Education credits and must include a minor in Education. There are ten Education minors from which to choose:

• Counselling & Human Development
• Curriculum & Instruction
• Early Childhood Education
• Educational Psychology
• Environmental Education
• French Education
• International and Global Education
• Learning Disabilities
• Secondary Mathematics Education
• Physical Education

The B.Ed. (second degree) requirements are:
• EDUC 401/402 (15 semester hours)
• EDUC 405 (15 semester hours)
• EDUC 404 (minimum 15 semester hours including an Education minor)
Supervision & Development of Student Teachers
Working with students on their professional development pathways are Faculty Members, School Associates, and Coordinators, each playing a particular role, and all collaborating to deliver the highest quality educational experiences for students.
Faculty Members
A Faculty member teams with one or two Faculty Associates and Coordinator, who form the instructional team of a particular module. The faculty member’s particular area of specialization and interest often shapes the curricular orientation of the module and students’ experiences in that module are frequently drawn in the direction of that specialization. Faculty members work with faculty associates to plan the module program as well as share the teaching.
Faculty members also serve as site sponsors at external sites, for example AHCOTE. In that role, they travel to the external site to assist the resident faculty associates with the planning and teaching of the external program.

In addition to the Faculty members assigned to module instructional teams, other faculty members are available “on call” to the various modules, both on campus and at external sites. For example, a faculty member with expertise in a particular subject area may be called upon to offer a workshop in that area. In that way, virtually all Faculty of Education members contribute to the overall functioning of the Professional Development Program.
Faculty Associates
Faculty Associates (FA's) are normally seconded teachers from school districts and are responsible for the supervision of student teachers during their school placements. FA's work with faculty members to develop module programs for individual and group instruction.

Faculty Associates have two primary responsibilities—the development of the module's program in partnership with a Faculty Member and the supervision of student teachers during their practicum assignments. Faculty Associates also provide individual and group instruction in exploring theory and practice with the students in their module. They are also responsible for maintaining effective liaison between the Faculty of Education and the public schools.

Faculty Associates are required to drive considerable distances as the program makes use of practicum placements throughout the lower mainland. The Faculty of Education welcomes applicants from a variety of backgrounds that reflect the diversity of Canadian society.

Supervision of student teachers during the practicum stages of the PDP (Education 401 and 405) is the shared responsibility of Faculty Associates and School Associates. The Faculty Associate assumes the role of mentor and guide. They help to clarify the responsibilities of the School Associate who plays a pivotal role in the preparation of student teachers. Faculty Associates visit schools regularly, deal with a range of challenging supervisory situations and develop open and collegial relationships with teachers and School Associates.
Coordinators
Coordinators work in an administrative and program development capacity in Professional Programs. They are responsible for arranging school placements for student teachers. They also initiate, coordinate and support Faculty Associates by providing workshops in supervision for School Associates. Coordinators maintain liaison with school district personnel. participating in program evaluation and development. Their role also includescoordinating specific program tasks (e.g. student services, instruction development). They assist with undertaking instructional tasks with PDP students and counselling student teachers.
Sample Sequence of Professional Activities
During Education 405, a single student teacher is placed with a School Associate in a practicum classroom for a period of 12 weeks. (Some of this time may involve on-campus/on-site experiences.) A Faculty Associate is assigned to work with the School Associate and student teacher to provide assistance and supervision, so that the student teacher may be helped to achieve the goals of the Professional Development Program.

The following sequence of professional experiences is presented as an example of what may constitute Education 405 experiences.
Weeks 1 - 4: Orientation and Phasing Into Education 405
• Become acquainted with pupils, staff, school, school board
• Observe teaching and planning routines
• Observe curriculum development, instructional strategies, evaluation methods
• Attend on-campus seminars
• Begin short term planning, identification of curriculum goals, instructional strategies, methods of evaluation for classroom work
• Practice use of appropriate teacher-pupil interactions
• Develop a timeline that allows the student teacher to take ever-increasing steps toward full time teaching in immersion

Weeks 5 - 10: Full-time teaching (Immersion)
• Develop and maintain an effective and satisfying learning environment for all learners
• Demonstrate ability to assume the many roles and responsibilities of a practicing teacher with minimum supervision
• Carry out teaching that includes: demonstrating respect for every learner; using effective questioning, communication and interpersonal skills; showing an understanding of the relationship between educational goals and classroom methods; using effective evaluative procedures
• Demonstrate ability to perceive accurately what one is actually doing in the act of teaching
• Evaluate, with critical acumen, one's own teaching performance
• Participate in mid-term evaluation

Weeks 11 - 13 (14): Phase Out
• Complete all assignments
• Begin phase-out; transferring teaching back to School Associate
• Visit other classrooms and schools
• Complete final evaluations
• Formalize closure of the placement
Guidelines for Action Research
In both Education 401/2 and Education 405, student teachers engage in a variety of educational activities that are part of their PDP assignments. For example, student teachers may be asked to make observations of pupils in their practicum classrooms, or in other classrooms in the school. They may be required to make detailed observations of individual pupils. Student teachers are often required to make a videotape of their own teaching, which is then examined and analyzed by all the student teachers in their modules. Some student teachers may be engaged in action research projects that involve pupils in their practicum classrooms.

Where student teachers carry out assignments involving observing pupils, videotaping, and/or research studies, they are bound by all University policies regarding the ethical conduct of research and the protection of the interests, comfort, privacy, and safety of all involved, at all times. Student teachers are also expected to abide by the principles of professional practices set by the BC Teachers' Federation.

The following guidelines apply to all student assignments that are part of the regular PDP requirements, and that involve observation, recording (videotape, still photography) and/or research of pupils in school settings.
1. If the assignment activities are being videotaped as part of the student teacher's class assignments, and if the recording is not being retained by the University, then the student teacher is responsible for finding out and following school procedures regarding such recording. The Faculty of Education advises student teachers that materials recorded under these conditions may not be used for anything other than personal records and should not be retained after completing the Professional Development Program.

2. If the assignment is being recorded, either on audio, video or still photography, and is intended to be used as an on-going teaching material by the Faculty of Education, then written releases must be obtained from all participants by the faculty member involved.

3. If the work is part of a faculty member's research, the faculty member is responsible for receiving approval from the University Ethics Review Committee, which would also necessitate written releases from all participants.

4. It is understood that all discussions of any recorded or live observations will be undertaken in a professional manner in the context of the student teacher's work in the PDP, that all involved will take every possible step to provide anonymity to teachers and students in discussions of the assignment, and that all such discussions will be treated as confidential.
Interruption and Withdrawal
Interruption of PDP
Students may apply for permission to interrupt the program due to extenuating circumstances such as financial, medical or personal difficulties. A student requesting permission to interrupt their program must complete an Interrupt Form, which is reviewed by the Coordinator of the module. A recommendation is then made to the Director, or in the case of an External site, the Coordinator. Conditions for students' re- admission into the program are specified at this time. Students must apply for re-entry into the program by the deadline dates.
Note: Interruption is not an option once performance issues have been identified.

The Informal Contract
As problems in the student's work are identified, the Faculty Associate may put the student on an "informal contract". The contract is developed in consultation with the Faculty Associate, School Associate and Coordinator, so that the requirements of the contract are clear. A contract identifies the student's performance weaknesses and specifies the conditions the student must meet in order to show improvement.

Withdrawal Procedures
I. Students who recognize their inability to meet the goals of the Professional Program may withdraw from the program. Students who withdraw are required to:
• inform their School Associate, School Principal, Faculty Associate, Faculty Member (in on-campus programs) and the Registrar's Office of their intention to withdraw
• meet with the Coordinator to complete the Withdrawal Form for the PDP
• complete the withdrawal form for the Registrar's Office if the withdrawal occurs before the sixth week of classes
In a student-initiated withdrawal, a variety of conditions for re-entry may be identified on the Withdrawal Form. These conditions will reflect the student's performance and the circumstances surrounding the student-initiated withdrawal.

II. If, in the professional judgment of the Faculty Associate, School Associate, Coordinator, and in some instances the Faculty Member of the instructional team, a student has not adequately demonstrated competence in meeting the goals of the Professional Development Program.

Immediate Withdrawals
An immediate withdrawal may be initiated in situations where serious concerns have been identified. Such situations may include: when the physical, emotional, intellectual, social safety of the children is at stake, or when the principal or parents at the sponsoring school refuse to have the student continue for serious reasons. The Coordinator may then remove the student from the program immediately, without following the normal steps in the withdrawal process.

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