Professional Development Schools

Many education leaders have called attention to the need to forge much stronger connections between pre-service teacher preparation programs and the K-12 education system, and this new book provides practical advice about how to tackle this challenge. Based on local work in Westchester County, NY and drawing on national expertise as well, Professional Development Schools outlines strategies for providing rich clinical experience designed to prepare teachers for the real world of practice in 21st Century America. -- Jane Quinn, director, The Children’s Aid Society at the National Center for Community Schools
Creating professional development schools, where university faculty work closely with both pre-service and veteran teachers in devising and implementing innovative teaching practices, is not a new idea, but it is an idea in need of renewal. In this important new book, JoAnne Ferrara explains how such schools are working to address some of the important challenges confronting public schools today. She also reminds us that this type of collaboration can lead to practical solutions that enhance the effectiveness of our schools. -- Pedro Noguera Ph.D, Distinguished Professor of Education, faculty director, Center for the Transformation of Schools, UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies
At last we have a complete and authentic description of what Professional Development Schools can accomplish. From its history, descriptions of powerful partnerships, and their inevitable challenges, we learn about how to improve both schools and universities for teachers and their students. This book shows us both the power and the promise of Professional Development Schools as a model for change. -- Ann Lieberman, senior scholar, Stanford University
Professional Development Schools is all at once an excellent primer, handbook, and treatise on the immense value of professional development schools in teacher education. Chock full of insights and best practices learned in the field, the book is as accessible as it is comprehensive. A very valuable tool for all education professionals, from P-12 to Ph.D. -- Nancy L. Zimpher, Chancellor, State University of New York
Ferrara’s PDS/ community school is an innovative model that creates conditions for success. In the environment of high stakes testing, it thinks beyond the traditional school and teacher preparation models, acknowledging the all too often crippling impact that socioeconomic factors have – not only on student’s learning, but on teachers’ teaching and prep. This PDS/ community school strategy creates a space where we can meet both students’ socio-emotional needs and educators’ needs to support both teacher development and student success. -- Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO