Professional Development School

A Partnership between the USC Aiken

and Aiken High School

A Professional Development School can “offer perhaps the strongest bridge

between teacher education and classroom outcomes, academics and

clinical education, theory and practice, and schools and colleges (Levine, 2006, P. 105).

What is a PDS?

A collaborative partnership between the school and the university

PDS’s were designed to accomplish the following: Prepare future educators Provide current (in-service) educators

with ongoing professional development Encourage joint school-university faculty

investigation of education-related issues Promote the learning of K-12 students

How is this different from what we are currently doing?

Expectations for USCA Faculty:

Maintain communication with school personnel and teachers

Be available to provide professional development experiences for faculty if requested

Expectations for USCA Students

(pre-service educators):

Exhibit professionalism at all times

Assist and teach under the supervision of the classroom teacher

Expectations for AHS Faculty:

Allow pre-service educators to assist and teach in the classroom

Provide constructive feedback to pre-service educators

Path Forward Why do we want to do this?

What are the benefits?

Pilot

A candidate working with students in a PDS setting (Elem.)