Chicago Teaching Pathways Project

Abstract

Nontraditional teacher preparation pathways were designed to offer different forms of preparation meant to attract different populations of teachers; however, prior literature suggests they may not provide as much of an alternative as initially intended. Drawing on surveys of nearly 800 preservice student teachers and their mentor teachers, we offer a descriptive overview comparing traditional, alternative, and residency pathways preparing teachers in Chicago Public Schools. Our study provides evidence that nontraditional forms of teacher preparation in Chicago do indeed provide unique routes of entry into the profession. We find substantive differences in the kinds of preparation that these pathways offer, including features of preparation such as program and student teaching duration and methods course load, which are often assumed to differ. We also find differences in features not historically studied including mentor characteristics and experiences, types of mentoring provided, and supports received by mentors.

Citation

Matsko, K. K., Ronfeldt, M., & Nolan, H. G. (2021). How Different Are They? Comparing Teacher Preparation Offered by Traditional, Alternative, and Residency Pathways. Journal of Teacher Education. 

Abstract

This article extends prior research seeking to identify preparation features related to better workforce outcomes. To our knowledge, it is the first to link many dimensions of preparation to graduates’ first-year observation ratings. It follows 305 preservice teachers (PSTs) who student taught in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) in 2014–2015 and were subsequently hired in CPS in 2015–2016. PSTs received stronger observation ratings when their CTs had stronger observation ratings themselves, their CTs reported providing stronger coaching in specific areas, they gained employment in their field placement schools, and they student taught in self-contained elementary classrooms. Finally, we tested whether these same preparation features were associated with two other outcomes—(a) how well prepared PSTs felt after student-teaching and (b) how well prepared their CTs felt their PSTs were—and found they were not. We discuss implications for using workforce and survey-based outcomes to identify promising forms of preparation.

Citation

Ronfeldt, M., Matsko, K. K., Greene Nolan, H., & Reininger, M. (2021). Three Different Measures of Graduates’ Instructional Readiness and the Features of Preservice Preparation That Predict Them. Journal of Teacher Education, 72(1), 56–71. 

Abstract
In this brief, we synthesize our research findings from multiple studies on the student teaching
experience in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and address the following research questions: What
types of schools are most likely and least likely to have student teachers? What are the
characteristics of mentor teachers? Which characteristics of mentor teachers are associated
with better outcomes for student teachers feeling better prepared and showing higher
effectiveness as teachers-of-record? How does the student teaching experience differ between
traditional, alternative, and residency teacher preparation pathways? Are there early indicators
of first-year teacher effectiveness that can be identified during the student teaching experience?

Citation
Gordon, M.F., Jiang, J.Y., Matsko, K.K., Ronfeldt, M., Greene Nolan, H.L., & Reininger, M. (2018).
On the path to becoming a teacher: The landscape of student teaching in Chicago Public Schools. University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. 

Abstract
Drawing on survey and administrative data on cooperating teachers (CTs) and their preservice student teachers (PSTs) in Chicago Public Schools during 2014-2015, this study offers an in-depth look at reports of how CTs engage in their mentoring roles during student teaching, and their influence on PSTs. Our sample includes CTs working with PSTs from across 44 teacher preparation institutions. Central to our analysis is an exploration of CTs as both models of effective instruction and as facilitative coaches on PST development. We find that both CT roles matter—PSTs feel better prepared to teach when their CTs model effective instruction and coach by providing more instructional support, frequent and adequate feedback, collaborative activity, job-search support, and a balance of autonomy and encouragement.

Citation
 Matsko, K. K., Ronfeldt, M., Nolan, H. G., Klugman, J., Reininger, M., & Brockman, S. L. (2020). Cooperating Teacher as Model and Coach: What Leads to Student Teachers’ Perceptions of Preparedness? Journal of Teacher Education, 71(1), 41–62. 

Abstract

Since their emergence, the value of non-traditional teacher preparation pathways has been the subject of fervent debate. Central to this debate are questions about the most effective ways to prepare teachers to take on the complexities of classroom teaching. Each route to preparation—university-based, alternative, and residency, carry different ideas about the amount of learning in the field that needs to be experienced by teacher candidates and when that learning ought to occur in the preparation process. Given the substantial variation in preparation in Chicago, especially in clinical preparation, it is important to investigate whether this wide variation in preparation may yield promising predictors of candidate outcomes not identifiable in other, possibly more homogeneous preparation landscapes or samples. By taking a bird’s eye view of multiple teacher preparation pathways in a single labor market that includes multiple pathways, we have an opportunity to understand which features of preparation matter most for teacher candidates’ perceptions of preparedness and career intentions.

Citation

Matsko, K. K., Ronfeldt, M., Greene Nolan, H. L. (2019). Moving Beyond Pathways: Features of Preparation Associated with Perceptions of Preparedness and Planned Longevity in Teaching. Under review.