Previous Story
PSS, NMC seek Title II grants
|
Posted on May 25 1999
The Public School System and the Northern Marianas College are jointly seeking over $2 million in federal grants to implement a program that will engage a teacher-in-training right from the first day in college until employment.
In pushing for the joint move, PSS intends to upgrade the content knowledge and teaching skills of its incoming teachers, while NMC would like to bring able recruits to PSS, according to a proposal prepared by Chas J. Algaier, B.A. coordinator for the School of Education.
The funding that will be accessed under the Title II Federal Grant will be used for course development and revision at the Language Arts and Sciences of NMC.
After NMC received land grant status from the U.S., the college started training programs for teachers and teacher aides. In 1994, its Education department received the Title III grant for a teacher certificate program. Subsequent grants helped NMC further develop its education program.
With this Title II grant, PSS and NMC will commence a fruitful relationship. PSS needs to provide NMC with the content standard in which all teachers need to be proficient. Likewise, PSS will review the School of Education post and entrance examinations to ensure that standards are met.
For its part, NMC will need to have access to PSS master teachers and classrooms.
The proposal said the partnership will also work to enhance the on-going Mentor Training program. To ensure success in the program, NMC is committed to work with PSS to create a mentor training program covering individual and group development opportunities for faculty and staff.
Trained mentors will work closely with teachers-in-training and during their first three years as real teachers.
In the years to come, all PSS teachers will also be required to performance-based teaching license examination based on teaching standards identified by both institutions.
