At St. Mary's, we aspire to the highest standards in teaching and research and are always looking for ways to further enhance the learning experience of our students. In our Education faculty, we already offer longer practicum placements and more time teaching in the classroom than any other Alberta institution. But recently, our education faculty have launched an initiative that take this learning and practicum experience to another level.
The result? A unique and rapidly growing program that allows our students to specialize their work in the education field at the very beginning of their journey at StMU - while empowering these students to see themselves as leaders in the classroom from the very beginning and develop strong partnerships with the school districts we serve.
Launched as a pilot project in 2019, our Teacher Leader Project is unique to Alberta and was the result of an innovative vision from our former Dean of Education, Dr. Sarah Twomey.
Taking two years to complete, the Teacher Leader Project provides additional practicum experience (meaning time spent teaching hands-on in the classroom) at the same school placement for the entirety of the program. This means that participating students get additional experience teaching and get to forge strong relationships at their school placement for their two years spent in the program.
Participating pre-service teachers (also known as student teachers) will also receive sustained mentorship for over two years from both their practicum site community and a dedicated Practicum Advisor. They will also get the opportunity to take on the role of researchers, by researching strategies to enhance and support the school experience - both in their current school placement and in future teaching situations.
For this research, pre-service and their mentors will pay careful attention to their school environments to better understand how fostering an intentional community of learners might inspire "bright spots" in teaching and learning. This approach to research cultivates a simultaneous model of renewal between St Mary's University's Teacher Education program and partner schools.
"This program sets students apart as leaders from the very beginning. Students walk away with the confidence and skills they need to thrive as a teacher through sustained mentorship in a school and additional practicum time," explains Deanne Barrett, Sessional Instructor and Practicum Advisor at StMU. "This program gives students an advanced ability to collaborate with other teachers and to learn about their chosen area of teaching in more depth than is possible in a traditional practicum."
To enroll, students apply and are interviewed to be considered for this program, and they must commit additional time in their practicum, as well as the time and cost of two spring semester courses where they complete their research and write a scholarly paper.
The results have been incredible, with graduates from this program having gone on to win teaching awards, present their work at conferences, apply to graduate school, and feel confident that they are a valuable member of their community. Additionally, the employment rate for graduates of this program is currently 100%, with graduates being employed in the district of their choice within a few weeks of applying for jobs.
It was after developing the Teacher Leader Project that a new gap was identified and quickly addressed. French Immersion schools in Alberta are always looking for bright new teachers, but this in-demand skill can often be hard to find. In fact, the Federal Government estimates that only 7% of Albertans are fluent in French. This means that students in our B.Ed program who have the gift of a second language possess a niche and critical skill that needs unique support - and now, this can be found in our new French Pedagogy Program.
As of 2021, our Teacher Leader Pilot Project has an official designation in our Academic Calendar as Specialization Practicum 339.1 Teacher Leadership and Specialization Practicum 339.2 French Pedagogy. The French Pedagogy section of the program was a direct response to witnessing school districts struggle to fill French-speaking positions.
Our French Pedagogy Program is intended to support students who already speak French by placing them in a designated immersion school after having their language levels assessed. This program functions the same as our Teacher Leader Project, with students receiving extra practicum experience and mentorship opportunities, as well as participating in student-led research.
"If you have the gift of speaking a second language, this program is an opportunity to develop that skillset in a school that promotes French language learning, "says Dr. Paolina Seitz, Interim Dean of Education. "The French Pedagogy program offers an opportunity that isn't available to everyone - if you are passionate about both learning and teaching, this is a program we highly recommend that our students consider participating in."
Students who are successfully placed in this program are given enrichment opportunities to develop their French Language skills and their understanding of the pedagogy of teaching French in an immersion setting. This is a valuable skill that is worth developing.
"Alberta is such a unique context for French Immersion schooling, and the graduates from this program have greater insight into what it takes to be a successful French Immersion teacher. This program offers students support as they continue to build their French language fluency, as well as providing them with opportunities to understand the pedagogy specific to teaching in a French immersion setting," remarks Deanne.
And although these two distinct programs have had an incredible impact on our participating B.Ed students, they have also left a lasting impression on our partner school districts who have been amazed by the energy, passion, and perspectives that our students bring to their schools and students.
Partner school districts report back to StMU that having B.Ed students from our Teacher Leader Project and French Pedagogy Program placed in their classrooms brings a renewed sense of purpose and engagement to not just their current teachers, but to their students as well.
In fact, during our first year of the project in 2019, StMU had two pre-service teachers participating in this project explore the concept of peace education' at Eric Harvie Elementary School. The pre-service teachers revitalised the "Educators for Peace and Justice" branch of Ploughshares Calgary and they created a handbook for educators interested in including elements of Peace Education into their practice.
These student efforts exemplify the opportunities inherent in this program, to encourage pre-service teachers to leverage their unique position as beginning educators to strengthen the field of education. The results of this project allowed the elementary school to further enhance the learning experience of its students and support young minds in new and important ways.
"As a result, we are thrilled to be extending our school's involvement with St. Mary's and the Teacher Leader Project by accepting three new StMU student teachers for the school years 2021 - 2023. Given our wonderful first experience with the project, we anticipate continued professional renewal and growth as a result of these ongoing connections and discoveries," says Lorraine Kinsman, the former Principal of Eric Harvie School.
Hear first-hand from our students about their experience in these development programs
"My first year in the Bachelor of Education program here at St. Mary's has been greatly enhanced by my participation in the Teacher Leadership Specialized Practicum Program. The start of the first practicum was an anxious time for all of us in the B.Ed program, but by the time it started I already knew all the people I'd be working with, the routines of our classroom, and a lot of the kids I'd be teaching and developing relationships with," says Joseph Boissonneault, second year student in teacher leader component of B.Ed program.
Joseph found that his TLPP colleagues and himself were able to dig deeply into the teaching culture of Eric Harvie. They asked more questions and looked for offering some new and exciting conclusions to those questions.
"Right now there's nothing I want more than to get right back into second year and continue building on this success and energy. I've felt fortunate to have Deanne as my practicum instructor and supervisor. Deanne, and this program, offer us the tools to venture out on our own and create something just a little bit extra, and a little bit more distinctly our own," Joseph elaborates.
"It was such an honour to be a part of this program!" Being part of the TLPP helped fast-track my development as a teacher because it gave me more time at my partner school to observe, build relationships, and hone my teaching practice. Not only was I tasked with delivering high-quality constructivist lessons, but I was also challenged to dig deeper into the educational theory to understand the benefits of Peace Education as a pedagogical approach. The experience gave me so much more confidence, "remarks Sherra Molyneux, 2021 TLPP grad.
"Being part of the TLPP program was a great experience. The program provided me with an opportunity to evaluate the pedagogy of a French Immersion school and examine the factors that reinforced this pedagogy. I did not realize the impact of doing all my practicums in a French Immersion school would have on my career. I was hired immediately upon graduating and am currently teaching my favourite subjects, science and math, at a French Immersion Junior High School. The lessons and experience that I learned through this program allowed me to flow seamlessly into my first year of teaching," explains Sylvia King, French Pedagogy Specialization, Grad 2021.
"This program allowed me to pursue research into the topics I felt were relevant to the teaching climate I'd be entering into upon graduation," says Caley Mineault, a 2022 French Pedagogy Grad. "I had the opportunity to collaborate with other B.Ed students I wouldn't have met otherwise, and it provided support as I navigated through completing my practicums in French."
Since this program's inception, there has been a steady increase in student interest in Specialized Practicum. Currently in our Teacher Leadership program we have two second-year students and 10 first-year students. In our French Pedagogy program, we're pleased to welcome Practicum Advisor Lynda Gamache, who comes to us with decades of experience teaching in French Immersion classrooms in Calgary. Currently in our French Pedagogy program we have four second and first-year students.
We are proud to hear of the work that our students have achieved so far, and look forward to continuing to build bridges between the university and our partner school boards through this unique professional development model of teacher learning. We can't wait to see what the future holds!
