The following is excerpted from the current issue of Salem Statement magazine which is mailed twice each year to the university鈥檚 alumni. or call 978.542.7519 to order a copy.
By Victor Derubeis
Massachusetts public schools have been named the best in the nation by Education Week, the pre-eminent national publication covering education. But with a score of 86 out of 100, there鈥檚 plenty of room for improvement, say professors and administrators at the Salem State University School of Education.
To ensure our public schools remain on top鈥攁nd secure the coveted A in the future鈥攖he School of Education is implementing a number of new initiatives to improve teacher training, with additional programs in the planning stages. Current initiatives include:
- The cornerstone 4+1 master鈥檚 degree program, which puts future teachers in school classrooms beginning freshman year.
- An after-school program that puts student teachers in paid positions at the schools in which they teach during the day, providing continuity for them and the children they serve.
- A new student advising center to keep students on track to graduate and to follow up with new graduates.
An effort to build more relationships with school systems and to provide expanded opportunities for Salem State鈥檚 education students.