Signature Programs
PBTE (Practice-Based Teacher Education)
Practice-Based Teacher Education (PBTE) is an evidenced-based practice designed to transform the experiences of pre-service teacher education candidates by providing high-qulity classroom and school-based immersive preparation with skillful cooperating teachers who apply highly effective teaching practices.There are several key components for PBTE: deliberate attention to all children, content knowledge for teaching, ethical obligations, performance assessments, coherence, sustainability, continuous improvement, shared vision, high leverage practices, models of skillful teaching, opportunity to practice, and ambitious learning goals for children. Moreover, there are four major goals for the program: 1) Engage Teacher Education Faculty in the PBTE professional development model and engaging pedagogy; 2) Develop robust opportunities for all teacher candidates to develop, practice, and demonstrate competencies; 3) Facilitate cross organizational learning and collaboration through a community of practice at scale, and 4) Make data-driven and empowered decisions to improve the educator preparation program that results in teacher retention. Teacher Candidates will engage and practice with mentor teachers and faculty, as they receive real-time feedback to improve. Practice-based teacher preparation education is designed to strengthen content, pedagogical, and assessment knowledge, classroom management strategies, and increase retention.
SECU Public Fellows Internship Program
The State Employees Credit Union Summer (SECU) Internship experience provides students majoring in educator preparation programs the opportunity to engage in service learning experiences with schools, agencies, and organizations in communities across North Carolina. We partner with local schools, agencies, and organizations throughout North Carolina to serve as community placement sites to increase community outcomes through service learning. The SECU summer program provide opportunities for interns to engage in service learning experiences throughout North Carolina.
Study Abroad Programs
Global awareness prepares future teachers to understand and respond to the world beyond their classrooms. Through study abroad and other international experiences, candidates gain new perspectives, strengthen their ability to lead and reflect on practice, and learn strategies to create supportive, respectful learning environments. These opportunities align with the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards and equip candidates with the knowledge and skills to address challenges and enrich instruction through globally informed teaching.
TRUE (Transformative Rural-Urban Exchange Program)
TRUE emerged from the effort to provide cross-regional experiences for pre-service education students. For approximately 18 years, North Carolina A&T State University (NCAT) and Western Carolina University (WCU) have engaged in a week-long Rural-Urban Exchange Program (RUE, now known as Transformative Rural-Urban Exchange, or TRUE). The TRUE program provides education majors a week visiting high-need and high-impact schools in rural and urban communities, sharing regional experiences, attending university classes, and interacting with their participant counterparts.
