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TimestampRole/Position (that best describes you)Name of Your District (if applicable)What are some of your biggest concerns as we move out of the Covid-19 protocols and back into a more "normal" routine? Please elaborate.How can the MAT program help prepare candidates for teaching after Covid? What are some areas of strengths that you have seen from our MAT candidates? If you are a MAT candidate or graduate, what do feel were the strengths of the program?What are some areas of growth that you believe we need to focus on with our MAT candidates? If you are a MAT candidate or graduate, what areas do feel we need to focus more on or improve?This question is for our partners who are out in the schools (admins, district level): Every semester, more of our MAT candidates are working towards meeting the requirements so they can find a position and earn their provisional license. What can these candidates do in order to stand out in an interview or on an application? Please let us know if there is anything else that you believe we need to address or discuss regarding the MAT program at UCA.
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3/10/2021 11:17:05District Level Employee (Superintendent/HR/Student Services, etc)South Conway County School DistrictGetting our virtual learners back on campusLearn more about digital/virtual/blended learningPrepared for the PLC process and aware of Science of ReadingDigital/virtual/blended learningHave content exam already passed, be current with trainings and state initiativesCannot think of anything else at this time
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3/10/2021 11:28:15MAT FacultyCandidates need to know how to engage students more. Even though they have been limited during Covid in terms of specific interactions that are against protocols, they still can make instruction more engaging. Weaving in best practices for online instruction.... I know several of the large school districts plan to continue/try to have virtual options/academies for students. It is my understanding that these academies will be separate from what they are doing now having teachers teach both in person and face to face. So it is critical that our candidates are prepared for the future. I think the Covid pandemic has forced them to embrace technology resources. These are great for engagement. They also will be able to continue instruction even if the school is closed or if they have a substitute. Classroom management is always an ongoing need (smile). Have some substituting experiencerecommendations were included earlier
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3/10/2021 11:39:12MAT FacultyUCANoneI believe we have to provide support for future teaching in a hybrid system. I think all schools will have a hybrid option.Flexibility. My students have been amazing resilient. Lesson planningN/ANothing else
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3/10/2021 12:04:11MAT FacultyI am hopeful that schools will still see the relevance and importance of providing students and families with flexible options for learning. While this time has been incredibly challenging for many people, some students have thrived in a remote learning environment. I hope we continue to see the meaningful use of technology to support learning remain an important part of conversations around instructional methods. I feel like we do a good job of preparing our candidates. I think we need to continue to model a variety of teaching strategies for our candidates in our own teaching. Our candidates, at least in my opinion, have improved in their overall quality over the last 2 years or so. Candidates come across as professional and committed to completing graduate-level coursework. The students I'm teaching in MAT 5320 now are far more likely to communicate effectively, express questions and concerns, and submit high quality work in a timely manner than students I taught in the program five years ago.I want to continue to focus on centering conversations about the importance of belonging and equitable instructional practices in my courses. In my experiences, our MAT candidates are open to those conversations, and it will make them better teachers to have spent time in the MAT program reflecting on their beliefs and practices before they start working with kids. n/aThank you for your leadership, Sunny! Your work on this program makes such a difference!
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3/10/2021 14:38:46Building Level AdministratorMayflowerContinuation of variants of diseaseFollowing PolicyConfident in their abilitySpecial Ed/DyslexiaBe able to give specific examples of experiences that they have.Dependability when taking a teaching job or serving internship
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3/14/2021 16:58:05Current MAT Candidate/InternNorth Little Rock School DistrictI am extremely concerned about the students who rarely attended school this year to be moved up to the next grade. For example, the virtual students who logged on to Google Meet and Zoom sessions, but did not listen/engage with any of the lessons. It's almost as if most school districts would benefit from offering OL, PAP, and Honors classes. The Honors classes (or whatever you'd like to call them) would be built for the students who were able to attend school and make passing grades during the 2020-2021 school year. The OL classes would be for students who did not make the grade, but are still expected to move forward with their education - in the case that they are not forced to attend summer school or repeat a year. And PAP would be as normal - more rigorous and advanced. I'm just worried that there will be a significant amount of students who will have to be retaught skills that they should've learned the previous year and don't want the students who did put in the effort to be put at a disadvantage - because it would be almost impossible for educators to differentiate lessons this drastically. By implementing classes that focus on virtual/hybrid teaching. I would love to take a class with curriculum that would shape me into a more proficient online educator. For example, I've attended some incredible PD opportunities over the last year that had that focus and enjoyed them immensely! This would be extremely beneficial - especially if online teaching continues after COVID. As a current MAT candidate in my last semester of the program, I'm really proud of my ability to adjust and adapt. When you have the mindset that you're forever learning and striving to improve, this profession becomes less stressful. I believe every single professor in this program has that mindset and it's inspiring. I truly feel like I've learned so much during the last 2 years - thanks to them. Reflecting on this graduate program, the only area I believe could be improved would be the relationships between students. I had one of Amy Dyson's classes during my very 1st semester. This was one of two times I was truly able to forge bounds with my classmates. We met F2F three Saturdays and I really enjoyed getting to know others who were also going through this program. I know it's different at the graduate level, but thia program is rigorous and I loved having that support. The second time I was able to get to know my peers was during one of Jeff Whittingham's classes. He had us work in groups of three for the entire semester. We were required to videocall with our group so we could adequately work together. I remember dreading it at first...but then I grew to love it. I looked forward to catching up with my partners and learning from them. I still keep in touch with them now! I would love more collaboration among students in this program, if possible!N/AN/A
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3/29/2021 14:50:23District Level Employee (Superintendent/HR/Student Services, etc)Bentonville SchoolsWhat did the interns miss during Covid that they will need to get more training on as they start their careers in education? Should we hold onto some of our new procedures and protocols if they are safer, more efficient, more budget friendly, etc.?Require them to still do face to face internship placements rather than virtual ones as you learn so much more from an actual in-class experience. Encourage them to focus on their school mentoring program and use it to their advantage to learn what may have been missed during their internship due to Covid. I'm in HR so I can't speak to this specifically as I have not been in the classroom with them. This question would be better suited for a principal or cooperating teacher. Also, we don't get very many actual teacher interns assigned to our district from UCA. We tend to get mainly OT, Psych Examiners, and Counselors.I'm in HR so I can't speak to this specifically as I have not been in the classroom with them. This question would be better suited for a principal or cooperating teacher. Also, we don't get very many actual teacher interns assigned to our district from UCA. We tend to get mainly OT, Psych Examiners, and Counselors. They need to focus on a high needs area such as Math, Science, Sped, Computer Science, Agriculture, etc. We don't typically hire MAT candidates on a provisional licensure as the teacher of record unless it is in a high needs area. I have enjoyed working with all the internship placement contacts at UCA and I appreciate their willingness to work through the specific placement requirements for our district.
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