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Standards 2010: Teacher Educator
A Teacher Educator is a professional who provides reading teacher preparation to individuals seeking teaching credentials at the undergraduate and graduate levels and candidates seeking advanced graduate credentials in reading. Teacher Educators have a number of other responsibilities as well, such as participating in scholarly activities, including creative works and research studies, and forging university–school partnerships with other education agencies to promote the advancement of literacy. These educators may be responsible for developing programs for preparing reading professionals, including the development of course work and field site experiences, and coordinating or leading such programs. They may also be responsible for supervising and mentoring teacher candidates in the field. These professionals identify and use as role models those classroom teachers who demonstrate exemplary use of instruction, physical arrangements, positive social environments, routines, and grouping practices.
For certification, a Teacher Educator Candidate must have the following:
- A minimum of three years of teaching experience, including the teaching of reading
- A doctorate or exceptional expertise in teaching reading, a license in the fields he or she teaches or supervises, and a record of demonstrated excellence in the teaching of reading
Teacher Educator Candidates understand the theoretical and evidence-based foundations of reading and writing processes and instruction.
| Elements | Evidence that demonstrates competence may include, but is not limited to |
| 1.1: Understand major theories and empirical research that describe the cognitive, linguistic, motivational, and sociocultural foundations of reading and writing development, processes, and components, including word recognition, language comprehension, strategic knowledge, and reading–writing connections. | - Critique major theories of reading and writing processes, components, and development across the life span with supporting research evidence.
- Analyze research evidence about language and reading development in all areas, including knowledge about transfer of skills from the primary or home language (L1) to English (L2) as it affects literacy learning for English learners across those components.
- Create environments in the university classroom that foster individual motivation to read and write (e.g., access to print, choice, challenge, interests) and teach teachers how to create such environments.
- Evaluate knowledge claims of reading research, critique research findings, and generate alternative hypotheses.
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| 1.2: Understand the historically shared knowledge of the profession and changes over time in the perceptions of reading and writing development, processes, and components. | - Analyze historically shared knowledge in reading and writing scholarship and explain its role in an evolving professional knowledge base.
- Reevaluate the relevance of historically shared knowledge in meeting traditional print, digital, and online reading education goals.
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| 1.3: Understand the role of professional judgment and practical knowledge for improving all students' reading development and achievement. | - Communicate the importance of fair-mindedness, empathy, and ethical behavior in professional activity.
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Candidates use instructional approaches, materials, and an integrated, comprehensive, balanced curriculum to support student learning in reading and writing.
| Elements | Evidence that demonstrates competence may include, but is not limited to |
| 2.1: Use foundational knowledge to design or implement an integrated, comprehensive, and balanced curriculum. | - Demonstrate knowledge of and evaluate reading and writing curriculum (PreK–12).
- Convey knowledge and understanding of curriculum to candidates and reading professionals.
- Provide opportunities for candidates and reading professionals to develop an integrated, comprehensive, and balanced curriculum.
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| 2.2: Use appropriate and varied instructional approaches, including those that develop word recognition, language comprehension, strategic knowledge, and reading–writing connections. | - Provide opportunities for preservice teachers and other reading professionals to understand conceptual underpinnings and evidence based rationales of instructional approaches.
- Provide opportunities for preservice teachers and other reading professionals to select, implement, and evaluate instructional approaches based on knowledge of students' needs and interests, and theory-based knowledge.
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| 2.3: Use a wide range of texts (e.g., narrative, expository, and poetry) from traditional print, digital, and online resources. | - Provide opportunities for preservice teachers and other reading professionals to review and critique a wide variety of quality traditional print, digital, and online resources.
- Provide opportunities for preservice teachers and other reading professionals to establish criteria for selecting quality traditional print, digital, and online resources for all students, including English learners.
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Candidates use a variety of assessment tools and practices to plan and evaluate effective reading and writing instruction.
| Elements | Evidence that demonstrates competence may include, but is not limited to |
| 3.1: Understand types of assessments and their purposes, strengths, and limitations. | - Prepare preservice teachers and other reading professionals to select, analyze, and use assessment tools based on established purposes.
- Analyze and critique a range of assessment tools based on established purposes.
- Contribute to the scholarly dialogue about assessment.
- Read and understand the literature and research related to assessments, their use and misuse.
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| 3.2: Select, develop, administer, and interpret assessments, both traditional print and electronic, for specific purposes. | - Prepare preservice teachers and other reading professionals to administer and interpret assessments for selected purposes.
- Analyze and critique a range of diagnostic assessment tools for students in need of reading and writing assistance.
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| 3.3: Use assessment information to plan and evaluate instruction. | - Prepare preservice teachers and other reading professionals to examine the role of assessment in the delivery of effective reading instruction.
- Prepare preservice teachers and other reading professionals to adjust instruction based on ongoing assessment.
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| 3.4: Communicate assessment results and implications to a variety of audiences. | - Prepare and coach preservice teachers and other reading professionals to communicate assessment results to various audiences in ways that lead to improved instruction.
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Candidates create and engage their students in literacy practices that develop awareness, understanding, respect, and a valuing of differences in our society.
| Elements | Evidence that demonstrates competence may include, but is not limited to |
| 4.1: Recognize, understand, and value the forms of diversity that exist in society and their importance in learning to read and write. | - Demonstrate an understanding of current theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence related to diversity and reading and writing development and prepare preservice teachers and other reading professionals to understand the relationship between first and second language acquisition and literacy development.
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| 4.2: Use a literacy curriculum and engage in instructional practices that positively impact students' knowledge, beliefs, and engagement with the features of diversity. | - Engage preservice teachers and other reading professionals in multiple experiences and settings to strengthen their understandings about the ways that multiple identities of students intersect with curriculum orientations, literacy instruction, and student agency.
- Collaborate with preservice teachers and other reading professionals to identify and advocate for forms of pedagogy, curriculum orientations, and professional development practices that focus on students' diversity.
- Provide opportunities for preservice teachers and other reading professionals to reflect on and evaluate literacy-related experiences aimed at providing responsive instruction that honors students' diversity.
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| 4.3: Develop and implement strategies to advocate for equity. | - Prepare, coach, and collaborate with preservice teachers and other reading professionals to respond to literacy practices (both in and outside school) that are inequitable and unfair and replace them with practices that are equitable and fair.
- Provide and promote experiences for reading professionals that reflect and/or nurture the ideas of tolerance and equity.
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Candidates create a literate environment that fosters reading and writing by integrating foundational knowledge, instructional practices, approaches and methods, curriculum materials, and the appropriate use of assessments.
| Elements | Evidence that demonstrates competence may include, but is not limited to |
| 5.1: Design the physical environment to optimize students' use of traditional print, digital, and online resources in reading and writing instruction. | - Arrange the university classroom in ways that facilitate understanding the role of the physical environment in reading and writing instruction.
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| 5.2: Design a social environment that is low risk and includes choice, motivation, and scaffolded support to optimize students' opportunities for learning to read and write. | - Create a positive social environment in the higher education classroom.
- Provide opportunities to create positive social environments.
- Collaborate with candidates, colleagues, teachers, and other professionals to create positive social environments at the university and in schools, including supportive environment where English learners are given many opportunities to use English.
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| 5.3: Use routines to support reading and writing instruction (e.g., time allocation, transitions from one activity to another; discussions, and peer feedback). | - Create effective classroom routines in the higher education classroom.
- Provide opportunities for candidates and reading professionals to create and use classroom routines.
- Collaborate with colleagues, teachers, and other professionals to create positive social environments that incorporate the use of technology at the university and in schools.
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| 5.4: Use a variety of classroom configurations (i.e., whole class, small group, and individual) to differentiate instruction. | - Prepare reading professionals to use evidence-based instructional grouping options for students.
- Provide evidenced-based information supporting different models of classroom organization and relative benefits and limitations.
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Candidates recognize the importance of, demonstrate, and facilitate professional learning and leadership as a career-long effort and responsibility.
| Elements | Evidence that demonstrates competence may include, but is not limited to |
| 6.1: Demonstrate foundational knowledge of adult learning theories and related research about organizational change, professional development, and school culture. | - Examine and critique the literature on organizational change, adult learning, professional development, and school culture.
- Have knowledge of interinstitutional collaboration and cooperation.
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| 6.2: Display positive dispositions related to their own reading and writing and the teaching of reading and writing, and pursue the development of individual professional knowledge and behaviors. | - Promote a positive and ethical learning environment with an emphasis on collaboration and respect that responds to students, families, teachers, and communities.
- Demonstrate strong interpersonal and communication skills as evident in interactions with all stakeholders.
- Provide opportunities for candidates and reading professionals to share their own reading and writing.
- Conduct research and communicate results for appropriate purposes and audiences.
- Join and regularly participate in professional literacy organizations, conferences, symposia, and workshops.
- Prepare and coach candidates and reading professionals to use various forms of research to inform practice.
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| 6.3: Participate in, design, facilitate, lead, and evaluate effective and differentiated professional development programs. | - Know and critique the research on professional development.
- Prepare and coach reading professionals to collaboratively plan, lead, and evaluate professional development activities at the grade, school, district, community, and state levels.
- Participate in professional development at the national level through attendance and/or presentation at professional meetings, conferences, or symposia.
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| 6.4: Understand and influence local, state, or national policy decisions. | - Read and critique the literature about state and federal initiatives having implications for reading and writing instruction.
- Provide opportunities for candidates and reading professionals to learn about these initiatives and their implications for reading and writing instruction.
- Advocate for needed organizational and instructional changes to promote effective literacy instruction.
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