Chapter 14: Developing K-12 Master Teachers as University-Based Teacher Educators¹

We believe that PreK–12 teachers who have pedagogical practices grounded in theory about how people learn (e.g., Bransford et al., 2000) have a tremendous amount to offer as we consider what it takes to be an effective university-based teacher educator. However, it is also widely noted in the literature that simply having experiences as a PreK–12 educator does not necessarily translate directly into being an effective university-based teacher educator, and that these transitions can be difficult (e.g., Korthagen et al., 2005; Murray & Male, 2005; Williams, et al., 2012; Wood & Borg, 2010).

In service to exploring how to support the development of university-based teacher educators from the PreK–12 teaching field, we describe components of a learning space designed for PreK–12 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) master teachers that supported them to engage as university-based teacher educators. The learning space we describe was part of a comprehensive five-year program funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Noyce Master Teaching Fellowship (MTF) Program, designed to support master teachers (fellows) to serve as models, professional learning providers, and instructional leaders for their colleagues and teacher candidates. An unintended outcome was the role that several of our Noyce fellows became university-based teacher educators, preparing and supporting the development of PreK–12 teachers. Nine of 32 fellows in two Noyce MTF programs at the University of Rochester—28%—went on to support teacher candidates and/or in-service teachers at the undergraduate or graduate level, either full-time or as adjuncts, in addition to leadership roles they had in their school districts.