Case 2: Organizing Partnership Fairs to Foster Innovative And Reflective Practices

Paterson School 12 and William Paterson University’s relationship has grown and progressed during the past eight years. At first, the partnership began with teacher candidates’ (TCs) placements and on-site professional development. As the partnership grew, the University’s science professor collaborated with classroom teachers to plant and grow a school garden (Rosenthal, 2017), and first and third grade classrooms became sites for the university course, Literacy & Learning, co-taught by university faculty and a first or third-grade teacher. In the last four years, the faculty of Pater-son School 12 and William Paterson University have planned, prepared, co-taught, and organized content-focused “Fairs,” day-long, university-based events at which TCs engage children from the partner school in learning activities focused on a content related theme. These fairs have strengthened both teaching and learning for all PDS stakeholders.