Chapter 8: Triangulating the Theory-Practice Connection: Explicit Linkage Between Personal Experiences, Field Based Experiences, and Certification Requirements in a Satellite Program for Biligual Education Teacher Candidates

The northwest satellite program began in the spring 2008 semester with a group of teacher candidates (TCs) seeking an EC-6 Generalist certification. The program’s emphasis was the evening blocks framework that copied the campus-based teacher preparation program in its scope and sequence. The biggest difference of the program was that the classes were held during the evening hours. Evening classes, which meet from 6:00 p.m. to 8:45 P.M.,¹ suit the needs of the intended audience because it permits the TC to keep their fulltime job while still being able to work on a 4-year degree. Furthermore, the majority of the TCs were already working in districts as teacher assistants or paraprofessionals, so familiarity with the roles and responsibilities of teachers of record is an experience that suits the university’s intent: to ease the transition to teachers of record. While the need for a bilingual program was evident from the start, logistical issues were not cleared up until the fall 2008 semester with a subsequent enrollment of nine TCs seeking bilingual education certification. Currently the enrollment is over 40 TCs in various stages of the teacher preparation program. Several aspects should be noted at this point of contextualization: (1) the parallel program for EC-6 Generalist continues to grow (2) the university has other degree programs in place (3) all programs are now housed in a state-of-the-art facility, and (4) there is a fulltime staff and services such as computer labs, lounging areas, a faculty work room with lockers, and a faculty kitchenette that seek to make the ambiance very campus-like. In short, were it not for the long distance between the main campus and the NW campus, we could easily forget we were not on the campus proper.