What is TEACH! UrbanSouth?
TEACH! UrbanSouth is an innovative accelerated post-baccalaureate initial licensure program situated at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's Teaching and Learning Department in the School of Education, Public Policy and Civic Engagement (SEPPCE). TEACH! US is a site-based teacher preparation pathway to obtain a Massachusetts initial license and an optional Master of Arts in Teaching degree for teaching middle or high school core content subjects (Math, Science, Foreign Languages, History & English). This full-time, one year, technology-infused option integrates the required coursework and student teaching practicum through on-site district partnerships* with federally designated low-income schools. Accepted candidates will work with experienced classroom teachers and instructional coaches who will guide them in learning the craft and knowledge of teaching. TEACH! US graduates also have an opportunity to participate in a new teacher support network for an additional 2 years that includes both on-site and e-mentoring through DESE's new Mentoring in Action Institute housed at UMass Dartmouth's Center for University, School and Community Partnerships (CUSP).
While both TEACH! programs (UrbanSouth and SouthCoast) began as innovative practice-based alternative licensure programs at CUSP, this data-driven model was so successful that it has now being adopted across all initial licensure programs in the School of Education, Public Policy and Civic Engagement.
* Read more about our School District Partners at our TEACH! UrbanSouth Program website [link].
Is it the same program that was launched in 2008 with Cohort I?
No. Since the fall of 2007, the TEACH! US program has certainly grown and matured. The TEACH! US program was previously funded through a generous grant from a federally funded program known as the Teacher Quality Enhancement - Recruitment Program. After four full years of generous financial support, we no longer receive funding from the Office of Postsecondary Education at the U.S.D.O.E. Therefore, the vast majority of our current students are now seeking and acquiring generous support from a new federal grant program known as the Teach Grant Program. The Teach Grant is technically a "forgivable student loan" that, much like the TQE-R grant, requires a documented commitment to teaching in a federally designated "high-need school" in a "high-need field" (content area) for a minimum of four years after the candidate has completed his or her course of study at UMass Dartmouth.
Historically, the TUS program recruited qualified teacher candidates and prepared them to fill critical shortages in the content areas of Mathematics, Science, Foreign Language, English, and History in a limited number of high-needs middle and high schools. Our new program has expanded the number of school district partners that we are now able to work with, as well as the number of high-needs schools. It has also evolved to include optional coursework leading to an "add-on" initial license in Moderate Disabilities Grades 5-12.
The new TUS program promises support to its teacher candidates, not only while in the program, but for two years after earning their initial license through a New Teacher Support Network that includes earning an optional Master of Arts in Teaching degree (for more information, see below) while being mentored by experienced teacher leaders and supervised by university faculty.
Which classes would I be taking in order to earn my Initial Teaching License and optional Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT-I)?
TUS teacher-candidates will take their Initial Licensure and optional MAT courses in phases throughout the year with experienced UMass Dartmouth faculty members - both full-time professors from the main campus, as well as adjunct faculty members* (website in progress) who may include school- and district-based practitioners. In order to earn an Initial License in grades 5-8, 8-12 or 5-12 (middle or high school level), teacher-candidates at UMass Dartmouth are required to earn a total of 18 graduate credits by taking the following six courses:
The Master of Arts in Teaching degree program leading to the Initial License (MAT-I) requires a total of 30 graduate credits. Students who complete their 18 graduate credits in the licensure-specific courses above are then eligible to continue earning the additional 12 graduate credits required for the degree (see course descriptions at the Teaching and Learning Department website). There are three OPTIONS or PATHWAYS to earning your MAT-I at UMass Dartmouth. The descriptions of these options are as follows:
#1 General MAT-I degree, with a focus on:
OR
* Pending the results of your comprehensive transcript review at the time of application, you may be advised to apply for and matriculate into Option B in order to have an opportunity to strengthen your subject matter knowledge and subsequently demonstrate proficiency / mastery of the content area in which you are teaching.
#2 MAT-I degree, leading to an "add-on" license in Moderate Disabilities Grades 5-12** (Special Education)
** Candidates who are seeking their initial license in either English 5-8 or 8-12 OR History 5-8 or 8-12 are advised to apply for and matriculate into Option C in order to qualify for our federal Teach grant program. The Teach grant is a "forgivable loan" program offered to our candidates who commit to teaching in a "low-income" school in a "high-need field" (special education!) for a minimum of four years after program completion. Students who choose this option will be responsible for completing an additional 150-hour practicum ("field experience") at their school sites, during which they work specifically with Special Education students. Finally, they must also take and pass the MTEL "Foundations of Reading" exam in order to fully meet the Massachusetts DESE requirements for this "add-on" license.
#3 MAT-I+P Initial plus Professional License
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