TEACHER IN-SERVICE

TEACHER IN-SERVICE. Teacher in-service can be considered the formal preparation of a teacher in a college or university as well as the on-going programs available to keep teachers up-to-date with current practices and theories. At one time, the teacher in the Iowa classroom, especially in rural schools, may have been simply the person who 'finished the books first' and wanted to teach. Henry Sabin, former State Superintendent of Schools, remarked in his book, The Making of Iowa

               Some teachers were men of fine education; others
               were but ignoramuses, who held their position
               because they were able to thrash the school into
               subjection.  It was an advantage to a teacher to
               prove himself superior physically to his pupils.
               In the room might be boys as large and as strong
               as men, who thought it sport to force him to give
               up his work because he could not manage them.
               They would try to “turn the master out,” and he
               must show them that they could not do it.  (1)

Politically—the proper education of educators has only been a recent concern in Iowa. Ironically in a state which prides itself in its educated youth, Iowa did not end high school training courses for new teachers until 1946. It was 1952 before new teachers in Iowa had to have at least two years of appropriate education for certification—the old “two year certificate.” Not until 1960 did all new teachers in Iowa have to have earned a bachelor’s degree (B.A.) (2)

Before 1890 most country schoolteachers had very little formal training with which to meet the challenges of an ungraded school. Although the Iowa Normal School was established in 1876 in Cedar Falls, as a teacher-training facility, its educational system was directed primarily towards preparing teachers for positions in graded, urban schools. (3)

The first mention of “teacher institutes” came in 1850 with remarks of Thomas Hart Benton, Jr. Teachers in mining areas of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa had formed several years before. A group had organized in Henry County and another was in the process of organizing in Jones. While meetings of this type were considered a good idea, it was thought they were too expensive for teachers who earned so little money. Benton suggested that $150 should be annually appropriated and that the State Superintendent should then annually spent $50 of this amount to pay for the institutes. He proposed three institutes be planned annually at sites chosen by the Superintendent. (4)

No legislation was passed until 1858. In March of that year, legislation was passed authorizing the holding of institutes of “not less than six working days, whenever not less than thirty teachers should desire.” The State Superintendent was authorized to spend not more than $100 for any one statute, to be paid by the County Superintendent as the institute might direct for teachers and lectures. The costs of these institutes was defrayed by an appropriation of one thousand dollars. (5)

On December 6, 1858, State Superintendent Fisher reported to the Board of Education that institutes had been arranged in twenty counties within the preceding three months and there would have been more but the appropriation had been spent. In March 1860, the Iowa Legislature amended the act appropriating “a sum not exceeding fifty dollars annually for one such institute, held as provided by law in each county. (6)

By an act approved on March 19, 1874 Normal Institutes were established in each county, to be held annually by the County Superintendent. In 1876 Iowa established the first permanent State Normal School at Cedar Falls, Iowa. (7)

County superintendents held “Normal Institutes” beginning in the 1880s to prepare prospective teachers for work in rural schools. These institutes were two-week courses designed to bring rural schoolteachers together to learn new methods and exchange ideas. Although institutes were usually held in July or August, schools were sometimes shut down during the school year to accommodate the program. (8)

In the 1880s legislators pushed for teacher certification standards that eventually changed the gender make-up of teachers in Iowa. Men of the period had opportunities for work in rural areas that didn’t require additional education; while paying roles for women were few and far between. By 1905, 85% of the teachers in Iowa were women. (9)

Over decades, the interest has grown in certifying the qualifications of teachers in the classrooms. The focus began and continues to be on the colleges and universities graduating students in the field of education.

The North Central Association was organized in 1895 at a meeting of thirty-six administrators of schools, colleges, and universities located in seven Midwestern states. The association's original objective was "the establishment of close relations between the colleges and secondary schools." To achieve that objective, the association began an examination of education quality at both the secondary and college level. That led to the establishment of an accreditation process for secondary schools. Accreditation of colleges and universities followed later.

The North Central carried out the functions of post-secondary accreditation and accreditation of pre-college education through a unified organization until 2000, when its Commission on Schools (now NAC CASI) and its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (now the Higher Learning Commission) were formed as independent corporations that began independent operations on January 1, 2001.

A council of educators created to ensure and raise the quality of preparation for their profession, NCATE was founded in 1954 to accredit teacher certification programs at United States colleges and universities. Five national education groups were instrumental in the creation of NCATE: (10)

     1. American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education 
        (AACTE, which formerly accredited teachers colleges),
     2. National Education Association (NEA),
     3. National School Boards Association (NSBA),
     4. National Association of State Directors of Teacher 
        Education and Certification (NASDTEC)
     5. Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).

On July 1, 2013, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), consolidated to form the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) the new, sole specialized accreditor for educator preparation. CAEP accreditation is specific to educator preparation and is different from regional accreditation. It is the educator preparation provider, specifically, that receives CAEP accreditation — not the larger organization or institution of higher education that may house the provider. (11)

The design team that recommended to the respective boards the creation of CAEP as a unified accrediting body stated its ambitions for CAEP as a change agent:

             We wish to emphasize that we have not approached our 
             task as merely unifying NCATE and TEAC with the least 
             possible change to two accrediting systems that are 
             already quite similar and effective. Rather, we have 
             set a much more ambitious goal: to create a model 
             unified accreditation system.

             CAEP’s goals should be not only to raise the performance 
             of candidates as practitioners in the nation’s P-12 
             schools, but also to raise the stature of the entire 
             profession by raising the standards for the evidence 
             the field relies on to support its claims of quality. (12)

CAEP has member organizations of teachers, teacher educators, content specialists, and local and state policy makers, all committed to advancing excellence in educator preparation with the ultimate goal of strengthening P-12 student learning. Together, these organizations represent more than 3 million individuals. The professional associations that comprise CAEP also provide financial support and participate in the development of standards, policies, and procedures. (13)

TEAC was founded in 1997 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving academic degree programs for professional educators, those who will teach and lead in schools, pre-K through grade 12. (14)

The TEAC accreditation process — which forms the basis for CAEP’s Inquiry Brief Accreditation Pathway — is built around the provider’s case that it prepares competent, caring, and qualified professional educators. The provider is required to have evidence to support its case, and the accreditation process examines and verifies the evidence. (15)

AdvancED was created through a 2006 merger of the PreK-12 divisions of the North Central Association (NAC CASI) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)—and expanded through the addition of the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) in 2011. The largest community of education professionals in the world, AdvancED is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that conducts rigorous, on-site external reviews of PreK-12 schools and school systems to ensure that all learners realize their full potential. AdvancED works with 32,000 schools and school systems—employing more than four million educators and enrolling more than 20 million students—across the United States and 70 other nations. (16)

The State of Iowa has established its own evolving standards for educators. Changes in these standards can be seen in the elimination of the permanent professional certificate to those earning a master's degree and attaining five years of satisfactory classroom performance. All teachers are required to take continuing education credit classes to maintain their teaching credentials.

To become a certified teacher in Iowa, a person in 2015 needed to fulfill all prerequisite coursework, teacher preparation, and testing requirements.

Certification Requirements (17) The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners requires the following for all candidates seeking an Iowa teaching licensure:

• Proof of bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university

• Completion of state and/or regionally approved teacher preparation program

• Completion of approved human relations course component

• Completion of teaching endorsement requirements

• Completion and passing of mandated tests in which the candidate is currently licensed, or completion of Iowa mandated tests

• Meets recency requirement: teaching experience of six college credits within the past five years

All states require that certified teachers at a minimum have a Bachelor’s degree. Additionally, some states have undergraduate credit hour requirements for certification in specialty areas. Here are Iowa’s undergraduate prerequisites for some of the most popular specialty areas:

• Elementary Education:

  	 English K-8: Completion of 24 semester hours in English 
        and language arts to include course work in oral 
        communication, written communication, language development, 
        reading, children’s literature, creative drama or oral 
        interpretation of literature, and American literature.

        Mathematics K-8: Completion of 24 semester hours in 
        mathematics to include course work in algebra, geometry, 
        number theory, measurement, computer programming, and 
        probability and statistics.

        Science–basic. K-8: Completion of 24 semester hours in 
        science to include course work in biological and physical 
        sciences. 12 hours in physical sciences, 6 hours in biology, 
        and 6 hours in earth/space sciences.

        Social Sciences – History. K-8: Completion of 24 semester 
        hours in history to include at least nine semester hours 
        in American history and nine semester hours in world history.

• Secondary English/Language Arts

Completion of 24 semester hours in English to include course

       work in oral communication, written communication, language 
       development, reading, American literature, English literature 
       and adolescent literature.

• Secondary Mathematics:

Completion of 24 semester hours in mathematics to include a

       linear algebra or an abstract (modern) algebra course, a 
       geometry course, a two course sequence in calculus, a computer 
       programming course, a probability and statistics course, and 
       coursework in discrete mathematics.

• Secondary History/Social Science:

All Social Sciences: Completion of 51 semester hours in the

       social sciences to include: 9 semester hours in World History, 
       9 semester hours in American History, 9 semester hours in 
       Government, 6 semester hours in Sociology, 6 semester hours 
       psychology other than educational psychology, 6 semester hours 
       in geography, and 6 semester hours in economics

American government: Completion of 24 semester hours in

       American government or 30 semester hours in the broad area of 
       social sciences to include 15 semester hours in American 
       government.

       American history: Completion of 24 semester hours in American 
       history or thirty semester hours in the broad area of the social 
       sciences to include fifteen semester hours in American history.

       Anthropology: Completion of twenty-four semester hours in 
       anthropology or thirty semester hours in the broad area of social 
       sciences to include fifteen semester hours in anthropology.

       Economics: Completion of twenty-four semester hours in economics 
       or thirty semester hours in the broad area of the social sciences 
       to include fifteen semester hours in economics, or thirty semester 
       hours in the broad area of business to include fifteen semester 
       hours in economics.

       Geography: Completion of twenty-four semester hours in geography 
       or thirty semester hours in the broad area of the social sciences 
       to include fifteen semester hours in geography.

       Psychology: Completion of twenty-four semester hours in psychology 
       or thirty semester hours in the broad area of social sciences to 
       include fifteen semester hours in psychology.

       Sociology: Completion of twenty-four semester hours in sociology 
       or thirty semester hours in the broad area of social sciences to 
       include fifteen semester hours in sociology.

       World history: 5-12. Completion of twenty-four semester hours in 
       world history or thirty semester hours in the broad area of social 
       sciences to include fifteen semester hours in world history.

• Secondary Science:

       Biological: Completion of 24 semester hours in biological science 
       or thirty semester hours in the broad area of science to include 
       fifteen semester hours in biological science.

       Chemistry: Completion of 24 semester hours in chemistry or thirty 
       semester hours in the broad area of science to include fifteen 
       semester hours in chemistry.

       Earth science: Completion of 24 semester hours in earth science 
       or thirty semester hours in the broad area of science to include 
       fifteen semester hours in earth science.

       General science: Completion of 24 semester hours in science to 
       include course work in biological science, chemistry, and physics.

       Physical science: Completion of 24 semester hours in the physical 
       sciences to include course work in physics, chemistry, and earth 
       science.

       Physics: Completion of 24 semester hours in physics or 30 semester 
       hours in the broad area of science to include 15 semester hours in 
       physics.

Iowa Teacher Preparation Teacher preparation includes the completion of an accredited teacher education program. Typically teacher education programs consist of a combination of curricula and fieldwork. The curricula often includes instruction on foundational knowledge and skills, pedagogy (or the art and science of teaching), and preparing students to research, design and implement learning experiences in their field of study. The fieldwork component can include field observations, student teaching, and an internship.

Alternative Certification Graduates of accredited colleges or universities whose bachelor’s degree was not in education, and who have not yet earned a traditional teaching certificate, can still receive an alternative teaching certificate by satisfying certain requirements.

Iowa Required Tests Basic Skills Assessment Iowa does not require teaching candidates to take a Basic Skills Assessment. In order to become a certified teacher, the Iowa Department of Education requires that all teaching candidates take one test in pedagogy and one test in content. Those pursuing special education certification have separate test requirements.

Iowa will accept some teaching credentials from all but the following states: Alaska, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Vermont. Iowa is one of the states that does not participate in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, meaning that the majority of the 50 states do not accept teaching credentials from the state of Iowa.

Applying for Certification Teach Iowa TeachIowa.gov is a statewide job posting database managed by the Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. Teach Iowa’s system allows potential teachers to register and apply for job openings within the Iowa public school system, education agencies and participating non-public schools.

Background Clearance All candidates pursuing their Iowa teaching license must pass a background check and fingerprint clearance in order to be deemed eligible for employment within the Iowa public school system. Please visit the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners to find out how to order a background check.

In 1987, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards was created. Governor James B. Hunt Jr. of North Carolina served as the first chair of NBPTS Board of Directors and former Ford Foundation executive, James A. Kelly, became the National Board’s first president. (18)

Dissatisfaction with the traditional measures of teacher competence being the bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree, the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards was established as the profession’s means of defining and recognizing accomplished teaching. National Board Standards are created by teachers, for teachers, as is national board certification, a voluntary process to certify teachers against those standards. (19)

The NBPTS board of directors, composed primarily of educators, developed a system of advanced standards and assessments organized around five core propositions: (20)

       1.  Teachers are committed to students and their learning.

       2.  Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students.

       3.  Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.

       4.  Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.

       5.  Teachers are members of learning communities.

NBPTS developed advanced standards based on these propositions in 25 certification fields. Each set of standards represents consensus in the certification field for what makes an accomplished teacher. (21)

In 2015, there are more than 110,000 National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs), representing nearly every major subject area and developmental level from pre-k through 12th grade. In 2013-2014, Iowa ranked 26th in the number of teachers who had achieved national board certification (709). (22) The National Board supports teacher preparation by offering ATLAS (Accomplished Teaching, Learning and SchoolsTM), a searchable online library of authentic videos showing National Board Certified Teachers at work in the classroom. Each video is accompanied by the teacher's written reflection about the instruction or the activity shown. (23)

Teacher organizations have also had their own professional development programs. The Iowa State Education Association (ISEA) through its Instructional and Professional Development Committee (IPD) in the 1970s and 1980s offered district-wide in-service programs taught by classroom teachers from across Iowa. The Mobile In-Service Training Laboratory (MISTL) allowed classroom teachers the opportunity to choose from a minimum of thirty hour long programs over a day of in-service. (24)

By 2015, ISEA had developed the ISEA Academy. Face-to-Face courses were team taught by a lead teacher with either a master's degree or who was nationally board certified and with at least one additional licensed Iowa educator. The courses were typically developed by teams of practitioners with the experiences and knowledge to meet the everyday challenges of the classroom and meet both licensure requirements and the higher education institutions' requirements for graduate credit. (25)

The Iowa Legislature in 2007 established Teacher Quality Committees (TQC) in each school district and Area Education Agency. TQCs consist of equal numbers of teachers and administrators and are charged with allocating any Teacher Quality Professional Development funds, monitoring the various aspects of the Teacher Quality program such as evaluation, professional development, and mentoring and induction. (26) ISEA had a variety of supportive materials and tools available. ISEA staff members -- working in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Education, School Administrators of Iowa, and the Iowa Association of School Boards -- created a Teacher Quality Notebook that contained guidance from the Department; training materials provided by the Department and ISEA; suggested agendas for use by TQCs; and tools for monitoring evaluation, professional development, the use of professional development funds, and mentoring and induction. (27)

For the benefit of beginning educators, the ISEA provided a wide variety of programs and resources to help beginning teachers get their careers off to a great start. (28)

• ISEA's Framework for Understanding the Iowa Teaching Standards

• The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook

• Beginning Teachers Guide to Evaluation

• Journey to Excellence Mentoring and Induction Model

• Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness

• Federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness

• Iowa Student Loan Teacher Career Establishment Grant

• Iowa Teacher Loan Forgiveness

• Teacher Cancellation

• Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education

Multimedia Resources: BAM! Radio Network

Today BAM Radio is the largest education radio network in the world offering programming from the nation's top education organizations and thought leaders and reaching a wide audience of people passionately committed to quality education.

Blogs on New Teachers Edutopia.org and related social media inspire, inform and accelerate positive change in schools and districts by shining a spotlight on evidence-based strategies and best practices that improve learning and engagement for students;

The Teaching Channel Teaching Channel is a video showcase -- on the Internet and TV -- of innovative and effective teaching practices in America's schools. Sarah Brown Wessling, an English teacher at Johnston High School in Johnston, Iowa, is the Teacher Laureate of the Teaching Channel, and a former National Teacher of the Year.

New Teacher Survival Guide: The Parent-Teacher Conference Watch this conference to gain tips on successful parent communication.

New Teacher Survival Guide: Classroom Management A new teacher uses 7 classroom management tips to change her classroom.

New Teacher Survival Guide: Planning Watch a new teacher go step by step through planning a day's lesson.

New Teacher Survival Guide: Differentiating Instruction Watch a new teacher's first attempt at a differentiated lesson.

New Teacher Survival Guide: Mentoring A mentor and mentee apply six essential tips for new teacher support.

New Teacher Survival Guide: Technology in the Classroom Watch a new teacher plan and execute a lesson improved by technology.

New Teacher Survival Guide: ADHD in the Classroom Try these easy-to-use strategies to help students stay focused.

New Teacher Survival Guide: The Formal Observation Learn key elements and helpful hints for a formal evaluation.

The NEA Academy is the National Education Association's Web site devoted to meeting the professional needs of teachers and education support professionals. All professional development courses offered through the NEA Academy are carefully screened against a set of quality standards developed by NEA members in consultation with the National Staff Development Council. None of the continuing education classes offered through the NEA Academy can be considered for Iowa relicensure credit. For courses that count towards Iowa relicensure credit, go to the ISEA Academy. (29)

• Classroom Management

• Common Core (CCSS)

• Bullying Prevention

• English Language Arts

• ESL /ELL

• Education Support Professionals

• Assessment/Evaluation

• Math

• New Teacher

• Special Education

• STEM

Since the time of Superintendent Henry Sabin, teacher preparation has become a major subject of discussion, legislation, and external and interior review. State requirements as to what defined teacher preparation evolved slowly through the late 1940s and early 1960s.

In many respects, the professional community of educators have driven teacher preparation through accreditation of teacher education programs. The area of teacher in-service after graduation remains much more nebulous.

In some respects, in-service has not evolved much beyond the late 1800s when the county superintendent was responsible for an annual program. Hiring a speaker to entertain and educate for an hour can be labeled "in-service" without bothering to address actual needs in a district. Grade-alike meetings without a pre-announced subject matter and list of goals is little more than another meeting which must be attended.

On the other hand, in-service attending to a critical issue facing education can be large group if small group discussions are held later. Scheduled in-service---during the year---on new curriculum materials being used in the district is clearly needed. Offering field tested materials like the Kansas Strategies series or ISEA's Project TEACH can supply teachers with ideas useful the next day.

In 2015, teacher in-service and evaluation generally rests with district administrators. It is perhaps out of frustration with such a condition that teachers have chosen to endure the rigorous demands of national board certification to prove that their education and commitment to the profession did not end when they were handed their teaching certificate.

---

Source:

1. Sabin, Henry and Sabin, Edwin. The Making of Iowa. Chicago: A Flanagan Company, 1900, p. 174

2. “An Iowa Country School Chronology,” Sherman, William L. ed. Iowa’s

Country Schools: Landmarks of Learning.  Iowa  State Education Association   and Mid-Prairie Books, 1998, p. 13

3. Ibid., p. 175

4. Oldt. p. 220

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid., p. 221

7. Ibid.

8. Deiber, Camilla and Beedle, Peggy. Country Schools for Iowa. Hiawatha, IA, 2002. J & A Publishing. Online: http://www.iowahistory.org/historic-preservation/assets/Country%20Schools.pdf

9. Ibid.

10. “History.” Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation. Website. Online: http://caepnet.org/about/history/

11. Ibid.

12. Ibid.

13. Ibid.

14. Ibid.

15. Ibid.

16. Ibid.

17. “About Us,” AdvancED. Website. Online: http://www.advanc-ed.org/

18. Certification Map in partnership with USC Rossiter Online. Website: http://certificationmap.com/states/iowa-teacher-certification/#req

19. National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Website. Online: http://www.nbpts.org/

20. Ibid.

21. “National Board Certification,” Iowa State Education Association. Website: http://www.isea.org/home/213.htm

22. Ibid.

23. National Board of Professional Teaching Standards

24. Lyon, Randolph. Past president of the Dubuque Education Association

25. “ISEA Academy,” Iowa State Education Association. Website: http://www.isea.org/home/213.htm

26. “Teacher Quality Committees,” Iowa State Education Association. Website: http://www.isea.org/home/213.htm

27. Ibid.

28. “Resources for Beginning Teachers,” Iowa State Education Association. Website: http://www.isea.org/home/213.htm

29. “NEA Academy.” Iowa State Education Association. Website. Online: http://www.isea.org/home/213.htm