National Association for Co-Teaching
Council of Educator Preparation
The Council of Educator Preparation is a cornerstone of NACT’s commitment to academic excellence. Our primary focus is the implementation of innovative co-teaching within student teaching and residency models. This approach directly aligns with NACT’s mission to provide equitable, high-quality learning experiences, ensuring that the next generation of educators is prepared for the complexities of modern classrooms.
In higher education, teacher preparation requires faculty to go beyond theory. This council emphasizes the critical role of faculty in designing and modeling co-teaching practices. By demonstrating these collaborative structures in their own instruction and researching the implementation and effects of co-teaching in teacher preparation, teacher educators provide a powerful blueprint for candidates, bridging the gap between university coursework and clinical practice.
Collaboration is Key in Quality Teacher Preparation
The strength of exemplary teacher preparation programs lies in the collaboration between key stakeholders. Office of Clinical Experience and Field Experience Coordinators work alongside Teacher Education Faculty and Teacher Candidates to refine and strengthen co-teaching fidelity. This unified effort ensures that preparation programs remain responsive to the needs of both the candidates and the diverse learners they will serve.
Clinical Experience
The Office of Clinical Experience ensures that student teaching and residency models are deeply integrated with clinical practice, providing teacher candidates with high-quality, real-world preparation.
Field Coordinators
Field Experience Coordinators collaborate with faculty to design and model co-teaching strategies, creating a seamless bridge between higher education preparation and classroom excellence.
Teacher Candidate Reps
Representative teacher candidates play a key role in strengthening co-teaching programs, offering vital feedback that shapes equitable learning and professional residency models.
The Role of the Teacher Educator
The council focuses on the vital role of university faculty in preparing the next generation of educators. Teacher educators are central to this mission, collaboratively designing and modeling co-teaching strategies and researching the implementation and effectiveness of co-teaching in their programs. By embedding co-teaching practices into the curriculum, they ensure that future educators are prepared to lead equitable, high-quality collaborative learning environments from day one.
