For 27 years, the聽Partners in Education (PIE) Master's聽program聽has offered聽a unique opportunity for teachers entering their first through third years of teaching to work toward their Master's degree while benefiting from both intensive coaching with mentors and collaboration with other PIE teachers. Prospective and novice teachers must apply to a School of Education Master's program in either Curriculum and Instruction or Educational Equity and Cultural Diversity as well as apply for a teaching聽position (if one is not already held) in any of the three participating districts: , , and .
The PIE program only begins in the fall semester. Applications to School of Education Master's programs are due February 1st.聽Openings for teaching聽positions are聽often posted on the districts' websites聽in the spring.
Each May, PIE teachers who are finishing聽their first year in the PIE program, known as their "PIE year," gather to celebrate the culmination of a year of mentoring and learning. Pictured below are the 2013-2014 cohort of PIE聽teachers with Program Director Penny Scott-Oliver聽at their year-end celebration, where they聽reflected on聽the school聽year and shared聽an info-graphic that illustrated their beliefs about teaching and聽learning based on their experiences.聽Clinical Instructors聽David Baker,听Mary Jo Bode,听Rychie Rhodes, and聽Flora Sanchez聽shared the accomplishments of PIE teachers as they grew through what can be a challenging first聽year of teaching.
On exit surveys, all PIE teachers highly recommended the program to new teachers, citing the value of having a coach in their classroom three hours per week, personalized mentorship and feedback, group seminars, and professional development that was responsive to their daily needs. In addition, the six credits earned in the first 鈥減racticum year鈥� counted toward both the districts鈥� required induction programs and the Master鈥檚 program that they would go on to complete.
As PIE teacher Jamie Smith put it, 鈥淚 would absolutely recommend this program to others because of the incredible support and guidance it provides. It also is nice to work with other new teachers and get support from people outside of your school with new perspectives and ideas.鈥�
Click here for more photos of the 2014 PIE Program Celebration.
For more information on the PIE Master's program, go to colorado.edu/education/pie or email penny.oliver@colorado.edu.
Related Faculty: Penny Scott-Oliver, David Baker, Mary Jo Bode, Rychie Rhodes, Flora Sanchez