Organizational Capacity Support
The Client
Alder Graduate School of Education (Alder GSE) believes quality public education is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy.
Their immersive theory + practice residency program is designed to make that a reality through partnerships with accredited institutions of higher education and relationships with TK-12 school partners. Continuing this work, Alder GSE partnered with the Hemet Unified School District (HUSD) to prepare teachers for service in PK-12 classrooms. This included providing pre-service teachers with opportunities to learn more about the community in which they will serve.
The Approach
Alder GSE took The Ed.ucateD Approach by engaging in our organizational capacity support service to lead place based research for the teacher preparation program. This research provided contextualized insights into Hemet County and HUSD, which helped prepare pre-service teachers for the environment in which they intended to serve.
We conducted a case study, based on a variety of sources, that delved into the intricate task of defining Hemet as a rural community. The discussion served not only to illuminate the challenges inherent in delineating rurality but also provided crucial context regarding Hemet County's position within this nuanced framework. Following this, a detailed portrayal of Hemet's historical and contemporary context was presented, offering further contextual insights. Within this broader narrative, particular attention was directed towards Hemet's PK-12 school system, illuminating the varied experiences of its stakeholders. Throughout the case study, a seamless integration of diverse sources, including extant literature, media publications, and insightful interviews with HUSD leaders, underpinned the analytical depth and breadth of the narrative.
The Result
In addition to the benefits of acquiring more contextual information about the community in which educators were preparing to serve, this case study inspired reflection on practice, particularly as it relates to one’s own assumptions and biases about rural education. Teacher preparation programs should provide teacher candidates with philosophical foundation, intentional mentorship, and immersive experiences as they are critical in preparing teachers for diverse communities.
“The Ed.ucateD Approach is thoughtful, intentional and purposeful”
We received a strong recommendation from a colleague in another organization and were impressed by Dr. Peterson in our introductory meeting. We received a very clear research paper addressing several of the issues we wanted to understand better, and we had the opportunity to iterate with The Ed.ucateD Approach to continue learning more/digging into the issues the research raised over time.