Economic Impact Brochure - (Page 4)

C O M M I T T E D T O T E A C H I N G Every child deserves an excellent education, and that education starts with an excellent teacher. Buffalo State established its noble tradition of preparing teachers when it opened in 1871. We’ve never wavered in our commitment to offer opportunities for each student to realize his or her full potential. Teaching is as rigorous as it is rewarding. Buffalo State’s commitment to pedagogical excellence and on-site training is manifested in its participation in the Professional Development Schools (PDS) Consortium. The college was one of the first in the nation to create such a system in 1991. Students take methods courses, learn from master teachers, and are junior participants and student teachers at any of the 45 PDS Consortium schools. Each semester, students at PDS schools tally nearly 90,000 contact hours with children. The PDS Consortium has won several significant awards as a model partnership. Our professional development model sets us apart from other colleges. Buffalo State students are immersed in participating schools that provide them with real teachers and real classrooms, and our students get inside these classrooms early in their college careers. Before students even begin student teaching, most will have spent at least 200 hours—with thorough evaluations along the way—in urban, rural, and suburban schools. The PDS Consortium schools allow us to identify and incorporate the most successful methods into our teacher training programs at the college. Campus West, located right on campus, is an integral part of the college’s PDS Consortium. Our faculty and students have many partnerships—from practice-teaching and tutoring to coordinated programming—with this Buffalo Public School. While the PDS Consortium provides access to schools, Buffalo State’s Center for Excellence in Urban and Rural Education (CEURE) helps provide a better understanding of the schools’ communities. CEURE provides leadership in urban and rural teacher education in areas such as teacher recruitment and retention, school reform, and staff development. The center partners with 133 schools in nine Western New York counties to improve the quality of education for disadvantaged students and the teachers who serve them. It also provides paid tutoring opportunities for Buffalo State students and is a resource hub for those wanting to learn how different environments can affect the teaching experience. CEURE has secured federal and private grants totaling more than $13 million. After countless hours of courses and fieldwork, the journey to become a teacher doesn’t end with graduation. Buffalo State’s Teacher Certification Office helps guide students through the process of required exams, seminars, and fingerprinting needed to obtain official certification. The United States has a shortage of qualified science teachers. The alternative certification program in physics allows professionals with a bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, technology, or mathematics a “fast track” to earn a master’s in physics education and become wellqualified classroom teachers. Graduate students completing their literacy specialist certification and/or mas- 4 

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Economic Impact Brochure

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