BCP Community Partner Spotlight: Morgan State University, Teacher Education and Professional Development

Each Baltimore Curriculum Project (BCP) partner plays a meaningful role in our ability to meet our mission and the missions of our six neighborhood conversion charter schools. Each, especially our overarching partner, Baltimore City Public Schools, is integral to the success of BCP students, faculty/staff, and parents.

This month, we celebrate the Morgan State University Department of Teacher Education and Professional Development and its partnership with Pimlico Elementary/Middle School (PEMS).

The Morgan State University Department of Teacher Education and Professional Development Student Teacher Program

The MSU TEPD Department (MSU TEPD) offers undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare “national leaders in education, recreation and athletic related fields,” (MSU website) while addressing student wellness and education through research, collaboration and professional development. The department values diversity, equity and social justice, and uses “transformative, innovative and culturally responsive approaches to the work they do in urban schools and communities.”

All MSU teacher candidates participate in a student teacher internship during their senior year that includes:

• At least 100 days at each school, beginning in the fall for a total of 16 weeks
• Over two consecutive semesters, working in a school community, interacting with and learning to teach students with diverse backgrounds and abilities
• An assigned teacher mentor in the school with clear tasks and expectations for the candidate and mentor; and
• Exposure to a range of teacher duties (e.g., classroom set-up, committee meetings, faculty meetings, parent conferences, etc.), which ultimately enables them to become more comfortable with full teaching responsibilities.

MSU TEPD partners with several public schools in Baltimore City. PEMS is the only Baltimore Curriculum Project (BCP) school with whom MSU partners. For the 2023-2024 school year, PEMS had four MSU interns, two of whom have been hired full-time to be PEMS faculty beginning this fall: Nicole Daley and Kamyah Jefferson.

How do Teachers, Student Teachers and Students Benefit From This Program?

The MSU TEPD program allows student teachers to experience firsthand what it’s really like to work in a school. They get a solid framework of support and guidance from MSU and from the mentor teachers, while they learn to navigate elementary and middle school environments through real-world experience in their field of study.

In addition to having classrooms with two teachers, which enables students to receive additional and small group lessons, Chanisse Fitchett, MSU Field Supervisor, says that the student teachers often inject fresh new ideas: “Many of our student interns have many new ideas, especially in the area of technology integration, that they share with their students and mentor teachers.”

New Pimlico Teachers and Former Student Teachers

Two of the four MSU interns who student taught at PEMS, Nicole Daley and Kamyah Jefferson, will be joining the PEMS faculty full-time this fall.

Alicia Savage, PEMS second grade teacher, was the mentor for Ms. Jefferson. Ms. Savage says the experience gave her “great fulfillment in mentoring and supporting the next generation of teachers.”

The MSU TEPD student teacher program not only benefits the students but also fosters significant professional growth for both student teacher and mentor. Having a student teacher in the classroom significantly enhanced the overall learning experience for both students and educators.

Mentoring a student teacher was invaluable to Ms. Savage: “[It] allowed me to reflect deeply on my own teaching practices. Observing [Kamyah’s] growth and success was immensely rewarding and reinforced my confidence in my effectiveness as an educator. It also provided me with opportunities to refine my mentoring and leadership skills, which are crucial for ongoing professional development.”

Thank you, MSU TEPD, for such an impactful partnership, and welcome to PEMS, Ms. Daley and Ms. Jefferson!

Learn more about the MSU TEPD.