Demonstration Teacher Program
History, Program Description, and Selection Process


Program Description and Selection Process
Current Demonstration Teachers

Year One

During 1997/98, the Demonstration Teacher Task Force identified criteria and a process for selecting Demonstration Teachers. In Spring 1998, two hundred sixty-nine nominated P-12 teachers submitted application packets to Georgia Southern. All applications were reviewed by the Demonstration Teacher Program Review Committee, GSU academic departments, and the GSU Office of School and Community Relations. 175 applicants from forty-two schools were selected to serve during 1998/1999, the first year of the Program. The Demonstration Teachers participated in a two-day orientation in July, 1998.




Year Two

In January 1999, the Partner School/Demonstration Teacher Council, was established by Dean Arnie Cooper as a standing committee of the College of Education (COE). The Council is concerned with all matters related to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of Partner School and Demonstration Teacher programs. It recommends to the Dean, by way of the appropriate Associate Dean, policy and procedural changes as well as recommendations for new Partner School or Demonstration Teacher programs. Members will bring forward issues related to these programs to be addressed and will be responsible for keeping their departments and program areas informed.

The charge of the Partner School/Demonstration Teacher Council includes such activities as:

The Council's membership includes field experience coordinators for undergraduate programs in the COE,  field experience coordinators from GSU departments outside the COE which represent the P-12 certification programs, and  P-12 administrators/Demonstration Teachers. 

At its initial meeting, the Council organized two subcommittees: the Demonstration Teacher Subcommittee and the Partner School Subcommittee. The Demonstration Teacher Subcommittee has refined the application and review process for selection of future demonstration teachers. The Subcommittee also planned a workshop for 98/99 Demonstration Teachers which was held on May 7 at GSU.

In Spring 1999, three hundred fifty-one (351) applications were received from teachers interested in serving as a new or continuing Demonstration Teacher. These applications were reviewed by the various education departments and 250 teachers were selected to serve as Demonstration Teachers for the 1999/2000 school year .


Program Description and Selection Process

Demonstration Teacher Program, Revised April 1999

A specially selected group of master P-12 teachers will serve as extended teacher education faculty. Through an application and review process involving P-12, A&S, and COE faculty, the Demonstration Teachers will be identified based on their good teaching practices, effective supervision, interpersonal skills, and commitment to teacher preparation. They will provide exemplary classroom environments, models of good teaching practices, and effective supervision for all field placements. GSU will make a commitment to the continued professional development of these valued partners in order to broaden their success as teachers, and to better impact their students' success.

Qualifications:

A demonstration teacher will:

Roles:

The role of a demonstration teacher is to be a supervisor of pre-service teachers.
Additional responsibilities for demonstration teachers might include:

Application Process:

Clinical associates, principals, and Georgia Southern University faculty, will encourage teachers to submit demonstration teacher applications. Applications must be supported by the teacher's principal. The approved application, along with two additional references must be submitted with the application. These references should be provided by another school administrator, central office administrator, clinical associate, First District RESA consultants, or GSU faculty member who are familiar with the teacher's classroom performance and professional interest. Applications will be submitted to the Demonstration Teacher Coordinator, who will review the applications for completeness. In situations where there is grade level or teaching field overlap application files will be duplicated and submitted to all applicable departments.

Review Process:

The applications will then be forwarded to the appropriate COE department for review and selection. Each department will select the designated number (based on the number of undergraduate majors) of demonstration teachers from the pool of applications that are submitted. The department's review committee will include Pre-Professional Block faculty, P-12 teachers, and faculty outside COE as appropriate. When the selections have been made the application files and the list of recommended demonstration teachers, will be submitted to the Demonstration Teacher Coordinator. The coordinator will then send a list of recommended demonstration teachers to the COE's Associate Dean for External Relations. Then school principals, and superintendents will be asked to verify and confirm support for the recommended demonstration teachers in their school system.

Notification Process:

Upon confirmation, teachers will be notified in writing of their selection by the Demonstration Teacher Coordinator. After all teachers have accepted this designation, a complete list of demonstration teachers will be sent to all GSU departments involved in teacher preparation. A final list of demonstration teachers will be sent to superintendents, principals, and clinical associates.

Honorarium:

An honorarium per semester will be paid to each Demonstration Teacher who meets the commitment of supervising pre-service teachers in field experiences. These can include Pre- Professional Block, pre-student teaching practicums, and/or student teaching. This honorarium is the maximum amount and inclusive of all payments a teacher can receive for activities undertaken in the role of supervisor for the College of Education of GSU.

Professional Development:

Two one day, professional development activities related to the role of Demonstration Teacher, are required each year. Some professional development will occur in the summer in preparation for the upcoming academic year.

Terms of Service:

One academic year (fall/spring semesters)

Renewal:

Renewal will be based on:
  1. a teacher's desire to continue with the demonstration teacher program
  2. needs of the College of Education departments
  3. input/feedback from university faculty and students who worked with the demonstration teacher
  4. continued support of principal

SAMPLE

Demonstration Teacher Application

Name of Applicant:

Name of School:

System :

School Address:

School Phone No.:

E-mail address:

Grade Level Presently Teaching :

Grade Level(s) Expected to Teach 1999/2000:

Circle projected subjects to be taught in 1999/2000
1. Art     6. Language Arts    11. Science   
2. Business Education    7. Math    12. Social Science   
3. English 8. Music 13. Special Education
4. Foreign Language 9. Physical Education 14. Technology
5. Health 10.Reading 15. Other

Describe your curriculum/instructional organization (example: self-contained, departmentalized, block scheduling).

Educational Background:    Degree,      Field of Study,      Year

Certification(s) & endorsements held:

Teacher's Signature:


I support this teacher's application for admission into the Demonstration Teacher program at Georgia Southern University.
Principal's Signature:


Page 2 - Demonstration Teacher Application

In narrative form, develop a response for your interest in serving as a Demonstration Teacher. In this narrative please respond to the following topics. The length of the response should be between two and three pages.

  1. Describe your philosophy or education. In this description include your goals in teaching, instructional strategies you incorporate on a consistent basis, your classroom structure and organization, and other educational strategies you implement to meet the varying needs of the learners in your class or classes.
  2. Discuss activities in which you have been involved to enhance your professional development.
  3. Identify areas in which you currently have an interest for growth and professional development.
  4. Discuss your interest in serving as a demonstration teacher. In your response, reflect on the additional responsibilities that a demonstration teacher might choose to perform.

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