Throughout its 50 year history, Stanley British Primary School has had a deep commitment to teacher preparation. The second sentence of our school’s mission statement reads: We prepare teachers to implement our vision, mission and values and we share our educational approach with the larger community. Over 500 teachers have spent a year at Stanley learning to teach in the British Primary Way. Today, a remarkable 40% of our 90 current faculty and staff have been trained at Stanley!

 

After two years of Covid taking a toll on the field of teaching and as schools nationwide are experiencing shortages causing some states to drop requirements for being a teacher, the importance of supporting teaching at Stanley and the field of education at large has never been greater.

Over the years, teacher preparation has undergone a few iterations and today, those interested in learning to teach at the Stanley British Primary School currently have two options: The Stanley Fellows Program or The Public Education and Business Coalition Teacher Residency Program.

 

A year and a half ago, we (Joanna and Sumant) began interviewing countless faculty and staff who went through teacher training at Stanley as well as speaking with teacher training programs around the country. The feedback and lessons learned helped refresh the Stanley Fellows Program in an exciting and mission aligned way. Overseen by the Director of British Primary Teaching and Learning, the Fellows program has placed a greater emphasis on the British Primary philosophy,  provides an avenue for master British Primary teachers to be leaders and teach coursework to fellows, and aims to attract individuals who have been historically underrepresented in the field of education.

 

This year, Fellows work four and a half days in the classroom alongside a mentor teacher, and meet regularly with their mentor and advisor to discuss their classroom experience and the next steps in their development as a teacher. The time in the classroom is augmented by engaging in a professional learning community (PLC) every Tuesday afternoon from 12:15-2:45p.m. with other Fellows, the Head of British Primary Professional Learning, and other master British Primary teachers. During these PLC times, Fellows reflect upon and discuss the time in the classroom and focus on key British Primary concepts such community, diversity and agency. The foundation and lens for the BP Fellows is the mission, vision and values of Stanley. Fellows are also given two hours each week to observe in different classrooms and engage with short meaningful assignments for the next week's PLC gathering. Fellows are supported to feel successful in their first year teaching at Stanley, and then to take what they have learned to continue their teaching career at Stanley or at other schools across the globe.  

 

The second pathway of teacher training  at Stanley is to be a resident inThe Public Education and Business Coalition Teacher Residency Program. Residents work in the classroom four days a week and have a Stanley mentor teacher. They engage in coursework with the Public Education and Business Coalition one day a week and complete several assignments, such as a child study and a unit plan. They have a PEBC advisor and at the end of the year receive their Colorado Teaching License. If accepted into the PEBC program, residents have the opportunity to use their coursework to get credit towards several different Masters Programs. 

This year, we have four wonderful fellows/residents who are profiled in the Bulldog. Randy Jones ‘01, Sam Pfeifer ‘13, and Caitie Chicester are a part of this fellow program while Kiayan Reuter is a part of the teacher resident program. And we are grateful to the advisors and mentors for each of them who have helped make this experience so meaningful and impactful! 

 

If you know someone who might be interested in this type of program or if you’re interested in finding ways to support teacher training at Stanley please reach out to Sumant or Joanna!