The University of Texas at San Antonio’s reading preparation program has been named as the first recipient of the International Reading Association’s Certificate of Distinction. IRA introduced this new program last fall to honor outstanding reading preparation of elementary and secondary teachers. Four programs participated in the pilot. Members of IRA’s Quality Undergraduate Elementary & Secondary Teacher Education in Reading (QUESTER) Task Force reviewed written applications and recommended that UTSA advance to the second stage of review—a three-day site visit in February from task force members Mark Conley of Michigan State University and William Smith of Ohio University.
Both the written material and site visit revolved around a set of rubrics designed to help evaluate the program based on six key standards, as well as specific elements and sub-elements in each area
Both the reviewers and the UTSA program participants found the clearly defined rubrics helpful. Smith said that the rubrics provided “the specifics and the parameters of what we were looking for,” adding that the visit offered a way “to support the findings of the written report and the conclusions that were made concerning the program and the standards.”
The three-day site visit also gave Conley and Smith a chance to visit with faculty, administrators, and students. “I was particularly interested in talking with some of the students to find out their perceptions,” Smith said. The reviewers also visited schools in which students were teaching.
Conley noted that ongoing evaluation that creates program change is important but difficult. The Certificate of Distinction program offers a process for such evaluation.
For UTSA staff, preparing the written report, gathering artifacts, and participating in the site visit was “extremely insightful,” said faculty member Misty Sailors. Faculty member Roxanne Henkin encouraged other universities to participate in the program, calling it “a process of self-discovery.”
In addition to noting the overall strength of the UTSA program, the reviewers specifically cited as strong prints the partnerships with and mentoring of adjunct faculty, the balance between programmatic and research and evaluation efforts, and the sequencing and nature of field experiences. “There is a gradual increase of responsibility and control along with increasing diversity of field experiences,” the summary noted. “Teacher candidates talked about having high confidence in their preparation and comfort in their first year of teaching.”
Faculty members at UTSA expect the award to benefit the entire university. “This is a huge achievement for our faculty, for our program, for our university, and for San Antonio,” said Sailors. Miriam Martinez added that she hoped the award would help draw increased attention and support from the broader community for the outstanding work that goes on at UTSA.
Ultimately, by establishing clear standards of excellence for programs that prepare teachers to teach reading in the classroom and by recognizing exemplary programs, IRA’s Certificate of Distinction has the potential to have a major impact in the field of reading education. Here’s what two members of the QUESTER Task Force had to say about the award.
Jack Cassidy of Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, chair of the task force, said, “Not only will this certificate provide recognition for the institutions receiving it, but the institutions receiving these certificates also will provide exemplars for other programs. This international recognition of the reading component of undergraduate and initial certification programs for classroom teachers is part of IRA’s ongoing efforts to improve the quality of literacy instruction at every level. This will ensure that our children and grandchildren have the best literacy instruction possible.”
“The Certificate of Distinction initiative follows a tradition of many professions that seek out and recognize excellence among their own,” noted task force member Dorothy Strickland of Rutgers University. “With growing evidence linking teacher quality with student achievement, this award has the potential to positively influence both learning and teaching.
“The review process itself serves as a catalyst for reflection and collaboration for program improvement. Consistent with IRA’s leadership role in support of excellence in reading education, the Certificate of Distinction has the potential to move the field forward in ways that are both concrete and inspired.”
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a fast-growing university with close to 30,000 students, is “one of the largest producers of Hispanic graduates in the United States,” says faculty member Rosalind Horowitz. The education program serves more than 1,600 undergraduate students. Teacher candidates seeking EC– 4 certification take 12 hours of literacy courses, while those seeking 4–8 certification take 9–12 hours of literacy courses. Program courses are carefully designed to address issues of diversity. Teacher candidates in both certification programs engage in extensive field experiences working with individual students as well as with small and large groups.
There are eight full-time reading faculty members: Kimberley Cuero, Janis Harmon, Roxanne Henkin, Rosalind Horowitz, Susan Keehn, Miriam Martinez, Bertha Perez, and Misty Sailors. They are supported by a large adjunct faculty staff, who works closely with the regular faculty.
One unique aspect of the program is the Reading Place: Plaza de Lectura at UTSA’s downtown campus, which provides literacy tutorials to inner-city children and offers opportunities for teacher candidates to work with struggling readers. Faculty members are also involved in an annual UTSA Storytelling Festival and numerous other professional development activities to support teacher candidates.
Certificate of Distinction awarded. Reading Today, 25(5), 4.
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