Dear Prospective M.A.T. Student,
If you are reading this, then probably you are exploring how you might make a difference in the lives of others through teaching or working in schools. Probably also you are thinking about work in urban settings where there are typically more needs than there are opportunities and resources. If this describes you, then you might find your institutional soul mate, so to speak, at Clark.
At Clark we are dedicated to combining teacher preparation with urban school reform and neighborhood renewal. Our Master of Arts in Teaching program prepares teachers for work in urban settings in schools which partner closely with us on teacher development and effective school practice. Here is one big sign of our effort and success: one of our partner schools, University Park Campus School, has become nationally known as a high-performing urban school. All of the students who attend the school live in our surrounding urban neighborhood and all qualify for post-secondary education. Almost all of the teachers at the school, as well as the principal, are graduates of our program.
Our Master of Arts in Teaching program is very much in a learning-by-doing mold, very much practice-based, with careful and finely-tuned support. Our students spend a full year with a group of their peers developing their teaching practice in one of our partner schools, under the joint guidance of mentor teachers and university faculty. The schools serve a linguistically and culturally rich as well as predominately low-income population.
Most of our graduates who want a teaching position are offered one. Some choose to stay in the city of Worcester, where their experience in our program is highly valued, and where they gain credit on the teacher pay scale for their Master of Arts in Teaching degree.
If you are interested in a program driven by a commitment to make a difference in the lives of urban children and urban neighborhoods, Clark would be a great fit for you. If you are motivated to bring your heart and mind to the challenging, rewarding, and life-altering work of urban teaching, then read more about our program on our web pages and consider getting in touch with us. Contact our Program Administrator, Andrea Allen, at aallen@clarku.edu, or me at tdelprete@clarku.edu.
If you apply, then you will automatically be considered for our full or partial Adam Urban Teacher Scholarship or, if you are interested in teaching mathematics or one of the sciences, for a Noyce graduate stipend. Our application deadline is January 15th for the program year which runs from the end of May to the following May.
Best wishes as you search for a program which will harness your passion and commitment.
Tom Del Prete, Ed.D.
Director, Adam Institute for Urban Teaching and School Practice