School of Education

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Nest Program Summer Training Institute

Sponsored by the New York City Department of Education, this program provides pre-service training to educators, related-service providers and administrators affiliated with the ASD Nest Program, an inclusion-based model of education serving children with autism spectrum disorder in public schools throughout the five boroughs. The Summer Institute consists of two graduate-level courses run through the Early Childhood Special Education Program: Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)–SPEDE 771, and Positive Behavior Support (PBS)–SPEDE 772.  We have provided training to thousands of educators (general education and special education), administrators (principals and assistant principals) and related-service providers (speech therapists, occupational therapists, social workers) since the original project began in 2002. One of our premiere sites is located in East Harlem at PS 112.

Project dates: 2002–2021

Student Teaching Placement and Course-Associated Fieldwork in PS 146 Ann Short Elementary School, Autism Charter School, The Reece School and Alternative Districts 75 and 79

Students in the behavior disorders program of the Childhood Special Education certification program have been placed in this school for their student teaching and/or fieldwork experiences. The goal is to incorporate theories and practices of urban education for the targeted populations of students with Emotional Behavior Disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorders. The goals are to prepare teachers for clinical practice and to understand and apply principles of urban education.

Project dates:  2008–ongoing

“I Have A Dream” Foundation

The Hunter/I Have a Dream partnership provides a long-term program of academic support, mentoring, enrichment and tuition assistance for higher education. It is an interdisciplinary venture that involves people throughout the Hunter community: faculty from the School of Education have developed curricula; faculty from the the Schools of Nursing and Social Work have taught classes, and many Hunter undergraduate students volunteer with the program.

Project dates: 2011–ongoing

Hunter College/District 4 READ East Harlem Project

The New York Community Trust awarded a multi-year grant to Hunter College to improve student literacy outcomes through a professional development model supporting District 4 educators who teach students in kindergarten through second grade. This project started with three schools in East Harlem, but has gradually expanded annually, now serving all 14 elementary schools in the District. The primary focus of the program involves detailed, school-specific, data collection and analysis around instructional practices and student needs in reading. Rather than becoming an “add on” to their workload, the program supports teachers in grounding their work and deepening understanding of effective literacy instructional practices. A component of this grant is the identification and development of teacher literacy leaders in each building. READ East Harlem staff have identified participants who have demonstrated strong leadership skills in each of the participating schools. The project staff anticipates these participants will continue as literacy leaders for the Kindergarten–Grade 2 teachers in their schools.

Project dates: 2014–2020

East Harlem Tutorial Program (EHTP) Teaching Residency

Hunter College and the East Harlem Tutorial Program have a partnership to prepare teachers via the East Harlem Teaching Residency (EHTR).  EHTR is an innovative cohort-based teacher-training pathway for recent college graduates and career changers that develops, supports and certifies aspiring educators to become first- through sixth-grade teachers for East Harlem Scholars Academies and the greater East Harlem community. This 14-month residency program, supported by an AmeriCorps grant, is preparing the fourth cohort of EHTR candidates. The EHTR at Hunter College reimagines traditional teacher training and recruitment techniques. Residents work alongside master teachers who provide coaching and mentoring at the East Harlem Scholars Academies. In addition to their work alongside mentor teachers, residents serve as lead teachers in the EHTP after-school and summer classrooms. The after-school field experience gives residents the chance to put theory into practice and focuses the residents on learning about their students in a less formal learning environment where there is more opportunity for flexible, responsive pedagogy. After successfully completing the EHTR program, residents earn a master’s degree in childhood education and eligibility for New York State teaching certification. Hunter College School of Education faculty are involved with the classroom instruction and fieldwork supervision for the 16-course Master’s program.

Project dates: 2015–ongoing

East Harlem Tutorial Program (EHTP)

EHTP teachers who have completed their Residency in Childhood Education and have earned NYS Certification in Childhood Ed, work to obtain their Post-Masters Advanced Certificate in Special Education through Hunter’s School of Education. EHTP funds the teacher’s education to maximize their effectiveness and advance careers of these East Harlem educators.

Project dates: 2016–ongoing

Hunter College Teacher Opportunity Corps 2 (HCTOC2)

HCTOC2 is a five-year grant funded by the New York State Department of Education that will increase the number undergraduate teacher candidates from groups underrepresented in teaching, providing them with a focused pre-student teaching, clinical experience. The project also has at its foundation the critically important approach of culturally responsive teaching. Through more intense and focused clinical experiences and through a pedagogical lens that helps candidates know their students, HCTOC2 will prepare more effective teachers for communities like East Harlem. HCTOC2 has multiple components. First, the program recruits undergraduate students interest in early childhood, childhood and adolescent teacher preparation programs. Second, HCTOC2 engages faculty to enhance three courses in undergraduate teacher preparation with a culturally responsive teaching focus. These three courses are required in all undergraduate teacher education programs. Third, participants engage in an intensive summer internship before student teaching clinical experiences will take place in East Harlem schools. Fifth, culturally responsive teaching professional development workshops will be offered during the pre-student teaching year. Sixth, an intensive summer internship occurs in the month of June in an East Harlem school. Pairs of scholars work in a classroom to enact culturally responsive teaching practices that support academic and social-emotional development of preschool, elementary and middle schools students. Seventh, where possible HCTOC2 scholars will be assigned to an East Harlem school for student teaching. Finally, HCTOC2 will support TOC scholars in obtaining employment in schools that will benefit from their clinically rich and culturally responsive preparation. Hunter participation includes faculty, staff and students.

Project dates: 2016–2021

Pre-Student Teaching (fieldwork interns) & Student Teaching

During the academic year 2017-18, the Office of Clinical Experiences (OCE) placed 224 fieldwork interns and 56 student teachers across all our education programs in 19 District 4 schools.  Fieldwork interns support and learn from mentor teachers by working with individual students, leading small lessons, and contributing to school-wide activities. Student teachers have responsibility—in tandem with their cooperating teacher—for a classroom of student for the entire semester, as their culminating experience prior to graduation and certification.

Project dates: 2017–present

Learning Lab at PS 57

Students in our graduate program looking to earn special education certification work with youth from PS 57 for one academic year in the form of twice weekly tutoring. Hunter College students are paired with students with disabilities at PS 57 where they administer a round of assessments several times throughout the academic year. From the baseline assessment, the graduate student creates a plan to address the needs and strengths identified by the data, and then tutors the student with disabilities twice per week for the duration of the year.

Project dates: 2018–ongoing

Training of Fieldwork Support Center Staff Development Trainers (All 35 Districts, Including East Harlem Schools)

A School of Education professor is training the New York City trainers (all districts, including East Harlem) in the area of student behavior assessment and management strategies to spread data-supported, evidence-based strategies that will reduce referrals to special education and disproportionate suspension of minority students.

Project dates: 2018–2021