Professor in Residence Program – TCNJ Faculty in Residence at Your District
The Professor in Residence (PIR) program, as part of the Professional Development School Network model, is a research-based initiative that benefits practicing teachers, preservice teachers, and the P-12 students in their classrooms. A faculty member of the TCNJ School of education will spend one day a week at a PDSN school(s) to provide support to teachers and administrators, facilitate professional development, and engage in activities to improve student learning. The faculty member receives support from and works with TCNJ’s Support for Teacher Education Programs (STEP) Office, the school administrative team, and school-based liaison to ensure the program goals are achieved. The fee is $15,000.00 per semester.
Contact Eileen Heddy, Executive Director, to discuss the program further – heddy@tcnj.edu
Professors in Residence School District Involvement
- Development and implementation of professional development goals
- Coaching and supporting teachers and administrators
- Shared inquiry with teachers and administrators to improve student learning
- Evaluating the successes, challenges, and progress of their residency
- Demonstrating the benefits of research based professional development
- Supervising TCNJ student teachers and supporting cooperating teachers
- Leading In Service Professional Development Activities
Roles and Responsibilities
Professors in Residence Role
The PIR may be a full-time faculty member whose role as a liaison is calculated into their load or overload or an adjunct who works closely with full-time College faculty. Any faculty or other educator hired as a PIR will be committed to a shared partnership between the school and the College and adhere to the following expectations:
As a PIR, it is expected that the following roles will be in effect:
- Active involvement in the development of the school’s professional development goals
- Supporting the school in achieving at least one of these goals
- Teaching TCNJ classes in the school, if applicable
- Supporting teachers and administrators as needed by modeling best practice
- Strengthening the partnership between the school and TCNJ
- Actively engaging in completing the end-of-year reflection summary, re-application and any other evaluations
- Communicating and collaborating with the administrators, college supervisors, school-based liaison, and STEP Office to solidify the partnership
- Serving as a broker between the school and college as needs arise that are not within the realm of expertise of the liaison
- Support dissemination of practical and scholarly information within the local, state, and national PDS networks
Administrator Role
The school’s administrative team works with TCNJ’s STEP Office to identify a PIR that can offer support in meeting specific professional development goals. The administrator’s role includes:
- Hold regular meetings (at least one per quarter) to communicate and collaborate with the PDS team including the Liaison, the PIR, and any others that take part in the work
- Oversee the development of professional development goals
- Develop joint scholarly activity projects with college and school faculty when possible and practical
- Communicate regularly about PDSN activities with the whole school through emails or newsletters
- Work with the PIR to enhance the experience of TCNJ teacher candidates in the school
- Conduct mock interviews for teacher candidates and advise them on the hiring process
- Host visitors from other universities as requested by TCNJ
- Place additional TCNJ students in practicum settings for coursework
- Serve as needed on search committees and accreditation work for TCNJ’s School of Education
- Actively engage in completing the end-of-year reflection summary, re-application and any other evaluations
School Based Liaison Role
The School Based Liaison may be a vice principal or teacher leader who is interested in working with the PIR and teacher candidates. Their roles and responsibilities include:
- Communicate and collaborate with school administrators, the PDSN director, and the PIR to solidify the partnership
- Train and acclimate teacher candidates to the school
- Serve as on-site contact for needs of teacher candidates
- Assist administration in recruiting cooperating teachers and placing teacher candidates
- Arrange for mock interviews with administration
- Work closely with the college supervisors and/or PIR to ensure success for teacher candidates and cooperating teachers
- Be actively involved in the development of professional development goals
- Develop joint scholarly activity projects with college and school faculty when possible and practical
- Host visitors from other universities as requested by TCNJ
- Place additional TCNJ students in observation settings
- Serve as needed on search committees and accreditation work for TCNJ’s School of Education
- Actively engage in completing the end-of-year reflection summary, re-application and any other evaluations
- May also supervise teacher candidates during Clinical II (student teaching) if feasible