Reflections on the MEC Consortium: Classroom Teacher as Teacher Educator.

Overview & Synopsis

The role of teachers serving as policy board members of the Metrolina Educational Consortium (MEC) in North Carolina is discussed. The MEC is concerned with teacher education programs and is composed of classroom teachers, college representatives, local education agency staff, and state education department staff. The board members are mandated to consider the following six questions: (1) Have teachers contributed to the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs? (2) Have teachers helped to establish the managerial structure of the consortium? (3) Have teachers helped establish entry levels of competence for the program? (4) Have teachers contributed to the procurement of resources? (5) Have teachers had a role in designating experiences to meet needs (i.e. to design programs and needs assessment questionnaires)? and (6) Have teachers helped determine the exit level of their participants? It is concluded that, unlike a number of teacher education programs, the MEC has had a parity arrangement among the board members representing teachers, administrators, and education officials. It is noted that in the case of a consortium, there is a good chance that at least one of the teachers will be a special education teacher. Specific concerns of special education teachers are noted, regarding the following: competencies needed by applicants for a program in special education, teacher input for the design of practicum experiences for special education teachers, and the exit level of competence of participants. (SW)