Project AMIGO was an intervention model of comprehensive professional development designed for 27 untenured Grade 3 general education classroom teachers in the Rochester City School District. For the period 1998-2001, the Rochester City School District hired in excess of 1,600 new teachers. All newly hired teachers in the district are untenured. The data collected from the human resources department indicated that more than 50% of the novice teachers did not have preservice field experience in an urban environment. For more than 95% of the novice teachers, the Rochester City School District was their first teaching experience. Three goals formed the core of the proposed intervention: (a) a systematic and integrated professional development seminar series centered on the exemplary approaches, methods, and techniques for second-language teaching and learning; (b) the development of a cadre of reflective practitioners (star teachers) who will be better prepared to meet the cognitive, linguistic, and cultural needs of all urban children but particularly children who come from homes where English is not the native language; and (c) the building of a learning community that will nurture and support the dedication required to increase the retention rates of newly hired urban school teachers. The data collected as a result of this applied research implementation suggested that the participants involved in the Project AMIGO professional development seminar series learned and applied a variety of exemplary techniques and strategies designed for second-language learners. In the process, their students improved their linguistic and academic abilities and the teachers became more reflective about their own practice. In addition, the participants became more sensitive to the social and academic needs of students who spoke a language other than English. Finally, the participating teachers developed into a dedicated learning community who supported and nurtured each other.
| Date of Award | Jan 1 2003 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | John Kellmayer (Supervisor), Judith Merz (Advisor), Barbara Packer (Advisor) & Claudia Santin (Advisor) |
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