Suggested Citation
National Council on Teacher Quality. (2024). Relay Graduate School of Education (New York) Graduate Elementary. Teacher Prep Review. [Data set]. https://www.nctq.org/review/viewProgram/Relay-Graduate-School-of-Education-(New-York)-NY-2
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Select a program type and year below to download an export of scores. Note that as of 2020, NCTQ discontinued analysis of secondary teacher preparation programs.
Enrollment
Admissions
Selection criteria for admission into the program satisfy this standard. The mean grade point average is sufficiently high to demonstrate that candidates have the requisite academic talent. Moreover, the program requires an audition to assess non-academic talents also important for teaching.
A
Program Diversity
A diverse teacher workforce benefits all students, particularly students of color. While there has been real progress over the last twenty years in diversifying the teacher workforce,1 these gains have not kept pace with a rapidly diversifying student population. To accelerate progress, strategic recruitment efforts by teacher preparation programs are essential.
- Teacher prep enrollment: 67 percent candidates of color1
- New York teacher workforce: 20 percent teachers of color2
- Local demographics: 53 percent persons of color3
2 Three-year average sourced from Title II National Teacher Preparation Data
3 National Teacher and Principal Survey data (state supplied data substituted for missing values)
4 U.S. Census core-based statistical area (CBSA) data
A+
Knowledge
Reading Foundations
Unlocking a child's potential begins with reading, yet many children in the United States cannot read at a basic level. Change begins by ensuring all teacher preparation programs implement scientifically based reading instruction.
This program was not included in the 2023 Reading Foundations analysis.
N/A
Elementary Mathematics
Coming Soon
Building Content Knowledge
To be successful, elementary teachers need content knowledge in science and social studies, both to build their students' understanding of the world and their critical thinking skills, and also to support students in becoming strong readers. Becoming a strong reader requires cumulative exposure to content knowledge, cutting across multiple domains and disciplines. The courses aspiring teachers take gives them strong background knowledge in these subjects, and in turn, they give this knowledge to students.
This program was not included in the 2023 Building Content Knowledge analysis.
N/A
Practice
Clinical Practice
Supervised practice serves a critical role in all teacher preparation programs. Whether supervised practice takes the form of student teaching, residency or internship, the experience allows participants to build on coursework by practicing and refining essential instructional and management skills.
Ideally, supervised practice includes time spent in the classroom of an experienced teacher who serves as a model of outstanding teaching and can provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and guidance. This experience should be at least 10 weeks long in order to offer opportunities for repeated cycles of practice and growth. In addition, it should be full- or nearly-full-time, and include several weeks during which the candidate has primary responsibility for teaching the whole class for full days, so that the candidate can experience the full demands of being a teacher.
- Our review finds that program participants spend at least 10 weeks in a mentor teacher's classroom, and are exposed to the full responsibilities of a teacher.
1. Require supervisors to provide each participant with at least five instances of written feedback based on observations during the program's capstone clinical experience (student teaching or residency) or – for participants in alternative programs who do not have such experiences – the critical first few months of school.
- A review of program policy finds that supervisors are required to provide a minimum of 5 instances of written feedback based on observations during these key periods.
- Analysis finds that this program collects information on mentor teachers' skills, including their ability as a mentor, but not their instructional effectiveness as measured by student learning.
Next Steps
- To ensure candidates are placed with the best, establish an explicit process with partner districts to gather information on potential mentor teachers' skills including both their effectiveness (as measured by student achievement) and capacity to mentor. Collecting additional information, such as a teacher's classroom management style or communication skills, can also be valuable, as long as the focus remains on quality and the potential fit as a mentor and not on just collecting basic data, like years of experience. This information should be used to screen mentor teachers' suitability before placing student teachers with them.
A
Classroom Management
New teachers and their principals consistently report that classroom management is one of their greatest challenges. Teachers will be better prepared to establish a positive classroom environment if, during their preparation programs, they practice and receive feedback on the five classroom management strategies shown by conclusive research to be useful for all students. These strategies are:
- Rules and Routines – Establishing classroom rules and routines that set expectations for behavior;
- Learning Time – Maximizing the time that students are engaged in learning by pacing lessons appropriately, managing class materials and the physical setup of the classroom, and teaching interesting lessons;
- Praise – Using meaningful praise and other forms of positive reinforcement to encourage appropriate behavior;
- Low-profile Redirection – Using unobtrusive means that do not interrupt instruction to prevent and manage minimally disruptive behavior; and
- Consequences – Addressing more serious misbehavior with consistent, appropriate consequences.
A review of program evaluation and/or observation instruments finds that they provide feedback on student teachers' use of the following classroom management strategies:
- Rules and Routines
- Learning Time (manage time; manage materials; manage student engagement)
- Praise
- Low-profile Redirection
- Consequences
Next Steps
Consider modifying evaluation and observation instruments to provide participants with feedback on their use of the following strategies:
- Learning Time (manage the physical classroom)
Sample language for indicators is provided on NCTQ's website.