Program
Overview
In 1971 Dr. Tom�s Arciniega, an associate professor in the Department of
Educational Administration in the College of Education, obtained a federal grant
to initiate an innovative and challenging graduate teacher preparation program
at the University of Texas in El Paso. In
collaboration with the El Paso and Ysleta Independent School Districts, a
significant number of local educators, community activists, civic leaders, UTEP
faculty planned and implemented a novel teacher training program designed to
serve a predominantly Chicano student population in the greater El Paso region.
The outcome was a most successful field-based teacher preparation
program, the first at UTEP.
Twenty eight interns and a couple of alternates were selected from a vast national pool of applicants by a committee composed of individuals representing the aforementioned sectors. Students with bachelor degrees in fields outside of education were selected on the basis of their avocation for the teaching profession, potential to work effectively with Chicano students, willingness to reside in, and provide service to, the communities served by the participating schools, and being able to meet graduate school admission requirements. Team leaders and participating faculty were also selected and assigned to specific schools.
The late Ms. Virginia Johnson and the late Mr. Bill Sybert of the YISD and EPISD managed the field implementation of the program in their respective school districts. The Teacher Corps interns were assigned to work in teams in the Ysleta, Mesa Vista, Houston, and Burleson elementary schools, under the direct supervision of a team leader and two cooperating teachers per school. As a result of political differences, some members of the Ysleta team were reassigned in 1972 to Thomas Manor Elementary and South Loop elementary schools, while some members of the Houston and Burleson teams were reassigned to Hart and Burnett Elementary Schools. (For additional information see the Nosotros article in the ARTICLES section of this web site.)
The
program was initiated in the second summer session of 1971.
After an orientation and a retreat, the interns completed �basic
training� in the form of courses in teaching methods and sociocultural
education and becoming acquainted first-hand with the schools and communities in
which they were to work. Interns,
team leaders and teachers completed several seminars, engaged in micro-teaching,
team teaching, open-classroom, and competency-based training activities and
visited the communities in each of the initial four target schools.
The homes of the intern�s prospective elementary students were visited
to establish rapport and communication links with their parents.
The visitations and other community awareness activities led to the
selection by interns of community projects in which they would participate over
the next two years. (For pictorial
representations see the 1971 Retreat section in this web site.)
The
program was structured to allow interns to attend classes at UTEP on Tuesday and
Thursday evenings and on Saturday mornings.
During the week interns labored in their assigned schools during the day
and worked in community initiatives in the evenings and weekends, as their
schedules allowed. The University
course work included traditional courses, laboratory and clinical work, and
field-supervised instruction, in cooperation with team leaders, teachers and
principals.
At
the University of Texas at El Paso, Dr. Tom�s Arciniega, currently President of
California State University at Bakersfield, led a team of educators in the
organization of the pedagogical and sociocultural training of the Teacher Corps
interns, based on a model conceptualized by the UTEP-based TTT (Teachers of
Teacher Trainers) Program. Among
the faculty and administrators that supported and guided the interns were Dr.
Norma Hern�ndez, who was the second director of the UTEP Teacher Corps and
later became the Dean of the College of Education.
She is currently professor emerita.
Dr. Ed Lichtenberger and psychologist Carlos Garc�a provided
administrative support and supervision. Among
the various UTEP faculty that shaped the 6th cycle were Dr. Diana
Natalicio, currently the President of the University of Texas at El Paso.
The late Drs. Richard Burns and Hilmar Wagner provided training in
curriculum development and instructional methodology.
Drs. Arciniega and Hern�ndez also provided valuable instruction and
field training, along with Drs. Ed Ekwall, Lou Burmeister, Maryellen Garc�a,
Luis Natalicio, Dick Caulkins, Ron Kidd, among others.
The 6th Cycle also counted with the guidance and expertise
provided by various community activists and public school personnel. The socio-cultural education component, a distinct feature of
the National Teacher Corps Program, exposed the interns to some of the leading
Chicano intellectuals in the nation at the time such as Drs. Nick Vaca, Alfredo
Estupi��n, and Ralph Vigil, now professor emeritus at the University of
Nebraska.
Internationally
known Rosa Guerrero trained the Teacher Corps Interns in the field of music and
dance pedagogy. She has received
several honors from the University of Texas at El Paso and civic organizations
throughout the nation. She is currently an Artist-in-Residence in Chicano
Studies. Inspired By Rosa
Guerrero�s work, the Burleson Elemenatry School teachers, interns and parents
Luz Herrera and Eva Frescas initiated a children�s ballet folkl�rico that
endured and served as a prototype for similar efforts in the El Paso I.S.D. (See
faculty and staff section for individual profiles in this web site.)
In
1973, the vast majority of the Teacher Corps interns earned a ME in Reading/Sociocultural
education, as well as an elementary school teaching certificate.
The 6th Cycle graduates went on to pursue very successful
careers in education or allied fields.
Seven of the Teacher Corps graduates completed doctorates at institutions
of higher education such as Texas A&M University, the University of
Washington, Stanford University, the University of Houston, the University of
Colorado, George Mason University, Southern Methodist University, and the
University of Texas at Austin. Several
of the Teacher Corps graduates also obtained additional degrees or certification
in areas like educational counseling and educational administration.
Teacher Corps graduates are currently employed in higher education,
public school teaching, public school administration, or in the private and
public sector. A few have retired
or started new careers. It is
noteworthy that public school personnel associated with Teacher Corps were
encouraged to pursue graduate and post-graduate education, and at least two
persons earned doctorates while others obtained advanced degrees and
certificates. These fine educators went on to attain administrative positions in
the area schools, where they served with distinction.
Please see the web site sections on interns and specific schools for information on individual interns and the section on faculty and staff for UTEP faculty/staff profiles. There are many individuals who contributed to the success of the 6th Cycle of the UTEP Teacher Corps Program, experiences, or events that are not mentioned. Please bring such information to our attention. Also, please assist us in identifying the photographs lacking names. Feel free to make any suggestions to enhance this web site by contacting Chicano Studies at (915) 747-5462 or dbixlerm@utep.edu