What am I doing here?

Before I came to Teachers College, I knew very little of the school, the program, and the big names on campus. (I also did not know that showing up to class on time was considered late. Everyone gets to class at least five minutes early. I have now mastered the art of arriving on time with military precision.) Therefore, I will attempt to describe Teachers College, the Literacy Specialist Program, and the Reading and Writing Project. Chances are I will be lifting these descriptions directly from the website. I apologize in advance.

Teachers College

Founded in 1887 in order to advance educational reforms and address social issues. Teachers College has served as a comprehensive school of education as an affiliate to Columbia University. John Dewey taught here.

Literacy Specialist Program and Reading & Writing Project

The goal of the program is to equip each student to assume a leadership role in literacy education. Students investigate individual literacy learning, group literacy learning, teacher development, community partnerships, institutional change and other political issues facing literacy education. Students will write creatively as well as professionally (a lot of this), participate in their own reading clubs, and keep portfolios of their own reading and writing development (even more of this). Students engage in readings (TONS of this), learn from mentorships, and conduct their own action-research projects in which they demonstrate their abilities to synthesize theory and practice.

Students will also work with Reading and Writing Project- a think-tank and professional development organization that works in field-based ways with schools throughout New York City and the nation. Lucy Calkins founded the project over 20 years ago and is currently the director of the Literacy Specialist program. Students can intern in both high-need and state-of-the-art schools, apprentice with mentor teachers, research staff development and school reform, and participate in any of more than 100 full day conferences offered each year.