The Professional Development Schools Consortium is a network of many partnerships. PDS partners include elementary schools where the school and Buffalo State College personnel work in concert to facilitate high levels of learning by all students. These schools host sections of Introduction to Elementary Education (EDF/EDU 201 Introduction to Elementary Education), Introduction to Literacy (EDU 211- Introduction to Literacy ), ELA Methods (EDU 311), Math and Science Methods (EDU 312), Early Childhood Methods (EDU 329), ELA Graduate Methods (EDU 511), Graduate Math, Science, and Social Studies Methods (EDU 682) and student teaching cohorts. In addition, one school hosts a summer Literacy Clinic (EDU 647) that is open to struggling readers and writers from our partner schools.
PDS Partners also include colleges which are jointly registered with Buffalo State College. As such, NCCC is an active member in the Consortium. The Consortium also teams with several organizations both within Buffalo State and across Western New York that promote excellence in education; the Center for Excellence in Urban and Rural Education (CEURE), Project Flight, and the Western New York Holmes Partnership.
PDSs are often compared to teaching hospitals, which are also hybrid institutions. As practicing professions, both teaching and medicine require a sound academic program and intense clinical preparation. The teaching hospital was designed to provide such clinical preparation for medical students and interns; PDSs serve the same function for teacher candidates and in-service faculty. Both settings provide support for professional learning in a real-world setting in which practice takes place.
PDS Director
