• Background
• How the Program Works
• Areas of Endorsement
• Interns at UVTI
• Certification of Graduates
• Program Competencies

The Upper Valley Teacher Institute is a fully accredited teacher preparation and certification program, based in classrooms and designed for adult college graduates who have usually had other careers before deciding to become teachers.

UVTI differs from university postgraduate programs in education. Since teaching is an art best learned through practice, UVTI reverses the percentage of time traditionally allotted to academic theory and classroom practice. Each participant works full time as an intern in a classroom under the supervision of a mentor teacher. This year-long practicum focuses on the mastery of 20 teaching competencies, all of which must be demonstrated by the intern in order to graduate from the program. The practical experience is reinforced by weekly seminars and support from supervisors. By the end of the ten-month training period, graduates have studied the topics normally covered in conventional academic programs, and they also have a full year of teaching experience.

Background

UVTI's program was developed nearly 40 years ago to meet local needs for well-qualified professionals. More than 500 men and women have graduated from the program, and at least 200 are now working in schools in Vermont and New Hampshire. Others are teaching in different parts of the country.

The organization began by recruiting talented, well-educated adults from other professions and giving them the educational theory and experience needed to prepare them for careers in teaching. Today, education schools across the country are beginning to recognize that teacher preparation programs should emphasize practical, in-the-classroom training. This approach, along with intensive supervision and support, has long been the hallmark of the Upper Valley Teacher Institute. As the baby boom generation of teachers retire, the need for teachers will again become acute. UVTI is attracting more interest than ever from schools that are looking for mature, dedicated, and well-prepared teachers.

An independent, nonprofit organization, UVTI is governed by a Board of Directors and has a small, highly-accomplished staff.

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How the Program Works

Interns begin at UVTI with an orientation in August and continue through the middle of June. During the 36-week program, they are in the classroom four days out of five, working in schools in both Vermont and New Hampshire. Every week they attend workshops and seminars in Lebanon, N.H., and they are also released from the classroom for several curriculum study days.

In the classroom, their responsibilities are increased gradually and deliberately. They instruct classes, work with small groups of students, handle crises, and otherwise function as real teachers. They are expected to report to school early, attend staff meetings and parent conferences, grade papers, and prepare materials at home. There are times during the year when the pressures of the program are so great that interns may wonder whether teaching is the profession for them. This pressure is neither accidental nor contrived. Pressure in teaching is a reality with which interns must learn to cope with resilience and humor.

The mentor teachers in whose classes interns work are chosen from among the best professionals in the region. Interns are observed and supported by supervisors on the UVTI staff who are also highly experienced educators. The purpose of the seminars and the aim of the mentor teachers are the same: to help interns develop and prove their competence as classroom teachers. Demonstrating each of 20 teaching competencies is by far the most important requirement for successful completion of the program.

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Endorsement Areas

UVTI offers certification in the following areas:

Art	Biology
Elementary Education	Chemistry
English	Earth Science
French	General Science
German	Physical Science
Spanish	Physics
Mathematics	Social Studies
Middle School Mathematics

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Interns at UVTI

Each year approximately 40 people are accepted into the Upper Valley Teacher Institute. All have bachelor's degrees, and many have earned advanced degrees. One recent class included a mechanical engineer, the founder of a software company, a sales manager, an attorney, an artist, a social worker, and a medical research assistant. Ten of the interns had advanced degrees. For a profile of the current class, see Class of 2008.

What UVTI interns have in common is a determination to become teachers and a desire for the most rigorous, practical training. Before admission, they have lengthy interviews with the program directors. They discuss their reasons for leaving current jobs, their expectations about teaching, and interests that they can share with students. An important part of the admission process is selecting a compatible mentor teacher for each intern.

During the ten-month program, interns spend long hours working in school, planning classes and marking papers after school, writing papers, and studying for seminars. They receive no compensation for work in the schools, and they must pay tuition to UVTI.

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Certification of UVTI Graduates

The Upper Valley Teacher Institute is a nonprofit corporation, independent of any other educational institution. The program is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) -- the same organization that accredits colleges and universities. UVTI is also fully approved by the State of New Hampshire, and UVTI graduates routinely earn New Hampshire certification. NEASC facilitates reciprocal certification in most other states.

State certification requirements, however, are not uniform, and they are constantly changing. Special courses, varying test scores, or additional qualifications may be demanded by some states. Applicants should discuss their certification needs with the UVTI staff and check with the department of education in their targeted states.

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The Program Competencies

UVTI is a competency-based program. Interns will be recommended for certification upon demonstrating competence in the areas listed below.

A. Classroom Climate and Management

1. Identifies, communicates, models, and upholds appropriate behavior.

2. Develops open communication, mutual respect, and rapport with and among students.

3. Uses proactive and preventive measures to maintain a positive and safe learning environment.

4. Chooses strategies that help students grow in self-discipline, self-motivation, and the ability to make sound personal and ethical judgments.

5. Understands individual differences and the cultural and learning diversity of students.

B. Instruction

Assessment

6. Uses formal and informal assessment strategies to make on-going instructional decisions and to inform future instruction.

7. Establishes and uses pre- and post-assessments that measure levels of achievement and that encourage student self-evaluation.

8. Provides meaningful and timely feedback to students.

Planning

9. Draws from knowledge of content when planning and implementing instruction.

10. Draws from knowledge of child/adolescent development when planning and implementing instruction.

11. Identifies goals, objectives, and standards to guide planning.

12. Identifies and uses a variety of teaching methods, materials, techniques, and technologies to meet the learning needs of all students.

13. Gives clear directions and presents material in a logical and developmentally appropriate manner.

14. Promotes student reflection and critical thinking through effective questioning and group discussion.

15. Facilitates individual and group projects.

C. Professionalism

16. Has effective interpersonal, oral, written, and non-verbal communication skills.

17. Has effective organizational and time management skills.

18. Understands and appropriately uses professional ethics and the legal rights and responsibilities of educators.

19. Uses a variety of resources to develop a practice of reflection for growth as a teacher and future educational leader.

20. Becomes involved in the life of the school.