Professional development resources for high school dual enrollment teachers

Ford, DanielleDual enrollment courses allow students to earn college credit while they are still enrolled in high school. This arrangement is proving popular with schools, students, and parents, as once the students get into college, they tend to earn a higher first-year grade-point average and show a higher completion rate than do students who have not participated in dual enrollment. This education leadership portfolio (ELP) represents an evaluation of the methods by which Delaware Technical Community College prepares high school teachers to teach these courses. ☐ Embedded in the Delaware Tech approach to preparing high school teachers is a mentoring program, in which the high school teachers are assigned a mentor who is a full-time instructor at Delaware Tech. The research to support this ELP came from interviews with dual enrollment teachers in the Energy Pathways Program at Delaware Tech. At the outset of AY2016-17, I asked all dual enrollment teachers to complete a survey on their training and their relationship with their mentor. I also conducted document analysis on current Delaware Tech policies regarding dual enrollment and mentorship. My examination focused on how relationships are built between the mentor and dual enrollment teacher and how to continue that relationship through a professional learning community. ☐ My improvement goal was to strengthen resources available to mentors in the future and ensure consistency in training of dual enrollment teachers. Recommendations are posted on a website for all mentors to use. Resources created include a syllabus of topics to cover during training with dual enrollment teachers. Syllabus includes topics to go over with teacher that tend to be challenges, such as the gradebook function in the course management software. Additionally, the resources page also include some recommended reading for mentors to understand more about the mentor-mentee relationship.University of Delaware, School of EducationD.Ed