PDS at ESU

Welcome to PDS CONNECTED!

“PDS: Where Everyone is a Learner”, is the theme of ESU's Elementary Education's collaborative work among Elementary Education, Special Education, the Reading Department and our PDS partners in Bethlehem, Delaware Valley, East Stroudsburg, Nazareth, Pleasant Valley, Pocono Mountain, and Stroudsburg school districts. Since 1999, the Elementary Education program has incorporated Professional Development School relationships that have resulted in extensive fieldwork, PDS knowledge-base, recognized achievements, and student success at ESU and our partner schools.

Our Professional Development Schools provide the inspiration and direction for our collaboration, which links theory and research to best practices in both teaching and learning. These dynamic relationships provide a framework for our clinical practices, inquiry, curriculum projects, professional development, and service learning.

The four functions of Professional Development Schools at ESU involve:

1. The development of ESU Beginning Educators who are certified in Elementary Education (old program, completed by Fall 2012) and in our Pre K-4 Early Childhood certification (new program, begun Fall 2009).
2. Professional development with all PDS stakeholders thinking together about student learning, teaching and best practice.
3. An inquiry stance as we become “students of teaching”, examining our practice and developing our ability to become intentional, reflective, and deliberate decision makers and crafting a shared knowledge base.
4. Student success! We have a collaborative stake in sustaining high quality education and ensuring a positive impact on the achievement of all Pre K-6 grade students in our PDS sites.

The four functions afford diverse opportunities for learning at every level and demonstrates ESU and the College of Education commitment to teaching, service, and scholarship in collaboration with local school districts in Pennsylvania.

We invite you to interact and engage in the PDS dialogue as we seek to improve teaching and learning from Pre K through college. Stay PDS CONNECTED!