U of Montana Scores A+ Grade in Elementary Teacher Preparation

Few professions deserve more respect than teaching your youngsters. And when the college grads are Griz, their diploma packs a powerful punch.

NATIONAL COUNCIL ON TEACHER QUALITY GIVES UM AN A+

UM News Service tells us that the University of Montana recently earned an A+ grade for its undergraduate and graduate elementary teacher preparation programs for excellence in preparing future classroom leaders to teach reading.

The recognition for UM’s Phyllis J. Washington College of Education comes from the National Council of Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a nonpartisan education policy organization.

WHY THE ACHIEVEMENT COMES AT A CRITICAL TIME

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, 4 in 10 Montana fourth graders cannot read at a basic level. Research consistently shows that effective classroom instruction, delivered by well-prepared teachers, is one of the strongest predictors of early reading success.

NCTQ President Heather Peske said UM is leading a national shift toward stronger teacher preparation.

President Peske was quoted in the UM News release as saying, “Across the country, many teacher preparation programs still do not fully align with the science of reading, but the University of Montana is demonstrating what strong preparation can look like.”

PART OF THE UM PLAN

UM elementary teacher preparation programs are intentionally designed to ensure future teachers build a strong foundation in evidence-based literacy instruction before leading their own classrooms. Through coursework and extensive clinical experiences, teacher candidates learn how children develop reading skills, how to assess literacy growth and how to provide effective instruction for students with diverse learning needs.

They are not in it to get rich. It's a passion and a calling heard loudly by those with a University of Montana elementary education degree.

As part of your back-to-school preparations this year, please make sure you include thanking a teacher for their positive influence on your kids.