Pre-Service Teacher Education in Armenia (PSE)

Pre-Service Curriculum Development: The PSE program created a local pool of education specialists who examined U.S. pre-service teacher training curricula. In collaboration with U.S. education experts, PSE participants developed new curricula suited to the Armenian system, culture, and reality for teacher-training institutions. The PSE approach fostered ownership of the reforms among Armenian practitioners, empowering them to effect further change.

Pre-Service Teacher Training: A local teacher-trainer corps provided trainings to faculty in pedagogical universities and experienced clinical faculty in primary and secondary schools to use educational techniques and methodology that foster critical thinking and intellectual curiosity in pre-service teachers. Through its focus on training faculty and pre-service teachers the program developed a new generation of teachers that took student-centered methodology to primary and secondary schools, thus increasing the program’s impact throughout Armenia.

Improving Student Teaching Practices in Primary and Secondary Schools: Select primary and secondary schools served as clinical schools where pre-service teachers from pedagogical institutions observed and worked collaboratively with experienced faculty, developing lesson plans and teachers’ portfolios. The pre-service teachers built their experience in using PSE student-centered methodology by actively aiding the faculty in the classroom, co-teaching and finally teaching on their own.