A Panel of Experts Discusses the High School Experience
Held on November 9, 2006

On November 9, 2006 candidates in the Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program for Middle and High School teachers attended a student panel discussion, Becoming an Effective Teacher: The Student Perspective. This annual event is a highlight of the fall semester for both faculty and students. The panelists  are students from some of the high schools which partner with Tufts Department of Education in preparing new teachers. This year, panelists included students from Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, Fenway High School and Codman Academy in Boston. The high school students eagerly shared their ideas about the high school experience. They discussed what good teaching looks like, and how they learn best, and the transition from middle to high school. They also discussed the importance of establishing good relationships with students and families. Tufts MAT candidates learned a great deal from their candid comments and thoughtful insights.

In the Tufts MAT program, we encourage future teachers to listen carefully to the voices of their students. The advice and perspectives that our future teachers hear from students in our partner schools are an invaluable part of their professional preparation. In their academic course work, students read important research and inspiring texts that tell them a great deal about becoming a good teacher. But high school students can often bring an "expert" perspective on what makes a "good teacher" that brings the academic texts to life. This year's panel described the different ways that teachers have encouraged them to study in order to achieve their dreams. As one young woman explained, "I owe a great deal to my teachers; they would not give up on me! They have helped me see that I have a great future ahead of me."