NAfET & Teachers College

The Academy is located at New York City’s prestigious Teachers College. Long a standard-bearer in educational innovation, Teachers College is also a proven center for implementation in practice. Its many programs have demonstrably improved the quality of education in this country.

Drawing on the research of Teachers College, as well as studies by the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and the U.S. Department of Education, the Academy reflects what researchers and educators have identified as the elements of effective professional development. These experts agree that effective professional development must be:

• Data driven
• Focused on student achievement
• Ongoing and sustainable
• Multi-level
• Integrated with the observation of best practices
• Organized around time for reflection on practice and the needs of students
• Based on coaching
• Collaborative
• Integrated into the daily work of teachers; and
• Rigorously evaluated