Our Offerings

By training teacher educators and mentor/cooperating teachers on how to use the CRTWC Anchor Competencies Framework, we support the development of early career teachers’ social, emotional, and cultural competencies and equip them with a common vocabulary and way of seeing in the classroom. As such, teachers are better able to support their students’ social, emotional, and academic development,as well as their wellbeing. Even more, teachers are better positioned to grow and thrive in the profession. The Anchor Competencies Framework and professional development opportunities educate teachers to actively promote equity in the classroom by developing their capacities to use a social, emotional, and cultural “lens.” Much like putting on a pair of glasses helps someone see the writing on this page or the bird flying in the distance, using this lens moves teachers to see things, ask questions, and gather data that would be blurry or even invisible without the lens, but which are essential in helping children succeed. The Anchor Competencies Framework is a viable and sustainable response for addressing the issues related to the work of SEL in schools, as it is not asking teachers or teacher educators to do more. Rather, it is helping teachers to work differently, to view students from a perspective that encourages and develops their social and emotional growth in support of academic success.

Get Familiar with the CRTWC Anchor Competencies Framework

To begin learning about the CRTWC Anchor Competencies Framework, you can Download our Framework Here or Participate in a Book Club with Dr. Markowitz about her recent book, “Teaching with a Social, Emotional and Cultural Lens: A Framework for Educators and Teacher Educators” (Markowitz & Bouffard, 2020). In 2 online sessions, you and other educators will have the chance to dive more deeply into the text, gaining a greater understanding of the Framework and beginning to learn how to bring this work into your teacher preparation programs, districts, and/or schools. Additionally, the Book Club offers an accessible format for asking questions and discussing potential barriers and pitfalls with this work.

Integrate the CRTWC Anchor Competencies Framework into Your Teacher Preparation Efforts

Participate in a Teacher Educator Institute (TEI)

For a deeper dive into the CRTWC Anchor Competencies Framework, we have developed a yearlong Teacher Educator Institute (TEI). The purpose of the TEI is to bring about systemic change in the way we prepare and equip teachers for the emotionally, mentally, and physically taxing work of teaching. We provide university and college teacher educators with an extensive exploration of CRTWC’s Anchor Competencies Framework and offer strategies for embedding SEL and culturally responsive/sustaining practices throughout their standard teacher credentialing curriculum.

Participation in the Teacher Educator Institute (TEI) involves learning about, observing, modeling, and practicing the implementation of the Framework with role-plays, case studies, and experiences using our observation protocol to identify the social, emotional, and cultural lens in action. The TEI also provides a professional learning community (PLC) and space for teacher educators, mentor and cooperating teachers, and teachers to reflect on their own knowledge, skills, SEC, and culturally responsive and sustaining practices.

The yearlong TEI typically involves a two day in-person kick-off retreat experience followed by a series of 1 ½ hour monthly Zoom sessions. At the end of the TEI, participants come back together in-person for a capstone retreat to share plans of action for implementing the Framework in their respective programs. Throughout the TEI, participants are provided with resources such as our comprehensive Resource Guide, Observation Protocol, and Slide Decks.

Engage in a cooperating/mentor teacher professional development experience

We work with the teachers who host teacher candidates during their fieldwork, providing professional development in the use of the CRTWC Anchor Competencies Framework. This professional development meets two needs: 1) it enables greater consistency between what is taught in the university teacher preparation program and what candidates encounter in their fieldwork; and 2) it provides the participating district(s) with a cadre of teacher leaders trained in the use of the Framework who can then provide training to classroom teachers in their districts.

Immerse in the Framework and integrate it within your individual teacher preparation program

Closely collaborate with us to support the teachers you work with and develop their social, emotional, and cultural competencies. Our Consultation Services support teacher educators in integrating the CRTWC Anchor Competencies Framework into their existing teacher preparation programs, coaching protocols, district procedures or other forums. This includes working with program, school, and/or district leadership to identify specific ways in which the Framework can be woven through courses, field experiences, mentoring, etc. Our approach to consulting involves a collaborative partnership in which CRTWC seeks to listen to and identify specific contextual needs, thereby offering support that aligns with these needs. We can also provide data gathering protocols and other support to empower program faculty to research their efforts.

Integrate the CRTWC Anchor Competencies Framework at the State Policy Level

We also work with state-level teacher credentialing commissions to integrate the Anchor Competencies Framework into the standards for SEL and culturally responsive/sustaining practices in teacher preparation. Most recently, we have collaborated with both Oregon and Washington state to integrate our Anchor Competencies Framework into their state standards. Additionally, we are beginning to work with state accreditation agencies to train accreditation teams on the CRTWC Anchor Competencies Framework. In so doing, we are equipping state accreditation teams with the knowledge to go into teacher preparation programs and identify social, emotional, and cultural competencies in action. This will help to ensure that state standards for social, emotional, and cultural competencies in teacher preparation programs are being implemented and upheld.

To connect with us about these different offerings and/or to find a way for CRTWC to support initiatives around teacher and student SEL and culturally responsive/sustaining practices, please reach out to: Rebecca Baelen at [email protected]