Project MOVEMOS: A University—Public School Collaboration

Abstract This paper describes an innovative preservice teacher education program called MOVEMOS. In Spanish, movemos means “we move.” As the title of our program, MOVEMOS stands for MOVing Elementary Methods On-Site. Project MOVEMOS represents two semesters of course work prior to a final semester of student teaching. MOVEMOS is housed at an urban elementary school. The undergraduate teacher candidates (henceforth, the interns) enrolled in Project MOVEMOS work for four mornings (Monday-Thursday, 8–11 a.m.) of the week in assigned classrooms (first through fifth grades) assisting the teacher, observing students, and teaching groups of students. One day a week the interns participate in a 2 1/2-hour teaching seminar conducted by two teacher education professors. One of the teacher education professors is on-site each of the four mornings serving as a supervisor for the interns. The program is in its 8th year and has worked with 114 elementary teacher education candidates.