School of Education Partners with University of Warsaw to Develop Teacher College Program
Dean Terry Mason recently traveled to Poland to discuss education challenges faced by American and Polish teachers
Dean Terry Mason recently traveled to Poland to discuss education challenges faced by American and Polish teachers. The visit was hosted by the Polish-American Freedom Foundation and the University of Warsaw, in partnership with the Foundation for Quality Education and the Center for Citizenship Education.
“Educators face the same challenges whether they’re teaching in Bloomington or Warsaw,” Mason said. “Global partnerships remain a key focus of the School of Education. Through these meetings, we can continue to come together to share our experiences and learn from one another.”
Discussions centered on the challenges that Polish and American teachers face and how we can work together to improve the status of the teaching profession and the quality of our teaching force. Mason shared the organizational and operational structure within the School of Education and spoke about educational research, evaluation, and the educational process. It was a chance to find common ground for faculty from IU and the University of Warsaw.
“Our colleagues in Poland are very enthusiastic about partnering with the IU School of Education, particularly in areas such as school reform, integrating theory and practice in teacher education, research methodology, and program evaluation," Mason said. "At the same time, we can learn from their excellent program aimed at educating students about the current global refugee crisis. I am very excited about the potential for collaboration here.”
The trip comes on the heels of IU President Michael McRobbie’s recent visit to Poland, where an IU delegation celebrated the 40-year anniversary of IU’s relationship with the University of Warsaw.
The School of Education plans more activities to celebrate its international partnerships for International Education Week November 14-18.
