Partnerships

Below is a list of the Massachusetts public school districts, charter schools or collaboratives identified as partner organizations along with a description of the partnerships. All information is reported by the educator preparation program provider.

Partnership Description:
All students pursuing teacher licensure at the elementary level have two semester-long placements. Typically, one semester will be at a local public elementary school that provides our students with the opportunity to work with a range of learners including those who are traditionally underserved. One benefit of Smith's location is that students can elect to conduct a practicum in an urban, suburban or rural setting. Students also have the opportunity to work at the Smith College Campus School during their other semester.

In addition, the department provides students with the opportunity to participate in our Smith College Urban Education Initiative. This innovative service-learning program provides students with opportunities to work in an out-of-school program that serves 100% disadvantaged students as well as participate in an interterm January program at an urban school in New York City, Chicago, Boston, and Springfield, MA. This includes a 120 hour supervised pre-practicum.

Urban Education Fellows, Smith undergraduates who are not necessarily planning careers in education, spend three weeks in January at one of the partner schools providing one-on-one tutoring, assisting in classrooms and helping students who are applying to college. The goal of this program is to encourage Smith students to become leaders in this important field by enhancing their understanding of the theoretical, practical and human issues facing urban youth and city schools.

Urban Education Fellows work under the guidance of faculty and the educational outreach office staff, and attend fall semester orientation sessions and weekly discussion sessions throughout January. Smith students have the option of earning credit through conducting follow-up special studies projects in spring semester.

If you have questions about the Urban Education Initiative Program, please contact the director, Kayleigh Colombero, at kcolombero@smith.edu.

Project Coach is another Smith program, which partners Smith students with urban youth. Its mission is to bridge economic, educational and social divisions facing Springfield's youth by empowering and employing teenagers to become sport coaches and academic mentors to elementary school students. We work on some of the most formidable problems facing children in Springfield and provide educational support to teenagers, many of whom attend high schools that struggle with high dropout rates and low academic achievement scores; paid employment and job training for teenagers at a time when few job opportunities exist for young people to work; literacy and academic enrichment programming for elementary school children to develop academic skills and increase motivation, at a time when more than 70% of fourth graders in the city scored below proficiency on their English MCAS and sport programming, wellness education and fitness activities at a time when many of the city's children have been identified as at risk for future health problems because of rising child obesity rates.

Smith students also participate in our partnerships with the Springfield Museums, Enchanted Circle Theater of Holyoke, and many other non-profit organizations in the Pioneer Valley.

The Pistoia, Italy, Early Childhood Education Internship is available for students enrolled in Smith's junior year abroad program in Florence, Italy.

Qualified students with a background in education or child psychology and experience working with young children may apply to participate in a yearlong internship in the world renowned, innovative Pistoia Early Childhood Centers, earning academic credit in the accompanying practicum course. The internship course is graded and requires a presentation and a major research paper. It is a competitive internship; a student must submit an application and be interviewed by faculty during the spring semester preceding the junior year abroad.