Bard, A Place to Think - Master of Arts in Teaching

Mission

Public School Partnerships

Bard College and the MAT Program have modified the concept to support change in the public schools by improving teaching and learning relative to public secondary school students, student teachers, and educators at the public schools as well as at Bard College.

The MAT Program is ideally situated to further three interdependent goals:

  • Preparing teachers
    The apprenticeships that MAT students serve in the partner schools exceed what is demanded by more conventional programs. MAT students not only participate as active interns by teaching classes but also conduct original research in collaboration with public school faculty.
  • Improving secondary and postsecondary education
    Public school teachers and MAT faculty alike gain valuable insights into central issues of teaching and learning. The challenges faced by public schools provoke particularly useful reconsiderations of how to teach at the college level across curricula and disciplines.
  • Supporting the revision of public school programs
    The faculty of the MAT Program, Bard College, and the Institute for Writing and Thinking are committed to supporting the initiatives of participating public school teachers and their schools. The MAT Program encourages public school teachers to engage in the reflection that is necessary for them to become better educators and, therefore, leaders in the improvement of education and schools.

Bard College and the MAT Program have confirmed partnerships with several public school districts -

Hudson Valley (rural):

New York City (urban): Bard High School Early College I, New York, NY