Collaborative Internship Programs

Lesley University School of Education is affiliated with six independent schools and three public schools in Massachusetts to provide students with an opportunity to connect theory with practice in a 14-month, field-based Master's degree program leading to initial licensure in: early childhood education; elementary education; middle school education; severe disabilities (all levels); and moderate disabilities (PreK-8 and 5-12). To view or download a brochure about the programs [PDF], click here.

Features of the Programs

• Active participation in all aspects of school and classroom life--working with students, developing curriculum, participating in parent-teacher conferences, and joining many other school activities
• An intensive format that allows participants to complete the program in approximately 14 months (full time), beginning in the summer and ending at the end of the following summer
• Courses and seminars held at the school site as well as at the Lesley University campus in Cambridge
• Comprehensive teacher training that prepares students for the current and future challenges of public and private classrooms

Program Requirements

Students who wish to pursue a Collaborative Internship Program must hold a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Middle School subject-specific applicants must have an undergraduate degree or equivalent in the chosen field or have passed the subject test of Massachusetts Tests for Education Licensure (MTEL). Students currently in undergraduate school may apply to the program, but must have obtained their Bachelor's degree by the time they begin the program.

Application Process

When applying, students must first apply to the independent school program of their choice. Upon acceptance, the student's application materials are forwarded to Lesley University, to be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Once a student has been accepted by both institutions, a formal letter of admittance is issued. For further information regarding applying to Lesley University, please contact the Office of Admissions for Graduate and Adult Baccalaureate Programs at (617) 349-8300.

Participating Schools
(public schools are noted; all others are independent schools)

Belmont Day School, Belmont, MA
Contact: Lauren Goldberg
617.484.3078; lgoldberg@belmontday.org
Early Childhood, Elementary Education

Brookline Public Schools, Brookline, MA
Contact: Barbara Govendo
617.730.2451; bgovendo@lesley.edu
Moderate Disabilities PreK-8

Brookwood School, Manchester, MA
Contact: Robert Kay
978.526.4500; bkay@brookwood.edu
Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School--All Specializations

Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, Cambridge, MA
Contact: Beverly Malone
617.800.2466; beverly_malone@bbns.org
Early Childhood, Elementary

The Carroll School, Lincoln, MA
Contact: Angela Wilkins, Beverly Malone
617.800.2466; awilkins@carrollschool.org
Moderate Disabilities, PreK-8 and 5-12

The Hillside (Public) School, Needham, MA
Contact: Michael Kascak
781.455.0461, ext. 223; michael_kascak@needham.k12.ma.us
Elementary Education

Newton Public Schools, Newton, MA
Contact: Elizabeth Stringer Keefe
617.349.8206, estringe@lesley.edu
Severe Special Needs

The Pike School, Andover, MA
Contact: Margaret Szegvari
978.475.1197; mszegvari@pikeschool.org
Elementary Education

Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA
Contact: Desiree Ivey, Hannah Jones
617.868.1260, ext. 232 Desiree_Ivey@shs.org or Hannah_Jones@shs.org
Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School

Early Childhood Education: Master of Education Leading to Initial Licensure in Teacher of Students With and Without Disabilities (PreK-2)

Designed for students who wish to become teachers of children in grades PreK-2, the Early Childhood program has long been one of the School of Education's highly regarded centers of excellence. The program:

• is designed to prepare outstanding and nurturing professionals who have a sound understanding of children's development;
• consists of courses that lead to an initial license in early childhood education with an emphasis on inclusion of all children, with and without disabilities;
• prepares teachers who can translate their knowledge into effective classroom practices.

Elementary Education: Master of Education Leading to Initial Licensure in Elementary (1-6)

The Elementary Education program is one of the largest teacher preparation programs at Lesley University. It is designed for graduate students with undergraduate degrees in the liberal arts and sciences who wish to become teachers of children in grades 1-6. The program:

• is designed to help teachers develop the professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions they will need in order to respond effectively to children in elementary schools today and beyond;
• incorporates Lesley's commitment to inclusive classrooms;
• prepares teachers who can effectively integrate theory and practice.

Middle School Education: Master of Education Leading to Initial Licensure in: English, General Science, History, Humanities, Math, or Math/Science (5-8)

Lesley's Middle School program is built upon the belief that teachers who work with early adolescents should have a distinct professional preparation program that focuses exclusively on the needs of this age group. The program is designed for students who have completed a college or university's requirements for a major in their chosen content area, or have successfully passed the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) in their chosen content area. The program:

• incorporates innovative approaches to middle school structure and curriculum that are part of middle school education and standards movements;
• emphasizes the importance of creating appropriate school environments, curricula, and classroom teaching strategies that best support the intellectual, emotional, and social growth of early adolescents.

Moderate Disabilities: Master of Education Leading to Initial Teacher License in Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities (PreK-8, 5-12)

Coursework for the Moderate Disabilities program, which may be pursued at either the PreK-8 or 5-12 level, seeks to educate reflective practitioners who develop age-appropriate strategies for educating students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. The program:

• features courses that focus on current issues in special education, including special education law, nondiscriminatory assessment, access to the academic curriculum for all students, issues of cultural and linguistic diversity, new technologies, and collaboration with families and service providers.

Severe Disabilities: Master of Education leading to Initial Teacher License in Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities (All Levels)

Coursework for this program is designed to prepare professionals in the field of developmental disabilities. The program

• emphasizes functional curriculum, applied academics, vocational strategies, and school and community inclusion.
• threads themes of diversity, community and family collaboration, technology, and multiculturalism.

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"Having the opportunity to gain hands-on experience teaching in a classroom setting is an invaluable component to the Lesley University Collaborative programs." - Amy Perkins, Intern, Brookwood School

"Although it is an intensive fifteen months, students profit greatly from the coursework and the daily, supervised experiences with children. I often tell prospective students that, if I were beginning my own teaching career all over again, this is the type of program I would choose." - Dr. Susan Gurry, Associate Professor, Lesley University

"As schools of education are pressured to re-tool themselves, and as policy makers set up accelerated programs that churn out new teachers in a matter of weeks, Shady Hill represents something of a third way of thinking about teacher preparation... experience in the classroom here isn't just part of the training, it's the core." Jeffrey Archer, Education Week, February 27, 2002