At University Prep School, teachers are students, too
By Daniel Wolowicz camarillo@theacorn.com

LOVES HER JOB-Ashley Clausen, a student teacher at University Preparatory School in Camarillo, says she enjoys watching students like Aaron Lindros, 6, of Oxnard learn and grow. Clausen is earning her teaching credential at California State University at Channel Islands. "At Cal State Channel Islands, I was able to come back home," Clausen says. "I was able to work with a good school district."

Ashley Clausen knows the best way to learn something is to do it.

That's why the 22-year-old from Camarillo hopes her time as a student teacher in a kindergar- ten/first-grade class will help her not only become a better educa- tor, but land a coveted teaching job in the Pleasant Valley School Dis- trict.

Clausen is one of about 30 stu- dents earning teaching credentials this year at California State Uni- versity at Channel Islands. As part of the credentialing program, the class of aspiring educators works hands-on with students at Univer- sity Preparation School at CSUCI in Camarillo.

Established in 2002, the char- ter school was started by a hand- ful of university professors to give student teachers such as Clausen an opportunity to work in the class- room and to offer a curriculum that varies from the district's other schools.

Due in large part to this charter school-university education pro- gram partnership, more hometown teachers are filling jobs through- out Ventura County's 21 public school districts.

Of the 75 students who gradu- ated from the credential program last year about 56 took teaching jobs in the county, according to the university.

Throughout the county-as around the state--demand for teachers is particularly high for special education and middle and high school positions, said Joan Karp, chair of education programs at the university.

The depart- ment, which she helped build from the ground up since starting there in 2001, now of- fers three teaching credential pro- grams. The mul- tiple subject program for elemen- tary school teachers began in 2002. A year later, the university added special education and single-sub- ject programs.

Twenty students just graduated from the school administration master's degree program, which started in 2003. They are expected to help fill a need for qualified principals.

Among the four programs, Karp said a total of about 350 part- and full-time students are enrolled.

Before the programs were available, the county's aspiring teachers and school administrators typically took courses either at California State University at Northridge or California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks.

Though the schools offer qual- ity programs, area students attend- ing CSUN classes often had to commute into the San Fernando Valley, and those at CLU were faced with higher tuition costs.

"At Cal State Channel Islands, I was able to come back home," Clausen said. "I was able to work with a good school district."

Clausen, who earned a bachelor's degree from California State University at San Diego, said she likes being here, in the city where she was born and raised.

She observes about 20 students in the charter school's dual immer- sion program, which helps both English- and Spanish-speaking youngsters become fluent in both languages. It's the only school in the Pleasant Valley School District offering such a program.

Because most of the county's school districts are situated in af- fluent, low crime rate areas that make education funding a priority, they draw a high number of appli- cants for teaching positions. That makes finding a teaching job in Ventura County highly competitive and, to be consid- ered, candidates need as much expe- rience as possible.

Clausen be- lieves the time she's spent in the classroom will set her apart from other candidates.

"It'll help immensely," Clausen said of her experience. "The best way to learn it is to do it."

For Linda Ngarupe, University Preparation School's principal, the steady flow of fresh student teach- ers allows her teaching staff to ac- complish more in the classroom.

"They're more than just an ex- tra hand," Ngarupe said of the 300 student teachers who have passed through the door since the charter school opened. She said student teachers reduce the teacher-student ratio, making it easier to offer more personalized attention.

Time in the classroom, Ngarupe said, helps prepare aspir- ing teachers for their first year as professionals, out of the credentialing program.

"Because they're worked so hard here, when they get into their first year of their own classroom, they're much more prepared," Ngarupe said.

Student teachers, excited to be- gin their teaching careers, also bring an element of youthful en- thusiasm to the classroom, she said, and "It just keeps all of us motivated."

The charter school, which has about 600 students, started middle school classes this year. The char- ter school's 120 sixth and seventh graders share space at the neigh- boring Los Altos Middle School campus.

Next year, Ngarupe said the middle school will add an eighth grade and will eventually have about 200 students enrolled.

Los Altos, due to declining en- rollment, had to cut its sixth-grade program this year.

Ngarupe said that even though the school pulls about 60 percent of its students from Camarillo, that's not the reason Los Altos is losing students. The charter school, she said, attracts students who are interested in a different type of education, beyond what's offered in traditional neighborhood schools.

There is space available for the charter school on the university's campus, but Ngarupe said her school is so far from raising the $15 million to $20 million needed to build a new facility that "it's not even worth mentioning."

Ngarupe said the charter school continues to fill a niche for fami- lies in Camarillo as well as the university's student teachers.

"For a new teacher to work with teachers who are always striving to improve the field of education, it's . . .an opportunity that's really go- ing to help them in the . . .class- room," she said.

Clausen said she believes the experience she's gained will some- day help her teach a kindergarten class of her own.

And with the help of the university's credentialing pro- gram, she hopes that job will be in Camarillo.

"I was born and raised here," Clausen said. "I love the school district here, and I hope to grow old in this city and raise my own family so that they can have the same experience I did."