Beginning with the Group: Collaboration as the Cornerstone of Graduate Teacher Education

The paper describes the philosophy and structure of an M.Ed. Field-Based Masters Program. The program is designed around intact cohort groups of experienced teachers who meet once a week for four hours over a 22-month period. The curriculum is integrated, and it includes a teacher action research project extending throughout the two-year program. Because of the program's design, both faculty and teachers enrolled must work collaboratively to plan, implement, and evaluate curriculum. The paper describes how group process and collaboration are integral parts of both the teachers' learning experiences and the ongoing professional development of faculty who teach in the program. It concludes with a discussion of the challenges the program faces and how it is continuing to evolve to meet the needs of the teachers who seek masters degrees at this university.