What is the Professional Development System?

PDS is a system of relationships among the Watson School of Education and over 100 public schools and one charter school. PDS improves the quality of teacher and administrator preparation and performance through rigorous entry and program standards and an array of application experiences, including site-based seminars, a coaching and supervision model that involves pairing interns with trained partnership teachers and principals, and classroom and school- level research.

The Watson School of Education Professional Development System partnership serves a ten county region in southeastern North Carolina. The partnership is extensive in that it collaborates with districts in placing student interns, providing critical professional development, developing research, designing grants and initiatives, helping redesign our teacher education programs, building quality teaching capacity, valuing reciprocity, engaging in reflective practice and building a community of learners. The map below pictures the districts in our WSE Professional Development Systems.

View the PDS Regional Map >


Diane Calhoun reads to a class at Tarawa Terrace II in Camp Lejeune.