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teacher implementing ststion rotation model

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Is there a teacher shortage at your school?

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Strengthen teacher recruitment by helping district employees earn certification through the PDC program.

What is the PDC?

The Professional Development Center (PDC) was established in 1993 by the School of Education at USD to promote a culture of professional learning in PK-12 schools. The PDC collaborates with school districts to develop innovative teacher education models and provide professional development opportunities. The program addresses the growing need for PK-12 teacher recruitment by supporting individuals with bachelor's degrees to become certified teachers through one of USD's MA+ initial certification programs.

Who is the PDC for?

The PDC program is designed for individuals who hold an undergraduate degree, are employed by a participating K-12 PDC partner district, have been recommended by their partner district and have been accepted into USD's graduate school.

How to Apply

Districts interested in developing a PDC partnership should contact USD to discuss their professional development needs and program interests. For more information, please email Robin Wiebers.

Enrolling in the PDC program opens doors to new opportunities for both educators and school districts, creating a mutually beneficial path for professional growth and institutional success.

Teachers in the PDC program gain access to a streamlined pathway to certification while continuing to work in their school district. The cohort model provides a built-in support system, promoting professional connections and shared learning experiences. With reduced tuition and an accelerated timeline, teachers can advance their careers without incurring excessive financial or time burdens. Additionally, they benefit from hands-on classroom experience, applying their coursework in real-time with support from both university mentors and district leaders.

For school districts, the PDC program serves as a strategic solution to teacher shortages by cultivating talent from within the community. By recruiting individuals already working in educational roles-such as paraprofessionals, substitutes and assistants-districts can develop educators who are familiar with their students, schools and institutional goals. The program strengthens retention by investing in local professionals, ensuring a pipeline of well-trained, committed teachers who align with district initiatives and priorities.

Serving South Dakota

As the demand for teachers continues to grow, our faculty are always looking for innovative ways to better serve and meet the needs of schools in the state and throughout the region.

Dan Mourlam, Ed.D.
Chair of the Division of Teacher Education

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Strengthen teacher recruitment by helping district employees earn certification through the PDC program. The Professional Development Center (PDC) was established in 1993 by the School of Education at USD to promote a culture of professional learning in PK-12 schools. The PDC collaborates with school districts to develop innovative teacher education models and provide professional development opportunities.

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Counseling and Psychology in Education: Counseling

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The Division of Counseling & Psychology in Education trains highly competent professionals seeking to make a difference as community and school mental health counselors, school psychologists, and human development and educational psychology professionals. We foster a community of learners, scholars and educators who are focused on impacting the lives of children, adolescents and adults.

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Empowering Tomorrows Referees USD Partners with SDHSAA to Tackle Sports Official Shortage

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In response to South Dakota’s sports official shortage, the University of South Dakota has partnered with the South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA) to train more officials across the state.

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Preparing education leaders to be effective school administrators.

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Using Data to Improve School Climate: Insights from Three California Schools

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Studies link positive school climate to teacher outcomes such as retention and student outcomes, including increased academic achievement and attendance, higher graduation rates, improved behavior. As a result, more schools and districts are collecting and using climate data to improve school environments and inform policy and practice.

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It's the time of year where those in the field of education can feel a little worn out, and this year feels especially exhausting. I do not pretend to have any advice. However, I do have something that works for me: self-compassion.

Every Valentine's Day since 2019, I re-read the New York Times article For Valentine's Day, Try Being Nice to Yourself by Tara Parker-Pope. In my inaugural reading of this article, I was in the beginning stages of writing my doctoral dissertation. I came across this article because I was studying Kristen Neff, Ph.D. and her work on self-compassion for my research on student growth mindset.

To understand self-compassion, it's helpful to know the definition of compassion. In Rising Strong: The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution., Brené Brown writes: "Compassion practice is daring. [...] Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals." Brown defines compassion as a nonjudgmental desire to help a fellow human being.

Self-compassion, then, "is simply the process of turning compassion inward," Dr. Neff explains. "Research indicates that self-compassion is one of the most powerful sources of coping and resilience we have available, radically improving our mental and physical wellbeing. It motivates us to make changes and reach our goals not because we're inadequate, but because we care and want to be happy."

For me, compassion and self-compassion have changed the way I interact with people, particularly students - and, arguably, more importantly - the way I interact with myself.

An example that Dr. Neff cites in her is a student who receives a failing grade on a test. A teacher can respond with criticism to the student and scold them for their mistakes, or, they can practice compassion and express a nonjudgmental desire to help. Students, and all humans, respond more favorably to the compassionate response because it elicits a parasympathetic nervous system "rest and digest" response. When in a relaxed state, students are able to exhibit higher levels of complex thinking and are therefore more likely to develop solutions to a problem. Do they need to study more for the next test? Get a tutor? Read a book? These options are only possible when the student is in a space to be able to hear them. Compassion creates space.

Self-compassion, I find much more difficult to practice. What if I am the one who failed the test? What if I am the teacher where all the students failed? How do I respond to myself in the face of mistakes? Self-compassion would insist that I approach myself with nonjudgement and a desire to help alleviate my own suffering. Most of us, however, are more likely to respond with self-criticism than with self-compassion. Criticism, especially self-criticism, ignites a sympathetic nervous system "fight or flight" response, which narrows our thinking into survival mode. In a state of stress, nonjudgement and curiosity are not possible. Criticism, therefore, often makes the situation worse, more tense, and more difficult to resolve.

Criticism is culturally accepted, if not expected. For me, high levels of self-criticism felt like the "right" thing to do. Learning to practice compassion and self-compassion is an ongoing process for me. It has made me more relaxed, less stressed, and a more understanding person in the face of challenges.

If you are feeling exhausted, one way to decrease stress is to practice self-compassion. Curious how self-compassionate you are? Take the to find out!
The views and opinions expressed on SDPB's Teacher Talk are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of South Dakota.

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Jackie Wilber talks about how to practice self-compassion in education.

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Discover the power of self-compassion with Kristin Neff. Join our community and explore the benefits of practicing self-compassion together.

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How to Improve Teacher Retention and Burnout

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Discover how to improve teacher retention and wellbeing at your institution.

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Scribd is the world’s largest social reading and publishing site.

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Welcome to Rapid City Area School District