1. RIGOR AND JUSTICE: TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS Lauren Caracciola and Kaitlin Riley

2. Rationale: Novice teachers are often reassured by veteran teachers that it takes three years to become truly comfortable with one’s teaching practice. While most professions carry short periods of learning curve progress, three years is too long, especially in the high stakes environment in which most teachers practice. Our rigor and justice project attempts to rectify this glaring problem in one of the nation’s most important professions.

3. Stakeholders  Teacher: “you don’t learn about teaching by sitting in a classroom and talking about teaching theory. You learn to teach by sitting in a classroom and watching others teach. You learn to teach by standing in front of students, trying out your ideas, and gaining your footing. You cannot learn unless you fail and reflect on these failures.”

4. Stakeholders  Administrator: “We need more numbers of experienced teachers, of course. We also need, in general, more bodies in the classroom. Teaching wide ranges of students in inclusive settings just requires more bodies- but the budget doesn’t allow for this. With a program such as this, we are not only investing in our future employees, we are serving our students that need adult supervision, guidance, and remediation right now.”

5. Stakeholders  Student: “I had a first year teacher once and you can just tell, like, they don’t know what they’re doing. Kids are like running everywhere and all hype. You feel bad for them, but ya know, its their job and I’m sitting here bored, like I could do this and not learn at home.”  Student: “We drove them away. We were like ‘ok, see how long this one lasts.’ The worst is when they cry. If you don’t know how to do your job with kids you shouldn’t teach. Don’t you go to school for this stuff?”

6. Goals: -Provide support to fledgling teachers in areas of difficulty. -Provide extra support for cooperating DOE schools in need of committed, extra staff. -Prepare teachers to enter their first official year of teaching with the confidence and experience of a veteran, third-year.

7. Overview: 3 year program (Masters Program): 3 schools- 60 person program In school Year 1: Monthly rotations, observations, teacher and student interviews, one on one tutoring Year 2: Quarterly rotations, observations, pair with veteran teacher to co-plan, small group teaching Year 3: Semester rotations, observations, student teaching, feedback 2x week Curriculum: Year 1: 2 days in school, 3 days taking classes Year 2: 3 days in school, 2-3 taking classes Year 3: 4 days in school, 1-2 taking classes

8. Sample Schedule: Year 1 MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday School 1 morning observations School 2 morning observations History of edSmall group advisory School 1 morning observations School 2 morning observations Teaching lit and learning Mentor teacher meetings Class proced./org School 1 afternoon observations Small group/one on one tutor session

9. Sample Schedule: Year 2 MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday School 6 observations Teaching Writing School 6 lessons Elementary education- issues and solutions Mentor teacher reflections Small group instruction

10. Sample Schedule: Year 3 MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday School 7- student teaching Teaching ELLsSchool 7- observations School 7- student teaching Technology in classroom School 7- observations School 7- student teaching School 7- observations School 7- student teaching School 7- observations

11. Rigor and Justice:  3 years in classroom -Year 1: observing and learning -Year 2: (rotations) observing, learning and small group instruction -Year 3: (residency) learning and teaching under guidance  Strenuous observation program: -“Teacher Quality Rubric” - Targetted video and mentor observations weekly  Differentiation: -“Teacher Support Classes”  Extra support for public schools involved