Being a Fellow
Training and Development
Fellows benefit from an intensive Training Institute, designed specifically for this accelerated route to teaching program. Candidates accepted into the teachNOLA Teaching Fellows program begin their commitment with a five week Training Institute that includes:
- A practice teaching assignment in a New Orleans school classroom, with an opportunity to observe, lesson plan, and gradually lead classroom instruction with on-site guidance from experienced teachers
- Framework sessions with experienced educators, designed to delve into a curriculum focused on student standards, foundations of teaching, classroom management, and other skills necessary to become an effective teacher in a high-need school
- Discussions and activities about the challenges and benefits of teaching in a diverse, high-need, urban educational setting
- An opportunity for networking with other Fellows who have made the same commitment to improve the quality of education for New Orleans’ school children
The teachNOLA Training Institute consolidates a great deal of training time into only a few weeks; thus, training is extremely demanding. Fellows must attend training 5 days a week, from approximately 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Due to the critical role that training plays in preparing Teaching Fellows for success in the classroom, Fellows cannot miss any portion of the Institute. Fellows will not start receiving their teaching salary until the start of the school year, so all Fellows should prepare themselves financially for this transition. However, while Fellows will be responsible for covering licensure-related costs, the Institute has no tuition costs, and all Fellows will receive a stipend for $2,000 pre-tax upon successful completion of training, to help defer the cost of living.
Ongoing Development and Resources
A new teacher’s first year is particularly challenging, and Teaching Fellows should anticipate long hours and intense effort, especially during the first semester. Since Fellows work in high-need schools, often with limited resources, candidates are chosen for their ability to solve problems creatively and independently - an important factor in their success. As new teachers, Fellows have access to several ongoing resources, one of the most important being the network of other Fellows with whom they form close relationships through training and as they begin teaching. Training Institute events facilitate connections among Fellows who often teach the same subjects or are clustered together in particular schools or areas of the city. Fellows can draw on these connections not only during the first semester, but for years to come, as a resource for planning, reflection, and shared encouragement as they strive for excellence in their individual classrooms.
Upon entering the program, the teachNOLA staff assists with logistical support, such as helping Fellows manage the process of becoming full school employees. Fellows, however, are responsible for meeting individual school pre-employment requirements. teachNOLA also provides communications, including periodic newsletters, and offers special events, such as professional development opportunities and social gatherings.
Fellows often develop their ongoing support network at the school level. Although every situation is different, Fellows may pursue opportunities to collaborate with co-teachers at their school, school-provided instructional specialists, assistant principals, principals or a grade- or subject-level team. Fellows may also benefit from services provided by the Louisiana Teacher Assistance and Assessment Program, or LaTAAP, depending upon their placement school. This state-mandated program pairs new teachers with experienced teachers. To learn more about LaTAAP, click here.
Through their certification program, Fellows also take a range of courses that help them understand instructional theories and develop the skills they need to drive student success in the classroom. Observation Specialists may visit Fellows’ classrooms to observe and provide feedback on teaching practices. Fellows report that taking classes with other Fellows also allows them to reconnect and see each other on a regular basis.
