Career-long training, onsite and online. (new products).Isolation and frustration are common feelings among new teachers, and administrators are all too aware that negative first-year experiences can cause teacher turnover. The New Teacher Academy, launched by a non-profit arm of Teachers College, Columbia University Teachers College, Columbia University (sometimes referred to simply as Teachers College; also referred to as Teachers College of Columbia University or the Columbia University Graduate School of Education , aims to improve retention and enhance teacher effectiveness at the elementary school elementary school: see school. level. Blending onsite and online learning, the program is the initial offering of a new K-12 professional development system that's customizable to district needs. Called The Teachers Academy, the career-long, research-based system has been piloted in several locations in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. and state, as well as Dallas and three sites in Mississippi Mississippi, state, United States Mississippi (mĭs'əsĭp`ē), one of the Deep South states of the United States. It is bordered by Alabama (E), the Gulf of Mexico (S), Arkansas and Louisiana, with most of the border formed by . "What we see in it is a very accessible opportunity for new teachers to come together with other new teachers in a learning environment where the curriculum is really targeted to their needs," says Gene Silverman, assistant director of the department of curriculum, instruction and technology at Nassau BOCES BOCES Board Of Cooperative Educational Services , a Long Island regional service agency. The region's 56 districts started with the new teacher program this school year. Its five courses, which include about 30 hours of face time and four to five hours of online work each, are: * "Learning the Ropes," offering advice, mentor Mentor, in Greek mythology Mentor (mĕn`tər, –tôr'), in Greek mythology, friend of Odysseus and tutor of Telemachus. panels and breakout sessions customized to the district * "Organizing Your Classroom for Learning," covering strategies and techniques for creating a positive classroom climate * "Teaching About and Across Social and Cultural Difference," providing the basics about developing approaches to diversity * "Setting High Standards in Reading Literature," which inspires teachers to better appreciate literature's role in the curriculum * "Technology in the Classroom," introducing teachers to Web resources and development tools. TC Innovations works with districts to tailor parts of the curriculum. Programs run through regional service agencies like Nassau BOCES can be customized both regionally and within each district. The site chooses one or more program facilitators, who are hired and then trained in Teachers College best practices by TC Innovations. Facilitators can be teachers or administrators, and Nassau plugged into its network of retired principals and curriculum administrators, as well. "By training the onsite facilitator, we are building capacity within our partner districts," says Mike Cole
Mike Cole is a New York State Assemblyman representing the 142nd District, covering portions of Erie and Niagara Counties. , chief operating officer Chief Operating Officer (COO) The officer of a firm responsible for day-to-day management, usually the president or an executive vice-president. of TC Innovations. Future Teachers Academy offerings will include programs for secondary school teachers and principals. CIRCLE #505 FOR INFORMATION TC INNOVATION The Teachers Academy www.tcinnivations.net, Program, $1,900 average per teacher (varies by number participating and amount of customization) |
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