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| | Induction and Beyond Teaching Residents @ Teachers College
August 2019 | Spring Edition Newsletter
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| | We hope you're having a wonderful summer!
The following comes directly from a blog that really resonated with us; we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did!
Summer break is a magical gift earned by teachers who have just packed a full year’s worth of work into just 8 months. I don’t know about you, but I’ve made the HUGE mistake of letting many of those summer breaks go to waste. It’s easy to do. First, I’d spend a few weeks cleaning up and closing down my classroom and organizing my teaching things. Then I’d spend a few weeks bumming around on the couch watching all the TV shows I’d missed during the school year. After that would come our family trip. Then I’d spend a few days at trainings and summer PD, and before I knew it, it was time to start gearing up for the new school year. Technically, those summers weren’t wasted, but they also weren’t everything I’d hoped they would be.
Summer break is a teacher’s chance to: - Refuel and recharge
- Focus on personal interests
- Reconnect with family and friends
- Take on all those BIG projects
- Travel and explore
This post is about finding ways to do just those things so that at the end of summer break you feel rested, energized, peaceful, and excited about launching a new school year!
Plan Your Summers
I realize that after a school year of planning every moment of the day, planning your summer probably doesn’t sound that great. BUT, with a little bit of forethought, you can be more aware of the time you have available and use it more effectively. (And by effectively, I simply mean using the time to do what you really WANT to do.)
Focus on How You Want to FEEL
Think about how you hope to feel at the end of the summer. What words come to mind? For me, it’s those words I mentioned above: peaceful, energized, rested, and excited about the new school year! By creating a vision of how you hope to feel, you can then craft a summer that will get you to that place!
Emphasize YOUR Needs
I am the type of person that feels the need to be “working” all the time. If I haven’t accomplished many tasks during the day, I feel guilty, as if I was lazy. I’m also the type of person (like most teachers) who tend to put the needs of others before my own. In the summer, I usually spend all my time on making sure my son is having fun and on taking care of things around the house, rather than thinking about what I actually need. Although neither of those things is bad, it does end up leaving me drained (and a little resentful) at the end of the summer. So, give yourself a break! What do YOU need? What do YOU want? What would make YOU happy?
Think about the LITTLE things you might want: going out for coffee, getting a pedicure, shopping without the kids, sleeping in, lunch out with a friend, etc.
And think about the BIG things you might want: a trip to [enter dream destination], scuba diving lessons, to write a novel, to meet the President? (I don’t know, but dream big!)
If you don’t make these things a priority, they’ll never happen, especially if you’re a [parent] AND a teacher.
Click here to read more and access the free SUMMER PLANNER!
We hope that these tips support your endeavors to relax, recharge, and rejuvenate this summer; and we look forward to connecting with you throughout the school year.
With gratitude for all you do,
The TR@TC Team
Source: www.theteachertrap.com
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| | | For the most updated job postings shared by our partners, click here.
If you are an administrator looking to fill a vacancy, please email me at jad2222@tc.columbia.edu and provide school name, vacancy grade and content details. |
| | | Co-Working and Professional Development |
| August 1st and 2nd successfully kicked off our Teacher Wellness Series with the following workshops: - Grounding practices
- Zumba and Yoga
- It Takes a Village
- Sound and Healing
We are diligently planning for the next round of workshops, focused on teacher sustainability and pedagogical support services. Please keep an eye out for an email update by mid August!
In the meantime, we look forward to publishing our projected co-working and professional development schedule for 2019-2020 school year.
If you have any specific preferences, please Click here to share your feedback!
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| | Research shows that taking the time to build strong, authentic connections with your students directly correlates to their academic success. Additionally, reaching out and connecting with students' families not only furthers achievement, but can support them in times of academic struggle. In September, we invite you to consider making relationship and community building a primary focus. Here are some tips to support you in engaging both your students and their families:
1. Send a note home, introducing yourself and sharing about this year's curriculum. Be sure to send translated versions for parents with limited English language proficiency. Learn more about the ways you can connect with these parents by clicking here. 2. Call home and introduce yourself and share something positive about each one of your students. If the parents of your students do not speak English, you can call (718) 935-2013 or email Hello@schools.nyc.gov to schedule an over-the-phone translator to facilitate the exchange. 3. Engage students in a "getting to know you" project and post their work around the classroom.
4. Give out compliment cards (email jad2222@tc.columbia.edu for templates) to each of your students, highlighting grit, perseverance, kindness and other high-leverage character traits. |
| | | Interested in Action Research? |
| Invitation to Teacher Inquiry Groups in Fall 2019
Are you interested in action research? Would you like to be part of a group that will meet 3-4 times a year with a renowned researcher? Email jad2222@tc.columbia.edu to connect |
| | | As you may have noticed from our "out of office replies," we've been busy this summer!
Citizen Scientists took their work to new heights by presenting their final projects at the Smith Learning Center- with government officials in attendance!! The showcase included a variety of modes of presentation, including an original hip hop performance!
Citizen Activists, a program in its early planning stages, began the work of envisioning Civic Engagement outside of the traditional classroom environment.
Students from the following schools participated in this year's summer programming: - Assembly Makers Academy
- Community Health Academy in The Heights
- Clinton High School
- The Young Women's Leadership School of The Bronx
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| | Students from Clinton High School, presenting their work at the Smith Learning Theatre. In addition to what is shown here, these English language learners impressed the audience with expertly crafted power points and voice-overs.
More images will be shared throughout the new school year.
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| | | Here are a few Things to do this Fall:1. Meet with your Chapter Leader and ask about the DOE Portal and Pension Account. 2. Register for a Tenure PD with the DOE 6. Check that your salary step is updated to reflect your MA credits (Cohort D)
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| | | Stay Connected to TC and access resources! - TC Gmail for LIFE - Activate your @tc.columbia.edu TC Gmail account! Set up your UNI (and password) at uni.columbia.edu. Then go to TC.edu and click on myTC in the top right-hand corner to log in.
- Network with Alumni - TC.edu/alumni/events
- Update your info and share your notes: TC.edu/alumni/update
- Connect with Alumni Abroad: TC.edu/alumni/ian
- TC Career Services (TCCS): TC.edu/careerservices
- Alumni FAQs: TC.edu/alumni/faq
Don't forget to stop by Whittier Campus to get your Alumni ID! It grants you access to reserve rooms in the library, partner discounts, and many other areas of the school, following graduation. Sharing Credit: Tara Laohakul
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| | | Are you up for Tenure?
Gaining tenure is an important milestone. Having tenure means you can’t be terminated without due process and you’re entitled to a hearing if the Department of Education takes disciplinary action.
Teachers begin working on probation and are generally eligible for tenure at the end of their fourth year. Tenure isn’t automatically granted at the end of your probationary period. To be granted tenure, you must: - Be on track to complete all your state certification and city licensing requirements;
- file an application and receive professional certification;
- have a record of acceptable service during your probationary period; and
- be recommended for tenure by your principal.
Your tenure becomes permanent only after you complete all your certification requirements. Visit UFT.org and sign up for a Tenure PD. Stay on track!
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| | Professional Certification |
| Are you ready to apply for your Professional Certification?
You have five years from the date of your initial teaching certificate to fulfill the requirements for your professional certificate. You should make sure you’re keeping track of your completed requirements by logging into your online TEACH account at the State Education Department website.
You can apply at the end of your third year! To get your professional certificate, you’ll need to show that you’ve completed the following requirements:- A master’s degree;
- 12 graduate credits in the certificate area’s content core or a related field (if your master’s degree is pedagogical, this 12-credit requirement is already met by the program);
- Three years of full-time teaching experience;
- One year of mentored experience; and
- U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.
Email me at JAD2222@tc.columbia.edu, if you are ready to apply. We can offer some guidance |
| | National Board Certification |
| Considering Pursuing National Board Certification?
After completing your 3rd year of teaching, you may want to apply for this advanced ,and prestigious, certification. Devon Shaw, a TR@TC Alumnus, will be leading a National Board Certification workshop, in the Spring. Email him at shaw.dts@gmail.com if you'd like to be a part of it! |
| | | | Self Care and Sustainability |
| Social-Emotional Learning Tools A Moment of Mindfulness: Click here to access Curtis Smith's resources for centering techniques you can implement in your classroom.
Mindful Schools offers great videos and other multimedia tools to support this practice in your classroom. Click here. Mandala and Meditation: If your students have trouble meditating or participating in breathing exercises, offer them the option of silently coloring a mandala instead. This is also a very good tool to help students stay calm on testing days. Click here. Brain Breaks: Your students are being bombarded with information from various channels, on a regular basis. One way to help them retain the information they learn, is to create space for brain breaks, in your lessons. Click here for resources and strategies to support this crucial learning booster.
Need help developing and integrating SEL into your classroom? Email jad2222@tc.columbia.edu to be connected to an SEL specialist who can support your endeavors.
Sharing Credit: Vanessa Paula and Teacher Self Care Conference: Atlanta |
| | Newsletter Feedback
This newsletter is continuously evolving. Your feedback helps us make it a meaningful and relevant source of information. How are we doing? Anything else you’d like us to include in the newsletter? Click here to give us your feedback. |
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