Subject: TR@TC Induction Newsletter I June 2020 I End of School Year Edition

Induction and Beyond

June 2020 I End of School Year Newsletter

A note from TR@TC...


It is with a heavy heart that we write this month’s newsletter, as we collectively mourn the senseless tragedies that continue to plague our communities of color, specifically our black men and boys. We stand in solidarity with the family of George Floyd; your life mattered and you will not be forgotten. We would also like to offer our sincere appreciation for Martha St. Jean; thank you for stepping up and engaging teachers of color, along with white allies in critical conversations surrounding educational equity during these troubling times.

 

The month of June is traditionally a time for closure in our school communities, and so we offer a reminder of the importance to finish the year strong with loving kindness; it is so necessary in this particular moment. Prioritize face time with your students and their families. Invite them to mediate and reflect with you; encourage them to name moments in which they've demonstrated compassion, resilience, and love. Motivate them to acknowledge (and list) the little joys, the things they are grateful for, and their hopes for the future.  But most importantly, celebrate them, celebrate each other. Being geographically distanced does not need to translate into emotional distance; we need to stay connected now more than ever.

 

And finally, once you say your farewells, give yourself permission to rest, to recuperate, and to reflect on your own progress as an educator. And, in doing so, be gentle with yourselves and realize that what you’ve accomplished over these past few months is no small thing, but a glorious example of resilience, determination, and love!


With sincere gratitude for all you do,

The TR@TC Team

Several NYC schools have confirmed that they will still be looking to fill a number of positions for the 2020-2021 school year. Highlighting four of them below. Please visit our Google Sites job posting page for more information, and additional postings, which are updated almost daily.

Raising Consciousness

Several teachers have reached out to inquire about resources to support them in engaging their colleagues and students in conversations about racial discrimination, police brutality, and white supremacy. In the following, we share a curated list of resources that we hope will support your efforts. We thank Dr.Micia Mosely and Laura Marie Thompson for their support and guidance; the resources they've shared have been instrumental in our efforts to move across the antiracist continuum.


Image source: Anais McAllister via Design In Tech 2019 Report

Instructional Resources

Staff Development Resources

Upcoming Events and Professional Learning

Upcoming Events

  • June 4th - Black Teacher Project Leadership Institute - Misses the registration deadline? Not to worry! They will be offering another session in July. Please email jad2222@tc.columbia.edu if you are interested in joining this affinity space.

  • June 4th - I Can't Breathe: Social Distancing and The Black Man - Facilitated by Martha St.Jean (4-5:30pm). Click here to RSVP 

  • June (Monday and Wednesday from 5-6pm): TR@TC Virtual Wellness facilitated by Success In Motion (5-6pm).  Click here to sign up 

  • All Summer Long - TC Come Together - Visit for a variety of virtual events related to teaching and learning, as well as living and working. 

  • FY 2020 Call For Peer Reviewers - "The U.S. Department of Education (Department), Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Effective Educator Development (EED) Division is seeking peer reviewers for the upcoming grant competitions. Those grant programs are Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED), Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program (TSL) & Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP)." We strongly encourage current and former educators to be a part of this process!

Professional Learning

  • June-August - Summer Learning: Here you'll find a variety of virtual learning opportunities shared via Cult of Pedagogy.

  • New Visions Remote Learning Site - Visit this site for a variety of webinars centered on remote teaching strategies for all core contents.

  • Training For Change - Visit this site for a variety of virtual workshops on facilitating online meetings, and much more (bilingual resource).

  • Otis Teq - Looking to sharpen your skills over the summer? This company offers free and paid PDs, trainings, and remote learning support for teachers. Some courses offer CTLE credits - a great way to work your 100 hour requirement for professional certification renewal!


 Sharing Credits: Alexa Sorden

Curriculum Resources

Congratulations to alumna Leah Werner-Evans for being featured on the New Visions Blog Teacher Spotlight! Check out her remote learning annotation structure.

Ideas for Virtual Advisory 

"This week long unit provides students with guidance in reflecting on their identity, researching potential careers, and assembling a resume.This unit can be adaptable for grades 9 - 12." Click here for access

Arts and Social Justice

The Center for Cultural Power has released a comprehensive guide for activating artists and activists. Take a moment to read it and envision how you can bring this into your classroom in the month of June. Click here to access.

Sharing Credit: Laura Marie Thompson

Finishing Strong

As you begin planning your end of year activities, consider watching this video from our partner organization, The Black Teacher Project, and learn how a Physics teacher is engaging her students in journaling and reflection.


Featured: Dr. Micia Mosely and Physics Teacher and Creator of Physics Labs 4All, Brianna Clark.

Celebrating Your Students

In researching the different ways in which teachers can reward students for all of their hard work and resilience this school year, we came across a few resources you might find useful. We highlight three of them here, but please take a moment to visit the pages linked, to see the a variety of ideas to fit every age group, tech proficiency level, and accessibility.

Combatting "Summer Slide"

In June, many teachers send their students home with books to read and write about. However, in if this will be a challenging for you, we offer an alternative shared by New Visions: Online Graphic Novels! By clicking here you will find "a series of resources to help you plan reading a graphic novel with your students. The guide contains both synchronous and asynchronous routines and activities, as well as free online graphic novel recommendations."

Sharing Credits: Carolyn Suh

TR@TC Literary Spotlight

Excerpt from Literary Ladies Website: "In 2020, nearly 90 years after her death, Ida B. Wells was awarded a long overdue posthumous Pulitzer Prize in the category of Special Citations and awards for “her outstanding and courageous reporting on the horrific and vicious violence against African Americans during the era of lynching.” - Click here to read more about her work.

Teacher Wellness

Congratulations to Josely Lugo of the YABC at Walton Campus in the Bronx, for winning our Teacher Appreciation Wellness Bingo Challenge! We are grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Success In Motion and the NYC DOE Charter School Partnership, to bring you these sessions and look forward to offering more!


Teacher appreciation month may be ending, but our wellness sessions continue!  Please join us for Mental Health and Pop Fitness sessions, happening weekly through the end of the school year! Click here to sign up or email Jad2222@tc.columbia.edu to be added to our wellness listerv.


Other Resources

  • Visit the Morningside Center's website for some lessons around teaching self care to middle and high school students.

  • Get a copy of Good Mornings, Wake up Calls for Life, by Dr.S (featured image)

The UFT Corner

Businesses Who Love Teachers - Special thanks to Stephanie Rivera (TR@TC Class of 2019) for sharing this amazing list of discounts for teachers. Click here to access.

  • PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION -  Are you ready to apply for your Professional Certification? Email jad2222@tc.columbia.edu for more information about this important career milestone.

  • 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, is leading National Board Certification workshops, through TR@TC. Email him at shaw.dts@gmail.com for details.

Get Your TC Alumni ID and Stay Connected!

  • Reserve rooms in the TC Library  (once we re-open)

  • Get access to TC Zoom alumni account

  • Activate your permanent gmail account

  • Access partner discounts

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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