Pre-Service Training

Pre-Service Training is one of the most exciting—and challenging—elements of the teachNOLA experience. Candidates accepted into the program begin their commitment by completing training pre-requisites via online modules of our Teaching for Student Achievement guidebook for Fellows.  During the summer, Fellows participate in intensive, five-week Pre-Service Training to master the skills necessary to improve outcomes in schools where students lag several grade-levels behind. Fellows learn the Fast Start skills through a combination of field teaching experience, coaching, and skill-building so they can hit the ground running from their first day in the classroom. Our Fast Start skills which Fellows must master during Pre-Service Training before becoming teachers in New Orleans are:

• Clearly communicating academic content;
• Ensuring that class time is used well;
• Ensuring full and purposeful student engagement at all times during a lesson; and
• Ensuring that student behavior is positive, respectful, and productive.

The Fast Start skills are only part of the complete set of skills and strategies that effective teachers deploy in their classrooms every day, and Fellow development will not stop with the Fast Start skills. As teachers in the fall, Fellows will build mastery in other, more advanced skills through TNTP Academy and other development activities.  By mastering the Fast Start skills in Pre-Service Training, Fellows will be ready to make a strong start in the classroom and quickly progress to instructional excellence.

Even prior to the start of Pre-Service Training, you should expect to complete on-line training prerequisites. And once you begin Pre-Service Training, you should anticipate that the program will be very demanding as it consolidates a large amount of training into 5 short weeks. Fellows must attend training sessions five days a week from approximately 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. Fellows spend their morning completing their field experience with a Cooperating Teacher in a high-need New Orleans classroom, where they are observed by Teacher Development Coaches and given immediate feedback on their proficiency in the Fast Start skills. Fellows spend their afternoon/evening getting additional practice and feedback in the Fast Start skills through coaching sessions with Teacher Development Coaches; skill-building sessions with Launch Skill Instructors focused on the subject areas that Fellows teach; and analyzing skill demonstrations with their peers.  Throughout these activities, Fellows will receive extensive, ongoing feedback on their practice and apply this feedback to rapidly improve their practice.

Due to the critical role that Pre-Service Training plays in the success of teachNOLA Fellows, participants cannot miss any portion. Attendance is mandatory every day. During Pre-Service Training, you will also need to actively begin seeking a teaching position for the fall. You should plan to remain in New Orleans during the interval between the conclusion of Pre-Service Training through the first day of school, as you may still be engaged in the job search process at that point and, once you secure a position, you will need to begin preparing for the start of classes.

Fellows are formally evaluated during our Pre-Service Training on their proficiency in the Fast Start skills, based on observations of their field experience with summer school students; demonstrated professionalism; and fulfillment of program expectations. Every activity during Pre-Service Training will be geared toward developing Fellow proficiency in the Fast Start skills, but we anticipate that that not all Fellows will successfully complete training. We will ensure that only those who’ve mastered the Fast Start skills will earn a Practitioner’s License and be eligible to teach New Orleans students in the fall. Once you begin teaching, you will continue your training through TNTP Academy.

Summer Stipend

Upon completion of summer training, Fellows are provided a $2,000 (pre-tax) stipend. Because the stipend is distributed at the end of the six-week training and there could be more than one month of time between that time and a Fellow’s first paycheck, we strongly encourage Fellows to plan appropriately during the transition.