About

A teacher residency is a clinically-oriented teacher preparation program that pairs university coursework with a year-long placement in a high-need, public school classroom. During this residency, residents (teacher candidates) practice and hone their skills and knowledge under the mentorship of expert teacher educators.

This model mirrors professional preparation programs such as clerkships for lawyers or internships for doctors. Uniquely, teacher residencies provide opportunities for residents to learn classroom instructional skills and practices across different situations, preparing them to be effective teachers of record from their first day of full-time teaching.

Residents receive stipends as they learn to teach and commit to teaching in their districts for a stipulated number of years beyond the residency.

Teacher residency programs typically:

• Are selective and attract a diverse group of talented candidates to teach in high-need areas such as STEM, special education (SPED), and working with Emergent Bilinguals.

• Help residents draw meaningful connections between daily classroom practice and the latest in education theory and research.

• Progressively move residents from a co-teaching role in the classroom to an increasingly demanding lead teaching role.

• Include targeted support and feedback designed to ensure that residents are well-prepared when they enter their own classroom.