Core Values

Core Values and Communication Norms

During our onboarding time we will be working together and communicating frequently in order to ensure that you are ready for your Summer Programming (Institute) experience as well as ready to be hired by our school district partner by the first day of school in August. As Teach For America, we are driven by our vision, mission, and core values. Your onboarding time is unique and because it is a time in your journey that requires a lot of preparation, we have chosen three core values to help guide incoming corps members as you make choices that will ultimately impact your leadership.

These Core Values are:

• Strengthen Community: We assume responsibility for our collective strength by developing relationships, building diverse and inclusive coalitions, and challenging one another to be our best. We act with empathy and extend grace to ourselves and others.

+ How might you live into this during onboarding?

- Consider how you impact others by the way that you communicate and show up to spaces (virtual or in-person)

- Advocate for your needs: Help me and help each other be great!

• Demonstrate Resilience: We see every challenge as an opportunity to think expansively about solutions. When faced with obstacles, we deepen our resolve, adapt, and persist with optimism.

+ How might you live into this during onboarding?

- In encountering challenges (onboarding requirements, personal, interpersonal), draw on your available resources (virtual, people) and think expansively about solutions.

• Learn Continuously: We operate with curiosity and embrace new ideas to innovate and constantly improve. We take informed risks and learn from successes, setbacks, and each other.

+ How might you live into this during onboarding?

- Every situation and experience is a learning opportunity. As summer training draws near, you will have increased opportunities to learn more about Miami and each other.

Norms in Communicating with Monique and Xavier (and folx on TFA staff)

Monique and Xavier's roles are to ensure that you and your cohort of corps members are supported in completing all of the technical steps (testing + paperwork) as well as developing the knowledge and mindsets necessary to start your journey as a teacher in an under-resourced school community successfully. Monique and Xavier are charged with ensuring a smooth onboarding experience across the state of Florida in Jacksonville as well.

Please choose to live into "Strengthen Community" by considering the following in addressing challenges:

• Completing action items and attendance in virtual calls:

+ You can live into Strengthen Community by texting proactively if you will not be able to attend something or if you need a time extension to complete an action item.

+ If you find that you need an extension, also let us know the date by when you will be able to complete the task.

+ If you need alternative options, suggest some alternatives in your text that might work better for you.

• Communicating in this way is very helpful for us because we want to make sure that you have all the information you need and it allows us to keep track of your needs and what action steps we need to take to best support you.