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June 17, 2020
NCTR and Partner News

NCTR kicked off the 2020-21 Network Programming year in a launching webinar this week.  NCTR’s goal is to facilitate a robust network where innovative programs can collaborate, exchange best practices and learnings, and partner with NCTR to continuously improve their programs and influence teacher preparation nationwide. All NCTR programming for the 2020-2021 year is designed to support programs to meet their own goals for improvement, to center equity in residency design and implementation, and to advance the field towards effective clinical preparation.
Don't Miss These Opportunities!

Summer Institute - Fees Waived

Beginning in July, TeachingWorks of The University of Michigan is offering a 2020 Virtual Summer Institute of synchronous and asynchronous opportunities to connect, designed to “provide teachers, teacher educators, education advocates and others with practical strategies, tangible resources and hands-on experience in using instruction to disrupt patterns of injustice and exclusion in classrooms.”

Workshop offerings include topics such as:
  • Disrupting Patterns of Whiteness in Teaching and Teacher Education
  • Using K-12 Instructional Materials in Teacher Education
  • Using Simulations in Virtual Settings
  • Developing a Teacher Education Program Focused on High-Leverage Practices: Principles of Planning
You can find the complete list of workshop offerings and registration information here.  Organizations can waive registration fees (of $200-$250 per session) by using the code TWNEEDSU at checkout.
Reminder: Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Competition is Open

The U.S. Department of Education has released the FY 2020 TQP Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) in the Federal Register.  The deadline for applying to this grant competition is July 2, 2020.  Required grant forms and TQP program checklists are available here.  NCTR is offering support and resources for programs applying for the TQP grant.  Please reach out to Jill Pitner for more information. 
Program Spotlight: Featuring this Year's Residents and Mentors

Kansas City Teacher Residency (KCTR) prepares, develops, and retains mission-oriented individuals who want to make a deep commitment to working in high need urban schools in the Kansas City area.  KCTR Residents earn a Master's degree in Urban Education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City while receiving coaching and support for the duration of the four-year program. 
Mentor of the Year Nominee

Jessica Garcia is a 5th Grade ELA teacher and KCTR Mentor who is, according to her Resident, “the perfect mix of professionalism and fun…[who has always] treated me as her equal and demanded respect for me from students and staff.”  Jessica takes the time to explain and model for her Resident, also exchanging feedback in a manner that is respectful and relevant.  She is an advocate for what is not only best for students but for the staff in the school, as well. “Jessica motivates me to keep growing, inspiring and learning while also preaching the importance of self-care,” said her Resident. 

Jessica works tirelessly to ensure that her Resident is getting the best support.  In moments of uncertainty, she seeks additional support from her Continuum Coach, principal, and other mentor teachers to improve her own practice.
Resident of the Year Nominee

Middle school ELA teaching Resident Morgan Strabo is always fully committed in her role as a teacher and uplifts those around her.  She started a committee entitled "Fun Team" to promote cohort culture, and this has had a positive impact on both KCTR programming and Resident satisfaction.  Morgan always comes to class with a positive and inclusive attitude.  She remembers the personal things going on in everyone's life and follows up with them, which shows that she is invested in and cares deeply about each of her colleagues.  

She actively seeks feedback and implements from her Mentor Teacher and Coach.  Most importantly, Morgan keeps student learning at the forefront of her planning and all actions at her clinical site, where she was recently hired to teach next year! 
Featured News

Learning Losses from COVID-19 Closures 

With each week and then month away from face-to-face instruction, students of all ages are facing challenges.  But, as we have shared in news articles previously, there is evidence that the learning gaps are more pronounced among students of color, economically disadvantaged students, and those still grasping the English language.

On June 5, The New York Times featured families across the country, including the mother of a kindergarten student in Los Angeles, who applauds her daughter's teacher's attempts at online instruction but still worries, "If they are transitioning into first grade, will there be time to catch up and get them up to par?”  An analysis from McKinsey projected that students could experience learning losses "equivalent to 10 months for black children and nine months for Latinos," compared with seven months for students with more access, parental support, etc.

Speaking of technical access to curriculum and remote learning resources, The Hechinger Report anticipates that nearly a quarter of public school students live without access to a computer or tablet on which to complete school work from home.  Said Karen Cator, CEO of Digital Promise, "What’s happening has absolutely laid bare the nature of the inequities with regard to home access to technology."

Even if access is granted, and devices provided to students, teachers cannot guarantee comprehension when they're not present to troubleshoot with kids one-on-one.  Hawaii Public Radio shared that 17% of public school students in the state are actively learning English as a second language and these students have been heavily affected by the move to remote learning.  Technology, one high schooler asserted, is not intuitive just because he's Generation Z.  His home island, Chuuk, did not provide access to internet-based learning in his childhood. 
 
Resources & Connections

A call to action for Teachers from Kim Smith (League of Innovative Schools) in The 74: Black Educators Need White Co-Conspirators to Combat Racism in Schools and Empower Our Students to Succeed.  “I seek to identify a national coalition of white education co-conspirators willing to use their privilege to catalyze anti-racist actions in partnership with, advocacy of and support of black leaders, with the goal of creating the conditions for black students to thrive.”  Express interest in joining Kim on this form.

A plea for Parents from author and Brookings Institution fellow Andre Perry in The Hechinger Report: Time for white people to have ‘the talk’ with their kids.  “Lessons about police violence, Constitutional rights and white privilege should not be subjects only discussed in black homes: This is information white people need to impart to their kids, too.”

School Colors is a documentary podcast series produced in 2019 for digital journalism platform Brooklyn Deep illuminating how race, class, and power shape American cities and schools by following “generations of parents and educators fighting for their children in a rapidly changing Black neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York.”  Listen to the eight episodes, plus two bonus episodes outlining the podcast’s making, here.
In The News
U.S. Parents Say COVID-19 Harming Child's Mental Health
Gallup

A poll of about 1,200 parents of American K-12 kids revealed that nearly a third of students s may already be “experiencing harm to emotional or mental health” due to coronavirus school closures, with prolonged time away exacerbating these effects.  “School closures not only upended most students' learning mode, it deeply disrupted students' social networks and interactions with classmates and teachers... Collaboration between schools, families, community leaders and health officials will be even more critical to support children's needs in and out of school."
How teachers are adapting to COVID-19 disruptions is subject of new study
Phys.org

Colorado State University is embarking on a research project to "take a deep dive into what makes teachers resilient, even in the midst of a pandemic."  The studied population of educators are all graduates of the national Noyce Scholars program that supports high-achieving math and science students interested in teaching careers.  Said one researcher, "I am interested to see what changes come about for teachers and students, who makes changes or not, and how that affects the culture of our schools."
           
Please note that the articles and events in the NCTR E-Blast do not reflect the opinions of our organization, but rather represent information that we believe will be relevant to you and your programs.

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