Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So they are changing master teacher concept? The lead teacher model sounds like many public and charter schools- young, inexperienced teacher in a classroom. Perhaps they will provide other support for the new teacher?

The lead teachers (former residents) at IT are not necessarily young and inexperienced. Our resident teacher last year had taught in another country and was not in his 20's or 30's.

Also, the lead teachers will have the support of the master teachers, the administration (of course!), and the Center for Inspired Teaching.

This. We likely had same Resident (prob about 50). He was amazing and we wanted him to stay! We wished the school didn't have the policy of wanting the residents to teach throughout the city. He is now an awesome teacher at Stokes.

Anonymous wrote:So they are changing master teacher concept? The lead teacher model sounds like many public and charter schools- young, inexperienced teacher in a classroom. Perhaps they will provide other support for the new teacher?

The lead teachers (former residents) at IT are not necessarily young and inexperienced. Our resident teacher last year had taught in another country and was not in his 20's or 30's.

Also, the lead teachers will have the support of the master teachers, the administration (of course!), and the Center for Inspired Teaching.

Anonymous wrote:Huge difference between a classroom assistant and a resident.

Imagine a 1st grade class with a spread of children learning to read. With a resident, this person is learning how to teach reading and will be able to support the classroom needs within this subject. An assistant supports the chaos of 25 6 year olds.

I think the teacher plus para is a good intermediate step for teachers who are no longer novices.

as for paras they really run the gamut from those who take naps and fool around on their phone to those who just think their job is to yell at kids to people who are provide support for both behavioral and educational goals. Paras have to have some college education and I've known several who went on to become teachers.

Huge difference between a classroom assistant and a resident.

Imagine a 1st grade class with a spread of children learning to read. With a resident, this person is learning how to teach reading and will be able to support the classroom needs within this subject. An assistant supports the chaos of 25 6 year olds.

From a recent IT email:
"Next year we will be adding new step on our career ladder for teachers. In addition to our Master Teachers, we will have several Lead Teachers- those who lead their classrooms and work in teaching teams but do not yet have the added responsibility of training a resident teacher. Each Lead Teacher will have a Classroom Assistant."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know if there will be $ in next years budget for language at IT?

Yes, there will be language classes for all grades starting next year. Not immersion, of course.

So there are language classes but no longer funds for the master /resident

I don't think it's a budget thing because the Residents don't get paid much more than classroom assistants do (and in this case, they are replacing a Resident with an assistant). And so far, it's only been announced that one classroom that will have this Lead Teacher (rather than Master Teacher) without mentoring responsibilities for a Resident Teacher.

Hmm. I guess I hadn't quite realized that there won't be a resident in the Lead Teacher's classroom. I assumed that the Master teacher in 1st grade would have a role in mentoring the Lead Teacher and two residents. What is a "classroom assistant"? A para? Because having a para in the classroom is pretty different than having a second person who has passed the rigorous screening process for residents...

Why would the lead teacher have mentoring responsibilities? Teachers with little teaching experience still need plenty of mentoring and support to be successful. Inexperienced teachers still earn less or much less than experienced teachers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know if there will be $ in next years budget for language at IT?

Yes, there will be language classes for all grades starting next year. Not immersion, of course.

So there are language classes but no longer funds for the master /resident

I don't think it's a budget thing because the Residents don't get paid much more than classroom assistants do (and in this case, they are replacing a Resident with an assistant). And so far, it's only been announced that one classroom that will have this Lead Teacher (rather than Master Teacher) without mentoring responsibilities for a Resident Teacher.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know if there will be $ in next years budget for language at IT?

Yes, there will be language classes for all grades starting next year. Not immersion, of course.

So there are language classes but no longer funds for the master /resident

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know if there will be $ in next years budget for language at IT?

Yes, there will be language classes for all grades starting next year. Not immersion, of course.

Anyone know if there will be $ in next years budget for language at IT?

The component of the model that is really appealing as a parent is that there are two "teachers" in each classroom. If they are changing this so that some classes may have 2 teachers, I can get that at my neighborhood school.

So they are changing master teacher concept? The lead teacher model sounds like many public and charter schools- young, inexperienced teacher in a classroom. Perhaps they will provide other support for the new teacher?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IT is tweaking their model. There will be some lead teachers with an asst. There will still be classrooms with a master teacher and others won't. Not sure how fair this could turn out. Even they are having trouble finding quality, experienced master teachers as they grow.

Or maybe it's just a case of wanting to hang on to good resident teachers, rather than making them leave the school.

Also, the resident who is staying on was the resident for 1st grade and now he is taking over the new first grade class (the 1st grade master is staying with the other class). It makes a lot of sense to have someone who has already taught first grade at ITS take over the new class instead of bringing in someone brand new.

...and clearly they work well together: great for collaboration and continuity between the classes!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IT is tweaking their model. There will be some lead teachers with an asst. There will still be classrooms with a master teacher and others won't. Not sure how fair this could turn out. Even they are having trouble finding quality, experienced master teachers as they grow.

Or maybe it's just a case of wanting to hang on to good resident teachers, rather than making them leave the school.

Also, the resident who is staying on was the resident for 1st grade and now he is taking over the new first grade class (the 1st grade master is staying with the other class). It makes a lot of sense to have someone who has already taught first grade at ITS take over the new class instead of bringing in someone brand new.