Teach for America

Middle Childhood and secondary subjects are allowed. Placement of teachers in K-6 may be utilized only in extreme circumstances.

Art, Drama/Speech, Family and Consumer Sciences, Secondary Math, Science, Foreign Language, Middle Childhood

A provisional license is issued to allow participants to teach while enrolled in the program.

The bulk of our supervised clinical experience takes place during the summer institute, during which time our corps members are extensively trained in planning, execution, and theory. They also teach summer school in a local district.

Week four of our intensive training institute has a focus on the Continuum of Disability Services and how to implement research-based practices in teaching students of all abilities. Additionally, we have a SpEd and ELL specific curriculum that is available to all teachers regardless of their placement. We provide online tutorials that include guidance on adaptations for SPED students.

They are supervised by full-time staff who are also there for the duration of the summer. While these supervisors are not year-round employees of our institution in most cases, they are full-time during the intensive training and take on a full load of responsibilities. After the summer institute, our teachers are eligible for their first provisional/initial license, but continue to receive observation, mentorship, and development through our two-year support program. However, these hours are not included in the 181 hours of student teaching recorded above because at this time the teachers already have their provisional license and are working toward the 5-year standard.

Our non-traditional teachers in Arkansas must first meet the qualifications for the Teach For America program nationally. This includes GPA, recommendations, experience, interview, etc. Find that here: http://www.teachforamerica.org/why-teach-for-america/how-to-apply/applicant-prerequisites. Then, they must complete all of our pre-summer work, the summer training institute (for which they earn 9 graduate credit hours), and our regional orientation. In addition, they must meet all of the requirements for the non-traditional program in the state of Arkansas, called "TeachArkansas." http://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/divisions/educator%20effectiveness/teach-arkansas