What I have been doing while I wait

Right now, I am in the in-between time of getting accepted into The New Teacher's Project (TNTP), and actually beginning the program.  It is a limbo period full of waiting and anticipation and everyone I know always asking me what is the status of my new teaching career.  And the answer is always, the status is the same as the last time we spoke, I am waiting for the program to officially begin... sometime in June... I don't know yet the exact date.... or the exact school... or what grade level I will actually be teaching.  Stop asking, I will tell you when something happens. 

So, I have been trying to prepare by working on the recommended reading list, and I have been working on my Independent Study requirements.  The summer training program (called Summer Institute) is where you get your crash course in teaching before the full school year begins in the fall.  The basic schedule has you attending summer school classes in the mornings, and teaching seminars in the afternoons and evenings.  We have been warned that during institute, the days are long (12 hours) and intense.   Prior to beginning institute, fellows are expected to complete their independent study guides and assignments.  The assignments include a lot of reading and a handful of short writing assignments, as well as observing a classroom for a minimum of 4 hours.  So, this has been keeping me busy already.


An interesting note about the text book we are using, which has been produced by The New Teacher Project, is that everyone is using the book for Special Education teachers, whereas in previous years there were different books for General and Special Ed.  The thinking behind this move is that everyone should be familiar with the specific rules and laws of teaching special ed anyway, and a the teaching methods are valid regardless of whether you are General or Special Ed.