UT Permian Basin’s College of Education is preparing their new teacher residents for their upcoming yearlong residency. Recently, the College of Education hosted a two-day orientation for the teacher residents and their mentors. The residency program is an alternative to the traditional clinical teaching route. Teacher residents are employed part-time by participating school districts and receive a salary. Teacher residents are placed in a classroom for two semesters, working alongside an experienced mentor teacher and grade-level team.
“The goal of these two days was to orient teacher residents and their mentors to their individual roles and the expectations of the yearlong residency program,” said Dr. Shelly Landreth, Assistant Professor of Literacy & US PREP Site Coordinator. “This orientation allows time for residents and mentors to begin planning for a successful partnership. It also creates an opportunity for site coordinators, residents, and mentors to get to know one another and to begin developing a good working relationship.”
The event was attended by 24 teacher residents and their mentor teachers. Also in attendance were site coordinators, who are UTPB faculty. Throughout the two-day event, there were a variety of community-building activities to prepare the teacher residents for a full year of working and learning as a team. To conclude the event, the residents were directed outside for a final fun activity. The site coordinator gave each resident a note that said, “Here’s wishing you a wonderful school year!” along with a small bottle of glitter.
“Residents were asked to empty the glitter into their hands, make a wish for the school year, and blow it out on the count of three! Site coordinators chose to end the two days of training on a positive note as residents prepared to begin their year,” said Dr. Landreth.
About Clinical Teaching and Teacher Residency at UTPB:
Clinical teaching (sometimes called student teaching) is the capstone experience for teacher certification candidates. Clinical teaching takes the form of either a one-semester clinical teaching assignment or a full-year teacher residency. Clinical teachers and teacher residents maintain the daily schedule required of the mentor teachers with whom they are placed.
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