Teach Baton Rouge program members have the opportunity to receive alternate certification through the New Teacher Project (TNTP) Academy. Teach Baton Rouge will support program members as they complete the necessary requirements to teach in Louisiana with a practitioner license.

 

PRAXIS Requirements
The PRAXIS exam is an admission requirement for all new teachers and is administered through Educational Testing Service. To be eligible for the TNTP Academy, program members must take and pass the following portions of the PRAXIS exam:
  • PRAXIS I (Pre-Professional Skills Test)
  • PRAXIS II (Subject Assessments/Specialty Area tests)
  • Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) test must be taken and passed within the first year of teaching.
  • Teach Reading Exam for those certifying in Early Childhood (PK-3), Elementary (1-5) and Special Education

 

Training Institute
Following their acceptance, Teach Baton Rouge (TBR) practitioner teachers will spend approximately 12 hours online independently observing experienced teachers, analyzing their teaching strategies and documenting their observations.

 

During the training institute practitioner teachers will attend a rigorous pre-service training designed to help new teachers develop their commitment and ability to affect gains in student achievement in their classroom. The institute includes:
  • One week introduction to the institute Teaching for Student Achievement curriculum
  • A student teaching experience in which participants work in groups to teach a class of students under the supervision of experienced teachers
  • Daily meetings with faculty to discuss the day’s teaching and the institute curriculum to make connections between theory and practice
  • Afternoon and evening workshops, seminars, and group planning time

 

The institute curriculum format will offer opportunities for:
  • Observation in EBR schools
  • Hands-on teaching experience
  • Guidance from experienced faculty
  • Seminars and workshops on theory and methodology

 

 
After the training institute, program members will have access to a wide support network, including mentor teachers, meetings with group members, ongoing workshops, observations by experienced teachers, and regular communication among new teachers to enhance their own professional development. In addition, East Baton Rouge Parish School System will work to place Teach Baton Rouge members in small clusters at partner schools, so that program members can support each other during the successes and challenges encountered in the first years of teaching.

 

Teaching Internship
Teach Baton Rouge (TBR) practitioner teachers will assume full-time teaching positions in EBRPSS at the start of the following school year. We will strive to place TBR practitioner teachers in schools with other program participants in order to foster collaboration and professional growth.

 

First Year Support

During the first year teaching internship, practitioner teachers will be provided with support in a variety of ways including:

» Coursework Program members will complete online content coursework specifically designed to prepare you to deliver engaging Common-Core aligned instruction through mastering deep content knowledge and developing sharp pedagogy skills.  You will practice key teaching skills and techniques, receive helpful feedback from your colleagues or staff, and develop a clear picture of what excellent instruction looks like in your subject area.  This coursework will ensure you are a better teacher when you enter your classroom the very next day.  Interactive, online content modules will consist of a combination of readings, videos, peer discussions, reflection activities and practice activities.  You might analyze videos of a particular instructional technique, read about instructional best practices for your content area, or participate in an online discussion forum or complete other work related to what you are learning.

» Mentoring Team Program members will be supported throughout their first year of teaching through a team mentoring approach. Program members will be supported by their Program Director, and a Mentor Teacher.

» BEST (Beginning Educator’s Support Track)

  • Intended for all brand new (<1 year experience) teachers in EBR.
  • Includes both optional and mandatory items.

 

» Timeline
The time frame for practitioner teachers to become certified is eighteen to twenty-four months. Once a teacher has successfully fulfilled all requirements for the TNTP Academy – PRAXIS, Training Institute, Teaching Internship, Online Content Coursework, and ACE requirements he or she can receive a Level 1 professional certificate.

 

» Certification Costs
The full tuition cost per participant for the TNTP Academy is approximately $4,440.00. Program members must also pay the Practitioner License application fee of $50.00 and fingerprint background fee of $49.25. The exact costs for the 2019-2020 TNTP Academy cohort have yet to be determined.