The Teachers Lounge -South Carolina
Fall 2024
Candidate Newsletter: Fall 2024
We are excited to have you join our community and stay up-to-date with the latest news, trends, and updates. Our newsletter is designed to provide you with valuable insights, expert tips, and exclusive content that you won't find anywhere else.
Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out in your career, our newsletter is the perfect resource to help you stay informed and inspired. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the content. We're thrilled to have you onboard!
JOIN OUR OFFICIAL FACEBOOK COMMUNITY!
Looking for a place to connect with your fellow educators? Join the Official South Carolina Teachers of Tomorrow Online Community on Facebook! Connect with ToT candidates and alumni educators, share insights, and cheer each other on.
Let's build a supportive and vibrant community together! Join us today!
SHARE THE LOVE OF TEACHING
Do you know someone with a passion for education? Share the love of teaching by referring a friend today!
Click the link below to refer a friend to our referral program and earn $50 for every candidate you refer. And here's the best part—they'll earn $50 too!*
Refer a Friend Now and Share the Love of Teaching!
Transform lives, share the passion, and pass it on!
TRAINING NEWS
First year of teaching? Brand new school year?
Wherever you are in your teaching journey, read "5 Essential Tips for New Teachers" from edutopia.org to make your transition into a new year in the classroom as smooth as possible.
Fall Project Webinars
Stuck on a project? Don't put it off! Plan to join us at one of our live webinars this fall. Emails with registration links for each of the projects will be sent a week prior to the webinar.
If you don't receive an invitation, be sure to reach out to cs@teachersoftomorrow.org so you can get registered.
Webinar recordings are uploaded to the project instructions in Canvas.
Upcoming Webinar Schedule:
NT 700.1PBP The Teacher—Thursday, September 26, 6:30 pm CST
NT 700.2PBP The Learner—Wednesday, October 2, 6:30 pm CST
NT 700.3PBP Planning Instruction—Monday, October 7, 6:30 pm CST
NT 700.4PBP Instructional Strategies—Wednesday, October 16, 6:30 pm CST
NT 700.5PBP Assessing Instruction—Tuesday, October 22, 6:30 pm CST
NT 700.6PBP The Learning Environment—Monday, October 28, 6:30 pm CST
NT 700.8IP The Instructional Cycle—Thursday, November 7, 6:30 pm CST
NT 700.8IP The Instructional Cycle
The Instructional Cycle, often referred to as the Internship Project, is a performance-based project designed to help you effectively use assessment data to guide your instructional planning. This project opens every fall and remains available throughout the school year, closing at the end of the academic year.
Please note that the project is not accessible during the summer, so it's important to allocate sufficient time to complete it within the school year. The 2024–2025 Internship Project opened on August 14 and will close on May 15, 2025. For this project, you are required to use data from the current school year.
Who completes NT 700.8IP?
All candidates who are in their first year on an Alternative Route Certificate, or who started their AR Certificate in the 2023–2024 school year and have not yet completed this requirement.
How do I get help with NT 700.8IP?
We will hold webinars to explain the Internship Project starting in the fall on Thursday, November 7, at 6:30 pm CST. Invitations are sent via email to all current interns. If you do not receive an invitation, please reach out to cs@teachersoftomorrow.org so you can get the registration link. Webinar recordings will also be uploaded to the project instructions in Canvas.
CERTIFICATION NEWS
Stay Up-to-Date on Programmatic and State Requirements
In order to stay up-to-date on programmatic and state requirements for your certification, be sure to update your contact information with Teachers of Tomorrow.
In order not to miss these, please verify your spam email does not contain any updates coming from Teachers of Tomorrow.
LETTERS FROM THE FIELD
Welcome to the 2024–2025 School Year!
This section of the newsletter is about the support you will receive from your Teachers of Tomorrow (ToT) field supervisor and your campus-assigned mentor (if one is assigned).
For new interns starting this school year, please know that your ToT field supervisor will contact you soon with an introductory email or text. The field supervisor will also send an introductory email to your campus principal and campus mentor if one is assigned. This three-person support team is like the legs of a stool supporting you, the intern.
Your field supervisor will explain their role and work with you to schedule the required formal observations that must take place during your internship program. Your field supervisor will also be available to support and mentor you throughout your internship. All ToT field supervisors are experienced educators with a ton of observation experience since most have served as principals or teacher leaders at one time during their careers. They will help you navigate the world of school and be available to answer questions and assist you throughout your internship. They serve as friends and advocates to their interns. Please work closely and communicate with your field supervisor. They are an invaluable resource for you.
All observations will occur virtually unless it is possible to conduct them in person. Your field supervisor may live too far away from you to visit your campus, so we allow for virtual observations. Your field supervisor will send you instructions on completing the virtual observations and uploading your recorded lesson videos so that your field supervisor can watch the videos and complete the Observation Report. Your recorded lesson must be at least 45 minutes in length. Your field supervisor will hold pre- and post-conferences before and after each observation. There is a firm time line for completing these observations, so please ensure you work with your field supervisor and adhere to the time lines. Your state requires these observations, and they must occur for you to receive your permanent teacher credentials.
Your field supervisor will also work with your campus mentor if one is assigned.
Have a great start to the school year! We are excited for you and wish you all the best.
Pamela W. Butler, Ed.D.
Director of Classroom Support
STAR IN THE FIELD
Start the School Year Off Strong by Building Relationships
“Build relationships with your team in and outside of the classroom. They will be invaluable resources to you!” ~Angela Genica
This month's Star in the Field is Angela Genica, an Elementary Special Education teacher from our South Carolina program. Angela shares that the key to success as an educator stems from building relationships and being prepared, yet flexible.
Our Class Is a Family
We began our conversation talking about the culture in Angela’s classroom. “From day one,” Angela says, “I welcome the students in and encourage them to talk to me and each other.”
In morning meetings Angela and her students share something about themselves. They each get a turn to talk, and they practice actively listening to each other. The students in Angela’s class have fun weekly topics that guide their morning meeting conversations, such as Memory Monday, Talk About Tuesday, and Would You Rather Wednesday. It’s a fun way to build community!
Positive Reinforcement
I asked Angela how she rewards positive behaviors and redirects negative behaviors in her classroom.
She explains that every student has their own goals, their own strengths, and areas for improvement, therefore, each student has a different plan when it comes to their goals.
One approach Angela has used is a star chart for each student that sits on their desk with a picture representing each subject area. If students control their body and work hard, they get a sticker for that subject area. Angela mentions that it’s important to keep in mind that “working hard” looks different for every student. Some of the rewards students can earn from their stickers are STEM bins, iPad time, taking a walk, jumping on the mini trampoline, or drawing.
Social Emotional Learning
When students are having a difficult day, or even a great day, it’s important to get on their eye level and talk to them about how they are feeling. Part of a teacher’s role is helping students understand that big feelings are okay.
Angela has a zones of regulation poster that her class creates together. They talk about what each color means and draw representations of the emotions that correlate with each color.
On Thankful Thursdays, Angela’s students practice building relationships in their school, another great social emotional learning opportunity. Each Thursday, the class writes a letter to a staff member in the school and the class delivers it. It brings the staff members, as well as the students, so much joy.
“Enjoy your students while you have them and realize you are making a difference in their lives whether they recognize it or not.” ~Angela Genica
WRAPPING IT UP
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