This might be the best teacher credentialling program I have ever heard of. I have received hands on training from a teacher in the classroom as well as engaging in coursework that feels more meaningful than anything I have ever participated in before. During the intensive summer coursework before the school year there was not a single day that felt like busy work or like it was being wasted. Every aspect felt intentional and clearly driven toward the goal of creating teachers who are competent and can succeed in empowering students of any background. Teachers who firmly believe that all students can learn, that the racist structures that can so often pervade school spaces should be dismantled and dropped like a hot potato, and that the best way to teach is to have power with students and not over them.
While engaging in this program I have been a part of a community that is 100% focused on supporting me. If you truly wish to become a teacher of outstanding quality, the people at MTR will do everything in their power to help you grow into that goal AND make sure that you find a job when you graduate from the program.
What I wish was different
Advice
Start thinking about how you will take care of yourself now!
Teaching is as demanding and hard as it is fulfilling. There is a steep learning curve in figuring out how to balance yourself and what I consider to be the best profession in the world. I came into the program a little cocky, thinking that I would be fine, sustained by my intense passion for learning. But during this program you will be working fulltime and going to school, and this school is not just about learning information, but growing as a person. It is more demanding of the self than anything in college, and students require a level of authenticity and vulnerability that is emotionally exhausting. I knew I would love and care for my students, but I was not prepared for the reality of having 150 brilliant young people who look up to me, who I desperately want to help, and whose academic, social, and daily wellbeing that I worry about every single day.
So, for anyone even thinking about being a teacher, getting credentialed in this program or any other, consider what little things you can do to take care of yourself.
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Resident
July 2021 • Los Angeles, CA
What I liked
MTR has an incredibly supportive staff with diverse experience in restorative teaching practice. Their knowledge and intentional guidance has been instrumental in my success of navigating a career change into teaching. Would highly recommend for anyone looking for an intensely reflective credential program that centers students and the deeper why of education in its pedagogy!
What I wish was different
Advice
2
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Resident
July 2021 • Richmond, CA
What I liked
Very supportive. This program has helped me build my confidence as a new teacher and has given me a strong network of educators to rely on and learn from.
