TTL Teaching Licensure Strand Fieldwork Models

A full immersion in the classroom as a half-time teacher of record starting in the fall of the year following application

This model is a good fit for applicants who…

• Are motivated to make an immediate impact as a teacher of record for ~50 students starting late summer
• Have prior teaching experience and/or experience working with children in group settings
• Are ready to make the most of their time at HGSE by taking on both a half-time teaching load and coursework at the same time
• Are excited to learn from a wide range of situations and individuals — from mentor teachers, school leaders, instructional coaches, students, and families as well as from course instructors
• Want to be prioritized for the Harvard Fellowship for Teaching 

The residency model is a rich and immersive year-long fieldwork experience. Teacher candidates admitted into the residency model  participate in a TTL supported hiring process to find positions as part-time teachers in Boston-area schools — with  salary and benefits as per district or school policies. The residency model starts in January following acceptance to TTL, with a Spring Residency Experience (delivered remotely; Q&A below for more details). Residents will continue with remote coursework in June, arrive on HGSE's campus in July for the TTL Summer Field Experience, and assume their residency teaching responsibilities in late summer. Residency is contingent upon successful completion of preparation activities that began the previous January and continued through the summer prior to teaching. Applicants for the residency model must demonstrate their readiness for leading a classroom in our partner urban schools through a clear commitment to teaching, deep subject matter knowledge in the subject they intend to teach, and substantial experiences working with students in traditional and/or nontraditional settings.

To allow for preparation and hiring of residency candidates, the residency model has an early application deadline of November 1.

A more gradual approach to the classroom; teaching responsibilities ramp up throughout the year

This model is a good fit for applicants who…

• Desire a more gradual entry into teaching
• Have less prior experience with children
• Want preparation for teaching with more focused responsibilities
• Want opportunities for more concentrated and intentional learning
• Want more opportunities to spend time on campus and participate in HGSE co-curricular experiences

The internship model is a gradual-release learning experience that ramps up responsibility in schools and the classroom throughout the school year. The internship model starts in the summer following acceptance to TTL with courses starting in June and students arriving on HGSE's campus in July for the TTL Summer Field Experience. Interns match with an experienced mentor teacher and begin their year-long practice-based learning experience in September. Interns spend a minimum of 600 hours between September and May in their mentor’s classroom observing, working with small groups of students, planning lessons, assessing student learning, and participating in the school community.

Q: Is there funding available for Teaching Licensure students?
A: HGSE is committed to providing significant tuition funding to ease the debt burden for aspiring and experienced teachers. The Harvard Fellowship for Teaching is awarded to qualified, full-time candidates, and covers 80 percent of tuition and provides for a $10,000 living stipend. Preference is given to candidates pursuing the Teaching Licensure Residency Model. We offer a range of additional financial aid and fellowship opportunities to provide greater access and affordability to our students.

Q: Why the early application deadline for the TTL residency model? 
A: The early application deadline is necessary so that we have the time to identify our residency model teaching licensure candidates and have them ready to start teaching in our partner schools late summer. The timeline aligns with when our partner schools post open positions and, working with TTL's Fieldwork Administrator, the time needed to facilitate the 0.5 FTE hiring process in the spring.

Q: What if I apply early and am not selected for the TTL residency model?
A: Immediately following the residency model deadline, we will begin the review process for all residency model applicants and communicate decisions by the end of December. Any applicant not selected for the residency model may automatically be considered during the regular cycle for admission into the internship model of TTL, and for an internship fellowship. Internship model and fellowship decisions, as well as decisions for all TTL applicants not seeking licensure, will be communicated by the end of March. 

Q. What is the right licensure track for me? 
A. Please see the chart above.

Q. In which states will I be a licensed teacher after pursuing initial licensure through the Teaching Licensure Strand?
A. As a teaching licensure candidate in either the residency or internship model, you will be able to pursue Massachusetts initial licensure in secondary education. Massachusetts participates in an interstate agreement with all 50 states and the District of Columbia — meaning you will be able to apply for the equivalent license in another state, without the need to enroll in another teacher preparation program. 

Q. When does each fieldwork model in the Teaching Licensure Strand start?
A. The residency model begins in January, with the Spring Residency Experience. The internship model launches in June.

Q. What is the Spring Residency Experience?
A. The Spring Residency Experience (SRE) kicks off the residency model. Starting in January, the experience is fully virtual, including five synchronous two-hour sessions and several asynchronous assignments. The SRE is centered around a key question: How can we, as teachers, contribute to improving our current education system by planning and executing instruction that supports our most marginalized students? Through this experience, you will have many chances to explore this question through observation, practice, and reflection, and gain a broad introduction to the skills and knowledge you will learn throughout your time in TTL.