First 3

Support Program for Pre-service Teacher Candidates and Beginning Teachers

Overview

First 3, an initiative proposed by Kappa Delta Pi Omicron Pi Chapter at UNC Charlotte, supports pre-service teacher candidates prior to graduation and beginning teachers during their first three years in the profession. First 3 blends professional development with social/networking/informal mentoring to support early career educators during what research identifies as the most vulnerable period of their work.

First 3

In order to meet the needs of beginning teachers, the College of Education at UNC Charlotte has developed an initiative called First 3. This initiative will include a series of professional development seminars and a service learning internship for pre-service teacher candidates prior to graduation. In addition, First 3 will include professional development workshops and networking opportunities for beginning teachers in their first three years of teaching.

For pre-service teacher candidates bi-weekly professional development seminar topics include professionalism, teaching English as a second language, diversity, classroom management, stress management, instructional strategies, working with parents, and preparing for student teaching. The service learning internship will include 80 hours of intense clinical experiences in a low-wealth urban school classroom over the course of one semester. Pre-service teacher candidates who participate in the internship will have a designation on their diploma of completion of the 49er Internship.

Over the course of the three years, 75 beginning teachers will participate in a series of professional development workshops/panel discussions, networking opportunities, and informal mentoring. Social/networking opportunities will be held during the months of December and May. Professional development workshops will begin with a two-day summer institute before school begins and afternoon workshops during the months of September, November, February, and March. Topics for these workshops include:

• Year 1 - Year of Survival includes five sessions of professional development focusing on the five phases beginning teachers typically experience: anticipation, survival, disillusionment, rejuvenation, and reflection.

• Year 2 – Looking Through Varied Lenses includes five sessions of professional development focusing on the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards: Teachers Demonstrate Leadership, Teachers Establish a Respectful Environment for a Diverse Population of Students, Teachers Know the Content They Teach, Teachers Facilitate Learning for their Students, and Teachers Reflect On Their Practice.

• Year 3 – Creating a Professional Learning Community includes three professional development and social networking opportunities conducted in a Professional Learning Community (PLC) format with discussions of books on topics relevant to third-year teachers. In addition to the PLC, support for National Board Certification will be provided during Year 3.

For more information:

Misty Hathcock mchathco@uncc.edu

Amanda Macon amandamacon@uncc.edu

Bruce Taylor bruce.taylor@uncc.edu